tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44141577364009408482024-02-20T11:03:38.479-08:00meet Me in the morningSallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.comBlogger538125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-7356002554954567652015-08-30T14:40:00.000-07:002015-08-30T14:42:19.125-07:00Hebrews 11:5-6 By faith Enoch. . . <b><i>By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. </i></b> ( Hebrews 11:506 NIV)<br />
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Enoch, who was the father of Methuselah and the great grandfather of Noah, has only four verses given to him in Genesis, chapter 5. He is listed in this genealogy chapter with a repeated pattern: “When ______ had lived _____ years, he became the father of _____. After he became the father of ______ he lived _____ years and had other sons and daughter. Altogether, ______ lived a total of ______ years, <b><u>and then he died</u></b>. Period. But in the passage describing Enoch, there are distinctions that no one else in this chapter merited:<br />
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<b><i>When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, <u>Enoch walked faithfully with God</u> 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. <u>Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away</u>.</i></b> (Genesis 5:21-24)<br />
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Enoch did not die. There are only two people mentioned in the Bible as having never died, but who instead were taken from the world by God: Enoch and Elijah.<br />
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We are told that Enoch “walked faithfully with God.” What does that mean to “walk” with God? Walking is the most natural and common means by which we move forward. It is not strenuous exercise, but casual, comfortable travel. To walk with someone is to keep in step with him, to go in the same direction side by side. This is an intimate activity. You know, if you walk with your friends or your spouse, it is a time of good conversation - of laughing and sharing the things that are on your heart. To walk with someone is to purposefully set aside time to be together and to connect. {All of this, by the way, from someone who avoids exercise of any kind like the plague :) }<br />
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To say that Enoch walked “faithfully” with God tells us that this was his regular habit. Enoch knew God well. Enoch and God apparently had a daily appointed time when they met to walk together. It was a priority with Enoch - and I am certain it was a priority with God, as well.<br />
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Think about that. How amazing that the God of the Universe desires to have intimate fellowship with us! He longs to walk through ALL of this life with us. Not just the dramatic, big times of tragedy or loss, but during the quiet times, the routine times, the small times. He wants to walk with you through the scary time of abandonment and divorce as well as during the daily grind of your work or the frustrating days of toddlers and tantrums, diapers and messy houses, which seem to last an eternity - and yet are gone in a blink.<br />
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In the Hebrews passage we read that Enoch “pleased God.” What does that mean? This passage tells us that is involves faith, because, without faith, there is absolutely NO WAY to please God! Jesus affirms this in the Gospel of John when Jesus was approached by a crowd with a very specific question:<br />
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<b><i>Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” </i></b><br />
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<b><i>Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”</i></b> (John 6:28-29)<br />
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I have written on these verses many times, because I think they are so important. Jesus could have given them a long list of things to DO. In fact, that appears to have been their expectation, and I’m guessing, their desire. I imagine each of them thinking, “Jesus, just tell me what we need to do to get into Heaven. If you want me to tithe, I’m all over it. Attend temple every day? I’m your man! Give to the poor? Fast and pray once a week? Chant Bible passages? Meditate? Study your Word every day? Witness to my neighbors? I’m there, LORD! Just tell me what to DO!”<br />
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When we focus on what WE can DO, we are dealing with pride. We like the idea of self-effort and achievement. Surely, those things listed are good things. But Jesus gives us only ONE requirement - one imperative: BELIEVE in Him!<br />
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If we want to please God, we have to BELIEVE that He is - that He is Who He says He is - and that He longs to reward all who seek Him diligently. He guarantees that if we earnestly seek Him, He WILL be found (see Jer 29:11-14). He’s not playing hide and seek with us. He YEARNS to be found by us. And the truth is that HE. IS. the reward! Eternal life with Him forever is ours when we believe! This is the good news of the gospel. As my pastor loves to say, “Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.” Believe it!<br />
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Enoch was a man who pleased God BY FAITH. And that’s why he is numbered with the heroes in this chapter. Next up? Noah! Boy do we need rain about now. . . <br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-18998259220602754502015-08-25T17:33:00.000-07:002015-08-25T17:33:55.174-07:00Hebrews 11:4-5 Even Though He is Dead August 26, 2015<b><i>By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.</i></b> (Hebrews 11:4 NIV)<br />
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One of the things I love about the Bible is that it is so true and real. We don’t have to go far into it before sin enters the world,and we have our first example of family dysfunction and murder! If this book had been written by mere men, instead of being God-breathed (as Paul describes it in 2 Timothy 3:15-17), everything would be written ideally with happy-ending stories. Instead, it very clearly portrays all of the weaknesses of these people, because this book is all about redemption from Genesis to Revelation. There isn’t one example of a perfect family - not even Jesus’s earthly family! From what we can tell, his siblings did not believe in him prior to the resurrection. In fact they kind of thought he was a bit crazy! (John 7:5, Mark 3:21)<br />
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So, right off the bat, we see Adam and Eve’s two sons had issues. We understand that sometimes there can be sibling rivalry, but this ramps up due to the extreme jealousy of big brother Cain over the acceptance of Abel’s offering to God and the rejection of his own:<br />
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<b><i>Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
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<b><i>Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” </i></b> (Genesis 4:2-5 NIV)<br />
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Most commentators focus on the what of the sacrifice made by the brothers: Abel offered a blood sacrifice of the best part of his flocks, foreshadowing the redemptive work of Christ and representing a reliance on the blood for forgiveness; Cain offers the fruit of his own efforts. However, just as important it seems is the heart attitude or the why of the offering. Abel’s heart was right, which is why, in the Hebrews verses he is commended by God for his FAITH demonstrated in the offering. It was his FAITH that made Abel righteous in God’s eyes. Cain, on the other hand, displays his heart when he doesn’t just pout about the situation, he gets <b>“very angry.”</b><br />
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What I find remarkable in the Genesis passage is the grace of God in this incident. First, He speaks a warning to Cain when He sees the attitude of his heart. He warns him to beware of the sin in his heart. Even when Cain ignores the warning and actually murders Abel, God offers him a way to confess and repent, but Cain turns a deaf ear with a snarky retort:<br />
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<b><i>Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”</i></b> (Gen 4:9)<br />
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Again, even though God could have immediately instituted capital punishment, He shows grace to Cain. God drives Cain from His presence, but He marks Cain with a protective marking so that no one will harm him. (see Gen 4:10-18)<br />
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So, Abel, our first hero of faith mentioned in Hebrews, is also out first example of God’s plan that from beginning to end, salvation is by faith. What do we learn from this story? It isn’t what I DO for God that matters as much as how I approach Him and serve Him. Am I serving from a heart of love, with an awe of the majesty of our holy Creator God? Or am I serving to be seen as “righteous,” doing things to be approved by men rather than God? When I serve, am I doing it for an audience of One? Or do I toot my own horn and post on Facebook the wonderful things I’m doing so that my FB friends will “like” my efforts?<br />
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Most of us, if we are honest with ourselves, have our moments of doing both. Sometimes we spontaneously respond to the overwhelming grace and love of God by complete surrender of our will to His and offering up a heart that just wants to serve Him by serving others. When we do that, the rewards are eternal. But sometimes we all fall into the trap of wanting to be acknowledged for our works, and relish receiving the accolades from men. When we do that, the reward is temporal - it’s here, then gone.<br />
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What was Abel’s reward? My very favorite part of this section of Hebrews 11 declares,<b><i>“And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.” </i></b> Thousands of years after Abel’s death, Paul says his faith still speaks to us! I have written in the margin of my Bible next to this, “Let that be said of me!” No one remembers people after they die beyond their immediate family and maybe the next generation. The reality is that, beyond the grandchildren, we are pretty much forgotten. The dusty photo albums evoke little or no emotional connection to faces we have never known in person.<br />
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Even if there is a building with your name on it, no one cares beyond your own generation. I took classes every day in Royce Hall when I was at UCLA. Do I have the vaguest idea who Royce was or why he merited a building? Nope! And I don’t really care. However, I have the knowledge of the prayers of my paternal grandmother and my husband’s paternal grandparents who fervently prayed for our families. My older sister, Jodi, did a lot of genealogical research on our family and traced a consistent ribbon of faith throughout. I am confident that the prayers of my ancestors reached down to July 16, 1976, when I received Christ as my Savior. Even though they are dead, their faith still speaks. That’s a legacy I want to leave. How about you?
