The Bible says in Eph 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
When our iniquities are separated from us then we can know for sure that our God is with us. At such a time the Lord is not far away from us. The Bible says in Mark 12:34
And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
When we repent and come to the Lord then we are close to the kingdom of God. Everyday we become people who are close to Him. When we repent and are cleansed by His blood and call out Abba Father then we are not a people afar off but we are nigh to Him, and are His beloved. The Lords promise for us is not for a day or two or a month but till the end of the world. He is not a God who will forsake us. The Bible says in Matt 28:20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
REPENT, REPENT
When we are separated from our iniquities, are cleansed by His blood, and keep our agreement with Him, then we are nigh to the Kingdom. We know the story of the prodigal son where the son took his share of his property and went his way. A time came when he looked at the state of his dress, the food he ate and remembered how the servants in his house ate good food and wore good clothes. So to be free from his iniquities he repented of his sins and turned around. He left the evil way and returned to the Father. When the Father saw the son from far off he ran and received him. That is our God. We have to repent of our sins and iniquities then His love for us will increase a hundred fold. When we turn and come to him walking then He will come running to us. We must leave the evil ways then we can receive His presence and His love in our lives. The sins of this son took him to be with the pigs but after he turned from there, his life became joyful.
In the same way to receive His love and mercy in our lives, for Him to hear our cry, we have to leave all our sinful ways and come to Him. When we become weak then the devil takes hold of us. He takes control of our body and spirit. When a drunkard starts to drink, initially he drinks little. Then little by little he increases the intake of liquor. After a few months the liquor takes control of him and he cannot be without it. In the same way when we give a little place for the devil in our lives, then little by little we begin to do what he tells us to do. So the first thing we must do is to seek the peace of God in our lives. For that we have to repent like the prodigal son who left his evil ways, knowing that the way ahead was difficult and sorrowful. He turned to the Fathers house where he had a peaceful life and had all his needs met. He went walking but his Father came running to meet him.
GOD WHO SHOWS MERCY
The Bible says in Is 30:18
And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
Our God is a God of Judgment. He waits for us till we repent and come back to Him. He waits and sees how far you will go and gives you a free hand. But His eyes are on you, and He rises up to show mercy on you. When you repent and come to Him He receives you. His eyes are not shut when you are in sin and in the evil ways. His eyes are always upon you. When you repent and turn to Him then He lifts Himself to receive you. Those who are bound to Him in love are blessed people. He does not destroy what he has made. In His name we have to wait for His mercy and for His love. He will definitely show mercy towards us.
When Adam and eve sinned, they hid from the presence of God. When they sinned God covered them with coats of skin after slaying an animal as sacrifice. Even Abel offered a sacrifice to come into the presence of God. After this in the time of Abraham also they offered sacrifices to come into the presence of God. It was after offering sacrifices that also the kings came into the presence of God. But today through the blood of Jesus we can come close to God. Today there is no need for us to hide nor is there any need for us to offer a sacrifice. Today we have to repent, and turn and come to the Lord and through His blood. After being cleansed by His blood we can come close to Him. Today we who are far off, are made close to God by His blood. His blood is holy which has been shed for our sins. There is no deliverance without the blood of Jesus, so He has given His blood.
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF GOD
The Bible says in Is 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
The Lord went to the cross for our transgressions and our iniquities. For us to come to Him He has fully loved sinners like us. To draw sinners to Him He has given His life on the cross. For sinners to be cleansed He has shed His blood. For sinners to be healed He has given His life. His love towards us is complete and everlasting.
A story
There were two deer's in the jungle who were thirsty. They ran around searching for water and finally they found very little water. Now both were thirsty and wanted a drink. Each one had love for the other and they thought 'let the other deer drink and after that if water remains then I will drink.' They both put their mouth into the water and each pretended to drink. Now the water did not reduce. They looked at each other and understood that they both were pretending. This shows the real love that they had for each other.
In the same way the love that the Lord has shown towards us is complete in every way. So for us to receive salvation He has given His life for us on the cross. Without the Lord there is no deliverance from our sins. Those people who have experienced His healing and His deliverance from the evil, for them the Lord is truly a loving God. There is no other God who has given life for us. So we must understand the true God and His love. He brought us out from sin and gave us the grace to call God as ' Abba Father'.
