When Talk Turned Into Walk

The Seven Significant Places Christ Shed His Blood

This is not the beginning or the end but it is the pivotal doorway that allows us to once again look at one of the most powerful events in all the Bible. It reveals God's plan and shows us how Christ was obedient and shed His precious blood for all mankind. He is in the garden and He is praying not my will, but thy will be done. Judas betrays him and they come to take Him captive and then we have one of the most powerful verses in all the Bible in John 18:4. It says, Jesus knowing all things that would come upon Him went forward and said, "Whom do you seek?" They said, "Jesus of Nazareth." And He said, "I am He." Did you see that? Jesus knew all things that would come upon Him and yet he went forward and surrendered. This is when talk turned into walk and Jesus walked up, went forward and continued to fulfill the plan of God. Jesus was in the garden praying when He went forward, and this garden scene points to another garden scene long ago.

In one garden scene it is passover week and Jesus the lamb of God is to be slain for the sins of all mankind and He is saying, "It is I whom you seek". In the other garden scene creation had disobeyed and sinned and God is saying, "Adam where are you?" What a picture of God's grace. What a picture of His love. What an ideal of His plan. God the creator seeking to restore broken relationship and deal with the issue of sin through a sacrifice and the blood that would be shed through that sacrifice. You see sin changes us, not God. Adam hid, but God pursued. He knew where Adam was, but Adam had to realize where He was. In the other garden scene in John 18 Jesus went forward and died for the sins of all mankind, but we like Adam have to realize our condition. The Bible says, we have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. We are all like Adam, a fallen creation in need of a savior.

Adam had been given authority to name every animal in the garden. He had been given all dominion over every living thing but he had disobeyed and sinned, so there had to be a sacrifice. Something had to die. Blood had to be shed. The act that God would preform would be a mirror, a shadow of the things to come. God would kill something as a sacrifice and atonement and clothe His creation with it's blood and provision. The very thing Adam had named, God killed and clothed he and Eve with its blood and provision. Jesus became that second Adam and we are clothed in His righteousness through His blood and provision of His atonement.

Christ the second Adam was named by Joseph through the instructions of the angel of the Lord. "His name shall be called Jesus for He shall save His people from their sin." Jesus was slain and His blood was shed for the redemption of all mankind. We were clothed in His righteousness and in His provision. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Remember Jesus is in the garden (John 18) and it is passover week and a lamb must be slain, and blood must be shed. We see this example in the Old Testament with the Lamb, the Blood and the Passover regarding the children of Israel.

What is Passover? What does it mean? And what is its significance for us today regarding this story of Jesus whom is about to shed His blood for all mankind? The children of Israel were held captive by Pharaoh. God had sent the plagues, but now He was about to do something very significant. God declared He would send the death angel to visit every home and the first born of every home and family who didn't have the blood applied to the door of their home would die. But where would the blood come from? It would come from the lamb. The lamb that they would raise in their home. The lamb that knew. The lamb that they had named. The lamb was commonly used in sacrifices. But this time it was different because this lamb had to live in their home for three days, but nonetheless their had to be a sacrifice. There had to be a death. There had to be blood shed. And if the blood was shed and applied to the doorpost of the home the death angel would passover and they would be freed from Pharaohs bondage and would flee Egypt in pursuit of the Promised Land. There was the sacrifice, the meal, and the celebration; but it was the blood of the sacrifice that brought their freedom and this was where Passover originated. The Bible says, The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. You see when Christ's blood is applied to our live through the forgiveness of sin and faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ; death passes over us and we have the gift of eternal life.

But don't forget Jesus is in the garden surrendering His life and going forward for you and me. He is saying, "It is I... I am the one whom you seek" and this is where talk turned into walk. The precious lamb of God would shed His blood for all mankind and would be the final sacrifice for all who believe. We would be set free from sin and every other bondage that holds us captive as we apply the precious blood of Christ to those areas of our life. Christ's blood is precious and all so powerful and there is significance in the shed blood of Christ.

He shed His blood in seven places and there is significance in those seven times. You see in the Old Testament the priest would catch the blood of the sacrifice in a basin and sprinkle that blood on the altar seven times. The children of Israel also sprinkled the blood of the lamb on the door posts of their homes seven times. And finally we see that Jesus Christ the lamb of God shed his precious blood in seven significant places for all mankind. As we apply it to every area of our lives we will find power and freedom for those specific area of our lives.

Christ stood his ground in the earth between what was, and what was to come and He said, "It is I, I am the one whom you seek." This is where talk turned into walk. He went forward and embraced all the things that He knew would come upon Him and He shed His blood for you, me and all mankind...

The Seven Significant Places Christ Shed His Blood:

1. The Garden- in the garden He shed great drops of blood to give us the power to do the right thing. He said, "not thy will but thine be done." The Garden deals with our "will" and it gives us the power to do what we should, not what we want.

2. The Whipping Post- the whipping post is where He took thirty nine stripes and they say there are thirty nine known root causes to all sickness. The Bible tells us that by His stripes we are healed. The precious blood at the whipping post gives us power for health.