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-80215121410725503732015-08-23T18:32:00.000-07:002015-08-24T21:10:19.356-07:00Hebrews 11:3 By Faith. . . August 24, 2015Just in case you miss the point that Paul is making in this letter, salvation is and always has been by faith - not by our own efforts. The whole appeal to the Hebrew believers has been to remain in the grace they had received from God and NOT to return to the religious requirements and rituals that no one could keep. Christ has completed the work of salvation on the cross. It is a gift of God from beginning to end, and NOTHING we do can add to that.<br />
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<b><i>For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.</i></b> (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)<br />
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In this chapter of Hebrews, Paul will show that it has ALWAYS been by faith - even before the Law of Moses was given. The phrase “by faith” appears in this chapter about twenty times for emphasis. And the very first example of faith expressed starts with the basics, believing in the invisible God. Unless you can believe the first four words of the Bible, <b><i>“In the beginning God. . .,”</i></b> you will have a hard time with the rest. The Bible never tries to argue the existence of God - it assumes it. If you can’t buy that, if that isn’t obvious to you just by looking at the creation we have in evidence all around us, none of the rest of the book will make sense.<br />
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Therefore, assuming that the first four words of the Bible are TRUE, Paul begins to explain in Hebrews 11 the first “by faith” example:<br />
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<b><i>By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.</i></b> (Hebrews 11:3 NIV)<br />
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He’s saying that everything we see around us was spoken into existence by God, Who created it all from NOTHING. He did not gather up some ingredients and put them in a pot and create all of the things we see in the universe. He didn’t start the world in motion and step away as all of it eventually worked itself into what we see. He actually spoke and created everything we see, uniquely with a special purpose and joy. Genesis chapter one specifically tells us that, as God made each aspect of our world, He declared it “good.” He was pleased with it. When he created man, however, we are told that He created man in His own image. Mankind is unique among all the uniqueness!<br />
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I’m not going to enter into a long treatise regarding creation - so many have covered it far better than I can - but two example speak volumes: the human eye, and atoms. The eye is arguably the most complex organ in our bodies - and the most unique to each individual (other than DNA itself). The retina of the eye is 2,000 times more unique in individuals than fingerprints. For that reason, retinal scans are being used for security purposes to identify people. In India, more than half the population has already submitted to retinal scans for security purposes because of this uniqueness. The eye has a built-in cleansing system: each time we blink we irrigate, lubricate, cleanse and protect the eye. And we do it more that 4,000,000 times a year!<br />
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Have you ever wondered why we can’t do eye transplants? We can transplant so many vital organs, but not the eye. That’s because it is actually an extension of the brain. It’s wiring system to the various pathways of the brain are much too complex to be able to accomplish such a difficult task.<br />
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The eye is amazing, and yet it is just a teeny tiny part of what God has done to amaze us! Whether contemplating the vastness of the universe, or wondering over the infinitesimally small atoms and subatomic particles, creation screams that there is a Creator. When I taught the fifth grade chemistry unit, I always marveled that all sub-particles (protons, neutrons, and electrons) are identical to their kind. The only difference between one element and another, between oxygen and gold, for example, is the number of the subparticles in the nucleus of the atom! And there are only about 100 elements that make up all of the diversity we see in the universe! That boggles my mind! There is really nothing random about creation - it definitely has design and purpose.<br />
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So why doesn’t everyone believe that God exists if we can see His hand so clearly in our world? Well, according to Paul, it’s not that people CAN’T believe, not that they don’t have enough evidence, but rather that they WON’T believe. They choose not to (see Romans 1:18-32 for Paul’s explanation). Because if we believe that there is a God who created us, then we must be accountable to Him. “No thank you!” says most of the world.<br />
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In today’s verse, we have been told that it is by faith that we believe in God as the Creator. We have to first believe what His Word tells us about Him before we can see Him. And this has always been true. Up next is our look at the first example from the Old Testament that proves Paul’s point. I’m excited to learn about our first hero of faith: Abel. Join me!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-19370489890912790912015-08-18T19:25:00.001-07:002015-08-18T19:26:19.546-07:00Hebrews 11:1 Faith Defined April 30 oops! June 13, oops! August 18, 2015I am back. This has been one long year! When God called me to go into leadership in the teachers’ association, I was as eager to do it as Jonah was to go to Ninevah! It didn’t take a whale to get me here, but conditions were such that He made it desirable! So this has been the most unusual, trying year, even though I am so grateful for the people I work with and the fabulous teachers I represent. When the burden presses down on me, I remember whose it is to carry, and I’m so thankful that He is the sovereign LORD, the Almighty God of angel armies, who is in charge and who loves the children and staff of this district much more than I can imagine.<br />
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As you can see, I started this entry more than four months ago - but I’ve been in the midst of a strong spiritual battle at work, and every day I remind myself of this verse.<br />
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<b><i>For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.</i></b> (Ephesians 6:12)<br />
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The battle raging around us is one we cannot see! And that is why I’m finding comfort today in finally getting to Hebrews 11!!! So, here it is! The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is a favorite of many. It is often referred to as the roll call of faith.<br />
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One of the reasons many believe that Paul was, indeed, the author of Hebrews is because of the structure of this letter. Jon Courson points out that Paul always began his epistles with doctrine (who Christ is, what He accomplished, who we are in Him), and then made practical applications telling readers how to live out this Christian faith. In the final three chapters of Hebrews, the writer now shows practically how faith is expressed in the real world. ( see Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: New Testament, P. 1493). Having argued to Jewish believers to continue in their reliance on Christ alone, not their traditions and rituals, he now shows them how, even from the very beginning, salvation has always been by faith, not by works. He begins with a definition of faith:<br />
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<b><i>Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.</i></b> (Hebrews 11:1)<br />
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After If we can actually see something, we don’t need faith. Faith requires that we believe even though we DON’T see. The world says, “Seeing is believing.” But faith says, “Believing is seeing.” It’s amazing how your eyes only open to see once you take the step of faith to believe!<br />
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<b><i>This is what the ancients were commended for.</i></b> (vs. 2)<br />
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As we go through this chapter, we will see how carefully the author - I’m just going to assume Paul, if that’s alright with you - chose the specific examples of faith he outlines here. It’s also significant that many names are left out. But what truly amazes me, is how EACH of them BELIEVED God without SEEING. None of them had the advantage of reading about their stories in the Bible.
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Abraham could not take courage from the stories of Abraham, he had to LIVE them. Noah had no idea what a flood would look like since he’d never seen it rain. He had not read about Noah and the flood. He did not know about the rainbow promise, but he believed that God would fulfill the promise to judge the earth! In the same way, Paul and Silas (not mentioned in this chapter), who had been brutally flogged and thrown into prison in Acts 16, were singing in prison, not because they had read the story of Paul and Silas! They had no idea how the story would turn out. They were worshiping God in the midst of their agonizing pain, believing He was in charge and that He was worthy of praise no matter what the outcome.<br />
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You and I are in the midst of our faith stories. We have no idea how they will turn out. Will God rescue us from our trials or through them? Our act of faith is to believe that God knows what He is doing; He knows where He is leading; and He has a Kingdom purpose that He is accomplishing through it all. The way we join these other heroes of faith is to just believe that He is Who He says He is and that He will keep ALL of His promises! Our story is NOT dependent upon OUR faithfulness to God, but on His faithfulness to us! Hallelujah! It’s so good to be back in here. Please pray that I will be able to stay here faithfully in the next few months to complete this study!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-14391024386221998882015-04-04T08:16:00.001-07:002015-04-04T08:16:30.112-07:00Hebrews 10:32-39 The Righteous Will Live by Faith“Keep doing what you’re doing!”<br />
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“Carry on!”<br />
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“Proceed with your day!”<br />
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These are all exhortations to keep going - to persevere. [The last one was a funny text message from my grandson, Beau, to his mom the other day.]
This is the message the author of Hebrews now gives to his readers. “You know the truth. You have been walking in it for years, now carry on! Keep doing what you’re doing. DON’T TURN BACK!<br />
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<b>Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. </b><br />
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<b>You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, </b><br />
<b>“In just a little while, </b><br />
<b> </b><b>he who is coming will come </b><br />
<b> and will not delay.” </b> (Hebrews 10:32-39)<br />
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He’s saying, “Don’t give up! Remember the joy of your early days with Christ, when you gladly suffered persecution, because you had a heavenly perspective. So now, keep your eyes on the prize, on the hope of your calling. Christ will be coming soon. You don’t see it now, but you KNOW it will happen, because He who promised is faithful!”<br />
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And then he quotes Habakkuk to remind them how we are to live in view of that promise:<br />
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<b>“But my righteous one will live by faith. </b><br />
<b> And I take no pleasure</b><br />
<b> in the one who shrinks back.” </b><br />
<b>But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. </b> (vs.38-39)<br />
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Those of us who know and follow Christ do it by faith! We do not see with our eyes, but we believe with all of our hearts that God’s Word is true, and that Christ will return one day. That is the hope that sustains the believer no matter what his circumstances!<br />
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When we have actually seen or experienced something, it is no longer faith. But most of our walk with God is done by faith, before seeing anything. We believe and trust that God is sovereign in our lives, and He knows where He’s taking us, even if we have no idea - and even if the path is through the valley, or into the wilderness or into the heart of a raging storm. God is doing a work in our lives to make us more like Christ.<br />
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Sometimes the refining process is painful - even excruciating. I like what Beth Moore has said about this. In view of eternity, our life here, no matter how long or short, is about 5 minutes. And we can do anything if we know it’s only for five minutes! That perspective gives us clarity as we go through the rough spots! We can persevere in the knowledge that God knows what He’s doing. So continue to walk BY FAITH. We begin in grace, we grow in grace, and we walk in grace. Don’t turn back to your own meager efforts that gain you nothing!<br />
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This is Easter weekend. Tomorrow is Sunday, the day that changed history and all of our lives. We can rest as those who walk by faith, because HE LIVES! Next stop: Hebrews 11 and the roll call of faith! Can’t wait! Happy Easter, indeed!<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-88430236772903118932015-03-18T08:28:00.003-07:002015-03-18T08:31:53.302-07:00Hebrews 10:26-31 A Dreadful ThingI have to admit I’ve been having a hard time getting to this next section of Hebrews 10! Tucked away in this letter are the following verses, which describe what happens when we ignore the mercy and grace of God and the provision of salvation in Jesus Christ. These are verses which are hard to read if you believe that God is just love:<br />
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<b><i>If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. </i></b> (Hebrews 10:26-31)<br />
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So, I turned to my trusty <i>Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: New Testament</i> for some help. He said this section is often as jarring as it would be to read the following sign posted near a convent:<br />
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ABSOLUTELY NO TRESPASSING </div>
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VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED TO </div>
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THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW </div>
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- Sisters of Mercy </div>
