Heaven is Open

"Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.""  (Mark 1:10-11 NAS95S)

How blessed the assurance: This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.  It has become one of my favorite passages because it reminds me that my life is "hid with Christ in God."  Through the Love and Grace of Jesus I have been wrapped up in the arms of my Father.  Glory, this is the grace I need.  This love that hides me.  

Yes Father, I pray You might hide me away in the shadow of Your name.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."  (Psalms 91:1 NAS95S)

The words of the song Still come to mind... Hide me now, under your wings.  Cover me, within Your mighty hand.

Yes Jesus, when I am with You, when I am hid in You, than I am beloved.  You are my strength, my song.  You are the covering presence of my life.  

What does that say to us? "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." It says to us, I, God, have sent My Son into your world, and through Him is opened all heaven to fallen man. After the sin of Adam man was divorced from God, but Christ came in. He was represented through the sacrificial offerings until He came to our world. Here Christ offers this prayer, and what does it say to us? The human race is accepted in the Beloved. His long human arm encircles the race, while with His divine arm He grasps the throne of the Infinite, and He opens to man all of heaven. The gates are ajar today. Christ is in the heavenly sanctuary and your prayers can go up to the Father.  

     

Christ says, If I go away, I will send you the Comforter, and when we have the Holy Spirit we have everything. We have knowledge, wisdom, power, and we have a connection with the God of wisdom. When heaven was opened to man, and God said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," He said it to us. Your prayers, through faith in your substitute, Jesus Christ, are accepted. God accepts Christ, our substitute. He took human nature upon Himself and fought the battles that human nature is engaged in.  (MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS - The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials (1987)/Chap. 12 - Sabbath Talk 124.6).

How can I say thanks my precious Savior? Thanks for the blood you spilled on Calvary's cross?  Thanks for the prayers You prayed in Gethsemane?  Thanks for Your intercession even now as I pray?  Thanks for loving me?  Thanks for forgiving me?  Thanks for coming?  Thanks?  How can I say thanks?  I can only say it through the power of Your Spirit welling up within me.  I can only say it because You have awakened it in me.  THANKS!  THANKS be to Your Holy name.

It's Only By Your Blood

"But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house, At Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You." (Psalms 5:7 NAS95S)

We enter the Lord's house by grace; not by works, not by wisdom, not by wealth, but solely by grace alone.  Paul Baloche's song Offering captures the essence of this passage...

Offering

by Paul Baloche

The sun cannot compare to  

The glory of Your love 

There is no shadow in Your presence 

No mortal man would dare 

To stand before Your throne 

Before the Holy One of heaven 

It's only by your blood 

And its only by your mercy 

Lord, I come 

(Chorus) 

I bring an offering 

Of worship to my King 

No one on earth deserves 

The praises that I sing 

Jesus may you receive 

The honor that You're due 

O Lord, I bring an offering to you

 

O the Love and Grace of God our Father; that He would make a way for us to enter the Most Holy Place of His Mighty Presence through the blood of the Lamb!  Who are we that He is mindful of us?  O Glory!  Glory to His name. 

Glory to Your name Jesus.  I praise You this morning for the truth of Your word.  I praise You that we may approach Your throne through Your shed blood; the blood You spilled on Calvary's cross.  

Yes I praise You for the words of assurance, confidence, and strength found in Hebrews 10:

"Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM," He then says, "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. 

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:11-25 NAS95S)

O Lord Jesus, the day is drawing near.  "We are closer now than when we first believed... even so, come Lord Jesus" (Romans 13:11, Revelation 22:20).  Come and take us home.  Come and take us to that place where there will be no more sickness, sorrow, or death.  Come and dwell in us now that we may be with You then.  Come and fill us now that others may come.  Yes, as we see the day drawing near, may we be Your witnesses, may You fill Your people with all the fulness of God.  May You empower us to bring joy and hope to those so desperately in need.  

Jesus I put myself in Your hands.  I put our church in Your hands.  I put this world in Your hands.  Come now I pray.  Amen!