Posts Tagged ‘ hebrews 13 ’

Figure It Out! Hebrews 13:20-21

Figure It Out! Ephesians 5:10My middle child has a tendency to ask and pry with question after question about his chores as he inquisitively ss to get his chores done in the way in which my wife and I will be happy.

He will inquire, once his chores are done, if we are proud of him for getting them done…sometimes even without us having to ask him to do them.

Shouldn’t we all approach Christ with the same sincere inquisition?

We are Christ followers, which means we claim to follow Him, so shouldn’t we at least be just a little bit concerned with how we can live in a way that brings pleasure to Him?

“Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep —with the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip  you with all that is good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Glory belongs to Him forever and ever. Amen.” -Hebrews 13:20-21

We see that God is able to equip us to do His will and that the indwelling of Christ by His Holy Spirit works in us to do what is pleasing in Yahweh’s sight. It is impossible to please God unless we do so through Christ’s work in us.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light  in the Lord. Walk as children of light — for the fruit of the light  results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth — discerning  what is pleasing  to the Lord.” -Ephesians 5:8-10

In our former state, we couldn’t please God at all. We walked in darkness and participated in all the works of darkness that displease God. However, Christ is light and He indwells us resulting in goodness and righteousness and truth.

However, Paul asserts the greatest benefit we have is that Christ in us will help us discern, in all that we do, how best to please God. If we are listening and in touch with Christ, He will make our thoughts, actions and decisions so much clearer.

The question remains, do we really care what pleases God?

King Josiah did. As a young man, Josiah sought to clean up and repair the temple. In that process the Law of God was found and read to Josiah. Josiah tore his clothes and inquired of God as to what to do.

Word came from the prophet that Josiah’s receptive and humble heart would have him spared God’s wrath. Yet, with this promise, Josiah didn’t rest on his laurels, but instead initiated reforms to clear the land of Jerusalem, the Judea, then Samaria of the idolatry of his fore-fathers…going all the way back to King’s Jeroboam and Solomon!

You can read this amazing story in 2 Kings 22:1-23:27.

King Josiah is just like we should be. He sought to please God. He heard God’s word and responded with a receptive and humble heart which lead to actions that pleased God.

Now, I will not say that my son always responds to our directives with a receptive and humble heart. But when he does it brings pleasure to his mother and I.

If we will humble ourselves and be receptive to Christ’s indwelling voice we too can live in ways that will bring pleasure to God.

Are we willing?

2014
11/29
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Time Sharing: Hebrews 13:16-17

Time SharingLiving in a house full of kids one very basic principle stands out above the rest: be ready to share. Whether you’re playing a board game, reading a book, working on a computer, or grabbing a snack; it is inevitable that one of our children will want to be involved.

I’m thankful to have the opportunity daily to share the greatest thing that I can with my family.

We tend to think of sharing in terms of stuff, material things. However, we can share a thing that is far more costly and equally important. TIME.

Our time is the single most valuable commodity we have because it is the one item that we can’t simply get more of because all our days are limited (Psalm 139:16).

We should daily spend TIME with Yahweh asking Him how He desires to use our time for the day. Let’ face it, time isn’t really ours, it’s His, and we are accountable to Him for how we use this valuable resource.

“Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.” -Hebrews 13:16

The author of Hebrews gives us a tip on what to do with our time. We should share it and do what is good with it. In the internet age many of us spend way too much time staring at our phone, computer or television. Social media tend to dominate a lot of our time when we could be engaged in more worthy things.

We spend time playing games, watching movies, going to games, keeping updated on our “friends”. What if instead we found ways to push back and spend time with our family, not just our physical family, but our spiritual family as well. How often do we read our Bible for ourselves (not including during sermons and bible studies led by others)? Do we spend any time in prayer?

We need to spend our time getting closer to God and from that relationship He will set in us the right agenda for doing what is good and sharing with others. He will make those things a priority.

The author of Hebrews is quick to point out that doing good and sharing are sacrifices as well, just as praise was in yesterday’s blog post. Sacrifices with which God is pleased.

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” -Hebrews 13:17

Here we see that Christ followers should submit to their leaders. Leaders are not unaccountable for their leadership but will factually stand before God for greater judgment and to give an account for how they have led.

Leaders have the responsibility before Christ our King to keep their followers on the path to Christ’s kingdom agenda. Those that do not, or altogether refuse, will find themselves in the hands of an angry King.

The author points out that it is profitable for us that our leaders can serve with joy rather than grief. I know one of my greatest frustrations is being nagged. Even though there are things I know I should have done, it’s still annoying and aggravated to be nagged about responsibilities.

The best thing we can do for our leaders is pray. Pray for your pastor, Sunday School teacher, Bible Study teacher, mayor, congress person, Governor, President. Our leaders are in dire need of prayer support from Christ’s people. We should pray that Christ’s kingdom would come into their lives and flow through their decisions and actions.

So take some time today, for Thanksgiving, to pray with thanksgiving to God for who you are and ask Him for the wisdom to share your time in a kingdom-based way.