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Courson reminds the reader about the purpose of the letter in order to make sense of this stern warning from the author of Hebrews, because context is everything! Remember that the author is trying to persuade the Hebrew believers to remain in the freedom they have with Christ, to rely solely on what He he accomplished on the cross, and to refrain from returning to ritual and self-effort to add to Christ’s work of salvation.<br />
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So, in these verses he is saying that, if they returned to reliance on sacrifices and offerings to win God’s approval and secure their eternal lives, then they would have trampled on the grace of God. They would have denied that what Christ did was sufficient to save.<br />
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Courson points out that this passage has been misused by Satan throughout the centuries to confuse those who love Christ. Just as he whispered to Eve in the garden, “Did God really say...?” and even as he misquoted scripture to Jesus during his temptation in the desert, Satan will use this verse to cause some to worry about their salvation.<br />
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Courson writes the following:<br />
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<i>Therefore, the warning is this: If you return to the temple to offer sacrifices for your sins, you are missing the point totally because the price was paid completely when Jesus died in your place. There are no more sacrifices that can be, need be, or should be offered. The Way is open. The Work is complete. Going to confession, getting rebaptized, making a promise, or signing a pledge will not make you right with God. </i><br />
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<i>None of these sacrifices will do any more than the sacrifice of bulls, rams, or goats. You can’t add to what Jesus did on the Cross by promise keeping, confessing, working, or giving. Don’t fall into that mind-set, for if you do, you tread on what the Lord has already done. </i><br />
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<i>Thus, contrary to many well-intentioned sermons, the warning in Hebrews 10 is not so much in reference to backsliding as it is to back-turning - turning one’s back on what Jesus did on our behalf. . . Jesus died not only for our sins - but for the sins of the whole world. How dare we, then, say what He did on the Cross is insufficient or inadequate? How dare we trample the body of Christ. If you want to see the anger of the Father, say that what Jesus did at Calvary is inadequate without your additional efforts.</i> (Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: New Testament, P. 1492)<br />
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This is such a strong reminder that God’s love for us is CONSTANT! It does not change on a whim, nor is it moved by our behaviors. God doesn’t love me more on days when I sit at His feet or write a devotional. Nor does He love me less on days when I skip out on a Bible study or speak sharply to my husband. His love is eternal. He proved it in sending His Son to die in my place on the Cross while I was still a sinner! That act is what saved me. And nothing I can do can either add to or subtract from that amazing act of love.<br />
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The Hebrew believers were in danger of denying Christ’s work by going back to their own works to secure their place with God. They needed to understand that a reliance on our own works is a denial of Christ’s.<br />
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LORD, some of us love our rituals. And while they can actually be lovely memorials to what Christ has done, let us remember that they do not save us, and keeping them does not give us greater standing with You. We can have no greater standing before You than what Christ has already provided!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-55154475752024149842015-02-17T20:29:00.000-08:002015-02-17T20:29:03.971-08:00Hebrews 10:19-37 Therefore, Let Us. . .Years ago I heard a pastor say, “When you see the word “therefore” in the Bible, you want to check to see what it is there for!” The writer of Hebrews had been passionately exhorting the Hebrew believers to let go of their reliance on religion and ritual to save them and, instead, to cling to Christ alone. Having established Christ’s superiority as the Sacrifice for sin, now the author gives us the “So what?” Here is a call to active faith:<br />
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<b><i>Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.</i></b> (Hebrews 10:19-25 NIV)<br />
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Look at how he encourages us to respond to what Christ has accomplished for us, with the three “Let us” statements. “Let us <b>draw near to God</b> with a sincere heart and with the <b>full assurance that faith brings</b>...” Because of what Jesus did on that cross, we can boldly draw near to God. He WANTS us to draw near, and Christ has made that possible. We can have full assurance, not because we are worthy, but because Christ is worthy!<br />
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“Let us <b>hold unswervingly to the hope we profess</b>, for <b>he who promised is faithful</b>.” This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. HE who promised is the faithful One. It is not my faithfulness that is my security - it is HIS faithful character, the One whose Word is true and sure, the One whose promises never fail - HE is the One who is faithful!<br />
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We have 21 real examples of believers who held unswervingly to their hope this past weekend. The 21 Coptic Christians who were beheaded in Libya by the evil ISIS BECAUSE of their faith in Christ, did just that. They did not deny their Savior, even though it might have saved their lives. They were looking toward that heavenly home, fully assured of what their faith would bring. [For an outstanding blog on this subject, see what Ann Voskamp wrote about these 21 men, by clicking <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2015/02/the-wake-up-call-to-the-church-that-is-isis-whos-answering/">here</a>]<br />
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Finally, “Let us <b>consider</b> how we <b>may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together</b> as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and <b>all the more as you see the Day approaching</b>.” We live in an area, in South Orange County, in which we suffer nothing for our faith. Maybe that’s the problem!<br />
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We have what I call the “31 flavors” of great churches in this area. You can go from church to church and hear great teaching and amazing worship - and lots of people do just this. They wander to the next “best” church in search of the perfect one - the one with all the programs for the family, the one with the best musicians, the one with the most entertaining pastor. We also live in an area in which I’ve seen several churches pop up and then die out, because people won’t commit to the church they are in. I had a pastor who once said, “If you want a new pastor, pray for the one you’ve got.”<br />
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But the Church is not a program, it is not a beautiful building, it’s not the most eloquent pastor. The Church is the body of Christ. We were meant to be connected to each other, to encourage one another, to hold each other accountable, to spur one another on. Especially as we see the Day approaching. Christ’s return is 2,000 years closer than when the author of Hebrews wrote this - and all signs seem to point to the imminent return. Even so, LORD Jesus, come quickly!<br />
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Lord, help me to never take for granted the amazing grace that allows me to draw near to You! Help me to remain steadfast in my hope, because great is YOUR faithfulness. And help me to remember to do all of the “one anothers” in your Word, because you have given us this Body as a gift, that we might remain in you to the end.<br />
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<br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-29713677301404788422015-01-30T08:27:00.001-08:002015-01-30T08:27:19.229-08:00Hebrews 10:1-18 He is Sitting Down!<b><i>Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. </i></b> (Hebrews 10:11-14 NIV)<br />
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In the first half of this chapter of Hebrews, the author is repeating and summing up his argument to the Hebrew believers who were so tempted to return to their old ways under the Law. He reminds them that the sacrifices made by the priests annually under the Old Covenant were a reminder that in spite of all of that continual flow of the blood of the lambs offered on the altar in the Holy of Holies, the people were still sinners! Nothing had changed about their condition before God. The priest had to come back year after year.<br />
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But the sacrifice of the Lamb of God settled the issue once and for all. The price for our sins, past, present, and future, was paid in full. So much so, that Jesus is now <b>sitting down</b> at the right hand of God. As Jon Courson notes in his <i>Application Commentary: New Testament</i>, Jesus isn’t wringing His hands or worrying or pacing or running in all directions trying to figure out how to save us. He already completed the work of salvation. So, He SAT DOWN!<br />
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Courson points out that in Luke 22:19, when handing out the bread to His disciples at the last supper, Jesus told them, “Do this in remembrance of <i>Me</i>.” We weren’t to do it in remembrance of our sin - we aren’t to dwell on our sin, because He has taken it away. We are to remember the Savior and His finished work. Communion is not a sacrifice that takes away our sin. It is a celebration of the Savior who already took that sin on Himself and paid the price for our salvation.<br />
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The writer completes his argument with a reference to how the Holy Spirit pointed to this in the Old Testament:<br />
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<b><i>The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>“This is the covenant I will make with them</i></b><br />
<b><i> after that time, says the Lord. </i></b><br />
<b><i>I will put my laws in their hearts,</i></b><br />
<b><i> and I will write them on their minds.” </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Then he adds: </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>“Their sins and lawless acts</i></b><br />
<b><i> I will remember no more.” </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i> And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.</i></b> (vs.15-18)<br />
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Oh my goodness! How I love that last verse! Jesus is our superior Sacrifice, our superior High Priest, and our superior Savior! The Old Covenant showed us our need for Him, but the New Covenant settles the issue of sin once and for all. And this is the end of the author’s arguments, as well. As we move into the final chapters of Hebrews, we will see the turn in the book to the “So what?” Okay - if our sins have been paid for -what does that mean to you and me practically in our everyday living out? What does that look like? That will be the focus as we move forward into what I think is the best part of this book. Cannot even wait!!!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-70000766050570197852015-01-15T08:13:00.001-08:002015-01-15T08:13:12.280-08:00Hebrews 9 Once and For All! I’m back! Been working like crazy in this new job, and I’m on a different schedule, so I’m trying to adjust. But there is so much ahead for us in this book of Hebrews, I cannot let it go!<br />
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Chapter 8 of Hebrews began to sum up all of the previous chapters, reminding us of the superiority of Christ’s priesthood. In chapter 9, the writer extols the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice. The writer reminds his Hebrew readers of the annual sacrifice of blood made on behalf of the people by the High Priest. The High Priest entered into the Most Holy Place of the temple once a year to offer a blood sacrifice. The writer indicates that these sacrifices, which were prophetic symbols of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice were made over and over, because they could not fix the problem of sin on a permanent basis:<br />
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<b><i>This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.</i></b> (Hebrews 9:9-10)<br />
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However, Christ’s sacrifice did what the blood of animals could not do:<br />
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<b><i>But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 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. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! </i></b><br />
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<b><i>For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. </i></b> (9:11-15)<br />
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Notice the emphasis by repetition of the word <i>eternal</i>. He obtained <i>eternal</i> redemption, through the <i>eternal</i> Spirit, so that we might have an <i>eternal</i> inheritance. There is nothing temporary about the work Christ accomplished. This is why He could say from the cross, “It is finished.”<br />
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Repetition of another phrase stands out in this book: <i>once for all</i>. The writer uses this phrase three times, in verse 11, verse 28, and then in chapter 10, verse 10.<br />
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<b><i>Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. </i></b> (9:25-28)<br />
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Because Christ’s sacrifice did the work of our salvation, it does not need to be repeated over and over. It’s done. The writer is reminding these Hebrew believers, who were missing their old ways and were tempted to deny grace and go back into a system of works, that Christ’s sacrifice is so superior to the shadow of the Old Testament sacrifices. Why in the world would anyone want to return to and cling to rituals that did nothing to save us, when Christ has accomplished that work?<br />
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I’m going to point out one final verse here that I think should not be overlooked. Verse 27 says, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. . .” This is a reminder to us that we only get one life, one chance to receive this gift of salvation. Once you die there is no other opportunity to receive Christ’s sacrifice. There is no reincarnation with multiple times to improve. If there were multiple chances to come back and learn and grow spiritually, wouldn’t the world be getting better and better as everyone improves? All evidence is to the contrary!<br />
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There is no preaching on the other side to convince someone of the truth. We have this one chance to receive it and act on it. Since none of us knows when that day of judgment will be for us individually, shouldn’t we take this seriously? Shouldn’t we settle it and then do all we can to tell others?<br />
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Just sayin’. . .
