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!