However, to close this out, we should remind ourselves of what Jesus said on the topic:

“On the contrary, when you host a banquet, invite those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid  at the resurrection of the righteous.” -Luke 14:13-14

2014
11/27
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Living Accurately: Hebrews 13:7-9

Living AccuratelyIn my line of business accurate information is essential so any confusion in the line of communication can lead to catastrophic errors and issues. I had the experience of a one day delay in processing invoicing because of just such a miscommunication.

Rates are everything in our field and if hundreds of entries hit our payroll system on the wrong rates its a disaster. Fortunately, the error was caught before the bill was sent but it did cause delay in the entire billing process in the middle of our fall outages which makes things a little hectic and stressful.

Accuracy of information and communication is equally essential to the proper functioning of Christ’s church. The author of Hebrews tells us:

“Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.” -Hebrews 13:7

According to this text, we should take care whom we allow to mentor us. We should only allow someone to impact us on that level if we see the outcome of holiness and righteousness in their lifestyle. We can choose whom we imitate in the faith and we should do so with care as we watch their lifestyle.

Put simply, we should examine their walk to see if they are living accurately to the teachings of Christ before we allow them to mentor our lives in regards to the faith.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” -Hebrews 13:8

Consistency is key when it comes to living out our faith. We serve a God who has ALWAYS been the same and who never changes. So those who we choose to imitate in their walk with Christ should exhibit the same consistency that we know flows from the Holy Spirit.

Jesus lived accurately to His character, the Law and His mission.

“Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by foods, since those involved in them have not benefited.” -Hebrews 13:9

The final point of accuracy comes to the teachings. Many foolish teachers have, since Christ’s time, tried to lead astray His people. In particular focus in this text is the teaching of Judaism concerning foods, probably concerning the eating of unclean foods by Christ followers.

The author of Hebrews remind His readers that foods bring no one into grace, it’s a gift that God establishes in the hearts of His followers. Accurate living isn’t about the foods we eat, but about dwelling in His grace.

As we seek to live accurately in our walk of faith we need to surround ourselves with other believers who are living accurately as well.

2014
11/25
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We Have Nothing To Fear! Hebrews 13:4-6

"Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour." -1 Peter 5:8

“Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” -1 Peter 5:8

Our nation is engaged in a major debate over what constitutes marriage. We see activists and politicians on both sides of the issue laying the foundations for they viewpoint they hold. Yet, my belief is that the most important question isn’t being asked.

“Should a federal government, that is supposed to constitutionally remain separate from the church, define marriage?”

The federal government is authorized to recognize civil contracts of all sorts, but not sacramental union put together by God. The church defines marriage for that faith. The State is not God and has no right to define what the church should define as marriage.

“Marriage must be respected by all,” -Hebrews 13:4a

In God’s word, we are told that marriage is to be respected by all. I believe this concept of marriage is the one given by Yahweh, not the one that so many characters in Scripture practiced that was in violation of Yahweh’s design.

God designed marriage to be between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:22-24). Such is the design and definition of marriage that Christ followers should defend. Christ Himself has but one bride, His church.

“and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge immoral people and adulterers.” -Hebrews 13:4b

God design is that the marriage bed be undefiled. How important is it for Christ followers to exhibit this truth in our own marriages?! We should not have affairs or look at pornography or allow ourselves to be tempted to look lustfully at any member of the opposite sex, with the exception of our spouse. All of these things defile the marriage bed and disrupt the essential trust that is required for the intimacy of the marriage bed to be all that God designed it for.

We see with certainty that God will judge people who defile the marriage bed. Yahweh has a variety of means in which He judges this, not only in this life, but in the afterlife as well.

“Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.” -Hebrews 13:5

How pertinent that we come to this verse as we embark on the hypocrisy that has become Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday in our nation. We spend a day giving thanks for what we have by practicing gluttony and then going out the next day to conquer stores for sales of stuff that most of us don’t need.

We have a serious contentment problem in our nation today. The Christ follower should not love money but should see money as a vehicle for blessing. If we are content with what we have then we will stop chasing all the dreams and fads of our culture.

What do we have? We have the same thing that poverty-stricken first century churches had…the indwelling presence of Christ. We don’t need anything more and should be content to only have Him. Everything else we receive is extra and we should be gloriously thankful to have food, clothing and shelter.

Until we boil our faith down to Christ alone, we will fail to value just how important it is to have only Christ!

“Therefore, we may boldly say: 
The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?” -Hebrews 13:6

As we embrace the battles of our society, we have Christ as our helper. We should have nothing to fear because anything man does to us is only temporary.

Even IF our secular government chooses to redefine marriage, is that a loss for us? No, it is not. Yahweh has already defined marriage and in time His definition will stand.

We lose when we fail to respect and guard and protect the marriage bed. We lose when we fall into the love of money and spend out life chasing discontentment.

If we are content with Christ alone, then we will not chase sexual fulfillment outside of the spouse He has given us. If we are content with Christ alone, then we will not chase the multitude of means to keep up with the Joneses.

We have nothing to fear, even if ALL that we have is the indwelling presence of Christ through His Holy Spirit in our lives. Nothing to fear at all!

2014
11/23
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