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-4706020884782004662014-12-19T08:22:00.000-08:002014-12-19T08:23:13.353-08:00Hebrews 8:1-13 The New Covenant It has been so long since I last sent anything out from this wonderful book of Hebrews. Forgive me for being so lapse. Most likely you never even noticed! Getting used to my new job has been exhausting, but I love what I’m doing! However, my routine has changed somewhat, and this has made it harder for me to sit before the computer at home! It’s been so long that we were here, that I’m sure you have forgotten where we were. However, the good new is that chapter 8 is a summary and, therefore, a reminder!<br />
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In chapter 8, the writer of Hebrews summarizes what has come before as he stresses his main point:<br />
<b><i>Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. . . But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.
For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. </i></b>(Hebrews 8:1-2, 6-7)<br />
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I love how Jon Courson emphasizes the importance of having Jesus as our only High Priest and Mediator:<br />
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<i>“What Jesus did for me on the Cross of Calvary opened the way for me to fellowship with the Father regardless of whether I have morning devotions, regardless of whether I made it to church last Sunday; regardless of whether I’ve been tithing or worshiping. Those are not the issues. Yes, it benefits me greatly to cultivate my walk with the Lord through prayer and worship, through tithing and devotions. But my relationship with the Father is not based on any of these things. It’s based on the High Priestly work of Jesus Christ.
“So if you have need in any way, you can come boldly before the Father - even if you haven’t prayed in the past ten years. You can come boldly before Him because of one thing and one thing only: the High Priestly work of Jesus Christ and what he accomplished on Calvary. Nothing must be added to that; indeed, nothing can be added to that.”</i> (<i>Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: New Testament</i>, P.1480-1481)<br />
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The point is that we have a NEW covenant that replaces the ineffective old one. God knew we would need a new covenant, because He knew we could not keep the old one. So He foretold the fact that the new covenant would be one written in our hearts, not on tablets of stone. The writer of Hebrews quotes the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:<br />
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<b><i>The days are coming, declares the Lord, </i></b><br />
<b><i> when I will make a new covenant</i></b><br />
<b><i> with the people of Israel </i></b><br />
<b><i> and with the people of Judah. </i></b><br />
<b><i>It will not be like the covenant </i></b><br />
<b><i> I made with their ancestors. . . </i></b><br />
<b><i>I will put my laws in their minds</i></b><br />
<b><i> and write them on their hearts.</i></b><br />
<b><i> I will be their God, </i></b><br />
<b><i> and they will be my people. . . </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.</i></b> (Hebrews 8:8-9a, 10b, 13)<br />
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This is the most miraculous thing that God does when we receive His gift of salvation: He writes His law in our hearts. He changes us from the inside out. We are transformed by His work in our minds and hearts. Paul tells us, in fact, that when we submit to God’s will for our lives, we will be changed:<br />
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<b><i>Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. </i></b> (Romans 12:1-2)<br />
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David knew the importance of having the Law in his heart:<br />
<b><i>I have hidden your word in my heart </i></b><br />
<b><i> that I might not sin against you.</i></b> (Psalm 119:11)<br />
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Jon Courson points out in his commentary that the first Christians did not have the benefit of small group studies in the book of Romans or in this book of Hebrews. They did not have the written New Testament in their hands. God’s Word was written in their hearts. Isn’t that amazing? We DO have the written word to help us! We have the testimony of those early believers and the exhortation in their letters to encourage and strengthen us through constant study. And, with the Holy Spirit living inside of us, God is able to transform our thoughts and hearts as we read His Word.<br />
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Shouldn’t we be turning the world upside down? If it ever needed it, now is the time! And now is the opportunity. At Christmas this year you may be the “token Christian” in your family (Greg Laurie’s words). You surely will have opportunity to share the good news about God becoming a man, the baby born to die for us. Praying this Christmas, as you think about that awesome act in history, that you will be filled with a new amazement at who Christ is and what He did on that cross! Halleljuah! What a Savior!<br />
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My sweet friend, Pamie, sent me this link to a musical video about that first Christmas that brought tears to my eyes. Take a few minutes to enjoy this reminder: <a href="http://www.godvine.com/Moving-Video-To-A-Christmas-Hallelujah-Reminds-Us-fb-gv--6471.html">http://www.godvine.com/Moving-Video-To-A-Christmas-Hallelujah-Reminds-Us-fb-gv--6471.html </a><br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-45041338596761685892014-11-19T08:38:00.000-08:002014-11-19T08:38:20.166-08:00Hebrews 7:11-28 This Isn't Your Father's Priesthood!<b><i>If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. </i></b> (Hebrews 7:11-12)<br />
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The writer of Hebrews understands that his readers are struggling with leaving behind the trappings of religion, especially the reliance on an earthly priest to represent them before God. So he argues the weaknesses of the former Levitical priesthood as he also demonstrates the superiority of Christ’s priesthood. He starts with the argument that the Law could not make us perfect. In fact, it just showed us how sinful we are, because we could NEVER keep it. It pointed us to our need for a Savior! Therefore, the priesthood under the law, was also inadequate. We needed Jesus to be our High Priest.<br />
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But how could Jesus be a priest when He wasn’t from the correct tribe of Levi? He was from the tribe of Judah. The writer declares Jesus was a priest, not by genealogy, but chosen by the Father, and appointed by an oath made by God:<br />
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<b><i>For it is declared:
“You are a priest forever, </i></b><br />
<b><i> in the order of Melchizedek.” </i></b><br />
<b><i>The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>“The Lord has sworn</i></b><br />
<b><i> and will not change his mind: </i></b><br />
<b><i> ‘You are a priest forever.’” </i></b><br />
<b><i>Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. </i></b> (vs. 17-22)<br />
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One of the problems with the old priesthood is that the priests kept dying!<br />
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<b><i>. . .but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.</i></b> (vs. 24-25)<br />
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Jesus is the eternal High Priest. He is constantly interceding for us! I heard Greg Laurie on the radio the other day talking about how he was able to meet Billy Graham. He said that he had known and worked with Franklin Graham for several years. One day Franklin asked Greg if he would like to meet his father. So Greg was ushered in to meet Billy, because Greg had a relationship with the son. In the same way, Jesus, as our High Priest, ushers us into the presence of His Father. We are able to go into the Holy of Holies through prayer with the Father, because we have a relationship with the Son. My guess is that when Billy Graham met Greg that day, he could have said something like, “Any friend of Franklin’s is a friend of mine” And I’m certain that’s the same way the Father feels about us when we meet with Him in prayer!<br />
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Remember this when you hear the accusations of the world or of Satan, the destroyer and joy-robber, who loves to whisper, “You are nothing! Worthless! How dare you think that God or anyone else could love you!” Our eternal High Priest, Jesus, is pleading your case even now with the Father: “Look at her, Father! Isn’t she lovely? She is one of ours. She is spotless and pure because she has believed in me! She is just as you created her to be! How we love her!”<br />
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For this reason, the writer of Hebrews can boldly claim the following:<br />
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<b><i>Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.</i></b> (vs.26-28)<br />
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If you are relying on ANYTHING or ANYONE (yourself, your pastor, your dead grandmother who prayed for you) to save you, you will be eternally disappointed. Jesus is our only High Priest, who has been made perfect FOREVER! Amen.
