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Jesus is our intercessor (12)


 In worship God imparts Himself to us.  — C.S. Lewis

In the Old Testament, God instituted the priesthood so that someone could be a mediator between man and God. The high priest would offer the sacrifice for the people's sins on the day of atonement and only after this, he would enter into the holy place in the temple. God preserved His presence for only those purified by blood, set apart for His purposes. When Jesus came, He was called the great high priest because not only did mediate for us - creating a bridge for us to commune with God, but He himself was the sacrifice offered for our sins. And with the sacrifice complete, our sins forgiven, we are welcomed into the throne room of heaven, where we can enter with confidence in our position with God.


Worship Christ, our great high priest

Jesus, Your sacrifice - the gift of your life - has opened the way for me to have complete access to God. Your arms stretched wide upon the cross connected my humble sinful heart to the God of the universe, making it possible for mw to have a personal relationship with our Creator once again.


Hebrews 4:14 - 16

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Appropriate the truth of scripture as you grow in your walk of faith

Lord, when I can't even speak the words, when my soul is in anguish but I don't know how to ask, when the way forward is shrouded in mist, I rely upon Jesus to intercede for me. I'm not sure what is good in this situation and I don't know what Your plan looks like but I can trust that you will help me when I do not know what to pray. And I can rest in the fact that you have called me according to Your purpose and that ultimately Your will is that I be conformed to the image of Christ.


Romans 8:26-30

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.


Light - Walk in the light by openly confessing your sins and need for God

Lord, in Your last days on earth, You prayed for us.  You prayed for your disciples and included those who had never seen you - how amazing to know that You would pray for us 2000 years ago!  My prayer echoes yours:  May I know You and have eternal life, keep me from the evil one, sanctify me by your truth,  and may I live in oneness with those who follow You.  

John 17

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.[a] 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them[b] in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself,[c] that they also may be sanctified[d] in truth.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”


Know Him more and more as you spend time with Him daily

Lord, You are the mediator of a new covenant, fulfilling the requirements of Old Testament law and opening the door to a new way. Thank You for Your sacrifice for us!


Hebrews 9:14

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.



Prayers for others today:

S - Missions

M - Family

T - Church and Friends

W - Work

Th - Community

F - World affairs

Sat - Self


Blessings on your day,

Heather


P.S. If you just jumped into this blog post, you can read the first post explaining how to walk with God through your prayer life and the first day of praying through scripture here.

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