Hebrews 4:12-13 The Word of God

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12, 13 NIV)

Observation:

The Word of God is LIVING. Meaning that It is not some dead ancient literature, It is still the relevant and applicable. 

The Word of God is ACTIVE, which means it is effective in carrying out God's intention. "The same word that at creation set the elements of the cosmos to their appointed tasks and still governs the universe toward God’s desired intentions, has the ability to effect change in people. It is not static and passive but dynamic, interactive, and transforming as it interfaces with the people of God" (NIV Commentary).

The Word of God is compared to a double-edged sword; a sword with two sharp sides. This means that the Word of God can have favorable and unfavorable consequences. God's Word is a Word of promise for those entering into His rest as well as a discerning Word of judgement. 

The Word of God is able to PENETRATE and DIVIDE.  God's Word is able to reach into the depth of human soul and transform. His Word is able to sift out the unnecessary junk, while intentionally using other parts of our character flaws to keep us dependent upon Him and to glorify His great name. His Word is able to see and minister to the places of our hearts that we ourselves cannot see. It is able to break past surface religion and inner spirituality and makes It's goal the changing of our hearts and not our behavior. 

We are laid bare before Him always, spiritually naked and vulnerable. Because of who He is, we are not consumed, we are healed  and made new.

Application:

I'm so grateful that God can see all of me, especially the ugly parts. He does not condemn me because of my sin, but instead covers my holes with His righteousness. I would be walking around oblivious to the destruction I was sowing, if not for God's revelation over my life. Coming to Him vulnerable and trusting His steady hand has not been easy. There are times He has hemmed me in so that I didn't run away from the painful heart surgery that was about to happen. However, being laid bare before Him has always brought about great healing and transformation in my life. I absolutely need His Word.

Prayer:

Praise You Lord for Your Word and for It's life changing affect on my life. Your Word was made flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and now I am saved by His righteousness. Please continue to keep me vulnerable before You, trusting You to heal what needs to be healed and cleansing what needs to be cleansed. I love You Lord.

Hebrews 4:1,9-11 Entering His Rest

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...So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. (Hebrews 4:1, 9-11 NLT)

Observation:

The rest given and described in chapter 4 of Hebrews is bothy physical and spiritual. Just as our bodies need time to recuperate and rejuvenate from a hard week, so too, our minds and spirit. We need a day to separate ourselves from the pull of the world. Maybe it's turning off the TV for the day or taking a day away grind of physical or mental labor. If you are an introvert like me, you may just need quiet space away from people. The world calls this laziness and wants you to fill up every waking hour with "something". This is "busyness" trap and one that will get you running of the treadmill to nowhere. 

When we enter the rest that God has for us, we submit to both His sovereignty and goodness. We begin to see that the world does not revolve around us and our plans. We even start asking God about His plans. We detox from the lies that the world has planted in us during the week. We are being intentional about soaking in His love and our hearts begin to overflow in praise to Him. 

This rest is so important that God commands us to keep His sabbath holy. Not for His good, but for ours. 

Application:

In America the sabbath rest is anything but holy. God's people in America have even more opportunities than the average American population to stay busy. As if trying to keep up with what we are told is a great parent and a great spouse isn't enough, we are told that we also need to be a great Christian. All this "greatness" requires lots and lots of "doing". It's all a lie. There is nothing inherently wrong with doing, in fact, we need to work so that we can enter into God's rest. However, Christ should always at the center of everything we do. He cannot be at the center if we aren't intentionally taking time to make it so.

I am not one to say how long that rest should be or what that rest should look like. However, I can say for myself that I have to take moments of that rest throughout my day, and sometimes I need a whole 24 hours in addition to my daily rests to detox and rejuvenate. Most of the time I can't go but for a few hours before my mind begins to focus on me and my plans. 

Prayer: 

Thank You Lord for Your rest and the healing it brings to my soul. Your rest helps me to sync up with the rhythms of grace. Please continue to help me keep is step with You.

Jude 1 & Proverbs 29:1 The consequences of unbelief

Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. (Proverbs 29:1 NIV)

Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 1:5, 20, 21 NIV)

Observation:

The bible gives several examples of people who remain hardened to God. According to the book of Jude, people can call themselves believers, yet shut God out of their lives; they want to do life on their own terms. Because there is no root in Christ, but only in self, these so-called believers cut themselves away when persecution and trial come. "The greatest proof of salvation is continuance in Christian life...staying with the Lord is the difference between profession and possession. " John MacAurthur. 

