Bethlehem Was Not Incidental or Accidental

Pray Over This

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2

Ponder This

A little lamb was born in Bethlehem. The Great I AM was born a lamb. It was not incidental and not accidental that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. I have visited Bethlehem many times. It is a little village about five miles south of Jerusalem, and most of us would have heard very little of anything about it had not that little lamb been born in Bethlehem. But it was not accidental, nor was it incidental. It had been prophesied for centuries. During those centuries, the Jewish priests had been raising Passover lambs in Bethlehem. Those fields outside of Bethlehem held a very special breed of sacrificial lamb that was being raised and nurtured to be brought to Jerusalem. And at Passover, they would be slaughtered. Fittingly, it was there that God’s perfect lamb, the Lord Jesus, was born.

Of all creatures, a lamb is one of the most gentle, meek, and defenseless. A lamb has no fangs, it has no claws, it cannot run, it cannot fight, and it can frighten nothing. A lamb seems to invite, “Are you hungry? Eat me. Are you cold? Shear me.” A lamb seems to present itself to the slaughter. Jesus willingly laid down His life for us. He came as a lamb.

What strikes you about God’s plan of using an unlikely place and a gentle animal as part of His plan for deliverance?

How is God’s plan different from how you would have addressed the brokenness of the world?

 

Practice This

Thank God for choosing the unlikely and the overlooked in His redemption story.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

The Long-Awaited Visitation

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.” (Luke 1:68–71)

Notice two remarkable things from these words of Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband, in Luke 1.

First, nine months earlier, Zechariah could not believe his wife would have a child. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, he is so confident of God’s redeeming work in the coming Messiah that he puts it in the past tense: “he has visited and redeemed his people.” For the mind of faith, a promised act of God is as good as done. Zechariah has learned to take God at his word and so has a remarkable assurance: God “has visited and redeemed!” (Luke 1:68).

Second, the coming of Jesus the Messiah is a visitation of God to our world: The God of Israel has visited and redeemed. For centuries, the Jewish people had languished under the conviction that God had withdrawn: the spirit of prophecy had ceased; Israel had fallen into the hands of Rome. And all the godly in Israel were awaiting the visitation of God. Luke tells us that another old man, the devout Simeon, was “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). Likewise, the prayerful Anna was “waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).

These were days of great expectation. Now the long-awaited visitation of God was about to happen — indeed, he was about to come in a way no one expected.

John Piper 

You are So Valuable to God

PRAY OVER THIS

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”  

1 John 3:1-2

 

PONDER THIS

Do you want to know how much you’re worth? Go to bloody Calvary. See Jesus Christ in agony and blood, dying upon that cross. First Peter 1:18-19 says, “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Put your ear on the beating heart of God and hear God say, “I love you, and I want you.” Come down lower and see Jesus dying there upon the cross. Why? Because He wants your soul. He paid that price for you! That’s how desirable you are to Him.

I know an evangelist named Mike, who often would share how he got saved. He was just throwing his life away like so many kids are today and didn’t care about anything. One day somebody said to him, “Mike if you had something you really didn’t care about and really didn’t want and didn’t value at all, but somebody else wanted it very much, would you give it to them?” He said, “Sure.” Then the person said, “Mike, Jesus wants your soul. He desires you.” And somehow Mike’s eyes were opened, and he gave his heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m telling you; you are desirable to Him.

Do you consider yourself desirable to God? Why or why not?

How does knowing your value to Christ change your relationship with Him?

PRACTICE THIS

Share with someone today that he or she is valuable to God.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Chosen and Called

God knew you before you ever became a human being.

You were chosen.

According to His great mercy, He sent Christ to shed His blood to redeem you.

Sinful man stands justified before a Holy God by the power of His Holy Blood.

Christ death enables you to be drawn to God.

Without that drawing from God, there would be no forgiveness!

Man, in his sin would not seek God!

Bow before Christ throne of grace!

Psalm 139:16

    [16] Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

    in your book were written, every one of them,

        the days that were formed for me,

        when as yet there was none of them.

Ephesians 1:3-8

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, [4] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. [7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, [8] which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

 

Ephesians 2:8-10

[8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Colossians 1:22

[22] he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

John 12:32

[32] And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

John 6:44

[44] No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Romans 5:17-20

[17] For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

[18] Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. [19] For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. [20] Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

Who Do We See in Boaz?

PRAY OVER THIS

“There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz.”

