Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of Our Blood (10/30/25)

This past Monday, our kids had a day off from school, and we finally had a chance to take them all in for routine blood work. Let’s just say they weren’t thrilled! One of them was especially nervous about the needle and watching the blood flow out. What if someone were to drain not just a little blood but all your blood? Revelation chapter 17 talks about that!

In Revelation chapter 16, John concluded his vision with the seven-sealed scroll, seven angels, seven trumpets and seven bowl judgments. Chapter 17 takes John to a new vision, which seems to layer similar truths from the previous vision – wickedness in the world continues, Satan covers sin in luring appeal to deceive many, God’s people can expect oppression and even death, yet all false detractors will face God’s judgment.

Revelation 17:1-6 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. ² With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”

³ Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. ⁵ The name written on her forehead was a mystery:

babylon the great

the mother of prostitutes

and of the abominations of the earth.

⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.

The ancient nation of Babylon took Judah into captivity and destroyed the Jerusalem temple in 586 BC. Since then, “Babylon” has often been used as a term to refer to staunch enemies of God and His people. Babylon will fall, facing not just earthly destruction but eternal punishment.

As we reflect on this passage, we can ponder some important questions: What things in this world lure you and me away from the things of God? What’s your “Babylon,” and what’s mine?

I think most of us don’t want to be matyrs, but I pray we will all be faithful to Jesus to the very end, no matter what. He shed his blood for you and me so we could have eternal life! So, He’s worthy of our total devotion, whether it’s sacrificing a small comfort or giving our earthly blood. Where will you choose faithfulness to Jesus today? We can pray and ask for God’s strength to turn from temptation and remain faithful.

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy as our Bloodied Shepherd (4/3/25)

White doesn’t usually stay white, so I tend not to buy it to wear for myself or my kids. It’s one of the uniform colors my kids can wear to school, but the red, black and grey show fewer stains.

The multitude from last week had white robes because of their bloodied Shepherd and Lamb.  

Revelation 7:13-14   ¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

¹⁴ I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

Washing white robes in blood doesn’t make sense at first. However, it points out that we can’t clean ourselves and the stain of sin in our lives. To be forgiven, cleansed, and made righteous we must accept Jesus’s death and shed blood in our place. Then we can stand before the throne of God in Jesus’s righteousness. We will then enjoy the work of serving Him, sheltered by Him in complete security.

Revelation 7:15-17   ¹⁵ Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God
    and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
    will shelter them with his presence.
¹⁶ ‘Never again will they hunger;
    never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
    nor any scorching heat.
¹⁷ For the Lamb at the center of the throne
    will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’
    ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

 

All our needs will be satisfied beyond our imagination. Where are you and I looking for security and satisfaction in this life? As our perfect Shepherd, Jesus will provide complete security, comfort, direction, relief and satisfaction! Worthy is Jesus!

Thurs Devo: Clean Ashes

Does “clean” or “dirty” come to mind when you think of ashes? Dirty comes to my mind. However, God gave the Israelites instructions on using ashes in their water of cleansing. 

Numbers 19:9     ⁹ “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They are to be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin.

It may seem strange, but that’s what God decided as a way for the Israelites to purify and cleanse themselves in His sight. Jews followed this law for centuries, otherwise they would have been cut off.

Numbers 19:20-21       ²⁰ But if those who are unclean do not purify themselves, they must be cut off from the community, because they have defiled the sanctuary of the Lord. The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, and they are unclean. ²¹ This is a lasting ordinance for them.

Now that God sent Jesus as our once and for all sacrifice for sin, accepting Jesus’ blood in our place purifies us from sin. Then, we can live a life pleasing to God, in fellowship with Him and others.

Hebrews 9:13-14             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!

I John 1:7  ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Are you cleansed and purified and forgiven by God?

Are you trying to clean yourself your own way?

Or have you accepted and submitted to the one way God determined?

Alice