Application:

3 ways to persevere in our Christian walk from the book of Jude.

1. Building ourselves up in faith. This means continuing our education and understanding of who Christ is and the fundamentals of Christianity. In short, to spend time with God in bible study.

2. Praying in the Spirit. By praying in the Spirit, we bring Truth to our prayers. The truth sets us free from the lies that our enemy is continuously trying to sow in us. It also anchors us to who God is and His promises, which leads to number three.

3. Keeping ourselves in God's love as we wait for His mercy. It is possible to have all the knowledge of Christian orthodoxy, but never love God or be aware of His great love for you. You have to push through to God, knowing that He pushed from heaven to earth to be with You. In the end, when the storms of life are crashing over you, it will be only God's love that will tether you to Him. We must make an objective every day to see His love and respond with love and adoration back. 

Prayer: 

Father, I love You so much! Thank You for loving me. Please anchor me in You. I ask that Your Good Spirit lead me to level ground. 

Hebrews 3:7-14, 19 Hardening Your Heart

That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. (Hebrews 3:7-14, 19 NLT)

Observation:

This is a warning for Christians to not harden their hearts. Hardened hearts happen when we don't understand why we are going through a terrible circumstance, we get mad at God and we don't take our hurts to Him. They also happen through busyness, we exclude God from so much of our lives, that we barely know Him. The result of a hardened heart is a lack of trust and therefore a lack of obedience. 

A hardened heart will never enter the rest of God. It is a life filled with wandering and anxiety. The Hebrew writer compares this wandering to the Israelites wandering in the desert because they responded in fear instead of obedience when God called them to walk into the promise land. 

Application:

The writer of Hebrews doesn't just define the problem, he also gives the solution. He says for us to make sure that our own hearts are not evil and unbelieving. We need to have consistent spiritual check up's where we Go to our heavenly Doctor and ask Him to search our hearts and see if there is any evil there. We need for Him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and lead us in the everlasting way (Psalm 139). This means consistent prayer time devoted to adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and then supplication. Once this conversation begins, we receive a revelation of God's great love for us, and we respond in obedience to His call, because we know whatever He asks us to do is for our good (Romans 8:28).

Prayer:

Father, I praise You for being my Shepherd, the One who lays down His life for His sheep, for me. I know that in me is selfishness and self righteousness, I ask that You forgive me and reveal any other areas where evil might be lurking in my heart. Father, please lead me in paths of truth, life, and love. Thank You for the assurance I have that You will never let me go.  

Hebrews 3:1-6 Moses & Jesus

And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire house. But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God. Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ. (Hebrews 3:1-6 NLT)

Observation:

In these scriptures we see a comparison between Moses and Jesus.  The writer of Hebrews is saying that Moses is the house, while Christ is the builder. It's easy to get lost in the beauty of the house and forget to see and praise the builder who erected it. 

There are certainly similarities between the story of Moses and the one of Jesus Christ. People are redeemed out of slavery, lead through a desert of discipline and reliance on God, then into a promise land.  However, Jesus is the Reedeemer, while Moses is merely the tool in which God used to redeem the Israelites from the Egyptians. 

Application:

I know the point of this scripture is to highlight the greatness of Jesus Christ over Moses. Which of course is true. However, I have gotten caught up in the similarities of the story between that of the Israelites freed from slavery and the one of my own salvation. I cried out to Jesus Christ, "save me!". He told the devil to let me go and the devil had to obey. He then lead me into the wilderness, where I have beheld His glory, where I am learning His ways. He gives me glimpses of heaven when I need help persevering. He feeds me with manna even though my flesh cries out for steak. He disciplines me, increasing my capacity, enabling me to rely more and more on Him. How grateful I am that He is always with me and that no one and nothing can snatch me from His hands. I will see the promise land and dwell there with Him for eternity.

Prayer:

Praise You Father for who You are. Thank You for redeeming my life from the grave. You hold me close so that I don't wander off. I need You Lord!