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-80450463507364325942014-11-13T08:11:00.000-08:002014-11-13T08:11:17.282-08:00Hebrews 7:4-10 Tithing: Try it, You'll Like It!In today’s passage, the author points to the significance of Abraham giving a tithe to Melchizedek:<br />
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<b><i>Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.</i></b> (Hebrews 7:4-10 NIV)<br />
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Basically what this is saying is that by giving the tithe to Melchizedek, Abraham is acknowledging that Melchizedek is greater than he is. When Melchizedek blesses Abraham, this passage confirms that the greater blesses the lesser. The readers, who were steeped in Jewish law, would have questioned the priesthood of Melchizedek, since he was not of the tribe of Levi, which was the tribe given the priesthood by God. This author is saying that the priesthood of Melchizedek was clearly greater than that of Levi, since Abraham, the Patriarch, gave tithes to Melchizedek. Therefore,it would be as if Levi, as Abraham’s descendant, was giving the tithe. Can we all agree that Melchizedek was greater?? Having argued that, the author will turn next to how Jesus is like Melchizedek, with a superior priesthood.<br />
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But before we move on, we just can’t ignore this whole topic of tithing. Is there any topic that makes congregations squirm more? Mention money from the pulpit and you are guaranteed to tick off some in the pews! Why is that? Because deep down we believe that our money is OURS. WE EARNED it and we should be able to keep it. God doesn’t need our money, so why does He expect us to give it?<br />
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The truth is that all we have and all we are able to do are gifts from God. Tithing is a way of acknowledging this, and it is also the way God designed the church to take care of the needs of those who serve Him in ministry. The tribe of Levi was called to the priesthood, so their tribe was the only one which was not given any territory in the Promised Land. They could not earn a living from the land, and they were in service to God 24/7. So God provided for their needs with the tithe. So do we have to tithe today? No!<br />
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Because Jesus fulfilled the law, we are no longer under the command to tithe. In fact Jesus was harsh in his criticism of the legalistic way the religious leaders would tithe down to the tiniest part of their spices, while ignoring the weightier things that they should have been doing, like caring about the needs of the “least of these:”<br />
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<b><i>“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.”</i></b> (Luke 11:42)<br />
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You won’t find a command to tithe in the New Testament! However, the New Testament makes it very clear that Christians gave to the church for the care of pastors and to take care of the needy. I read an article by John Ortberg in which he purports that giving is “one of God’s great gifts to us.” He writes:<br />
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<i>“What if tithing is actually one of God's great gifts to us? What if tithing isn't opposed to grace, but is actually a vehicle of it? I'd like to go back to one of the classic statements about the tithe in Scripture, and look at why tithing is in fact God's great tool to create generous people. </i><br />
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He quotes the best-known promise in Scripture on tithing:
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<b><i>You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.</i></b> (Malachi 3:9-10)<br />
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Ortberg continues:<br />
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Tithing is like training wheels when it comes to giving. It's intended to help you get started, but not recommended for the Tour de France.<br />
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How do you know when to take training wheels off? The quick answer is: when they're slowing you down. How do you know when its time to stop tithing? For all of us not living in dire poverty, the answer is when you're giving way more than 10 percent. Tithing is a bad ceiling but an excellent floor.” <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2013/spring/tithing-law-or-grace.html%20)">(“Tithing: Law or Grace?” John Ortberg)</a><br />
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I like his thought that tithing (giving ten percent) is just the beginning. Paul tells us that God is more interested in our intention than with the actual amount of money we give. Paul’s exhortation is to be as generous as possible with our giving:<br />
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<b><i>The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. </i></b> (2 Cor 9:6-7)<br />
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Giving back to God reveals the attitude of our hearts. If we hold on to our belongings with a tight fist, and begrudgingly peel a few bills out of our wallets for the offering plate, we are saying we can’t trust God with our money. We fear our financial future, because we can’t trust God with it. Yet, God promises to bless us to overflowing if we will just test him in this area. He dares us to open up our pockets to give back to Him in gratitude.<br />
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Try it. You’ll be amazed at how it straightens out the rest of your budget! You’ll find that a tithe is, indeed, just the beginning. <br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-74009485383362679852014-10-24T08:01:00.003-07:002014-10-24T08:01:40.659-07:00Hebrews 6:20-7:3 Who is Melkizedek and Why Should I Care?<b><i>We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.</i></b> (Hebrews 7:1-3 NIV)<br />
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I have backed up one verse before starting in chapter 7, because we need the context. The author has just stated that our hope is secure because Jesus is our <b><i>high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek</i></b>. This begs the question, who is this Melchizedek? He is a mysterious person, given only four verses in Genesis 14, who appears, then is barely mentioned again.<br />
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First I need to set up the background. When Abraham was traveling around with his nephew Lot, they settled in a place called Bethel. However, the land wasn’t large enough for both of them with their herds and people, so Abraham suggested they part. Abraham selflessly suggested that Lot choose the land he wanted, and Abraham would take what was left. Lot looked out and saw the plain of Jordan, in the east, and found it was perfect, <b><i>like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt</i></b> (Gen 13:10). So Lot headed east and <b><i>pitched his tents near Sodom</i></b>, where the people <b><i>were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD</i></b>. (vs. 12-13) This would not be a good move for Lot! He thought he was getting the best deal, but not so much.<br />
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If you know the story of Sodom and Gommorah, you know that angels had to forcibly remove Lot and his family from Sodom before God destroyed it. Even then, his wife, having been ordered not to look back, couldn’t help herself from gazing back at her precious home, so she turned into a pillar of salt. Well, even before the destruction of Sodom, Lot found himself in trouble there. There was a war between several local kings, and Lot and his family were carried off with all of their possessions as a result of this war. When Abraham heard what had happened, he gathered 318 trained men from his household, and they routed the men who had taken Lot and rescued his nephew and all of his family and goods. On his way home from this victory, Abraham met Melchizedek:<br />
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<b><i>After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). </i></b><br />
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<b><i>Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, </i></b><br />
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<b><i>“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, </i></b><br />
<b><i> Creator of heaven and earth.
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<b><i>And praise be to God Most High, </i></b><br />
<b><i> who delivered your enemies into your hand.” </i></b><br />
<b><i>Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.</i></b> (Genesis 14:17-20)<br />
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That’s all that we know about Melchizedek. He was the King of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” and his actual name means “king of righteousness.” His name is mentioned one other time in the Old Testament, in what is considered a prophetic word, spoken by God the Father to Christ, the Messiah:
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<b><i>“You are a priest forever, </i></b><br />
<b><i> in the order of Melchizedek.” </i></b> (Psalm 110:4)<br />
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Melchizedek was both a king and a priest of the Most High God. It was not permissible under Jewish law to have both roles. Yet, Melchizedek did. And he blessed Abraham, and Abraham gave him a tithe. The author of Hebrews indicates that this man had no beginning or ending, no father or mother, and he was like the Son of God, a priest forever. So who was he, and why is it important that Jesus is called a priest in the order of Melchizedek? Well, many commentators believe that Melchizedek was actually a Christophany - an appearance of the Son of God before his incarnation as Jesus of Nazareth.<br />
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The significance of linking Jesus to the priesthood of Melchizedek is that it shows His superiority over Abraham, the revered father of the Jewish nation. The argument is that Jesus is even superior to the founder of the Jewish faith, which would be noteworthy to these Hebrew believers, who were in danger of going back into slavery to the law and tradition. But for now, note that Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe, a tenth of EVERYTHING! Tithing preceded the giving of the law. It is a natural response of worship. Abraham was acknowledging that God had brought him this miraculous victory, and in gratitude He gives back to God what was really God’s anyway. More about that next. <br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-72939012636510964182014-10-07T08:35:00.000-07:002014-10-07T08:35:21.705-07:00Hebrews 6:16-20 The door's open! Come on in!<b><i>People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. </i></b> (Hebrews 6:16-20 NIV)<br />
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When a politician takes an oath of office, he ends the oath with, “So help me God.” When someone says that it signals that the oath is solemn and binding, because it’s been made in God’s name. Our verses today tell us that when God made His promise to Abraham, there was no one greater, so He swore by His own name. And because of this, the promise is more than just solemn - it’s <b>“unchanging. . .an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”</b> The Message puts this in modern language in this way:<br />
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<b><i>When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. </i></b><br />
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I love that there is something God can’t do: He can’t lie! His Word is unchangeable, just as He is. This is why our hope in Christ is an anchor. It is held by God’s very own Word. When we say we hope in Christ, we don’t mean we wish. It’s not like, “I wish I could get a new car.” This hope we have is a solid promise - a guarantee. This is why, when the entire world around us is changing and seems to be crumbling, we can remain unshaken. We know that we know that we know that God’s Word is true. We know that we have an eternal home. We know that our sins are forgiven and we are His. We know that He is coming back, and that He has the ultimate victory.<br />
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Jesus is not just superior in His person, but also in His promises. The author is telling the readers that Jesus is the solid anchor of our faith. And He is our eternal high priest. He is the One who enters the inner sanctuary to God. In the temple, the Holy of Holies was where the ark of the covenant and God’s shekinah glory was. Only the High Priest could enter in there once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to make sacrifices for the sins of the people.<br />
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The veil of the temple, which separated the people from God’s glory, measured 60 feet by 30 feet and was 10 inches thick. Jon Courson says it was “so heavy it took one hundred priests to move it.” (Courson, Application Commentary: New Testament, P. 1472) Yet, you may remember that, when Jesus completed His work on the cross, the veil of the temple tore in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51). The way to the Father was open.<br />
