His Oath and His Character

Heb. 6:18

So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

 

What an encouragement! To make the writer's point clear, he gives the example of Abraham who received a promise from God. He waited 25 years for the birth of his son Isaac, and during that time, he did not give up hope. His patience allowed him to obtain the promise. Sadly, for many people, patiently waiting seems impossible, and they give up. But for the few they know that with God nothing is impossible, and that when God gives a promise, it will come to pass  no matter how hard or impossible. God can and will keep His promise. 

 

The writer goes on to say that when people swear an oath, they swear by something greater than themselves. In a court of law, they swear on the Bible even though many of the people who do this do not believe in God at all. Interesting... But God can't swear on something greater because He is the epitome of greatness. Yet, God wanted to show His children that His promises were true so He guaranteed it with an oath so that by two unchangeable things, His oath and His character, man might trust implicitly in His promises. God can not lie. What He says will come to pass! Who He is, the sure and steadfast anchor of my soul, gives me hope. I can trust that Jesus will come back. He will take me with Him to heaven. I can trust Him and claim all the promises in His Word. What a joy!

 

Father,

Even when life gets hard and difficult to understand, give me strength to believe in Your promises unwaveringly. Grant me the faith that I need.

In His name,

Amen

Unskilled and Ineffective

Heb. 5:13-14

for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment rained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

 

 

The writer was explaining to the Hebrew Christians that some events and concepts were hard to understand. In this case it was the priesthood of Christ. Christ did not seek this position to exalt Himself but instead was appointed by God. Although Christ was a Son, He still had to learn obedience through suffering. Because of His suffering and perfection in suffering, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. These believers need no longer go through a human priest who was flawed as they were. But now Christ was all that they needed.

 

Apparently, the people were having a hard time understanding these concepts. They were dull of hearing. Why? What had caused this condition? They were still only drinking in the milk of the word. The time was ripe for them to step up and be teachers or leaders, but instead they needed the basics of the Word taught to them again. Sad! They had willingly put themselves in a stunted growth pattern. The writer is exhorting them to eat the solid food of the word. Grow up into Christ! Don't be babies any longer. Those who eat the solid food are discerning because they have had constant practice distinguishing good from evil. They are on the battle field fighting for the right and sharing the gospel. What a warning to us today! What do we like to eat? Do we need entertainment and pleasing music coupled with a short, non-offensive message? Quite a thought! What a choice! The easy non-confrontational milky path or the hard confrontational meaty path...Any believer who is really in love with Jesus would obviously choose the  way that He walked. They would follow Him in their sacrifice and in their difficulties. But at the same time, watch out for the mind games. I wonder if the Hebrew believers were even aware of their condition. Be alert! Watch out! Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to destroy. Who is the easier prey, the milky or the meaty believer?

 

Father,

Keep me ever in Your word. Sharpen my discernment so that I may fight off temptation. Give me the grace and the strength to stand for you.

In His name,

Amen



The Throne of Grace

Heb. 4:16

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

How wonderful! But why? What or who has given us this great gift?

 

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

 

The answer is Jesus, the Son of God. He is our high priest, one unlike any human priest. He was tempted in all areas as we are, but without sin. Tempted in all areas is a hard concept to understand. I will have to take it by faith now and wait for heaven where I will know fully even as I have been fully known. But I am so thankful for Him because without His sinless sacrifice, I would be eternally lost as would be all mankind. Not only did His sacrifice provide salvation, but it provided me an entrance to the throne of grace. I can come confidently to Him with anything because He was tempted in all ways as I am. He understands my plight, my weaknesses, and my flesh! He can guide my life in the way that it should go. He can give me what I need: grace and mercy. He is more than willing to give me what I need, but how many times do I try and handle temptation on my own? How many times do I fail and then just go on completely splattered with the muck of the world? How foolish on my part!  His grace and mercy is the only thing that can keep me afloat and free of the weights of the world.