Ruth 2:1

 

PONDER THIS

Consider how Boaz was a picture of Christ. Number one: he was from Bethlehem, as was the Lord Jesus. Number two: he was a near kinsman to Ruth, as Jesus is a near kinsman to us. He acted as a near kinsman to redeem us. That’s why Jesus stepped out of the ivory palaces and came into this world of woe and was born of a virgin’s womb. He took flesh and blood to be made like His brethren. Further, to redeem, you had to be wealthy enough. You had to have no obligations against you, you could not be bankrupt yourself. Boaz was a wealthy man, and all the riches of Heaven reside in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Not only did you have to be a near kinsman, and not only did you have to be wealthy enough to redeem, but you had to be willing to redeem. And the Lord Jesus, thank God, was willing to redeem, just as Boaz was willing to redeem. Boaz came to the fields where Ruth was, just as Jesus came to where I am. Boaz redeemed Ruth, but he also pointed to Jesus who is the Redeemer for the whole world.

How does it help you grow in worship of Jesus to see examples like Boaz that pointed to His coming?

How are we called to move toward others as Boaz moved toward Ruth and Jesus moved toward us?

PRACTICE THIS

Go to someone today who you know needs to hear the Good News of redemption.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Your Life is Not Too Messy for God

PRAY OVER THIS

“When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, ‘Bless me—me also, O my father!’ But he said, ‘Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.’” Genesis 27:34-35

 

PONDER THIS

Isaac’s family was dysfunctional. There was favoritism. There were two brothers that hated one another. There was a dad who was caught up in what he could see and feel, a mother who was scheming, one son who was shady, and another son who was heartbroken all together in this one family. But God was at work in this family.

You may say, “My family is a mess.” Good news. God is still God. I want you to see what God did. Hebrews 11:20 says, “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.” Despite the dysfunction, God was still at work. A wise man once said, “God does not change us in order to love us; God loves us in order to change us.” God loves your family. God loves you. You may say, “My family is one royal mess.” Hang on! God is not done yet.

What in your life or family seems too messy for God to redeem?

How are you encouraged by the account of Isaac’s family members and the work God did in their lives?

PRACTICE THIS

Take time in prayer to submit your mess before God. Confess to Him the things that seem irredeemable in your life. Ask Him to work in your mess.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

The Long-Awaited Visitation

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.” (Luke 1:68–71)

Notice two remarkable things from these words of Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband, in Luke 1.

First, nine months earlier, Zechariah could not believe his wife would have a child. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, he is so confident of God’s redeeming work in the coming Messiah that he puts it in the past tense: “he has visited and redeemed his people.” For the mind of faith, a promised act of God is as good as done. Zechariah has learned to take God at his word and so has a remarkable assurance: God “has visited and redeemed!” (Luke 1:68).

Second, the coming of Jesus the Messiah is a visitation of God to our world: The God of Israel has visited and redeemed. For centuries, the Jewish people had languished under the conviction that God had withdrawn: the spirit of prophecy had ceased; Israel had fallen into the hands of Rome. And all the godly in Israel were awaiting the visitation of God. Luke tells us that another old man, the devout Simeon, was “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). Likewise, the prayerful Anna was “waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).

These were days of great expectation. Now the long-awaited visitation of God was about to happen — indeed, he was about to come in a way no one expected.

John Piper 

The Sin Stained Redeemed Life

He is forever working His perfect will, in you, everyday, in every way.

By His word, you are being fed words of life which leads to changing you.

His word is life!

His blood cleansed you, wretched sinner and you were wrapped in His righteousness.

This is the Cross of Christ, forgiveness where there should be none, restoration, redemption and eternal life through the One who is able!!

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. 

8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.  - Psalm 138:7-8

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. - Philippians 1:6

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,

5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge-

6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you-

7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. - 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. - 1 Thessalonians 5:24

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. 

2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. 

3 He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!  - Psalm 57:1-3

2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. - 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5

Be redeemed!

Fall before His throne of grace!

There is mercy through Christ!

Can you add to what Jesus did?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Titus 3:5

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Paul said, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8).

What does Paul mean by loss? He means that even good things are bad things if they become a substitute for the best thing. In the win/loss column, put another “L” for LOSS.

Suppose you’re on a plane trip. The plane is going down and you grab your knapsack instead of your parachute and jump out. Is the knapsack bad? No, it’s just not the best choice to save your life.