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We have no further need of a mediator between God and man, because Jesus, our only Mediator, has opened the way to the inner sanctuary. We are welcomed in! This is great news! You and I don’t need to send anyone in there for us to reach Almighty God. We are guaranteed an audience with our Father, because the Son is at His right hand! This is why Hebrews 4:16 boldly proclaimed, <b><i>“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”</i></b> Can I hear an “Amen!” to that???<br />
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Jon Courson points out that the Hebrew audience may have doubted Jesus’ qualifications as High Priest, since only those of the tribe of Levi could be priests, and Jesus was from the tribe of Judah. So he jumps into a comparison of Jesus to Melchizedek, which will move us into chapter 7. Remember that, back in chapter 5, verse 10, the writer had asserted that these believers were not mature enough to understand a discussion of Melchizedek. But now, he is going to launch into an explanation of this mysterious figure who has only a few verses devoted to him in Genesis 14. The superiority of Jesus’ priesthood will be our focus. This is deep stuff, so we will need to pay attention, and I will be entering into it with all humility! Help me, Holy Spirit!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-10717985494538122752014-10-01T08:03:00.000-07:002014-10-01T08:03:15.912-07:00Hebrews 6:13-15 Part 2 Waiting. . . more waiting. . .<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.</i></b> (Hebrews 6:13-15)<br />
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I am not the best “waiter.” I don’t like sitting in a freezing exam room for 45 minutes until a doctor can pop his head in; I feel my anger grow as I discover that, once again, I got in the wrong line at the store (if you see me at a store, NEVER get in line behind me). I want to scream at drivers who get on the freeway in front of me going 50 mph! I especially don’t like being put on hold, listening to REALLY bad elevator music, while I wait to get an answer to a simple question.<br />
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Yesterday, we focused on the promise of God. Today I want to go back to the same verses to look at the idea of waiting. We know that often there is a long time between the promise and the fulfillment. I have friends who have been waiting for years for their spouse or children to come to the LORD. I see couples struggling with infertility, or friends with a serious illness waiting for answers. Is God ignoring prayers? Will He EVER answer?<br />
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Sometimes the fulfillment doesn’t come in our lifetime. This was certainly true of Abraham. I can identify with the Hebrew believers in wanting the LORD to return NOW. What is He waiting for? 2 Peter 3:9 gives us the answer to that one:<br />
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<b><i>The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.</i></b><br />
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Just as God has a gracious purpose in our waiting for Christ’s return, He is being gracious when He delays in answering our prayers. He is building our character, teaching us to be patient, to endure, to persevere, to trust. I love that God does not tell us what is in our future. I don’t think we could bear knowing that news ahead of time. Yet, somehow, over years of walking and trusting Him, we find Him faithful, no matter where He leads us.<br />
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Jon Courson says that one of the reasons God waits, is because what He has planned is so much better than what we could imagine. (Eph. 3:20). He uses the example of Zacharias and Elizabeth, who were very old and childless. They had given up the dream of ever becoming parents. Yet God gave them the boy who would grow up to become the greatest prophet in history, John the Baptist! I love what Jon Courson writes:<br />
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<i>The language of eternity is faith. When the Lord has us ruling and reigning at His side, under His command, doing His bidding - whatever that means in the ages to come - He’s going to need men and women like you who are not second-guessing, not doubting, not faltering. Jesus taught about the faithful in this life who will rule over five and ten cities in the kingdom (Luke 19). In other words, Jesus is saying there is a destiny far beyond what any of us know or can imagine awaiting us in the next zillion years.</i><br />
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<i> And the language that must be fluently spoken by us if we are going to be ambassadors for Him in the realm and regions beyond is the language of faith.</i> (New Testament Commentary , P. 1476)<br />
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What are you waiting for in this season? Are you waiting for a spouse? Are you wondering why you still have no baby in your arms, even though it is your greatest desire to love on a baby? Are you waiting for a clear diagnosis from the doctor? Are you waiting to find a job? Maybe you are waiting for the burden of overwhelming grief to subside. If God delays in answering, know that it is because He has the perfect plan for you - and that plan is part of His overall Kingdom plan - it’s for eternal purposes, not just our happiness. God is focused on our holiness, and He is working it into us in the waiting.<br />
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What can you do while you wait? Rest. Trust. Keep moving forward. Psalm 37:3-4 puts it this way:<br />
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<b><i>Trust in the Lord and do good; </i></b><br />
<b><i> dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. </i></b><br />
<b><i>Take delight in the Lord, </i></b><br />
<b><i> and he will give you the desires of your heart.</i></b> (NIV)<br />
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God is the ultimate Promise Keeper. When He says He’s going to do something, He does it. That’s why believers, over centuries, have put their trust in Him. Rest. Trust. Keep moving forward. He is FAITHFUL! As we finish this chapter of Hebrews in our next passage, we will look at the imagery that the author uses to affirm that we have a God who can be trusted. Let’s take delight in Him!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-14782098285957361682014-09-30T08:53:00.000-07:002014-09-30T08:53:00.672-07:00Hebrews 6:13-15 Soon and very soon. . .Before we move into today's passage, I want to remind you of the context of this letter, Remember that the author is warning the Hebrew believers not to be sucked back into the emptiness and futility of religious ritual. They were being tempted to return to their traditions, which lead to legalism and bondage. Why are we always so eager to do things in our own strength and by our own will? Give us a tangible ritual to perform and we will feel like we have done something to help our spiritual state. If we just complete this ritual or recite this prayer, God will hear us and be pleased.<br />
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So this letter, then, is a strong warning to the Hebrew believers to continue to walk in grace. The work that Jesus completed on the cross and continues to do as He intercedes for us, is the ONLY thing which brings us to the Father. In this way, Jesus is the superior high priest; He is the only priest we need.<br />
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The first century believers, like us, lived in constant expectancy of the LORD’s return. This is our great and glorious hope - that one day Jesus WILL return as promised! Those believers were thinking it would be any day, and they were becoming a bit impatient to see it. The author may have thought that this delay in Christ’s return was influencing some to turn back to Judaism. So, he reminds them that God ALWAYS keeps His promises:<br />
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<b><i>When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.</i></b> (Hebrews 6:13-15 NIV)<br />
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What promise did God make to Abraham? Well, He made several, but this one specifically quotes the one made in Genesis 22, right after Abraham had taken Isaac to Mount Moriah, where he was prepared to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. God had kept Abraham from slaying Isaac, and provided the lamb for the sacrifice. So the LORD made this promise to Abraham:<br />
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<b><i>The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”</i></b> (Genesis 22:15-18)<br />
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When I first read this passage, I thought, “Wait a minute? Abraham waited patiently? What about taking Hagar, who was offered by Sarah, because they were tired of waiting for the promised son? The birth of Hagar’s son, Ishmael, brought nothing but problems between the Arabs and the Jews since then! However, last week I heard a radio pastor and then read in Jon Courson’s New Application Commentary the same idea that applies here: when the New Testament mentions Old Testament people, it’s always the positive side of that person - what they did by faith - not how they failed. This is a powerful demonstration of God’s grace in their lives. Their past failures and sin, just like ours, have been forgiven. So, when God sees them, and us now, it is through Christ! Hallelujah! We will see that clearly when we get to chapter 11.<br />
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We will spend more time on this passage next time. There is much to be mined here!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-35862163501701878482014-09-24T07:34:00.002-07:002014-09-24T07:34:58.000-07:00Hebrew 6:9-12 Keep at it!<b><i>Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. </i></b> (Hebrews 6:9-12)<br />
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In the previous passages, the author of Hebrews has been speaking some harder words about the need to mature and the sad state of those who reject Christ. But he turns in this next passage to assure them that he knows that these believers will indeed persevere in their faith. He will continue to remind them of the superiority of Christ and His sacrificial death for us.<br />
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However, in these few verses it could be assumed that these believers were being justified to God by their works. From the whole of scriptures we know this is not what the writer is saying. He IS saying that their works for God do not go unnoticed. God WILL remember our works done for Him, and, in fact, will reward us for them. But the only work that saves us and reconciles sinful man to our holy God is the work of Christ on the cross. But our works do justify us before men. They prove our faith to others - not to God, who already knows our hearts - but to men who can only judge our faith by what they see in our actions.<br />
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The other day I heard that wonderful radio preacher, J. Vernon McGee, though now deceased, still preaching it out in old recordings, quoting John Calvin on the tension between faith and works:<br />
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<b><i>Faith alone saves - but faith that saves is never alone</i></b> - John Calvin<br />
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This just sums it all up for me. We have been saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Period. However, real saving faith will ALWAYS result in works, because it comes from the heart of God. Our hearts should be moved by His to reach out to a lost world. Our faith in a compassionate, loving God should compel us to demonstrate that love to others in tangible ways. They should be able to look at us and see Jesus.<br />
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Notice that the author of Hebrews says that the Christian life will require diligence to the end. This is not a faith for the lazy, but will require patience in order to <b><i>inherit what has been promised</i></b>. The closer I get to the end, the more I see the need to not rest but to keep on moving and doing. It’s not a time for the “younger folk” to take over while I sit on the front porch. My work for Christ won’t be over “til it’s over.<br />
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My job is now to pass on what I’ve learned, to pour myself and my energy into getting out the gospel, and, indeed, living out the gospel - to my grandchildren, to my coworkers, to my neighbors, to anyone God puts in my path! Am I doing it? Not nearly enough or boldly enough! In teeny-tiny ways, maybe. But I’m getting restless to do MORE! Pray with me that we will all want to be more, grow more, and demonstrate more of Christ.
