Ever start a project and leave it half-finished? Maybe it’s a DIY home renovation, a book you never got around to reading, or that online course you promised you’d complete. We’ve all been there. But when it comes to our salvation, the good news is that Yeshua didn’t leave anything unfinished. He completed the work—no returns, no exchanges needed.

In Michael Walker’s message Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement, he drove home this point: Yeshua didn’t just offer a temporary solution like the sacrifices of old; He finished the job. When He died on the cross, He declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30). That means no more returning year after year hoping to “get it right.” Yeshua’s work on the cross was complete, final, and all-encompassing.

Think about it—there are no loopholes, no fine print, no “terms and conditions apply” when it comes to God’s grace. Michael reminded us that the atonement Yeshua provided is forever. It’s not like those subscriptions that sneakily renew every year. Yeshua’s sacrifice was once and for all. Done deal.

Hebrews 10:12 says, “But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.” The sitting down part is significant—Yeshua didn’t need to get up and offer another sacrifice because His work was complete. Imagine someone doing all the work for you on a group project and saying, “You can relax now—I’ve got this.” That’s exactly what Yeshua did for us.

Do you ever feel like you need to “do more” to earn or keep your salvation? How does knowing that Yeshua finished the work change your perspective?

Michael used the analogy of people trying to return gifts they think don’t fit. But God’s grace is the perfect fit, and it’s one size fits all. There’s no need to exchange it for something else because nothing else will do. So why do we keep acting like we need to “add” something to the finished work of Christ? Let’s stop trying to modify what’s already perfect.

Let’s pray:  Lord, thank You that Your work is finished and complete. Help me to rest in the knowledge that nothing I do can add to or take away from the sacrifice You made for me. Let me walk confidently in the grace You’ve given me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

It’s finished. Yeshua has completed the work, and there’s nothing more you need to do but accept it and live in that freedom. Stop trying to add to what’s already perfect.

Call to Action: Consider sharing this devotional with someone who might need encouragement today. Check out the podcast replay of this message on your favorite podcast platform. Search for “CITCBA Insights” today. You can listen at churchinthecity.org/podcasts. And if you’re in the area, join us at Church in the City for one of our services. Our Saturday service at 10 a.m. has a Messianic theme, and our Sunday contemporary service starts at 10:45 a.m. Church in the City began as an outreach in the early 80s and became a church in 1991, dedicated to reflecting Christ in our community and the world.

Ever find yourself being blamed for something that wasn’t your fault? Maybe your sibling blamed you for breaking the vase, or a co-worker threw you under the bus for a project gone wrong. Being the scapegoat isn’t fun, but in the ancient tradition of Yom Kippur, the scapegoat played a crucial role in Israel’s atonement.

In his message Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement, Michael Walker explained the significance of the scapegoat in Yom Kippur rituals. Every year, two goats were chosen: one to be sacrificed and the other to be sent into the wilderness, symbolically carrying away the sins of the people. This act was temporary, though, and had to be repeated year after year. But when Yeshua came, He became the permanent scapegoat for us all, once and for all.

Leviticus 16:22 describes the scapegoat: “The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.” This ritual was a picture of what Yeshua would ultimately do for us. When He took our sins upon Himself, He wasn’t just carrying them away temporarily—He removed them for good.

Michael emphasized how Yeshua didn’t just cover our sins, He removed them, taking them as far as the east is from the west. Imagine having all your wrongdoings, mistakes, and failures loaded onto one poor goat and then sent far, far away—never to return. That’s what Yeshua did for us, except instead of a goat, it was His own life that He sacrificed.

Do you ever feel like your past mistakes are still following you, even though Yeshua has already taken them away? How can you live in the freedom of knowing they’re gone for good?

Imagine if, year after year, the scapegoat wandered back into town, bringing everyone’s sins back with it! Yikes! But with Yeshua, that goat isn’t coming back. Your sins are gone, erased, forgotten. Michael reminded us that we don’t have to live in the shadow of our past mistakes anymore. The scapegoat has left the building—and it’s not coming back.

Let’s pray:  Lord, thank You for taking my sins and casting them away forever. Help me to walk in the freedom that You’ve provided and to trust that my past no longer defines me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

You don’t have to carry the weight of your sins anymore—they’ve already been taken far away, never to return. Yeshua was the ultimate scapegoat, and His sacrifice has given you freedom from the past.

Call to Action: Consider sharing this devotional with someone who might need encouragement today. Check out the podcast replay of this message on your favorite podcast platform. Search for “CITCBA Insights” today. You can listen at churchinthecity.org/podcasts. And if you’re in the area, join us at Church in the City for one of our services. Our Saturday service at 10 a.m. has a Messianic theme, and our Sunday contemporary service starts at 10:45 a.m. Church in the City began as an outreach in the early 80s and became a church in 1991, dedicated to reflecting Christ in our community and the world.

Have you ever noticed how, when things get tough, our first instinct is often to go into survival mode? We start doing whatever we can to just get through the day, holding on by a thread and hoping we’ll make it to the next moment. But here’s the thing—surviving and thriving are two very different things. Michael Walker’s message this past weekend, “Celebrating The Goodness and Faithfulness of God,” was a reminder that God doesn’t just want us to survive—He wants us to trust Him, even when things seem impossible.