 

Father,

Thank You for sending Your Son to be the sinless sacrifice. Thank You for Your grace and mercy and for my entrance to Your throne. Lord, convict me mightily when I stray off by myself unprotected and unprepared. Keep me close to You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Naked and Exposed

Heb. 4:12-13

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from His sight but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

 

So very important! If I am not in the word like I should be, I am not exposed before God. I need to see and live as God desires of me, and the only way to do that is through the word! Without the word, I think I am basically a good, moral person, someone who helps others and is kind. But as soon as I get in the word, I see my motives exposed and my mask lifted. Sometimes I am a different person in the home than in public, but thankfully those times are growing less and less. But the truth in all of my life is the Word. It is living and active as am I. It is my guide and my power for living. It is not a musty old book that is static and outdated, instead it is dynamic and current, meeting my everyday needs. I need to be exposed before God because only then can I deal with sin and my sinful nature. He is the ultimate judge and jury so why not get a heads up now. It is by the word that I can enter His rest and not fall short by some sort of disobedience. Humans as a whole play so many mind games. They can convince themselves of so many things about themselves. How do I know? Because I have done it. That is why the word is so crucial. It is the exposer, the revealer, the truth and the way to grow.

 

Father,

Thank You for the living word and its power to reveal the truth in my life. Continue to grow me so that I may know Your peace and rest.

In Jesus name,

Amen



Watch Yourselves

Lk. 21:34

But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.

 

 

Jesus told the people to be aware of events. Look at the signs in nature, not only in nature, but in nations and in politics. And when the powers of heaven have shaken, the Son of Man will be seen coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things happen, straighten up, raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

 

Again Jesus gives another warning. But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. Man is constantly drawn to and mesmerized by the world. Many times people are not even aware of being weighted down since their spirituality is comparative. What they see other so-called Christians do sets the standard for them. And sadly, all of it is a far cry from what the Bible says. These things [dissipation, drunkenness, and cares] are like a trap. Once someone goes in the cage to check them out, the door slams shut. They are trapped in an endless cycle of what the world offers. But again Jesus says, stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. Staying awake doesn't mean going without sleep, but it means stay awake to pray for strength. It is only in prayer and God-given strength that survival is a reality.

 

Father,

Whatever my future whether I live through these events or not, Give me Your strength to pray for strength so that I might be a faithful servant. I am nothing without Your grace.

Through Jesus,

Amen



It Was Fitting

Heb. 2:9-10

But we see Him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was flitting that He, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

 

 

What verses! Jesus descended, not just lower than God, not just lower than angels, but so low that He took on human form. Jesus was crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering to death. Is His suffering somehow equal to glory and honor? What He endured was through the grace of God. Jesus endured to death through the grace of God as do I. I suffer through this life until death takes me home and all of it is through the grace of God. He led the way. He was my example and gave me His footsteps to follow. And all this was fitting! It was fitting that He, the Creator of all, would bring salvation to the sons of men, the sons of men that would be transformed to sons of glory by the grace that only God gives. He, the founder of salvation, is perfected through suffering. What a concept! Suffering and grace are vital to this entire scenario.

 

Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

 

Suffering once again! He understands my temptations because of His suffering. Suffering and grace must be part of my life as it was His. This is fitting... 

 

Father,

I want to follow in Jesus' steps. I know they must be full of the grace of God and suffering. It is hard to ask for that, but draw me close to You and give me what is Your best for me.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Spirit of Esther

Esther 4:14

And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a times as this?

 

What an example of God-given strength! Even though Esther was in the king's palace and was the favored wife, she couldn't come in the presence of the king unless summoned. Her uncle Mordecai met her to explain a terrible life-threatening situation in all the land. 

 

Haman who hated Mordecai, and all Jews for that matter, had the king sign an edict that would bring about the death of the Jews including Esther. Mordecai spoke to Esther urging her to do something quickly because time was short. Her uncle told her that perhaps she had come to this place of prominence for such a time as this. She must sacrifice her personal safety for the safety of her people. Esther told him to get all the people in Susa to fast for 3 days on behalf of Esther. And of course, she would be fasting too. At the end of the time she would go into the king, and if she perished, she perished.

 

Certainly in a time like this, Esther was all in. Her commitment was strong and unwavering. I wonder how many of us in America, if put in this same situation, would have her attitude and spirit. Who knows but everyone is in his/her own specific place and situation for such a time as this. God has a purpose in every life so that every day is such a time as this. When He calls, He wants us to step out in faith and have her attitude, if I perish, I perish. He wants us to be all in for Him. Of course, Esther saved the Jews and Haman and his family got what they deserved. But is it always going to work out like this? No, but still God has a purpose that we might not know until we see Him face to face.

 

Father,

Strengthen me so that I might be all in, that I will have the spirit of Esther.

In His name,

Amen