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We are told here to <i style="font-weight: bold;">imitate </i>those who have modeled this diligence for us. Later in this letter the author will list off for us the heroes of the faith who did persevere, but next he will turn to the certainty of the promise of God. Good stuff ahead! Stay with me here!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-79338692211540120992014-09-19T08:44:00.001-07:002014-09-19T08:44:10.670-07:00Hebrews 6:1-8 Impossible?In Chapter 6 of Hebrews, the author continues his insistence that they move forward in their understanding, continue to grow in their faith. He includes himself by using the pronoun “us” and “we.”<br />
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<b><i>So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. </i></b> (Hebrews 6:1-3 NLT)<br />
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And then he makes a disturbing statement that could, and probably does, confuse many.<br />
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<b><i>For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. </i></b> (vs. 4-5)<br />
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Is he saying that it is possible to lose your salvation? I think not. He is clearly not talking about a true believer here, but about someone who has <b><i>tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God</i></b>. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on these verses, suggests that this is like the person at a street fair who tastes a sample of something, possibly likes it, but decides not to buy and moves on. This is someone who has heard the gospel, maybe even liked what he heard, maybe even started coming to church, but when things got a little difficult, this person turns away disillusioned, because he never counted the cost.<br />
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The Apostle John seems to confirm this view of those who fall or turn away:<br />
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<b><i>These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.</i></b> (1 John 2:19)<br />
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Jesus indicated that there were several reasons why people will fall away in His parable of the Sower:<br />
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<b><i>The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.</i></b> (Matthew 13:19-22)<br />
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The writer of Hebrews says it is <b><i>impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened. . . and who then turn away from God.</i></b> Yes, it is impossible for man, but ALL things are possible with God. (Matthew 19:26) We should never give up on anyone - even if his heart appears hardened to us. Only God knows the hearts of men. Our job is to keep presenting the gospel and to pray for the Holy Spirit to do the work in the heart.<br />
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However, the author of Hebrews also indicates that there is a point of no return for those who continue to reject Jesus Christ, because <b><i>by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame</i></b>. (Hebrews 6:6b) And there is a cost for that:
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<b><i>When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.</i></b> (vs.7-8)<br />
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We all know and could probably recite John 3:16, which spells out the good news:<br />
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<b><i>For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. </i></b> (NIV)<br />
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But do we know what comes after this? Here’s the “bad news:”<br />
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<b><i>Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (</i></b>John 3:18)<br />
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Do you have loved ones who have turned away from or rejected Jesus? Don’t give up! Keep praying! Ask the Lord to send believers into that person’s life who will be able to show him Christ - maybe in a way that you can’t. I cling to the wonderful example of the thief on the cross next to Jesus who made the last minute confession of faith before dying, and Jesus promised him, <b><i>“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” </i></b> (Luke 23:43) That’s amazing grace!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-55865001997544964262014-09-12T08:42:00.003-07:002014-09-12T08:42:30.988-07:00Hebrews 5:11-14 Bring on the Cheerios!<b><i>There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. </i></b> (Hebrews 5:11-14 NLT)<br />
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My youngest grandchild, Georgia, now ten months old, got her first two baby teeth early on. Then next six came in all at once! That girl wants to chew on things! She is not satisfied any longer just having baby food. She wants to eat what everyone else is eating! Bring on the Cheerios! She’s even beginning to mimic words. She will say, “Hello,” “Dada,” something that sounds like “Mama,” and even “Nanny,” which sounds more like “NahNah.” These little milestones delight us. However, if when she is five years old this is all she can do, believe me, we would be alarmed! It would mean that she was developmentally delayed and not growing as she should. We would be bringing in experts to help!<br />
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There is a time, when we first come to Christ, that we are just overwhelmed by the fact that God is our Father, and that He has saved us, just as we were by His amazing grace. We will gladly tell everyone around us about what Jesus did on the cross. We could recite the basics of the gospel easily: Jesus, the unique Son of God, came to Earth as a man to die, taking the punishment for our sin on the cross; He was resurrected and is at the right hand of the Father, always interceding for us!<br />
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Frankly, we should be marveling at this every day. The fact that He accepts us exactly where we are - with our strong wills, with our nasty tempers, in our addiction to drugs, or alcohol, or sex. Right where we are! Amazing. However, the writer of Hebrews tells us there is more. There is solid food waiting for us in God’s Word. More for us to know, more of HIM to know. While God receives us just where we are, He does not want to leave us this way. His goal is to transform us into His image. He wants us to be changed as we read His Word.<br />
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Note in verse 14 that He wants us to do this <b><i>through training</i></b>. This would indicate a commitment to grow. It’s one thing to exercise occasionally. It’s another to put yourself through training. God wants us to exercise spiritually daily. He wants us to grow in our relationship with Him, to dedicate ourselves to learning who He is and what He wants us to do - how we fit into His Kingdom plans. This happens when we read through the entire Word of God - not just bits and pieces - and see the whole picture. Then we do it again and again, like repetitions in a training workout. And the truth is that we see something new every single time we read the Bible. This is the solid food that the author is writing about.<br />
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And it’s interesting that one of the outcomes is that we will gain the the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. When we are babies in the faith, we don’t always make the best choices for ourselves. But once we dig in and start seeing who Christ is, we recognize that there are some behaviors that Christ followers are going to want to develop, and others that they are going to want to drop. This is the maturing process that comes from the training.<br />
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I get the feeling from this passage that the author is a little frustrated with this group, like a teacher might be when she’s trying to move on in a math concept, but can’t because her students are still stuck on their facts. Sigh. Let’s move on people! Bring on the Cheerios!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-36572479498081938302014-09-09T08:35:00.003-07:002014-09-09T08:35:32.585-07:00Hebrews 5:4-9 Jesus Learned Obedience Why is it that some children learn lessons quickly, while others need to be taught over and over? If you have more than one child, or if you have siblings, you know that, even though the children of one family are all raised in the same home by the same parents, each child has a unique personality and learns life lessons in different ways. And some of us remain that way into adulthood. While many just need to read the sign, “Wet paint,” to know to stay away from the freshly painted fence, others feel compelled to approach the fence and come away with a wet hand!<br />
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Being the youngest of four girls, I studied my sisters, and, while I copied much of their behaviors, I also learned that there were some places I did not want to go, some consequences I did not want to suffer. Yet, that didn’t prevent me from blazing my own trails of disobedience - and then suffering my own consequences! Every one of us has the same propensity to sin. I’ve often heard this illustration used: you do not need to train a child how to disobey. They do it intuitively! You have to train them how to be obedient!<br />
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Our scripture passage this morning tells us that Jesus learned obedience when He became a man. This is why the Bible tells us He was tempted in every way that we are. The difference is that He did not sin!<br />
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<b><i>While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.</i></b> (Hebrews 5:4-9)<br />
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When the Son of God left His glory in Heaven to come to Earth to save man, He willingly took on the limitations of men. He became fully man while still being fully God. Had He not been fully man, He would not have qualified to take our place in payment for our sins. So, as a man, He had to “learn” obedience. How did He do that. Our passage tells us specifically that <b><i>he learned obedience from the things he suffered</i></b>. It is in suffering that we learn how to obey God.<br />
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Think back to the wet paint. If you have a tendency to disobey (which we all do), then you will test the paint. When you experience the red paint all over your hand, you will learn to NOT touch wet paint. When you reach for the hot skillet without an oven mitt, you quickly learn from the blisters on your fingers that next time you’d better protect yourself. But more profoundly, when you are in the midst of deep suffering or loss, you learn to lean on your Father in a way that you never have before. Suffering changes your perspective.<br />
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People who have gone through excruciating trials will often say that the experience brought them to a much greater personal knowledge of God and His grace and love. Because of the suffering, they grew closer to God and their walk with Him became more intimate and real.<br />
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Jesus promised that we would have much tribulation in this world, but through His obedience to the Father, He has overcome the world. Please note the connection of the prayers of Jesus to His obedience: <b><i>. . . he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.</i></b><br />
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In order to be obedient as a man, Jesus committed Himself to His Father. He prayed and pleaded. This was no quiet, contemplative prayer. It was a desperate clinging to and relying on His Father in His great need to stay focused on the cross. His whole life’s purpose was to be obedient to the plan of the Father, so He drew on the strength of the Father to move toward the cross.<br />
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We, too, can learn obedience through suffering. Sometimes it is suffering we have brought on ourselves - through our own poor or rebellious choices. Sometimes it is suffering forced upon us by others - a financial loss or a divorce. And sometimes it is given us by God for our good and His glory. Whatever the source of the suffering you are in at this moment, rely on your Father to strengthen you in it, to transform you through it, and to use you because of it.<br />
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It’s good to be back in His Word!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-80051223450281413512014-07-25T21:38:00.001-07:002014-07-25T21:38:40.646-07:00Hebrews 5:1-3 He gets it! It has been a long dry summer! I have missed being here every morning! It has been over a month since I last posted. The end of the school year was the end of my 22 years of teaching, so I completely cleaned out my classroom. It was so strange to see it so empty of life, but I was not sad. I would have been doing a happy dance had I not been so exhausted! I’m looking forward to my new work, which has pretty much already started. The balance of summer is now filled with meetings.<br />
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Shortly after school ended, Don and I took a wonderful Viking River Cruise up the Danube, with an extra three days in Prague. We went with my sister, Susie, and her husband, Don (yes, two Dons, which it easy for everyone we met). It was a dream vacation filled with castles, cathedrals, cobblestone streets, narrow alleys, beautiful bridges, and lots of sausage and strudel! We pretty much ate our way up the Danube!<br />
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However, I’m so anxious to get back into God’s Word and to be filled with its wisdom! I have been starving! So, let’s get right back to our book of Hebrews, in which the author argues the superiority of Christ. In this next passage, the author of explains the benefit of having a high priest who understands our weaknesses.<br />
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<b><i>Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs. </i></b> (Hebrews 5: 1-3)<br />
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The Jewish high priest, who made sin offerings on behalf of the people, understood their temptations because he had the same weaknesses. When he made the sin offerings, he was including his own sin. Our High Priest, Jesus, was without sin. However, he was thoroughly acquainted with our temptations, griefs, worries, struggles, because He, too, suffered temptations. He endured frustrations, interruptions, rejection, disappointment, fatigue, hunger, loneliness, desertion of friends, betrayal, etc.<br />