Michael shared a powerful point: “We tend to forget about His goodness and faithfulness when we go through a trial or a challenge in life. We kind of revert back to our survival modes.” Does that sound familiar? It does to me! When things get overwhelming, I know I’ve been guilty of going into “just get by” mode, forgetting that God’s faithfulness doesn’t depend on my circumstances.

This is where Isaiah 58:6-8 comes in. In this passage, God calls His people to live beyond mere survival and to trust Him in deeper ways:

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”

God’s vision for us is so much bigger than simply making it through the day. He calls us to trust Him for healing, provision, and breakthrough—not just for ourselves, but for others, too.

Michael shared how Church in the City’s early days were marked by a choice: they could have easily stayed in survival mode, especially given their modest beginnings. But instead, they trusted God. When they had nothing but faith and a borrowed storefront, God began showing up in miraculous ways. People they had never met came forward to provide everything they needed to grow—carpet, air conditioning, even skilled laborers. That wasn’t survival mode; that was trust mode.

So, what about you? Where in your life are you just trying to survive when God is calling you to trust Him for something more? It’s easy to get stuck in survival mode, but God’s faithfulness has no limits. He’s asking us to step out of survival and into faith.

Take a moment to think about this: What’s one area in your life where you’ve been holding on for dear life, just trying to make it through? What would it look like to trust God in that area instead of trying to control it yourself?

Michael’s message was clear: when we stop trying to survive on our own strength and start trusting God’s faithfulness, that’s when we move from simply getting by to experiencing God’s abundance.

Let’s pray: Father, I confess that there are times when I try to handle everything on my own, going into survival mode and forgetting that You are my strength. Lord, I ask for Your help to trust You more deeply. I know that Your plans for me are so much greater than just making it through the day. You want me to live in Your abundance, not just in my own strength. Help me to remember that You are faithful, even when I can’t see the full picture. Teach me to lean on You, knowing that Your provision is more than enough. Thank You for being with me in every trial and for guiding me toward Your light. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God doesn’t want us to stay in survival mode. He wants us to trust Him, to live in the fullness of His faithfulness, and to believe that He is working in ways beyond our imagination. Just like Church in the City moved from a place of survival to a place of thriving by trusting in God’s provision, we are called to do the same.

Call to Action: Consider sharing this devotional with someone who might need encouragement today. Check out the podcast replay of this message on your favorite podcast platform. Search for “CITCBA Insights” today. You can listen at churchinthecity.org/podcasts. And if you’re in the area, join us at Church in the City for one of our services. Our Saturday service at 10 a.m. has a Messianic theme, and our Sunday contemporary service starts at 10:45 a.m. Church in the City began as an outreach in the early 80s and became a church in 1991, dedicated to reflecting Christ in our community and the world.

Have you ever been part of a trade where you just knew you got the better deal? Maybe you swapped an old toy for a shiny new one as a kid, or you traded a boring task at work for something more fun. We all love a good trade, don’t we? Well, Yeshua made the ultimate trade on our behalf—He gave up His life so that we could have eternal life. Now that’s a deal we didn’t deserve!

In Michael Walker’s message Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement, he talked about how Yeshua didn’t just give us a second chance; He gave us a new life. On Yom Kippur, the high priest in ancient times would offer a sacrifice to atone for the sins of the people. But here’s the twist—those sacrifices only worked for a year. Imagine having to come back every year, hoping it was enough. Yeshua changed the game. His sacrifice wasn’t just for a year—it was for eternity.

Hebrews 9:12 says, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” In other words, Yeshua made the final, ultimate trade—His life for ours. And the best part? We don’t have to keep coming back year after year hoping we’ve done enough. His sacrifice is permanent.

Think about it this way: If someone told you that you never had to worry about paying bills again, how would you feel? Relieved? Overjoyed? That’s the kind of freedom Yeshua’s sacrifice brings. Michael reminded us that it’s not just about covering our sins; it’s about removing them entirely. Imagine the weight of guilt or shame being lifted off your shoulders—gone forever.

What areas of your life are you still trying to “pay off” with good deeds, when Yeshua has already paid the price? Michael shared a funny, yet powerful illustration during his message: trying to earn our way to God is like trying to pay for a Ferrari with Monopoly money. It’s just not going to cut it! Yeshua is the only way we get access to God, and the good news is, His trade is more than enough.

Let’s pray: Lord, I thank You for making the ultimate trade—Your life for mine. Help me to fully accept the freedom You offer and stop trying to pay off a debt that’s already been settled. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Today, stop trying to trade in your good deeds for God’s favor. Yeshua has already made the ultimate trade for you—His sacrifice gives you access to eternal life, no strings attached.

Call to Action: Consider sharing this devotional with someone who might need encouragement today. Check out the podcast replay of this message on your favorite podcast platform. Search for “CITCBA Insights” today. You can listen at churchinthecity.org/podcasts. And if you’re in the area, join us at Church in the City for one of our services. Our Saturday service at 10 a.m. has a Messianic theme, and our Sunday contemporary service starts at 10:45 a.m. Church in the City began as an outreach in the early 80s and became a church in 1991, dedicated to reflecting Christ in our community and the world.