The Bible says in Jn 13:1
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
Till the end He has loved us and because of His love He has sacrificed His life for us. It is not for a name but because of His love He has given Himself on the cross. This love is complete and unconditional. He was good to look at in appearance. He gave up all this on the cross of calvary, amidst much sorrow. We can read about the beauty of the Lord in Song of Sol 5:10-16
My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
This was the beauty of our Lord. He gave up all of this on the cross of calvary because He loved us. Let us read
Is 53:2
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
But on the cross He lost all form and appearance because He loved us. The one who was so good to look at now has lost all beauty that none would desire him. He loved us and gave His body and blood to bring those who were afar off to Him. To bring the sinners and those who were in darkness to Himself He has done this. The Bible says in Is 52:14
As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
Now many began to love the Lord. As He gave His body up on the cross and shed His blood, then many came nigh to God through the blood that He shed. Because He gave Himself, we can gather and worship Him else we would not. Because His blood was shed on the cross of calvary we have been cleansed by the blood. We are become of the family of God and can call God 'Abba Father'. But before this we were a people afar off, we were gentiles. Today through His blood we have come nigh to God. Through His blood we have received mercy and grace in our lives and we are His people. In our trouble and sorrows when we call our to Abba Father, then He shows us His mercy. The Bible says in 1 Pet 2:10
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
From a people who were far off to a people close to God by His blood. Once we were without mercy but today we have obtained His mercy. This is because He loves us, has given us His mercy and given us His Spirit to call Him Abba Father. The Bible says in John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
So today as we repent and come to God then He gives us the power to become His family. So it is very important for us to remember that we have to believe Him and have to receive Him. Then as we confess our sins we can receive forgiveness. Without believing and receiving Him, and confessing is like talking unto the walls. We must believe that He has shed His blood to cleanse us from our sins then He will definitely cleanse us from our sins.
GOD IS OUR ABBA FATHER
The Bible says in Rom 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Lord has given us the spirit of boldness and not of fear. After we are cleansed by His blood then He gives us the Spirit of boldness. We can call God as Abba Father and boldly go into His presence. We do not have to hide from Him. When we commit error, speak lies or commit sin, then we run away from God and try to hide from Him. Today the Spirit that the Lord gives us after sacrificing His life is the Spirit of boldness. We get this Spirit when we are cleansed from sin in our life. With this Spirit we can call out, Abba Father. Let us read Heb 12:22-24
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things that that of Abel.
We are not ordinary people. We must know that without separating our selves from our iniquities and our sins we cannot enter into a life filled with His glory. To come into the midst of the righteous people, the angels of God and into the presence of God we have to repent of our sins and our iniquities. We have to be cleansed with His precious blood. We have to receive the Spirit of boldness from the Lord. Then we can be blessed people. The Lord has come and given His life so as to make you a blessed people, to gather you to the fold of these people. We are His creation and His breath is in us and He wants to gather us into this glorious place amidst these people. He has shed His blood for sinners like us. As the prodigal son turned from his filthy life to go home to the father, in the same way we have to turn around from our sins and our iniquities. And according to Isaiah 30:18 He will stand up for us. He will take us unto mount Zion amidst the people. We are blessed people. To gather the sinners He has given His blood, broken His body and had a totally marred appearance. The Bible says in Gal 3:29
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
The Lord never forgets the promises that He gives us. First you have to be Christ's. For this you do not have to carry a heavy burden, or offer any sacrifice. We must repent and turn to God. When we prepare to be the Lords then according to the above verse we can receive the blessings. He never changes in His promises, but we have to be Christ's. When we open our hearts and thank and praise Him then the Lord comes near to us, as He is a God who dwells in the midst of our praises. When we praise the Lord in this manner then half our sins leave us and go away. The other half you have to repent. The Bible says in Deut 4:7
For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
There is none but our God who comes close to us when we praise and thank Him with our whole heart. He dwells in the midst of the praises of His people. There is no other nation or people where their god comes in the midst of their praises. The Bible says in Ps 145:18
The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth
When we call upon Him in truth, and praise Him then He comes close to us. Today we must understand that if we praise Him in truth then He is not a God who is afar off. Because He loves us He has given His life for us, He has given us the Spirit to call Him Abba Father, He has washed us with His blood and added us into the family of God. So today also when we praise Him in truth then He is close to us, and is a God who is close and not afar off.
