Tha Antivenom of the Lamb

When Israel was in the wilderness, they complained against God and Moses. In response, God sent poisonous serpents to them, which killed many people. But He also gave them a remedy. The Lord told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. When he lifted up the serpent on the pole, whoever looked at it would live (Numbers 21:5-9).

Fast forward about 1,500 years. Jesus said, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14). Moses lifted up the bronze serpent on the pole as the remedy for their poisonous snake bites, and Jesus was lifted up on the cross as the remedy for the poison of sin.

Why did God tell Moses to make a snake? The serpents were what they wanted to get rid of! The reason was because a snake represents evil. “Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we would become right with God” (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus was made to be what He wasn’t (sin), so we can become something that we aren’t (righteous). Jesus became the antivenom for sin.

Antivenom was first introduced 100 years ago. Scientists took venom from snakes and injected it into horses. The horses developed antibodies, which they removed and used as serum to those who had been bitten. They tested many other animals and discovered the blood of a lamb produced the most effective antivenom. (ZNE Science, Feb. 1, 2021)

God created an antivenom through the blood of the Lamb of God. John the Baptist said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). “Behold” means “take a closer look.” Now, instead of looking by faith to a serpent on a pole, we look by faith at Jesus on the cross. The antivenom of the Lamb is more powerful than the serpent’s poison of sin.

www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  www.makinglifecount.net  

Fishing for a Coin

The tax collectors came to Capernaum and asked Peter if he and Jesus were going to pay the temple tax (Ex. 30:13). When Peter went into the house to inform Him, Jesus spoke about the tax before Peter could say anything. He told Peter to throw a hook into the Sea of Galilee and the first fish he caught would have a coin in its mouth, which was the amount to pay the temple tax (Matt. 17:24-27).

 

If you’re single and wonder how you’ll find the right person to marry, or if you’re unemployed and need a job, Matthew 17 shows how God can make a divine appointment to meet your need. If God can lead a fish to a man, He can lead a woman to a man, or a man to a woman, or a jobless person to a job.

 

Jesus knew about the need before Peter told Him. Matthew 17:25 says Jesus spoke to Him first about the tax. Even though Jesus wasn't outside to hear the conversation, He wanted Peter to know He knew of the need before he asked. “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matt. 6:8).

 

Jesus told him to throw out a hook, not a net. Jesus didn’t tell him to throw out a net and sort through all the fish one by one. He told Peter to throw out a line. Many times when God wants to provide, He asks us to throw out a line. He may ask you to fill out a job application, make a phone call, or move to a new location.

 

Peter had no control over which fish would bite on his hook. All he could do was throw out a line, hold the pole, and trust God to put the right fish on the hook. After you obey what God says, you may need to patiently wait for Him to make the divine connection. “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Ps. 37:7)

 

Out of the thousands of fish in the sea, only one had a coin in its mouth. Peter cast out his line and waited for a nibble. His cork began to bob and then disappeared under water. He pulled back on his pole, lifting the fish out of the sea. When he opened its mouth he found a stater inside, the exact amount to pay the tax for Jesus and Peter.

 

The only way it could have been more miraculous was if he took the coin out of its mouth and the fish said, "TA-DA!" The right fish was at the right place at the right time with the right amount. God's divine appointments never disappoint.

www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  www.makinglifecount.net  

6 Things Most People Don't Know About Heaven

 God could give us many exciting details about eternity, but we couldn’t understand them at our current intelligence level. Most people know God will wipe away all tears, there will no longer be any death, or mourning or crying or pain (Rev. 21:4). Heaven will be a place of eternal joy and perfection. Here are 6 things most people don’t know about heaven.

1.    We will not sleep for all eternity.  We sleep because our bodies grow weary and tired. We will never be tired throughout eternity, so there will be no need to sleep. God never sleeps: “He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4).

2.    God will increase our knowledge so that we will “know fully.” When we stand face-to-face with Jesus “then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known” (1 Cor. 13:12). We will need this knowledge for the assignments we will carry out.

3.    Our bodies will shine throughout eternity. “When He appears, we shall be like Him” (1 John 3:2). In heaven our bodies will become like the body of Jesus after He was resurrected and glorified. “His face was like the shining of the sun in its strength” (Rev. 1:16). Our resurrection bodies will literally shine with brightness, just like Jesus’. “The righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt.13:43). Daniel wrote: “And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3)

4.    We will meet every redeemed person who ever lived.  You will sit down and dine with those whom you have read about in the Bible. “And I say to you, that many will come from the east and the west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 8:11). If you are a Christian, you are reading about yourself in this passage. We will literally meet all the people who have been redeemed throughout the history of the earth and since we will “know fully,” we will know them by name

5.    We will have job assignments throughout eternity. We would be bored if we had nothing to do throughout eternity. The kingdom of God will be composed of different ranks and positions (Luke 7:28, Rev. 19:16). We will be rewarded for every good thing we did on earth after being saved (Matt. 10:42). “Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matt 25:23). Our rewards will be our assignments in heaven. Positions throughout the kingdom, from least to greatest, will be assigned according to how faithfully we lived on earth.

6.    Our eternal dwellings will not be like our earthly houses. Jesus compared our temporary houses on earth with eternal dwellings in heaven. He said, “Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9).  Jesus said, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). In heaven we won’t need houses with roofs to protect us from weather. We won’t need bathrooms or bedrooms. We won’t need a garage (no cars in heaven). We won’t cook so no need for a kitchen, refrigerator, or stove. These are literal structures for each believer, but as to what their function will be, we will find out when we get there. Earthly homes serve an earthly purpose, and our eternal dwellings will serve a heavenly purpose. www.makinglifecount.net 

For more information about life in heaven, read my book Making Today Count for Eternity.