Hebrews 2:1-4 Relational Drift

It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off. If the old message delivered by the angels was valid and nobody got away with anything, do you think we can risk neglecting this latest message, this magnificent salvation? First of all, it was delivered in person by the Master, then accurately passed on to us by those who heard it from him. All the while God was validating it with gifts through the Holy Spirit, all sorts of signs and miracles, as he saw fit. (Hebrews 2:1-4 MSG)

Observation:

Drifting off is the ever present enemy of Christians both now and in years past. When I think of drifting, I think of the beach. As you stand in the water the waves gently carry you out to sea. It's almost unnoticeable. It is like that in relationships as well. We get busy, distracted, and before we know it the shore is far off and the gap is continuing to widen. Marriage is the biggest example of relational drift in our current culture.  We get busy, distracted, cause one another pain, and before we know it that gap between us is wider than we believe we can swim, so instead of fighting the waves to get back to shore, we just get carried out; out of marriage.

Our relationship with God is no different. If the enemy can distract us from God's message of love, then he can pull us away through a subtle drift. His hope is that he will create such a gap between us and God that we won't try to come back. The difference is, however, that God can bridge the distance, all we have to do is call on His name and ask Him to save us. Most people don't recognize that though, so they just keep drifting.

That is why the writer of Hebrews says the Message is so important to hold on to, not less. Salvation is not just a one time event, it is something we have to work at (Philippians 2:12). We have to be aware of the drift and fight against it always. 

Application: 

Relational drift is a threat to all Christians regardless of how long they have walked with Christ. So how do I keep from drifting?  Spiritual disciplines like prayer and bible study help. Also communing with other Christians can certainly be an anchor sometimes. However, to tell you the truth, none of these can keep me from spiritual drift in and of themselves, because all of them involve my performance. My performance will eventually fail. I get tired, bored, and distracted. 

What I've learned to rely on is the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. I confess my inadequacies to Him and ask Him to keep me from relational drift. From that prayer He creates a hunger and thirst for His word and prayer through what is happening externally around me. He puts me in situations where I have no choice but to rely on Him. By His great intervention in our relationship, I become aware of other relationships that might be drifting and can bring that to Him in prayer also; following His guidance and trusting Him to restore.

Prayer:

Father, You know I would drift away from You. My love is not enough, but Yours is. Please hold on to me and keep me close to Your heart. I also pray for the other important relationships in my life. Please keep us from drifting apart by drawing us closer to You. 

Hebrews 1:14 The Role Of Angels

Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation. (Hebrews 1:14 NLT)

Observation:

Some early Christians from Jewish descent were downgrading Jesus to the status of angel or prophet. The writer of Hebrews makes a clear defense of how Jesus is the heir and Son of God. The author ends with a one line job description on angels, "sent to care for the people who will inherit salvation". However, based on Old and New Testament text we can add a little more detail to this description.

Angels are executors of God's judgement, guardian of God's people, and herald of God's plan. In short they are created beings who serve the will of God and His Son.

Application:

It is human nature to want to explain why bad circumstances are happening. Some of the Jewish Christians were in danger of abandoning their faith because of the terrible persecution they were experiencing. The enemy is right there ready to pounce with the same lie he used in the garden "God isn't who He says He is and He isn't going to do what He has promised to do". 

Thousands of years later, the same lie is whispered and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is reduced in status to prophet, healer, or a good married man (according to the latest argument of the history channel). Through one seed of doubt, faithlessness in Jesus Christ spreads among even the most devout Christians. And the consequences can be catastrophic to your walk of faith; if God isn't who He says He is, then is the bible true? Am I really saved?  

I have to constantly guard my mind against the foolish arguments of the world. The current trend is to piece together your own version of Christianity and the bible and whatever feels right to you. The problem with this perspective is the god of the world then is you. You determine what is right, moral, and true. I know I don't have what it takes to be god. Left to my own devices I would be in hell, a hell that I created myself. I have to rely on the truth of God, live according to His ordinances, and walk in His Spirit. When faced with the choice of where to put my faith, either science, the world, feelings, me, or Jesus Christ, I choose Jesus Christ every time. 

Prayer:

Father, allowing seeds of doubt sown in my heart is a very real threat. I know that in myself I would follow the ways of the world. I need Your truth even more than I need air to breathe. Please sanctify me with Your truth, may it stay ever close to my heart and be ready upon my lips. I lift up the Christians that are suffering right now. Whispering their names to You, I pray that they would remain faithful during the refinement process. Thank You Lord for being faithful even when we are not and for sending Your Son to save us; to save me!