WE MUST GIVE HIM CONTINOUS PRAISE
Let us read Ps 34:1
I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Like the Psalmist we also have to prepare our hearts. David knew the Lord and desired that the Lord should always be with him. So at all times - in difficulties, evil times and sin he continued to praise God. With this the Lord would be close to him as He praised the Lord and on the other side as he confessed his sins and repented the Lord's grace and mercy would be with him. When he committed sins also he would repent and continue to praise God. That is why he said the Lords praise would be continually in his mouth. Whether it be good times, bad times, times of sorrow or sin he would praise God. So praising God as mentioned in Ps 34:1 is one good thing that we must do, so that the Lord would be close to us. We should prepare our hearts to keep the Lord close to us through praise. Whatever our difficulty we should praise Him and He will definitely be with us. The Bible says in Rom 8:31
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
The women caught in the sin of adultery was a sinner. But as the sin was taken to the Lord none was able to declare her guilty as the Lord was on her side. Our God is such that none can find evil in Him. Till the Lord gave the judgment to the women He did not even look at the face of the women. He was scribbling on the ground. He did not talk much to the women. When the Lord spoke to the samaritan women the disciples were astonished as to how the Lord was speaking to a women. Through this we can understand that the Lord never spoke much to the womenfolk. Now when the sinful lady came to the Lord she received mercy from the Lord. When the Lord was with that sinful women then who could come against her. There was none who could stand against her when the Lord was with her. You may be a big sinner or an evil person but when you keep on praising God you will receive His mercy in your life.
When David committed sin, Nathan corrected him and he did not run here and there but ran to the feet of God and once again David received the mercies of God in His life. Because we are sinful and evil the Lord came into this world to give His blood for us to purify us. Run to that God with your sins and He will have mercy and cleanse you. The world cannot do any thing for you. It is the Lord who has given His life for you. It is He who can save us and not the world. Then we can confidently say that my God is with me, who can come against me. The Word says that we will go through difficulties and tribulations but we have to remember that the Lord has overcome the world. With this love and mercy we shold run to the Lord and say what the Word says in Rom 8:31.
In David's life many a time when he fell into sin he ran to the Lord. It is not that we are all clean but we are sinful in many ways. But when we run to Him and call out to Him, then He draws us who are sinful close to Him. Once we were a people far away from Him, in bondage but today through His blood He has drawn us close to HIm. The Bible says in Ps 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
When we go to the Lord in humility and in tears then He will never cast us out. His mercy, His love and His blood is there for us. We can come boldly to the Lord and confess our sins to Him then His blood will wash and cleanse and bring us, who are far off close to Him. We become one family, and He becomes our Father and we become His sons and daughters.
The Bible says in Ps 34:18
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
When we come to the Lord and confess our sins, then He cleanses us with His precious blood and saves our life from destruction. He draws us towards mount Zion, and makes us to stand amidst thousands of angels and righteous people as mentioned in Heb 12:22-24.
RECEIVE NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
Let us remember to what a wonderful and exalted place the Lord is taking us to. So when we humble ourselves and come to the Lord with our sins, then the Lord will definitely do a mighty work in our life. Today also as we confess our sins to him we can receive a new life as the time is at hand. Let us read Jas 5:8
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
The time for the coming of our Lord is near. Every day is the day of salvation. Even today He can come into our lives and save us. So with boldness, with the spirit of adoption to call him Abba Father, with love and with faith, we have to receive him and then the Lord will be close to us. Today also we must give all our evils and our sins into the hands of our God, and be cleansed with His blood, and become His family and call Him Abba Father. Even today if we believe on Him, then today also He is ready to cleanse us with His blood and give us a new life. His form and appearance which was wonderful as mentioned in Song of Sol 5:10-16 was marred as mentioned in Is 53:2 because of His complete and unconditional love for us. The Lord has given His life for you and for me so as to give us a new life, to set us free from every bondage, so that we may be in mount Zion, with the righteous people.
Let us call out to Him, he knows our hearts. He will hear our cry and have mercy upon us.
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