It is true that God is Life! "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Also, Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26). Jesus really saved us! He is the One True God! How amazing and how free we are in Him! Plus, this freedom does not just start when we get to heaven! It starts the moment we place our faith in Him! That's all it takes. We have heard this verse a lot, but it is so true! Let's read it with new eyes and open hearts! "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17). Praise Him!
The reason that God led me to write this specific breakthrough is because I have often felt that I need to continue sacrificing for Him! (It's also neat to note that seven is the number of perfection in the Bible, and I didn't even plan it, but this article is on how God is perfect! He always does things like that! Praise Him!) Anyways, it's fun to dedicate time to Him, and honor Him, but I'm talking about, thinking I need to appease Him; like I need to do this or that. Well, Jesus has already done it! He said on the cross just before He gave His life for us, "It is finished" (John 19:30). Jesus is the perfect sacrifice and we can not add to His perfect work! This is good news for it is so hard! He raised to Life again, so it just shows His authority here! Instead, we can enjoy Him! Yes! We can enjoy our God and Dad! "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." (Romans 8:15; Abba in aramaic means, 'Daddy!'). So this lesson comes into play (seriously, 'play'), practically for me when I'm thanking Him. I used to say, "God, I'm so thankful for you and what you have done! I'm also so thankful for you just answering this specific prayer!" But then I would get frustrated because I thought I couldn't thank Him enough! (And, it is awesome because God answers all of our prayers! Praise Him! He answers them according to what is best for us! Wow! So let's praise God for all of His amazing miracles! There are miracles every day, everywhere, for He is everywhere!) Well, I thought, how could I thank God for all of this? He told me, though, that He is the perfect sacrifice! Listen to His Word, "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew 9:13). We can't earn Him back by saying thanks! Saying thanks is not earning it! Instead, we just enjoy Him and say thanks! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! It's really fun! Just try it! Say thanks to God and enjoy Him! When you think you are not thanking Him enough, or whatever you think is not right, it's just worrying! Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more than clothes?" (Matthew 6:25). It's all about enjoying Dad! Hallelujah! Let's praise Him freely! Let's dance and sing with Him, for He is so excited to be with us, and He is in Love! (See also, "Breakthrough 6: He lifts up our head"!).
Also, Jesus as the perfect sacrifice is very clear! Even young toddlers get it! But it is also so pure and amazing and big that we can enjoy what He has done for us forever! We can soak in His lush and enriching love forever! His love is infinite! So, it is simple enough for a child, but here is some more meaning behind what He did, just to show you how amazing He is! (See also, 'Breakthrough! An Introduction,' for even more background!)
-When Jesus died on the cross for our sins He gave us complete unity with the Father! There is no longer any separation from Him! So we can completely enjoy Him! (See, 'Breakthrough 6: He lifts up our head,' in the middle for an amazing quote on living with God! Really, check this out!). Also, through Jesus' sacrifice, we now share in right fellowship with one another! As Jesus prayed, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:20-21). Plus, Jesus did so many other things! Since God is infinite, what He did probably has an infinite amount of meaning! Just some more of these include fulfilling all of the Old Testament sacrifices. God led me to read through them the other day, and Jesus has become all of them, for one final sacrifice! (See also, 'Breakthrough! An Introduction,' for even more background!). Here are the different offerings and what they represented from my Life Application Bible.t Also, we don't have to know these, for Jesus said to have childlike faith; it just shows how amazing God is and the depth of what He did for us! "Jesus said, "let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14; also remember that, "knowledge puffs up while loves builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1).) All that is needed is faith, and He is saving us!!!! This is just to look at how much He was doing! He is amazing!!!!
~ offering - purpose - significance - Christ, the perfect offering ~
1. burnt offering - to make payment for sins in general - showed a persons devotion to God - Christ's death was the perfect offering
2. grain offering - to show honor and respect to God in worship - acknowledged that all we have belongs to God - Christ was the perfect man, who gave all himself to God and others
3. fellowship offering - to express gratitude to God - symbolizes peace and fellowship with God - Christ is the only way to fellowship with God
4. sin offering - to make payment for unintentional sins or uncleanliness, neglect, or thoughtlessness - restored the sinner to fellowship with God; showed seriousness of sin - Christ's death restores our fellowship with God
5. Guilt offering - To make payment for sins against God and others. A sacrifice was made to God, and the injured person was repaid or compensated - provided compensation for injured parties - Christ's death takes away the deadly consequences of sin
Isn't that amazing that Jesus fulfilled all of these perfectly! That means no more guilt or death or wrong in Him! We are so right with Dad, our God, through childlike faith in Christ Jesus! "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). And, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2). Jesus set us free! See, it is so simple, and also there is so much meaning behind what He did for us! We should not be weighed down by all of this information, thinking we have to add to His perfect work, but rather look at Him and praise Him for taking care of it all! He is so amazing!!!!!!! He is all about Love! He died for us, so that we could be in a love relationship with Him! It's all about Him, for He is Love! "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them" (John 4:16). And He is always even more loving and beautiful than we think! Praise Him!
He is God and He loves us! He set us free and we are free indeed. Let's sing and dance freely, for we are free indeed. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). It's not about us, it's about Him! Let's enjoy Him! In fact, as the Lord has had me write this now, He is blossoming all of the flowers outside for spring. He has me looking at a beautiful maple tree in the back, with thousands of budding leaves. I know that one day they will be amazing, green, lush, beautiful leaves, pouring out His love and reflecting His light! Every leaf and every flower is a miracle! It starts so small and is closed in the winter, but God's hand makes it a bud, and then God makes it into a leaf! Thousands of miracles everywhere, all by His hand, and we get to enjoy Him! Let's thank Him, for He is doing thousands of miracles in our life every day as well! Thank God for He is the perfect sacrifice! And thank God that we can dance! It's fun! He has set us free to do so!!!!!!! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Enjoy Him in His freedom!!!!!!!
See also, 'Breakthrough! An Introduction', for more on breakthrough and how God is always with us through His LOVE!!! Hallelujah! And see, 'Breakthrough 8: Praise to You Jesus! We are already with You!' for a very similar but refreshing message, which includes God's lessons to me on the joy of dancing to Him!
t See chart on 'The offerings,' pg. 157
Life Application Bible: New International Version. Wheaton And Grand Rapids: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. and Zondervan, 1991. 157. Print.