Hebrews 1:2-4 The Son Speaks To Us

And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. (Hebrews 1:2-4 NLT)

Observation:

What does it mean that God has these last days spoken to us by His Son?

- It is pretty awe inspiring that God would send His Son to speak to us. Not just the beautiful humility of it all, but we also get to see the very character of God the Father, through Jesus Christ His Son.

- We are so convicted and so trapped in sin that we reject Jesus and what He has spoken. The truth that Jesus speaks highlights our pride in performance and/or our pride to do it our own way. 

- There is also a sense of urgency because the message comes from the Son. Angels and prophets weren't enough to call our attention to the importance of what God is saying, God sends His one and only Son to tell the message of love (John 3:16). 

- Jesus opens up the message of love to the Gentiles as well as the Jews.The parable of the wedding banquet is a great example of this (Matthew 22).  

Application: 

I've been in a spiritually dry place lately. I would even say I'm going through the motions. The culprit? Busyness. I'm reading a lot of "spiritual" books, meeting with a lot of people and helping them take their next steps in their relationship with Christ, however, I find myself doing a lot good things instead of marinating in the the Great. 

Conflict and persecution have come and I find that my pouch that carries grace and compassion for others is empty. I'm becoming inflexible, prideful, angry. It is ever so important to close off all the other voices and just hear what God has to say and allow myself to to be in awe that He speaks to me. His word brings life to me and light to all darkness. His word is hope and an anchor for my soul. 

Reading all these books by incredible Christian authors are great. However, they need to have a right relationship with the word of God. These books were meant to help us read the Word of God, they were never meant to substitute the Word of God. When they do become a susbtitute, you and I will become malnourished Christians only consuming the regurgitated word of others. The authors have consumed the nutrients, and we are merely chewing, but never truly satisfied.

Prayer:

Father, I know there are seasons in our relationship where we need to mix things up. I'm grateful for the the Christian teachers and authors that have invested into my life through their study. Please forgive me for relying on their teaching alone and making that a replacement for sitting at Your feet and hearing what You have to say. As I continue to study the book of Hebrews please quiet my soul, take away the distractions, and help me fall more in love with You. You are the most important relationship of my life!

Romans 5:3-5 Hope Does Not Disappoint

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5 NLT)

Observation: 

Definitions

Endurance: the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina.

Strong character: good repute, integrity, high moral quality

Confident hope: to look forward to with strong desire and full assurance.

Jesus conquered death and sin and because of Him and through Him we have been given the opportunity and power to do the same. However, when going through trials it feels and looks the opposite of power, in fact feelings of failure and utter weakness seem to be what we are plagued with instead. God often works counter-world. The things that make us physically weak have the ability to make us spiritually strong. If we are God's and we ask God for help we can be assured that He is using dire circumstances to produce endurance, a strong character, and confident hope in Him. He is compelled by who He is to do so, because 

He is love.  His love fills our hearts, and sustains us by reminding us both Who we are and Whose we are.

Application:

I remember sitting in an office long ago and hearing about how I had messed things up, the conversation played to the one I was already having in my head. "Why am I here?" "I'm such a disappointment", "I should just give up and let someone else more qualified take over", and in the middle of the meeting I received a text,from someone I barely knew, with this verse. I kept reading the line "and hope does not disappoint" over and over again. I knew it was God and this was divine encouragement. He was and is telling me that I don't disappoint Him. 

Disappointment means that my performance didn't match expectations. How could God be disappointed in me when He has known from the beginning what my performance will be and He loves me wholly and completely anyway?

Many times difficult circumstances whisper that we should be handing things better; for me personally I think I should be praying more, studying scripture more, serving more, working harder to please God in the midst of this difficulty. There is certainly truth to seeking God, for it pleases Him, however, I believe that these thoughts are counter productive to the love God wants to fill in our hearts through the difficult circumstance. Seeking Him is not the same as performing for Him. Seeking says I trust You, performing for Him says the opposite. 

I do not disappoint God, He loves me soooooo much! He will continue to draw me to Himself, not because of me, but because of Him.

Prayer:

Father, You are my Hope. You anchor my soul in the midst of raging storms. There is no one else for me, You are my God and earnestly I seek You. Help me run the endurance race, fill my heart with more and more of Your love, so that I may pour it out over Your people and give it back to You in praise.

