A Crucified Life - - Lives In The Now

 

2 Corinthians 6:2

For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you. And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 

Now: the present time, the time at hand, at this moment, even now, at this instant

From the Greek word 'nun' (pronounced noon).

    There is no guarantee that we will have another day to make the wisest decision we will ever make. There is only now, there is only today. The word 'behold' means "to see, pay attention now and listen to what I have to say to you". God is calling our attention to what He is about to disclose to us. 

    Now Time. Now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. Now. Not yesterday, not tomorrow; just today. 

    Hebrews 3:15 "While it is said, Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation." What provocation? The time referred to is when the hearts of the people provoked God by refusing to hear what He had to say. It's a warning to us even today to pay attention, hear Him speak and make that decision to listen, trust and obey Him.

    Psalm 81:8 "Hear, O My people, and I will warn you: O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!"

    Psalm 95:7 "For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice:".

    Hebrews 4:7 "God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

    A crucified life recognizes that there is a window of opportunity to turn from wickedness and embrace holiness. Jesus Christ is The Door, The Gate, The Entryway into the eternal presence of The Eternal God. This Door stands at the doors of our hearts, knocking patiently, waiting for the hearts who believe to allow Him entrance. (Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me.)

    A crucified life has answered the persistent knocking and allowed the Christ to be their Savior. I opened the door of my heart and invited Jesus Christ into my life and my heart. I made the decision to listen to God's voice in His Word and obey His Spirit. Even now, I am more aware than ever that there is only 'Today'. There is only 'Now'. 

    For God has shortened the days even more. There are no longer 24 hours in a day, though our lives are still regulated under Greenwich Mean Time. Mere seconds have vanished from the clock.  The Now and the Day are disappearing even as we speak. 

     Being aware of this, a crucified life is compelled even more so to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We are so filled with the joy of our salvation that we want everyone we know and all we meet to know this joy, too. It is a hunger within us. 

    Is today your day of salvation? Have you come to Jesus for His cleansing power today? Have you believed on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb of God? Has Christ made His home in your heart?

Today, we who believe, implore you by the Love of God,  to believe, "Come to Jesus. Come to the Cross of Christ. Come to the Lamb of God Which Takes Away the Sins of the World." John 1:29 "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!"

    

    

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Consecrated Lamb

 

Luke 2:22, 23

22. And when the time of purification according to the Law of Moses was complete, His parents brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 

23. (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”).

First, He is conceived. Second, He is circumcised. Now He is consecrated. 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2564

Consecrated: to call; I call, summon, invite; I call, name

From the Greek word 'kaleó' (pronounced kal-eh'-o). To call forth, to bid (command, direct). 

CONSECRATED FIRSTBORN MALES

Exodus 13:2

"Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast."

Numbers 8:17

For every firstborn male in Israel is Mine, both man and beast. I set them apart for Myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. 

By this it is our understanding that consecrate means "to set apart, be separate from". When we have a dedication ceremony, we are setting apart our firstborn sons to God's service. At it's foundational meaning consecrated means 'called out from among, called aside, called to be set apart from'. 

To fulfill the Law, after Mary's days of purification had ended, she and Joseph brought their six-week old son to the temple for His consecration, along with a pair of turtledoves.  

Leviticus 12:8

But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean. 

We know that they brought a Lamb who would one day become the Atonement for our sins, but on that day, in their poverty, all they could bring was their son and a pair of turtledoves. 

THE LAMB  OF  GOD

Leviticus 12:4, 6-8 are a type and shadow of the atoning power of God in Christ that were to come during His crucifixion. Having been set apart for God's service, first by His heavenly Father, He is again set apart for God's service by His earthly father, Joseph. A double-portion, if you will. A double blessing is His. 

John the Baptist called Him God's Lamb: John 1:29 "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

A perfect Lamb. An unblemished Lamb. A silent Lamb. God's Lamb. 

Isaiah 53:7

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.

THE LAMB HAS A VOICE

Have you met the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world? He is Redeemer, Savior, Friend. He is JESUS. And He's calling you and I to step away from the world and into His embrace, His love, His light. He's calling us by name (John 10:14, 15, 27), Come. Come to Me and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28) Come and dine (Isaiah 55:1; Matthew 5:6; John 7:37, 38).

And He's calling you and I to Follow Him (Matthew 4:19), to suffer with Him(1 Peter 4:1), and to carry our cross (Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:23, 24). That's why He came. That's why He was wrapped in flesh and laid in a manger. That's my Jesus. And I'm sticking like glue to Him. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 63:8 "My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me." 

Today, let us follow close behind Him. Let us take up our crosses and suffer for His sake, for His Name.  

LAMB OF GOD by Chris Bowater

REDEEMER, SAVIOR, FRIEND by B.C./A.D.

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS by Jaime Cortez

YOU ARE MY ALL IN ALL by The Gaither Vocal Band