3. The Internal Bleeding- it says He was bruised; that is internal bleeding. This blood was internal and gives us freedom and power those things that are internal such as our fears, our hurts and our insecurities. The precious blood that was internal gives us power for our emotions.

4. The Crown of Thorns- as they pushed the crown of thorns on His head the blood that was shed ran over His head and into His eyes, ears and mouth. So that we can plead the power of this precious blood over what we see, hear and say. The precious blood from the crown of thorns gives us power over our minds. It gives us peace of mind and the power to think the right things.

5. The Hands- most people would agree that Christ was nailed through the wrist, however the wrist is still part of the hand and the precious blood that was shed gives us power over what we touch and the strength to take back those things that are ours through what Christ did. This precious blood from His hands gives us power for the present.

6. The Feet- again most people agree He was nailed above the feet in the ankle area, however He was nailed there to support Himself and this precious blood brings support and stability to our coming and going in everyday life; where we walk and the areas we need to make a stand. The precious blood from His feet gives us the power and hope for our future.

7. The Side- the side is where He shed both blood and water. It is interesting that the majority of people who have studied the crucifixion say that Christ shed all the blood and water from His body. Some say there is a sack of water around the heart and that Jesus died of a broken heart. The blood that was shed from His side and heart is symbolic of purification and cleansing. The precious blood that was shed from His side gives us power for salvation and fullness of joy.

The precious blood of Christ is significant for every area of our lives. We can plead this blood over all of these areas of our lives and have power and hope for our past, our present and our future. Jesus Christ lived, died and rose again. He is making intercession for us now, and one day He will return to take us home to be with Him forever... That's the plan of God and Jesus fulfilled the plan When He Turned Talk into Walk.

"No More DNF's"

I have followed NASCAR for a few years. This year for the first time I have followed it on SIRIUS "NASCAR Radio." Through interviews on NASCAR Radio there have been a couple of terms that have caught my attention early on this year. These two terms are, "No DNF's" and "Seat Time." I heard Bobby Labonte being interviewed and they ask him, "what his expectations were for the year?" He said, "to win a race or two and finish the year with no DNF's." They were talking about Trevor Bayne the rookie who became the youngest driver at 20 to ever win the Daytona 500, and this is what they said, " he is a great kid and a tremendous driver, but for him there will be no substitute for seat time."


Let me explain and elaborate a little on each of these topics that I feel relate to our lives both spiritually, and physically. You see in NASCAR a DNF means, "Did Not Finish." There are too many that are giving up to quick. There are too many of us that are quiting way too soon. Maybe it's time to say, "I am not giving up on that dream", "I am not quiting on this marriage", "I wont stop believing for that miracle or that loved one's salvation." It may be that now is the time to say, "no more DNF's for me I will finish, and I will learn, and I will win."

NASCAR shows us there is a differnce in losing a race, and not finishing the race at all. It's not a matter of winning every race. It's not a matter of conquering every battle. It's not a matter of being victorious in every conflict. It's a matter of finishing the race. In NASCAR I have seen cars come back onto the track with fenders missing and duct tape holding the nose of the car on; and I used to think, "what's the use?" But now I realize it's not always about winning, sometimes it's about finishing... say it with me, "NO MORE DNF's!"

By staying in the race they show there fans and teamamtes we are in this to race and finish. They also gain experience, earn points in the series and increase their winnings for the race. There is no substitute for staying in the race. The Bible says it this way, "having done all stand", and it also says, "don't grow weary in well doing for in due season you shall reap." Remember, "failure is not final unless you quit." And know this, 'you haven't failed if you haven't quit." Say it with me one more time, "NO MORE DNF's!"

Now what about "seat time?" Seat time just means there is no substitute for experience. There is no substitue for just staying in there and doing what it is you have to do to learn and finish. Someone said, "we either learn by example or experience." Now we all know learning by example is way easier but we also know learning through experience, although more painful has more lasting results. Sometimes it's not the victories that teach us, but the losses. It may be the thing you despise the greatest is the very thing God is using to develop you. There is no substitiute for living life and experiencing the things God has put in our path to encounter.... It's time to stay in the seat and finish the race.

We must realize that Jesus finished well. Did everything go good all the time? Did everyone like Him? Was He always accepted and understood? No. But did He finish? Yes. He was our example and He told us, "be of good cheer for I have overcome the world."Jesus finished, so we could. He is our victory. The Bible says, "we are MORE than conquerers through Christ Jesus who loved us and gave Himself for us." Stay in the seat and finish the race it will be worth it! Paul said it this way, "I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith. The prize that shows I have God's approval is now waiting for me. He will give it not only to me but also to everyone who is eagerly waiting for Him to come again." Notice Paul didnt say I won the race. He said, I finished the race and I kept the faith."

Here are some things to think about when it comes to "Finishing":

• If the prize is greater than the pain than focus on the prize.
• Figure out what is stopping you and fix it.
• Recognize what you are willing to tolerate and realize God rewards the relentless.
• Realize God doesn't just want to give you strength He wants to be your strength.
• and Remember the weight of the world is not greater than God's strength.

the Puzzle

Life has many pieces the question is how and where do they all fit?