Colossians 4:2-4 Prayer

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (Colossians 4:2-4 NIV)

Observation:

The word devoted means to set apart time to focus, keeping something always at the forefront of your thoughts. Paul is saying that Christians need to lay hold of opportunity for prayer, keeping their minds alert and ready. Watchful is that alertness. Peter uses the same term when talking about fighting our enemy, He say's be alert of sober mind (1 Peter 5:8). Paul describes prayer as part of our armor in Ephesians 6; Paul says to pray at all times, being alert to pray for God's people (Ephesians 6:18).  Paul is saying the same thing here when he asks to be prayed for. Chief speakers need prayer, that God would both give them opportunity and the words to speak.

Like with many prayers mentioned in the bible, we are to lace our conversations with thankfulness; thankful for who God is and what He has done.

Application:

Two words cut straight to the heart, devoted and watchful. I pray all the time, for conversations that I'm in, for decisions I need to make, etc. But I've always been a little envious of those who can set aside an hour each day on their knees and focus in specifically on prayer. I've done pretty good at the keeping the conversation going with God throughout the day, but I've missed something when it comes to developing the discipline in getting alone, in a quiet place, and just praying. It is in this lack of discipline that I very often forget to pray for people. If my only prayer life is a constant conversation throughout the day, but not quality time set aside for just prayer, than my prayer life can easily become fast food for the soul instead of the complete nourishment God longs to give me.

When I sent aside time to pray, my mind wanders, it seems as if I can only stay focused for small bursts at a time. Is there anything wrong with this? No. However, is my prayer life living up to its full potential? No. And I want that to change.

Prayer:

Father, I want more quality time with You. I want that devoted time, set apart strictly for You. Please help me to pray for others and keep my mind directed towards You. Thank You that You are always bringing out more and more in me. I want to go deeper in You.

Psalm 116:5-7 Returning To Rest

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. (Psalms 116:5-7 NASB)

Observation:

Anytime God is talking about rest, we see His character mentioned. God asks us to rest in Him because He is gracious, loving, full of compassion, and our strong tower. When our souls are weary, where else can we turn that promises such a marvelous outcome? No where, not the TV, not work, not friendship, not sports, or anything else in this world. To give us rest we must call and fall on heavenly powers. Jesus says come to Me when you are weary and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). His word reminds You that He is worth trusting and shows how to step into His rest.

Application:

In order to find rest for the soul we have to dwell on who God is and remember what He has done; for the Lord has been good to you. The Lord has been good to me indeed, yet it is very easy for my mind to get caught up in all the ways that I'm failing instead of all the ways God is blessing. Today I want to enter into His rest and praise through trust in the best way to do that. 

Prayer:

Father, You are gracious, You are loving, You are good, and You love me so much! Please allow the message of Your love to saturate my soul. Remind me, O Lord, of Your faithfulness and compassion in my life and may it bubble up in praise to You!

Proverbs 18:20-21 The Power Of The Tongue

With the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach will be satisfied; He will be satisfied with the product of his lips. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:20, 21 NASB)

Observation:

1/3 of the proverbs deal directly or indirectly with communication.

The tongue does more than pass information, it provides nourishment or poison for the soul. 

The tongue has a reciprocal nature to it, if we use it to hurt, we will hurt, if we use it to heal, we will be healed.

Destructive speech includes: lying, gossip, slander, insults, flattering, bragging

Constructive speech includes: keeping our word, spread true and good reports about people, speak honestly to others from a place of love,  calls out the best in others, is thankful. 

Promises of constructive speech: it is a tree of life, meaning it continues to nourish and draws the nourishments from it's root, Jesus Christ. (Proverbs 15:4).

Constructive words heal us, they are a balm that goes deep to the soul and soothes our spirit. (Proverbs 16:24).

Constructive words nourish many (Proverbs 10:21). 

Application:

It is out of overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. I need to watch what is going in, because it will eventually come out. The Word of God is the best source of life-giving nourishment and nothing else can compete. All the examples of constructive speech can be found in the bible. As a part of daily discipline it is good to nourish myself with the Word of God. However, keeping guard over my heart is not something that I can do alone, in fact, the task primarily rests on Christ. He is the one who can truly tell if my heart is pure to begin with, He alone purifies my heart, and He alone can stand guard over it. My task is to continually go to Him and respond in obedience to what He asks of me, knowing it is good.

