LAMB OF GOD' — JOHN 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" — John 1:29 NLT

Animal sacrifice seems so foreign, maybe even cruel, in our day. Yet it was God's way of helping people know that their sin was costly, injurious, and serious. Their sin didn't impact just them, but it touched all they influenced and it damaged their relationship with God. Taking a lamb from their own flock - something precious and of great value to them - cost them, hurt them, and opened their eyes to the seriousness of their rebellion and failure. However, when it came time for God to redeem us, to deal with our sin once and for all, he didn't ask us to offer something that cost us greatly. No, he furnished the sacrifice at great cost to himself. That Lamb of God, that sacrifice for our sins, is Jesus. John's words remind us that from the beginning of Jesus' ministry, he was God's sacrificial Lamb. He came to save, redeem, and ransom us from sin. He is the Lamb of God. So, at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, John the Baptizer's words invite us to "Look!" and see the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" If we watch, and listen, and open our hearts, we will see the Lamb.

Today's Prayer

Father, thank you for providing the sacrifice that paid for my sins. Give me a deep sense of sorrow for my sin and a deep sense of wonder for your grace that provided the sacrifice for my sins and the gift of my salvation. To you belong all thanks, honor, and praise, now and forevermore, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings
1 John 2:1-2
1 Peter 1:18-21
Revelation 7:10

PRECIOUS PEOPLE I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY TO WAIT UPON THE LORD. YES, WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHY GOD HAD YOU WAIT IN THE FIRST PLACE. FOR WHAT GOD IS DOING IS BEYOND WHAT YOU COULD EVER PRAY OR THINK OF NOW PEOPLE. THEREFORE IT IS MY PRAYER THAT PATIENCE WILL COME UPON YOU, FOR AS YOU WAIT ON THE LORD, HE WILL GIVE YOU UNDERSTANDING IN WHAT HE HAS IN STORE FOR YOU PRECIOUS SAINTS. NOW REMEMBER OUR HOPE IS IN GOD'S PROMISES, AND THAT IS NEVER IN VAIN PEOPLE! WHY? FOR WE SHALL SEE THE FULFILLMENT OF THESE PROMISES WITHIN THE LAND OF THE LIVING HALLELUJAH SHALOM!

Psalm 27:13-14 “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. 14 Wait[a] on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!”

Heavenly Father, I pray that You would teach me how to prayerfully and patiently wait on You and to come to a true understanding of what it really means to wait on the Lord. Help me to be still before You – to listen to Your voice through Your world and to abide in You.

Keep me from fretting and worry – but rather let me learn more of You. Draw me closer to yourself and keep me from presumptuous thoughts – but rather teach me humility of heart, knowing that Your desire for all Your children is that we do justly, love mercy and walk humbly before You.

And in all things I pray that as I learn to wait on You and go deeper into Your word of truth that in all things I would bring glory to Your name, in Jesus name I pray,

Amen

God Is Light and Protection for All Who Trust

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, How blessed and greatly favored is the man who trusts in You [believing in You, relying on You, and committing himself to You with confident hope and expectation]. — Psalm 84:11-12 AMP

Today's Prayer
Lord, You are the source of life and light and protection. You are the source of grace and favor and all honor. You know how to take care of Your own, and You know who is trying to walk in faith. Remind me during my trials that You help and favor those who put their total trust in You with a whole heart. I pledge allegiance to the Lamb, and I will seek to follow His example. Help me in my walk. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Amen ❤️

WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING... 🤔

🙌 If you believe it… type “Amen”

HE IS GREATER BY FAR — JOHN 1:30

[About Jesus, John the Baptizer said,] "He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'" — John 1:30 NLT

What John says in this verse sounds kind of like a broken record. [1] John the Baptizer doesn't falter or fail in this testimony about Jesus. He remains faithful and true to his task of pointing others to Jesus. He praises Jesus' greatness and trumpets the need of all people to repent. [2] He tries to prepare hearts for the Kingdom of God. John the Baptizer shows us faithfulness over the long haul - faithfulness to God, faithfulness to the truth, faithfulness to his mission, and faithfulness to the Savior and his Kingdom. May such faithfulness be ours!

[1] cf. John 1:15, 22-23, 26-27.
[2] Matthew 3:1-2.

Today's Prayer

Father, forgive me for my unfaithfulness. Renew a steadfast spirit in me and rekindle my resolve to live faithfully for Jesus throughout all my days. In his name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings
2 Corinthians 4:5-7
Luke 3:15-16
John 1:36-37

"Just, and the justifier of him which believeth." — Romans 3:26

Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Conscience accuses no longer. Judgment now decides for the sinner instead of against him. Memory looks back upon past sins, with deep sorrow for the sin, but yet with no dread of any penalty to come; for Christ has paid the debt of his people to the last jot and tittle, and received the divine receipt; and unless God can be so unjust as to demand double payment for one debt, no soul for whom Jesus died as a substitute can ever be cast into hell. It seems to be one of the very principles of our enlightened nature to believe that God is just; we feel that it must be so, and this gives us our terror at first; but is it not marvellous that this very same belief that God is just, becomes afterwards the pillar of our confidence and peace! If God be just, I, a sinner, alone and without a substitute, must be punished; but Jesus stands in my stead and is punished for me; and now, if God be just, I, a sinner, standing in Christ, can never be punished. God must change his nature before one soul, for whom Jesus was a substitute, can ever by any possibility suffer the lash of the law. Therefore, Jesus having taken the place of the believer-having rendered a full equivalent to divine wrath for all that his people ought to have suffered as the result of sin, the believer can shout with glorious triumph, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" Not God, for he hath justified; not Christ, for he hath died, "yea rather hath risen again." My hope lives not because I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, he is my righteousness. My faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, in what he has done, and in what he is now doing for me. On the lion of justice the fair maid of hope rides like a queen.