We have moved all of our posts and authors over to DUGDEEP.ORG. If you would please check us out for the same great content we have been posting on this site. God has been gracious to us in the dealing with this ministry. Dug Deep Ministries is proud to have our own site and we plan to have some monthly topics and new items for our readers. Please check us out and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to drop us an email at info@dugdeep.org. Thanks to all the readers for the past two years of interacting with us. See you over at the new site.
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G.K. Chesterton on God
Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.
G.K. Chesterton
Book Review: Revealing Jesus A 365-Day Devotional
If I was going to use one word to describe Darling Zschech, that word would be legacy. She has helped to usher praise and worship into the forefront of Christian thought. Revealing Jesus: A 365-Day Devotional is an outpouring of that legacy. 365 very short and applicable lessons beautifully packaged in a slightly more than fancy exterior. These devotions stem from Darlene’s own personal thoughts and journal entries which cause the readers to reflect on Jesus and meditate on the love which He lavishes on us. Throughout the book you will soar the heights of heartfelt worship and plumb the depths of sorrow all without losing sight of Jesus.
“Throughout Scripture, God’s people called to Him for deliverance and He saved them. When you think all is lost and suddenly find yourself a victor-against all odds-how can you not celebrate our mighty God? In Psalm 68:19, the psalmist declares, ‘Blessed be the Lord-day after day he carries us along. He’s our Savior, our God, oh yes!’ What a tremendous cry of praise. But these words are also a reminder that God is our Savior and our strength. It is not by our might and cunning that we are saved; victory is a gift from God. his presence literally imparts power and strength to help His people. He knew our temptation to exalt ourselves and take credit for what God has done on our behalf. Have you ever cried to God for deliverance, received it, and then forgotten to give Him thanks? You are not alone. After any victory in your life, great or small, always take time to express thanksgiving. don’t just move on as if it is business as usual, lest you lose the blessing of learning to trust Him more, becoming better able to face bigger and greater things with grace and faith. My prayer for us today is that we always take time to celebrate the unfathomable power and the simple kindness of god in our lives. We will never truly know this side of heaven all that he has rescued us from.” January 8
Short passages of truth fill this devotional and make it more than readable and applicable. This is a great beginning devotion which is chock full of scripture and personal musings on God. i enjoyed the balance of highs and lows in this devotional. It wasn’t too Osteen-esque but it was also not beating me over the head with Gods wrath. The pages are fancy and colorful and the months are separated by eye-catching covers which include the lyrics from Darlene songs over the years. i would recommend this book to any beginning christian who is looking for a good place to start or needs a helping hand from the beat downs of life. If you think you’re too spiritual for a simple devotion than you may have missed the point of our whole salvation, the exalting of God in the praise of His people. This devotional helps you get back to that point.
If you like Darlene Zschech than I would highly commend this book as an extension of worship music she has written over the years. It may even go well with the CD of the same name playing in the background.
Pick up your copy from Christianbook.com
Revealing Jesus: A 365-Day Devotional
By Darlene Zschech / Bethany House
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
The Christians Blood Theology
Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
Exodus 24:8
Many people wouldn’t understand the whole idea of the meaning of blood in the Old Testament because they are not accustomed to offering a sacrifice from which they must find an atonement of their wickedness. I have been to a slaughter plant, one of the many benefits of working for the Department of Agriculture. The floor was literally flooded with blood and the warm air was filled with an aroma of newly spilled blood. The cattle would come into the plant on a conveyor belt and humanely rendered unconscious. The workers would then slit the throat and bleed the animal. Imagine, if you will, the sight of hundreds of cattle hanging by their hind legs with their throats slit and the blood being spilled out on the ground.
I assume the tent of meeting which the Levites offered sacrifices in was much of the same experience. A constant flow of blood filled the tent because they had to continually offer sacrifices for their sins. There was not one sacrifice that could absolve them of their sins and take away their guilt. Hebrews tells us that Christ is the mediator of a better covenant, meaning that the covenant of blood-letting for the sake of atonement, is no longer necessary because a better covenant has been established. There has come from heaven one sacrifice by which the entire humanity may be cleared of guilt and no longer stand under the wrath of God. The event which made this new covenant possible was the blood which was spilled upon the cross. Christ has now made a way for us to be exonerated. We no longer stand under the mighty and dreadful wrath of God because of what has been done for us at the cross.
This idea that Christ has taken the penalty of sin for us is most commonly called the doctrine of penal substitution. Plainly said, the doctrine consists of Christ’ active obedience to God in going to the cross and dying in our place, as a substitute, so that we may not have to drink of the cup of Gods wrath. We no longer stand against God but by the cross Christ has abolished the dividing wall and has brought us into relationship with God. How many have missed this and fallen under the condemnation sin has brought about? We no longer have to be considered enemies of God. Christ has brought us near and we are no longer slaves to sin but conquerors in Christ.
We bask in this blood theology. It’s the foundation of everything we should do. While the doctrine of penal substitution is central to the christian faith, it certainly isn’t the only doctrine which we must focus our attention. It is possible the most important doctrine we can send our lives on. To say this doctrine is more important does not mean that it should be studied at the cost of ignoring other doctrine but is more important in the sense that pieces in the middle of a jigsaw puzzle are more crucial to seeing the big picture than the outside pieces are. If you were to remove an edge piece the idea of the puzzle is still attainable as long as the middle pieces remain intact.
Let us be slow to dismiss this blood theology. We must stand firm knowing that Christ’ blood is the only way in which we can enter into the presence of God. We need to be, as the Apostle Peter says, “Sprinkled with his blood”. The precious blood which clears our conscience and removes wrath so that we may stand with Christ, sanctified, justified, and glorified on that day when Christ should be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.
