Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart

1 Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

What Peter says here about the blood causes us to stop and consider its preciousness.

We have been redeemed with precious blood.

We need to appreciate the value of the blood from the divine point of view.

All things have been cleansed by the blood.

Even the heavens needed to be cleansed, so the Lord went there and sprinkled His blood.

Everything was cleansed so that God and man could enjoy a mutual participation.

Now we are directly participating in all that God is.

There is nothing indirect or secondhand in our experience.

Our participation is not through someone else, but directly with God–without any guilt and without any defilement.

The blood not only gives God a way to forgive us and not only takes care of our guilt, but the blood also cleanses us.

Cleansing and forgiveness are two different things.

Forgiveness has to do with guilt before God.

We are guilty sinners.

But the shed blood removes the guilt so that we are pardoned, we are justified.

First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just (righteous) to forgive us our sins.”

That is one thing–to be forgiven of our sins.

But the conjunction “and” follows, telling us that there is something more–“and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Also 1 John 1:7 says that the blood is cleansing us from all sin.

The blood is so precious.

It not only cares for my guilt and my standing, but it also cares for all the pollution and the defilement as a result of sin, with its contamination upon my inward parts.

So the blood straightens me up inwardly.

It lifts my head up.

The blood brings me out of the realm of fear and intimidation that comes from a conscience that is pained because of residual defilement over my being from touching contaminated things.

There is not only sin, but contamination from sin.

There is accusation, there is condemnation, there are mixed emotions.

There is all this turmoil within.

But the blood cleanses my conscience to clear up my inner being so that my heart is a true heart.

There is not any feigned faith, but only direct, bold contact with God!

I have no second thoughts, I have no residual condemnation, I have no effects of contamination in my being, because the blood has reached my conscience!

The blood cleanses me from all unrighteousness, all pollution, all contamination.

The blood cares for that.

Not only my guilt is gone but my pollution is gone.

Until Tomorrow

With A Shepherd’s Love,

Pastor Jackson

MONDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS

Daniel Cooper – Surgery Tomorrow

Sandy Paschal – Eye Surgery Today

James Parker

Amy Garner

David Burnette – Improving

Lamar Knight – Home

Jim Mabe 

Charlene Palmer

Lorraine Elliott  

Joanie/Jeanie’s Dad

Dr. and Mrs. Davis

Sandra Graham – Home  

Dan Haines

Doris Loyd

Linda Alexander

June Cronan

Jillian Gray

Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad 

Brandon’s Dad 

Darlene Thaxton 

David Harrison

Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother 

Easton Fielder 

Erik Magusson

Freddie May’s Mom 

George & Linda Alexander 

James Burnette 

June Cronan’s Sister 

John Austin 

John McClain 

Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom

Linda Hodges’ Sister 

Michael Stanley 

Ricky Gipson – Ashley’s Brother 

Rose Fuller 

Scott Nix 

Terrell Loyd 

Tom Witcher 

James Garner’s Friend 

Kim McClain’s Mother 

Lonzo Christin 

Ashely Burn’s Sisters 

Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons 

Larry Barker 

Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah 

Mary Sims 

Marynell Ford 

Pastor & Mrs. Driskell 

Ricky Stubbs 

Roseleigh Osborn 

Scott Lanier 

Sheila Simmon’s Cousin