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Precious
Blood
When evangelist John
Wesley (1703-1791) was returning home from a service one night
he was robbed.
The thief
however
found his victim to have only a little money and some
Christian literature. As the bandit was leaving
Wesley called out
"Stop!
I have something more to give you." The surprised robber paused. "My
friend
" said Wesley
"you may live to regret this sort of life. If
you ever do
here's something to remember: 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses
us from all sin!'" The thief hurried away
and Wesley prayed that his
words might bear fruit.
Years later
Wesley was
greeting people after a Sunday service when he was approached by a stranger.
What a surprise to learn that this visitor
now a believer in Christ as a successful
businessman
was the one who had robbed him years before! "I owe it all to
you
" said the transformed man. "Oh no
my friend
" Wesley
exclaimed
"not to me
but to the precious blood of Christ that cleanses
us from all sin!"
Our Daily Bread
October 1
1994.
And they overcame Him by
the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not
their lives unto the death. (Rev. 12:11) This is the last reference in the
Bible to the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; here it is the overcoming
blood
enabling believers to withstand the deceptions and accusations of Satan.
There are at least 43 references to the blood of Christ in the New Testament
all testifying to its great importance in the salvation and daily life of the believer.
Judas the betrayer spoke of it as "innocent blood (Matthew 27:4) and Peter
called it "the precious blood of Christ
as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot" (I Peter l:9). It is the cleansing blood in I John l:7 and
the washing blood in Rev. l:5
stressing that it removes the guilt of our sins.
Source Unknown.
Paul calls it the
purchasing blood in Acts 20:28 and the redeeming blood twice (Eph. l:7); Col.
1:14
see also I Peter l:18-19
Rev. 5:9)
thus declaring the shedding of His
blood to be the very price of our salvation. Therefore
it is also the
justifying blood (Rom. 5:9) and the peacemaking blood (Col. 1:20). Its efficacy
does not end with our salvation
however
for it is also the sanctifying blood
(Heb. 13:12). There is infinite and eternal power in the blood of Christ
for
it is "the blood of the everlasting covenant" (Heb. 13:20).
The first reference in the
New Testament to His blood stresses this aspect. Jesus said
at the last
supper: "This is my blood of the new testament (same as 'covenant') which
is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Let no one
therefore
even count the "blood of the covenant...an unholy thing"
(Heb. 10:29)
for the blood of Christ is forever innocent
infinitely precious
perfectly justifying
always cleansing and fully sanctifying.
Source Unknown.
A candy maker in Indiana
wanted to make a candy that would be a witness
so he made the Christmas
Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth
ministry
and death
of Jesus Christ.
He began with a stick of pure white hard candy: white to symbolize the Virgin
Birth and the sinless nature
of Jesus
and hard to symbolize the solid rock
the Foundation of the Church
and firmness of the
promises of God.
The candy maker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the
precious name of Jesus
who came to earth as our Savior. It could also
represent the staff of the Good Shepherd with which He reaches down into the
ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who
like all sheep
have
gone astray. Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain
the candy maker
stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes for the blood shed by
Christ on the cross
so that we could have the promise of eternal life.
Unfortunately
the candy became known as the Candy Cane - a meaningless
decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for all those
who have "eyes to see and ears to hear". We pray this symbol will
again be used to witness to the wonder of Jesus and His great love that came
down at Christmas.
--or--
The Candy Cane
used
during the holidays
stands as an important Christmas symbol. A candy maker
wanted to come up with an idea to express the meaning of Christmas through the
imagination of candy. That is when he came up with the idea of the Candy Cane.
There are several different symbols incorporated through the Candy Cane. First
he used a plain white peppermint stick. The color white symbolizes the purity
and sinless nature of Jesus. Next
he decided to add three small stripes to
symbolize pain inflicted upon Jesus before his death on the cross and a bold
stripe to represent the blood he shed for mankind. Two other symbols are
distinctive on the Candy Cane. When looked at
it looks like a shepherd's staff
because Jesus is the shepherd of man. Then if you turn it upside down
you will
notice the shape of the letter J symbolizing the first letter in Jesus's name.
These five symbols were incorporated into this piece of peppermint stick so
that we would remember what we really celebrate the Christmas season.
Jamie Rapp and Kevin
Johnson.
BLOOD
OF CHRIST.
Fourteen
distinct and direct blessings that come to the believer through the Blood.
Remission. “ For this is My
blood……shed for many
for the remission of sins “ (Matt.26:28).
Redemption. “ In Whom we have
redemption through His blood” (Eph.i.7; Col.1:14;1.Peter
1:19).
Reconciliation.
“
Peace through the blood of His cross
by Him to reconcile all things unto
Himself ” (Col.1:20).
Justification.
“
Much more then
being now justified by His blood” (Romans 5:9).
Removal. “How much more shall the
blood of Christ……purge有人conscience
from dead works ” (Heb.9:14).
Meetness. “ Made white in the blood
of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14).
Access. “ Boldness to enter into
the holiest by the blood of Jesus” ( Heb.10:19).
Nearness. “Made nigh by the blood of
Christ” ( Eph.2:3).
Liberty. “ Loosed us from our sins
by His blood” ( Rev. 1:5
R.V.).
Sanctification.
“
That He might sanctify the people with His own blood” (Heb.13:12).
Cleansing. “ The blood of Jesus Christ
His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1.John 1:7).
Claimed. Purchased. “ Which He hath
purchased with His own blood” ( Acts 20:28).
Communion. “ The communion of the blood of Christ” (1.Cor.10:16).
Victory. “Overcame him by the blood
of the Lamb” (Rev.12:11).
──
F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》
BLOOD
OF CHRIST.
“ This Man’s blood” (Acts 5:28).
Many have found
that the “ Blood of this Man” is—
Ⅰ. The harbinger of peace. “ Made peace through the
blood of His cross” (Col.1:20).
Ⅱ. The harbour of refuge. “ Who have fled for refuge
to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (Heb.6:18).
Ⅲ. The herald of mercy. “ The blood of sprinkling
that speakethe better things than that of Abel” ( Heb.12:24).
Ⅳ. The heritage of redemption. “ In Whom we have
redemption through His blood” (Eph.1:7).
Ⅴ. The highway of blessing. “God sending His own Son in
the likeness of sinful flesh
by a sacrifice for sin” ＆c. (Rom.8:3
4
margin).
Ⅵ. The hewer of sin. “ He died unto sin
once……likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin” ( Rom.6:10
11).
Ⅶ. The holder of saints. “ He died for all
that
they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves
but unto Him” (2 Cor.5:15).
──
F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》