Prayer:

Father, I thank You for the life-giving nourishment of Your word. Please heal me with Your word and refine my heart of any impurities. I also ask that You stand guard over My heart and use my speech to bring life to others, for You are the root of life in which I draw from.

John 15:5 the Vine and the Branches

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing

Observation: (Matthew Henry)

This is the last night Jesus is alive

He addresses with the disciples the ways in which they will be tempted

1. They will be tempted to go back to religion instead of relationship

2. They would be tempted to be offended and mad at one another

3. They would be tempted to shrink from apostleship once met with hardship

The only way they will pass temptations test is by remaining in Christ like Christ remained in the Father during His temptation in the wilderness.

The vine and branches observation:

The vine is an unsightly plant, like Jesus is described in Isaiah 53.

The vine spreads, like the gospel is to be spread throughout the world.

The root is unseen (like our life with Christ), 

Has many branches but all come back to one root. Like the multiple denominations, whose methods are different but all come back to the root of Christ.

Fruit observation:

We cannot bear fruit apart from Christ

We look for grapes on a vine the way we look for Christianity from Christians

Those that do not bear fruit will be taken away out of justice to them and kindness to the fruit bearing branches.

The very first blessing God ever gave was be fruitful and multiply, It is is still the blessing 

He gives. We limit that blessing to the physical, but God is calling for spiritual multiplication.

Pruning for fruitful branches happens in degrees, like refinement for our souls.

Those that bear no fruit after awhile will bear no leaves also.

It is in His word that we embrace him and abide in Him.

Application:

Meditating on His Word, His goodness is VERY IMPORTANT. It is the only way to bear fruit. It is from meditation that prayer and praise spring forth, the kind of honest praise and spiritual worship that pleases the Father.  Meditation on His word all day long, one scripture, anchors the soul. 

Remaining in Him, meditating on who He is through His word is the only way to withstand the three temptations outlined in John 15. 

Prayer:

Father, the Jesus Blood that covers me is also the sap that energizes, strengthens, and nourishes me. Thank You for bearing fruit in me, keeping me attached to You, lighting my steps with Your word. I love You!

Philippians 2:3-4, 21 Radical Unity

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Observation:

Paul is describing a community where everyone pulls together instead of apart. It is a community that knows its purpose and doesn't let anything interfere with it.  The community Paul describes is an extended spiritual family where others line up to become apart of this sacred assembly to make it their home because they feel encouraged and they know that they are loved.  Paul encourages the Philippians to strive for radical unity by being like Christ, who put Himself last and took the cross and its shame, so we are to love and serve one another the same way.

Application:

The radical unity Paul describes is difficult to do in American culture. Several things work against us. The first being that we are told it is all about us, we should get what we want when we want, and Jesus is a mere genie that we use to protect us from heaven and ask for safety and physical blessings from. This thought pattern also leads to church hopping, always looking for the next feel good message, never really laying down roots at any church. 

Another thing that works against radical unity in America, is busyness. We are too busy to have deep conversations with people to listen to where they are at and meet their needs. We are a slave to our schedules, which rarely have time to minister to others. 

How do we fight against this current of selfishness as a church? Well it starts with each of us individually. We first get quiet before the Lord, fixing our eyes on Him, asking Him to open our eyes to those around us and to prepare our hearts to love them deeply and unselfishly. As the Lord answers that prayer, which He will do, determine in your heart to be obedient to whatever He lays on your heart to do for others. As each one of take steps that allow God to change us, we will experience the radical community that Paul talks about.

Prayer:

Father, I fix my eyes on You for You are the author and perfecter of my faith. I pray that You would open my eyes to those around me whom I can love and bless. I determine in my heart to be obedient to whatever You ask of me.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek (part 4)

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NIV)

Observation:

Meekness also gives you spiritual contact lenses. You see life and circumstances differently. In our world it is hard to see God in situations of injustice, horrific crimes, and catastrophic events. But if God is sovereign and He is good, then both are in these situations. Meekness is an understanding of your own human limitations of sight, it takes out the worldly contact lenses and puts of the sight of Christ. Meekness doesn't give Christian pat answers to any of these situations nor does it rejoice in the pain of the world, instead meekness seeks God's heart in how to pray and what to do. Meekness wants to be apart of the good that God is doing in this terrible circumstance.

