Grace Outside the Camp

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by GRACE, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. WE have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." (Hebrews 13:8-15, NKJV; references removed and emphases by me)

WOW did these verses speak to me last night, and again today..... it's like, we need to be fed, built up, strengthened, by the GRACE that comes of the broken body of Christ, and this is not something we deserve....built up with food of Him, and not the "food" earthly sacrifices, human efforts may bring, that we think we 'deserve' some how - these are the "strange doctrines" that have not profited those who have been busy with all that....... they profited nothing for people for millenia, why do we think it will profit us something now? yet we persist.... but there are no more offers to be made, He made them all, and just like the sin offering's blood went into the sanctuary and it's body was destroyed outside the camp, so Jesus' blood made the way for us to have access to the sanctuary by His crucifixion outside the city gates, so we must have our life hid in Him in the sanctuary, by the way He made for us via His blood, our 'life-blood', our spirit, is already in teh sanctuary, and we are to be outside the camp, outside of vain repetition of strange doctrines.... the way was made by Him alone!!! GLORY BE TO GOD!!! we are outside the camp of the world, waiting in hope for our coming home, knowing our spirits are already there, and our mortal bodies are still on earth, but no longer of the earth, our home is not within the camp, we are outside, outsiders, aliens in this world, waiting for our heavenly home,waiting for the Father Hen to call His chicks home.... hallelujah. the things of this world will not nourish us, they will starve us, it is junk food that entertains but has no substance, it keeps us from the real food, the manna that nourishes us daily, that we need to have daily.... nothing within the world will serve us well, nothing; we are outside of the gate of the city, looked down on and scorned by humanity, but lifted up and redeemed by our Living God, to whom the only sacrifice left to make is one of praise... praise the Lord! praise the Lord! praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...tonight when i was babysitting, me and the 2 1/2 year old romped around the living room hollarin' at the top of our lungs, "Jesus!!!!! Jesus!!!!! Whooo!!!!!"... it was just AWESOME. and the baby was like jigglin' on his little butt, wanting to join in, but not really knowing what we're doing, but prolly just feelin' the joy... and the 11 year old was like, gee do you have to make so much noise? :P God is sooooo good. thank You Lord!