Devotional for May 2011

by John Carpenter | May 4, 2011 | Devotional

“Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren — that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God — to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Heb.2:17

We cannot ever spend too much time meditating on Christ as our Substitute! It is in its truth — the holy glory of the gospel that we love. The debt that we owed — and were unable to pay — required of Him to become like unto us — in all things.

Sin stained everything about us. Nothing was left uncorrupted by it! Because of sin
— we are totally depraved — and in need of total deliverance. He.4:15 says that Jesus “…was in all points tempted like as we are — yet without sin.” His one life of sinless perfection — lived in a worldly environment of Satanic temptation — took the place of all our failures! And, this is precisely what it took for Him to be our Savior.

He had to sustain — no — He had to actually become — the curse of the law on our behalf. Gal.3:13 tells us that “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law — [lit.] having become a curse for us.” Vs.14 goes to reveal that this had to done in order “…that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ — that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” His being our Surety gave us access to the Holy Spirit — of faith to believe. Praise His Name!

He.9:11-12 says, “but Christ being come an High Priest of the good things to come — by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle — not made with hands — that is to say, not of this building [or, not of this creation] — neither by the blood of goats and calves — but by His own blood He entered in — once for all — into the holy place — having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

All these things — and more — He is to us — for us — so that He, Himself, can be qualified to be “…a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God.” Whatever things God has demanded for our eternal deliverance — including death, which is the very wages of sin — Jesus has done it all — Jesus has paid it all! We, who are His people — the sheep of His pasture — according to Eph.1:3 have been “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places — in Christ”– our heavenly High Priest. And, we hear His voice — and we follow Him — and He gives unto us eternal life — and we shall never, ever perish. Praise His Name! [Jn.10:27-28]

And finally, Jesus is made like unto us His brethren — His family — that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in the things pertaining unto God on our behalf -in order to make reconciliation for our sins. This word is actually — propitiation! He is Himself — before holy God — our approval for God’s acceptance! This means that He — our Substitute/High Priest — is the righteousness of God for us — apart from the law — and because of Him “we need no other argument, we need no other plea.”

For Christ’s Glory Only!

John Carpenter

Devotional for March 2011

by John Carpenter | Mar 28, 2011 | Devotional

(10) “Jesus answered and said unto her, ‘If thou knewest the gift of God — and who it is that saith to thee — Give me to drink — thou wouldst have asked of Him — and He would have given thee Living Water’.” (14) “…whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall be in him — shall never thirst! But, the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (15) The woman saith unto Him, ‘Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not — neither come hither to draw’.”

It is always darkest right before the dawn. This is especially true even where the coming of the Son of God is concerned. Peter alludes to this truth when he says: “…ye do well that ye take heed — as unto a light that shineth in a dark place– until the day dawn — and the Day Star arise in your hearts” (2Pet.2:19).

There was about to happen to this certain young woman of Jn.4 the most important event of her life. Her life of living — only — in darkness and sin was about to experience being flooded with light. The “Day Star” was suddenly about to rise up in her heart! She was about to meet the Son of God — the Christ! She was about be freed from her life of slavery to sin. And, she wasn’teven aware of it. “The wind bloweth where it listeth — and thou hearest the sound thereof — but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit” (Jn.3:8).

Jesus had a divine appointment with the woman. She didn’t know of it either. But then, she didn’t have to know of it. “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.” He is on a set schedule — and all the forces of nature cannot hinder Him from keeping His appointments. He shows up at precisely the right moment. It maybe when we are right in the middle of performing our everyday mundane duties. He shows up — and it is a revelatory experience from God –that converts and transforms our whole lives and our whole way of thinking.

Suddenly, when Christ in His purity comes — old forms and old ways of giving lip service to God — no longer satisfy. When the purity of Christ truly comes — we realize how very dry and parched our souls indeed are. And, He emboldens us to ask of Him — no — to demand of Him,“…give me this water…”!

And, He hears and responds. He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think — according to the power that worketh in us”! Which is, indeed, “the power of Godliness” — and not just its form. Our souls are suddenly allowed and enabled to drink from the fountain of the living water of His word. We learn from the Holy Spirit — spiritual knowledge of heavenly things — even eternal things. We taste of the sweetness of His grace. We feel the power of it –causing us to pray as we have never prayed — to lean on Him now, and not on our selves — to worship Him in Spirit and in truth, and not in our flesh. We live out our lives in service to Him– ministering from the platform of change He has made in our lives.

For Christ’s glory only,

John Carpenter