God of Joy,
Thank you that you have made a way for us to live in your Spirit-infused joy, by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus the Christ. Thank you that the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, will cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God. We know that the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Thank you that Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many. He will appear a second time to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Thank you for the invitation to wait on his return and live in communion with him. I know that the ways of this world – things that vex or influence my spirit – run interference for my ability to be in communion with Christ. Show me the places where I am not communing, and cleanse me through the blood of Christ. Purify me from everything that contaminates my body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. Where my spirit feels crushed, without courage, and unable to cope, give me refreshing, renewal, and transformation. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. And may your Spirit fill me with joy so that I will show your Love and Joy and Grace to the world. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.
A happy heart makes the face cheerful,
but heartache crushes the spirit. (Proverbs 15:13 NIV)
A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22 NIV)
The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit? (Proverbs 18:14 NLT)
The will to live sustains you when you’re sick, but depression crushes courage and leaves you unable to cope. (Proverbs 18:14 TPT)
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:12 NIV)
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV)
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9 NIV)
by Mary Elizabeth Miller and Thomas Miller (c) 2010 Gateway Music
O the blood
Crimson love
Price of life’s demand
Shameful sin
Placed on Him
The Hope of every man
O the blood of Jesus washes me
O the blood of Jesus shed for me
What a sacrifice that saved my life
Yes, the blood, it is my victory
Idea from: https://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word_pf.html?ID=25704
Some notes from: NIV Study Bible (c) Zondervan, 2011