The worst form of badness may be human goodness when that human goodness becomes a substitute for the new birth.

ACTION POINT:

No knapsack full of “works of righteousness” will save you. Cast yourself completely upon the work of redemption—the work of the cross. You cannot add to what Jesus did.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Redeemed From The Wrath Of God

See the love of God through Christ. 

A willing, obedient, and sinless Son.

Christ alone is brings your salvation.

There is no other way.

Man has sinned.

None will escape God's wrath with the exception of those covered by the blood of Christ.

It is the sacrifice that took away your guilt.

It is through the blood that you are cleansed.

It is through baptism, you are raised to walk in newness of life.

There will be no excuses.  

If you remain in your sin, you are doomed to an eternity in Hell.

You can't do enough good deeds or live a good enough life.

Christ has paid your debt.

Bow, in repentance, to the King.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, - 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. - 1 Peter 1:18-21

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. - Colossians 2:13-15

7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, 

8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,  - Psalm 49:7-8

But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah  - Psalm 49:15

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Mark 10:45

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. - Romans 3:22-25

20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,

25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;

27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. - Romans 1:20-28

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. - Romans 5:8-11

Bind Or Loose

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." - Matthew 16:19

Bind-not allow-forbidden

Loose-allow-permitted 

Jesus has kingdom authority.

We can't bind or loose anything.

The Rabbi's were always changing what was kosher.

They strictly adhered to their thinking of what was forbidden or allowed.

This is legalism.

Christ brought grace, salvation not dependent upon law but upon Christ alone.

The law convicts of sin but can't redeem. 

Only Christ can redeem.

This power came from the authority of God who is our all in all. 

We are in a battle between good and evil.

Christ is King.

The victory is already won, by the power of His blood, we stand redeemed.

21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld." - John 20:21-23

And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. - Isaiah 22:22

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,

18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. - Revelation 1:17-18

He Who is Able

Lord, let these words of truth pierce many hearts.

Teaching, convicting, redeeming and causing all to grow closer to You.

Christ paid our debt according to Your plan and by Your power. Amen

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. - Colossians 1:13-14

and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. - 1 Thessalonians 1:10

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. - Ephesians 6:12

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ

10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. - Ephesians 1:7-14

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. - Colossians 2:13-14

19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,

21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. - Acts 3:19-21

He Knows My Name

Yes, Jesus knows your name!!!

But more than that, He sees your heart!!

You are chosen!!

You are loved!!

He is perusing you with His salvation!!!

In Him alone, there is hope!!

Satan wants to destroy you!

Satan wants you in bondage, buried under the weight of sin!

He leads you down the path of destruction through drug addiction, alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, the feeling of unworthiness, the party mentality, love of material things, and a host of other sin that leads to bondage.

Is this what you want? 

Freedom is found in Christ!

Freedom came with a price, the death of Christ!

Christ died for your sin and He has risen so that you may be free in Him!!!

What a gift!!!

But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.  - Isaiah 43:1

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,  - Isaiah 44:24

everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."  - Isaiah 43:7

10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. 

11 I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.  - Isaiah 43:10-11

If you repent:

"I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.  - Isaiah 43:25

1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me! 

2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 

3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 

4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. 

5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 

8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 

9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 

10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night," 

12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 

13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. 

14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 

15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 

16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.  - Psalm 139:1-16

I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, "Here I am, here I am," to a nation that was not called by my name.  - Isaiah 65:1

Prayer-Christ-Redemption and the Trembling of Satan

Where does our power to confront Satan come from?

I mean yes it comes from God but I mean how do we get it?

Does God just drop it down from Heaven?

Does it spring from the water? 

Is it just floating in space?

No! 

God sends power when we, as the body of Christ, fall on our knees and pray!!!

You know why?

Because we show our dependence on Almighty God, the power of the Cross and we praise Him for He alone is worthy!!!
This is what makes Satan tremble!
He has been defeated from the start because God, who is rich in mercy, knew man would fall because of Satan and his cunning ways.
He prepared the way for salvation through His son!

4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; 

6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 

7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'" 

8 When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law),

9 then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second.

10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.

14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. - Hebrews 10:4-14

14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.

16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. - 2 Chronicles 7:14-16

5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?

6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. - James 4:5-10

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.  - Psalm 51:17

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)

12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,

14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.

17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.

18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood.

19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

20 saying, "This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you."

21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship.

22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own,

26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. - Hebrews 9:11-28