Nothing but the Blood of Jesus

Daily Reading: Hebrews 10

Scripture Focus: For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Hebrews 10.4)

Devotional Thought: While the writer of Hebrews insisted (in chapter 9) that there was no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood, he also believed that it’s not just any blood that takes away our sins.  It is only the blood of Jesus.

One day, every person will stand before a holy God to give an account of her or his life.  God desires to spend eternity with every one of us.  Yet, heaven is a holy place and God is holy.  Sin cannot enter his presence.  There must be a way to wash away our sins.  God has made a way.  It was the sacrifice of his one and only Son, Jesus.

In what do you trust to qualify you for heaven?  Is it your good works?  The prophet said all our works of righteousness are as filthy rags.  Is it your church membership and involvement?  Those are good, but not sufficient for salvation.  Is it the fact that you are a moral person?  No one is good enough when compared to God! Maybe, you think your giving will save you.  How much can you give to satisfy an infinitely wealthy God? Or, are you trusting in your baptism?  Read the story of the magician in Acts 8, if you think that being immersed in water will save you.

So, what hope do we have?  God’s love!  For God so loved the world he gave his One and Only Son!  Jesus’ blood – and only his blood! – is sufficient for our salvation!  Thanks be to God that Jesus came into the world!

Prayer: "What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus!  What can make me whole again?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow!  No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus!"  Amen. (Robert Lowry)

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 49.16-20

16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.

17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.

18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed --and though you get praise when you do well for yourself--

19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.

20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.