Application:

As I've shared previously the last 6 weeks have been incredibly difficult for me, probably one of the darkest times of my life. During those 6 weeks I have been afraid to tell other Christians what I'm going through for fear of Christian pat answers; you know, where that pat you on the back, tell you to put on your big girl panties and that God is using all things for good, so cheer up! Oh my, just thinking about it would get my blood to boil.

I needed the friend who would, in meekness, seek God's heart in how to pray and what to do. As Christians we don't have to be afraid or ashamed that we don't know the "why" of something terrible.  God never assigned us with diagnosing the problems of others or trying to fix them. It is like a toddler trying to do surgery, it is foolish to even try. We need the real Doctor of our souls. I know that is what I need, friends that take me to Jesus's heart and that is the friend that I want to be to others.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for the friends that You've given me that seek Your face everyday in meekness. Please help me to be that friend to others.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek (part 3)

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NIV)

Observation:

Another observation about meekness is that meekness allows for rest, true rest. When you see your circumstances in the light of a sovereign and good God who loves you more than you will ever know, peace begins to flow through your veins. You know that God will see to it that your heartbreak works together for good. You no longer look at your circumstances as punishment or a prison to make you miserable, but an incredible opportunity for God to mold you in Jesus's image and to bring God maximum glory.

Application:

I have a driven personality. I'm always working on being a better version of me and sometimes I'm so driven that I try to help people be better versions of themselves, even when they haven't asked ;). This driven part of my personality has left me with a constant hum in the motor of my soul. There has been no rest for me. Even on the sabbath I'm diligently seeking out who God is and who I am in Christ and I'm constantly evaluating am I doing too much or too little? These are good things, but this is not rest. Rest is trust, to the core; bone saturating trust in God. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, that He himself is meek and we are to come to Him when we are weary and learn from Him. We are to learn meekness from Him and we will find rest for our souls. 

I wish I could boast that the hum is gone for good in my life because I've learned this life lesson, but I can't. However, I can tell you that I now know what it feels like to have the hum gone, and I'm trying everyday to take my cares to Christ and learn from His meekness.

Prayer:

Father, You are sovereign and You have good plans for me. Even when I don't feel it or see it, I can rest in the fact that You fight for me and will complete the good work in which you've begun. I love You so much!

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek (part 2)

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NIV)

Observation:

Another attribute of meekness that I've learned is that the meek accept the Father's dealings with them as good and they accept God' actions toward them without resisting or disputing. This is not an ignorant trust founded on naïveté, on the contrary it is one that has done the research, invested in prayer, and has a versed definition of who God is  and even more importantly a heart understanding of God's love for them.

Application:

6 weeks ago I would have said that I had a great understanding of the sovereignty and goodness of God. I encouraged others to hold fast, because God was using all suffering for good. However, in the last 6 weeks I experienced fear in such a dramatic way that lead to questions of God's goodness and love for me. What happens when you face that all you love can be taken from you and your life is hanging on a thread? I understood God's sovereignty but could not understand His love or goodness.  But the long dark night is over and dawn has broken over our home. The dawn begins to warm things up and the light shows the truth. Although I'm not completely healed from the last month, I see that God has been showing His love for me and I'm learning to accept it. Pride still exists in this human shell, I will tell you that I'm a little meeker than I used to be.

Prayer:

Father, I praise You for being great and good and thank You that joy comes in the morning.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek (part 1)

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NIV)

Observation:

I've spent the last week studying what it means to be meek and here is what I've learned. Meekness equates to gentleness or humility. It is not a natural state for us humans and generally only comes through refinement. In meekness we submit to the Father and say whatever You want. It is an understanding of who we are and more importantly who God is and responds in reverence and humility.

However, even more than that, meekness is pleased to do the work and will of the Father. Meekness understands that it is not about you, and rejoices in that awareness. 

Application:

When I began ministry I was tied to a Christian check list. It was one I was told I had to have and do so that I could be called a good Christian. The checklist included, study and memorize scripture, pray for others, tell others about Jesus, serve the church and the community, disciple others, etc. It also included a list of don'ts like, don't drink,don't cuss, don't watch this movie or read that book, make sure your children act right, keep your house clean, etc. All good things right? Yes, but the heart motive in which I was doing them was not,

Two years into it I was left empty and exhausted. Why did I have to tell others that God loved them right where they are at, but I had to get my checklist done for Him to love me? That question lead me to explore grace and grace truly changes everything. Now I do that whole list of do's and don'ts, but it is because I am loved by God and I love God, not because I'm trying to earn it.

