Entered Heaven for us:

Hebrews 9:24

24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;

            We could not enter Heaven on our own. We had no right to do so. Because of our sinful nature, we were not holy and so were forbidden to enter. The high priests were able to enter the holy of holies once a year, but not without sacrifice. They had to offer the sacrifice every year. Also, they couldn’t stay in the holy of holies. Jesus entered the true Holy of Holies … Heaven itself. He offered one sacrifice, Himself, one time. When He entered, He remained forever. He appears in God’s presence to ever make intercession for us. As He stands before the Father, we in Him also stand before the Father. One day we too will literally stand before the Father. That is part of our destiny.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I did not go through all that I did so that you might have life on earth. I did it so that you could also enter into the Holy of Holies within the veil. You cannot go there without Me. You had to have Me pave the way for you. Now that I have, you can enter there too. Come with Me into the Holy of Holies. You shall see what I have seen and go where I have gone. There is peace and joy there forever more.”

            41. Jesus has entered Heaven to appear before God on my behalf.

What Jesus does for us:

            Redemption:

Ephesians 1:7-8

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

8 which He lavished on us.

            When someone pawns an item, he/she has an opportunity to redeem it at some point in the future. There is a price to pay for that redemption that is more than the person received for it. If the person has the money to redeem it, he/she must decide if the item is important enough to warrant paying the amount received plus the “interest”.

            In a sense, Adam “pawned” us to Satan. God had to decide whether it was worth the cost to redeem us. Actually He decided we were worth it before time began. The redemption price … the blood of His only begotten Son. To redeem us would be extremely costly. God became man and lived on the earth. He then had to lay down His life (no one could take it from Him). Jesus was willing to come and to shed His blood for our redemption. We are pawned no more!

            This redemption through His blood obtained the forgiveness of all our trespasses (past, present, and future). This comes about by His grace. We cannot earn it. None of us is worthy enough to shed our blood for our own forgiveness, let alone everyone else’s.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "There is nothing that you have done or ever could do that I would not forgive you. I did not redeem you from some sins and not others. You are complete in My love, and I have desired that you share that love with others. There is nothing that My blood cannot cover. There is no sin that you have committee that will turn Me away from you.”

            40. I have been redeemed by grace through the blood of Jesus. I am pawned no longer!

Created for good works:

Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.         

            We’re His workmanship. The Greek word translated workmanship is the one from which we get the English word poem. We are God’s poem. Just like the Creation is His poem, so are we. As magnificent as His creation is, we are even more so. God could only write a poem beyond all others.

            He didn’t “write” us just to sit around and be admired. He “wrote” us for good works. We don’t obtain salvation through works, but if you’re saved, you should be doing in good works. Of course everyone has an idea of what is meant by good works. What is yours? Whatever you do, do with all your might to the glory of God … not to impress others or to obtain favor with God. We do them because we love Him and want to please Him.

            These good works don’t just happen. He planned them long ago and prepared them for us. They’re sitting there waiting on us to do them. It says that we are to walk in them. It should be natural for us to do them as we go about our daily lives. It is our destiny to do them.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I created you, My children. When I did, I did not do it hastily. I thought about all that I wanted for you and through you. You are My special treasure, and I desire that you be perfected in My love. I have written a magnificent poem, and that poem is you. You bring delight to My eyes and My heart. You were chosen for a special purpose, and I desire that you fulfill it. You are My special treasure, and I want everyone to know it.”

            39. I am His special poem created to do good works which He prepared beforehand that I might walk in them.           

He knows us and we know Him:

John 10:14

14 “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,

John 10:27-29

27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;

28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

29 “My Father, who has given them to Me,  is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

            We are not just one among the masses to Jesus. He knows us intimately and we know Him that way too. We can hear His voice and know that it is He that is speaking to us. It takes practice to recognize His voice. We can also know that it is His voice by the fact that it will always agree with His Word. We cannot depend on that technique unless we also know His Word.

            He gives us eternal life. We will never perish. This is a strong declaration of never perishing. (In the Greek it is a double negative which is very emphatic.) Not only will we never perish, no one can snatch us out of His hand. We may be weaklings, but He isn’t. The Father, who is greater than all, will make sure that we are safe in His hands.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are Mine, little ones. I have chosen you, and I have redeemed you. You are My special ones. I have chosen you from out of the world. Mine you are, and I have chosen you to do a special work for Me. Others have said they were from Me, but I have not sent them. I would not send someone to receive My children. I have come Myself to receive you into My fold. I have chosen you out from the world. You are Mine, and no one can steal you away from Me. I am stronger than all, and no one can snatch you out of My hands.”

            38. I know Jesus and am known by Him. I follow Him, and He has given me eternal life. I will never perish, and no one will ever snatch me out of His hands.