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When we are going through a struggle, it’s nice to have the sympathy of friends and family, who come along side with a listening ear. But when we can actually talk with and pray with someone who has been through the exact same experience, there is so much more power in the sharing. Talking with someone who can empathize with our grief at the loss of a dream or who can completely identify with our fear over a diagnosis because that person has been through the same experience is so much more helpful in the midst of a trial. For this reason, Jesus, who is “acquainted with our grief” (Isaiah 53:3), is the superior High Priest.<br />
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I’m so grateful that Jesus gets it! I’m so thankful that He gets me! To think that He knows me completely and, yet, lavishes me with mercy and grace amazes me! Thank you, thank you, LORD!<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-90086073134050129952014-06-16T07:10:00.003-07:002014-06-16T07:10:46.106-07:00Hebrews 4:14-16 Come boldly!<b><i>So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. </i></b> (Hebrews 4:14-16)<br />
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All along, the author of Hebrews has been arguing the superiority of Jesus. He now begins to extol the superiority of the Priesthood of Jesus. The Jewish High Priest was a mediator who went into the Holy of Holies on behalf of the people to offer sacrifices. Once a year, on <i>Yom Kippur</i>, the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would go in to offer the sin offering on behalf of all of the people. He was not allowed to mingle with the common people, as he was considered too dignified and holy. And of course, because he was subject to death. like everyone else, his job was not permanent.<br />
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Jesus, on the other hand is a far superior High Priest, making the author marvel that anyone would choose to go back to that old system. Jesus lives forever at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us. He is a High Priest who understands us and has compassion on us. Not only did he mingle with the common folk, he hung out with the worst of sinners. He honored women and children, who had no status in the society of that day. And best of all, His offering for sin was made once for all! There is no need for further work - it is finished!<br />
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For this reason, the author of Hebrews assures us that WE may enter the throne room - the Holy of Holies - BOLDLY! <b><i>There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.</i></b> Hallelujah! We receive both <b><i>mercy</i></b> (not getting what we deserve) and <b><i>grace</i></b> (getting what we don’t deserve). We no longer need a priest to intercede on our behalf. We don’t need saints to pray for us. We don’t need a really spiritual friend to say elegant prayers for us. We can enter his throne room on our own, because Jesus has opened the way.<br />
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One of my favorite nuggets in the New Testament is something that took place when Jesus died on the cross, which might seem insignificant. In Matthew 27:50-51b we read the following:
<b><i>Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.</i></b><br />
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The significance of this event is clear: the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies was torn in two from top to bottom when Jesus died. That curtain was a few inches thick. The tear came from the top to the bottom (from Heaven to Earth). The way to the throne had been opened forever. We can now enter into that throne room on the authority of our great High Priest!<br />
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Don’t take for granted this access we have to the Father. He is waiting to hear from you directly. He longs to meet with you! We are guaranteed that we will receive mercy and grace when we seek Him. Amazing grace, indeed!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-54384704651608311282014-06-11T06:41:00.003-07:002014-06-11T06:43:22.481-07:00Hebrews 4:12-13 Exposed!Today we come to a very familiar passage of scripture that is often quoted. However, I had never truly considered the context until now.<br />
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<b><i>For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.</i></b> (Hebrews 4:12-13)<br />
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I have always thought these verses pointed to the supernatural work done in our hearts when we read God’s Word, because it shows us our thoughts and motives and shows us where we need to change. In Isaiah God makes an extraordinary promise about His Word:<br />
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<b><i>It is the same with my word. </i></b><br />
<b><i> I send it out, and it always produces fruit. </i></b><br />
<b><i>It will accomplish all I want it to, </i></b><br />
<b><i> and it will prosper everywhere I send it.</i></b> (Isaiah 55:11)<br />
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God’s Word always does what He sends it out to do. There is something amazing about how using His Word or reading His Word does a work in the hearts of the hearers. It changes us from the inside out as we read it. And that is true! However, in the context of Hebrews 4, I’m thinking that is not specifically what today’s verses are saying.<br />
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These verses follow the story of the Israelites who failed to enter into God’s rest because they did not believe Him. How is this tied to the power of God’s living Word that has the ability to <b><i>expose our innermost thoughts and desires</i></b>? How is it related to entering into God’s rest?<br />
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The scriptures which tell us the story of the Israelites cuts our hearts like a sword because it shows us how like them we are. We cannot enter into God’s rest anymore than they could if we continue to trust in anything other than God to save us - if we fail to see that entering the Promised Land has NOTHING to do with us and what we can do, but EVERYTHING to do with what He has already done.<br />
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<b><i>For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world.</i></b> (Hebrews 4:10)<br />
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True believers will rest from their own labors, because it is not our work but our belief in God’s work that brings us peace.<br />
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But today’s verses from Hebrews also show us that God’s Word is what judges our hearts. It is the measure by which we will be judged and proves that God’s judgments will be righteous, because His Word exposes what is in our hearts: <b><i>Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.</i></b> (vs.13)<br />
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The warning to the Hebrew believers, and to us, is don’t turn back to the Law to save you - it is what will judge you. Believe God for salvation. It is in His Son, Jesus.<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-78528862465675324012014-06-09T07:02:00.003-07:002014-06-09T07:02:55.830-07:00Hebrews 4:1-11 How to get the rest you need In the next chapter of Hebrews, the author continues to lay out that case that it matters that you believe God. Not believing God’s promises, like the Israelites, is what we should fear:<br />
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<b><i>God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. . . So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.</i></b> (Hebrews 4:1-3, 11)<br />
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The good news, or gospel, regarding God’s rest was given to the Israelites. They were told by God to enter the Promised Land. But instead of believing Him, and the good report of Joshua and Caleb, they did NOT believe, and were prevented from entering the land of rest. They missed out on all that God had for them. The author of Hebrews says we should be very afraid of unbelief!<br />
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Sometimes we feel that we don’t deserve any good thing from God - and this is true! We don’t deserve any of His blessings! They are given by His grace, not gained by our merit. There is NOTHING we can do to earn them. Surely the Israelites were correct that, in their own strength, they were not up to the task of defeating the enemies in Canaan. But God was on their side! He was going to give them the victory and the land, if they would just march on in.<br />
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Our list of shortcomings is long: not smart enough, not good enough, not brave enough, not wealthy enough, not funny, not good-looking, too old, too fat, etc. And Satan loves to remind us of them! But none of them are relevant when the God of the Universe is on our side and has determined to bless us!<br />
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Jon Courson uses a great illustration of how we need to mix the good news with faith, as he recounts the story in Acts 12 where Peter is released from prison by the angel:<br />
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<b><i>The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. </i></b><br />
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<b><i>So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. </i></b><br />
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<b><i>Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!”</i></b> (Acts 12:6-11)<br />
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Courson writes: <i>Now, had Peter not stood up and stepped out, had he not started moving, but instead said, “This is a neat thought, an interesting insight,” had he not mixed the angel’s command with faith - even though the chains were off and the door was opened, he would have remained in jail.</i> (<i>Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: New Testament</i>, P. 1465).<br />
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Does it require a mountain of faith? Apparently not, because those who had been praying for Peter’s miraculous rescue from execution did not believe God had answered even when Peter kept knocking on the door where they were meeting in prayer!<br />
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<b><i>He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” </i></b><br />
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<b><i>“You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” </i></b><br />
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<b><i>Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.</i></b> (Acts 12:13-16)<br />
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I love this scene! It’s so funny! However, don’t we often fail to recognize God’s answers because we can’t believe He actually hears our prayers and cares? The author of Hebrews says this isn’t actually funny - it’s something to cause us to tremble! <br />
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The example of the Israelites is there for us for a reason. Walk in faith! Get up and start walking. What is God telling you to believe? That your marriage can be saved? That your wayward child can return to the faith? That the news of cancer is NOT the end? That He can take care of your finances and provide a house for you? BELIEVE Him! Do not let unbelief rob you of His rest!<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414157736400940848.post-8886451766590261142014-06-06T06:54:00.001-07:002014-06-06T06:55:12.207-07:00Hebrews 3:12-19 The Sin of Unbelief<b><i>See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. As has just been said: </i></b><br />
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<b><i>“Today, if you hear his voice,</i></b><br />
<b><i> do not harden your hearts</i></b><br />
<b><i> as you did in the rebellion.” </i></b><br />
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<b><i>Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.</i></b> (Hebrew 3:12-19 NIV)<br />
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The warning to the readers of Hebrews is to hold onto their faith firmly to the very end. The Israelites gratefully followed Moses out of Egypt. They received and experienced deliverance from bondage. But as soon as things seemed insurmountable, they believed the lie rather than God.<br />
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Remember that Satan’s goal is to destroy. He is the father of lies. He is cunning and subtle, rarely conspicuous. When things get tough in your life, he will begin to whisper lies in your ears. Don’t believe the lies. Remember God’s faithfulness. Remember His power and majesty. Remember that our loving Father is the one in charge. He is ALWAYS good and only wants the very best for you. Don’t accept anything less.<br />
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The Israelites were not allowed to see the Promised Land because of their rebellious, unbelieving hearts. John warned against unbelief in his gospel:<br />
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<b><i>For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.</i></b> (John 3:16-19)<br />
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Many could recite John 3:16 by heart, but most have never read the verses that follow. If we believe in the Son, we receive eternal life. But anyone who does NOT believe is judged, or condemned, already. Jesus was sent to the world, but most of the world has rejected Him.<br />
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The author of Hebrews is reminding us that we have been brought into the light. We have been saved from our sin. Stay in that light. Walk in that light. And shine that light in the darkness! The desert is no match for the Promised Land! Don’t turn back! There is a danger, as we get older, to take for granted this matchless grace, and to forget that we have been SAVED. Don’t forget! Hold firmly to the very end!
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<img align="left" src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z78/mikerin3/Premades/New%20Premades/Amelie/Signature-4.png" style="border: 0;" />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17388151194746156947noreply@blogger.com0