Many years ago I was thinking about puzzles and how time consuming, fulfilling and frustratting they are to put together. I also found it amazing the comparison of our lives to a "puzzle."

• the box

The box represents so many things. First of all it represents how the picture is supposed to look. On the very front of the box is a picture of what the puzzle is supposed to look like after it is completed. I mean don't we all have a "what it's suppose to look like picture" of our life or maybe at least some scenario of our life. If not, you can rest assured others do. The box is also what contains the pieces. I mean the box contains what it takes to make the picture and complete the puzzle. But sometimes the pieces just don't fit. Sometimes it just doesn't make sense. Sometimes you wonder if one is missing. You question did they miss cut one of the pieces. When this frustration happens is when you start to force the pieces and try to make it fit yourself. Make it work. Trying to put pieces where they weren't meant to be by forcing the pieces and bending the corners while ruining the picture. If you would have only been patient and waited the picture would have been clearer and smoother laying flatter and fitting together so much better. But nonetheless the picture is clear and the pieces all fit somehow? - "It amazes me the comparison of our lives to a puzzle"...

• the pieces

The pieces vary in size and quantity. Some puzzles have just a few pieces while other puzzles have literally thousands of pieces. Some of the pieces are small and some of the pieces are larger. Some pieces have an obvious shape and fit while other pieces don't seem to fit at all. The pieces all have signifigance. There are some pieces that give meaning to the puzzle. They are the pieces that are flat and straght on one edge. These are the border pieces. These are the pieces that all the other pieces have to fit within. We all need boundaries. We all have to have those borders that support and edge all the areas and pieces of life even those odd shaped small pieces that don't make since and at times don't seem to fit. The pieces that don't seem to fit anywhere are the pieces that we leave on the outside until we get enough pieces of the picture together and then all of a sudden it becomes clear that it fit too. They help make the picture complete. All the pieces are significant. - 'It amazes me the comparison of our lives to a puzzle"...

• the age appropriateness

The age appropriateness is interesting too. A child's puzzle has just a few big pieces, while an adult puzzle can have several thousand tiny pieces. A child's puzzle is pretty simple. It usully even has a board to lay the pieces on inside a border that is already painted on the board where you lay the few big pieces. The picture is pretty clear and can ususally be put together with in minutes. An adult puzzle on the other hand has no border and no backboard to start with. You just dump the pieces out and start trying to make sense of where they all may go to complete the puzzle and reveal the picture. It's amazing because it can take several adults, several hours, days, and even weeks to put together a complex puzzle. Let's not forget there are also complex 3D puzzles. And they have to be able to stand alone. There are puzzles that range from 1D to 3D. Several pieces to few pieces. There are puzzles with backboard and painted borders to no backboard or painted border. Just like life it seems the more complex things are the more pieces there are to try and fit together. - "It amazes me the comparison of our lives to a puzzle"...

• the picture

The picture is where it all begins. The picture was before the pieces ever exsisted. The pieces were cut out of the picture to be reconnected to one another so that the picture could be seen again. We are taking the pieces and trying to recreate the original picture or scene. We use the picture as our guide. When we have trouble finding out where the pieces fit we look at the picture. You get the picture, don't you? (no pun inteneded) The Bible tells us, "we are His creation, His wormanship created beforehand for good works." It says, "that He created us in His own image." It says, "He knew us before we were." We go through the frustrations of trying to fit the pieces together and create the picture we want. Or to create the picture we have in our minds of how it is supposed to be. Or to put the pieces where and how others are trying to tell us how and where they think they should go or fit together. We must look at the picture. When we see the "BIG" picture we see how the pieces are supposed to fit. Look to the author and finisher the "originator" of the "picture." When you look at the picture it gives you the reality that all the pieces do fit together and they create something that is whole and complete. The picture is just pieces that have been patiently and properly put together to create what was cut apart to be put back together again. The pieces all fit. They are all sinificant in creating the picture. - "It amazes me the comparison of our lives to a puzzle"...

• the originator

The originator is the one who saw the picture and made the puzzle. The picture had to be seen, painted, created, or taken by someone. Then someone saw the picture the way it was before the pieces were ever cut out to recreate it. The picture was taken or painted as one piece on one canvas. Then the puzzle cutter cut the pictures into pieces to be put back together by you, me or someone. Putting puzzles together is both fulfilling and frustating. It is fulfilling when the pieces all fit and make sense but it is frustrating when the pieces don't fit and seem misplaced. God is the originator. He saw your life picture before anyone else did. He sees the beginning from the end. He sees where the pieces fit. He saw the picture of your life and mine before it began. Take the pieces out of the box. Put the pieces on the table. Take your hands off and allow Him to put the pieces together. Allow Him to place the pieces where they belong. Step back. Take a look. See the pieces? See the picture? See His hands? Feel the peace? It all makes sense now doesn't it? That's where that piece fit. That's what the picture is supposed to look like. That's what fulfillment and peace feel like. - "It amazes me the comparison of our lives to a puzzle"...

robert alan collins

http://www.robertalancollins.com/