Prayer: 

Father, thank You for grace.

2 Corinthians 12:7 Thorn in the flesh

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. (2 Corinthians 12:7 NIV)

Observation:

Why didn't God take this thorn away? Paul needed the thorn so that he wouldn't become arrogant. Paul had received great revelations from God that no one else had seen. These revelations could easily lead to conceit and Paul being puffed up. Arrogance is a great repellent to those seeking Christ. I've met people who know the word of God and have received revelation, but have no meekness in which to draw people. Thus the thorn in the flesh that Paul received.

Application:

What are some of the hard things in this life that God is using as a thorn to teach you and mold you into His image? My self image, my need for approval, my health. Although I know the truth about who I am in Christ, that all I need is Christ's approval, and this body is temporary, my mind is bombarded with thoughts that are contrary to these truths. I pray and pray for God to take these thoughts away, but He doesn't. Even after a pretty intense refinement in this last month, the thoughts come. Here is what I have learned though, God wants me to to cast out those thoughts and cling to truth. He wants it to be so much of a habit for me that I experience the complete freedom that He has given me.

Prayer:

Father, Your word is truth, Your word is Jesus Christ. It is a lamp to might feet and the rock in which I stand upon. I pray that Your Holy Spirit would continually remind me of Your truth and cast out all thoughts that don't line up with Your word. Thank You Lord.

Philippians 1:6 Where is your confidence?

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 

Observation: 

Where is your confidence placed? Over this last month I have seen several areas of my life where my confidence is placed in the wrong thing, or the wrong person. Here are some examples from my own life.

1. I am confident that if I make the right and safe choices, that God will not allow any harm to come to me.

2. I am confident that if I love God and seek Him more than anything or anyone else, that all will go well for me.

3. I am confident that if I love others God will be pleased with me and bless me.

For me my confidence has been placed in my performance. If I perform well God will not allow suffering that is unjust to afflict me. This is pretty common in the world and most people, including Christians are too busy to examine where they are placing their confidence (in themselves, in others, or in Christ). And sometimes God allows bad things to happen to you and me, so that we can see that we have placed our confidence in the wrong thing. 

Application:

So what do you do? Well the answer is right in this passage; God completes the work. We can't be confident in our own work, or anyone else's for that matter (just in case you think that if someone would change life would be better), we can only be confident in God's. His work is perfect.

Prayer:

Father, I'm sorry that I've doubted You. Please help me to stand on Your promise of completing the good work in which You have begun. I place my confidence in You!

John 11:33-37 Deep hurt, Deep love

When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, “Where did you put him?” “Master, come and see,” they said. Now Jesus wept. The Jews said, “Look how deeply he loved him.” Others among them said, “Well, if he loved him so much, why didn’t he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man.” (John 11:33-37 MSG)

Observation:

Here is the BIG question, why would Jesus weep for his friend if he was going to bring him back to life? I mean if He knew this is for His glory, then why would He be so upset?

What's interesting is over and over in the New Testament we are encouraged to rejoice in affliction, in fact Jesus says we are blessed. But here we see Jesus weeping in the face of His friend's affliction and when He knows how the story ends. 

Here is the answer, Jesus is love and love opens itself up to pain. The deeper the love the deeper the suffering. If you know Jesus, then you know there is no one who loves you deeper then Him.

Christ's weeping is also a confirmation of His deep love for Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. After more than three days of hoping for a sign of His love, needing that confirmation so desperately, it has finally come. I wonder what was greater to Mary and Martha, that their brother was brought back to life and they witnessed a miracle, or that their hopes were confirmed and that Jesus the Christ loved them deeply?

Application:

Like David writes in the psalms my eyes grow dim looking for the salvation of The Lord. But when I listen closely to the cry of my heart, what I hear is a heart longing to be reassured that Christ truly does love her. When the enemy (satan, the world, your flesh) yells that affliction equals punishment, you become desperate to hear that You are loved by Jesus. But for me it needs to be Christ in person, I don't want a message sent over miles of wire, text message, I want His touch. No a pat Christian answer will not placate this pain, I need a Jesus encounter. 

Jesus could have sent a message to Mary and Martha saying He loved them and then showed up four days later, but that's now how He did it. He came in person, expressed His heartfelt love for them. Mmm, that's what I want.