Category: Facing Life with Faith

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 12:18-13:25 (day five)
Verse 25 “See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking.” The pattern of the Lord is that He communicates His promises, character, and purpose through our eyes and ears and into our hearts (Isaiah 6:9-10). It’s a big deal. “That which Jesus speaks concerns your soul, concerns your everlasting destiny; it is God’s wisdom; God’s way of mercy; God’s plan by which you may be saved.”- C.H. Spurgeon. I/we must “see to it” that we can hear. I/we must continually ask God to help us be: still, teachable, humble, and obedient. Moment by moment how do we answer God’s question of “Can You Hear Me Now?”

REVerse Passage:  Hebrews 12:25-13:25 (day four)
As the writer of Hebrews closes his letter, he ends with a series of admonitions…show hospitality, remember the prisoners, demonstrate fidelity, be free from greed, be content, honor those who taught you by faith, guard your doctrine.  He is praying for them to experience sanctification.  After this challenging prospect of instituting all of these character qualities in our lives…only possible by the blood of Jesus Christ…the writer pronounces a blessing upon the listeners.  In verse 20, he writes, “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight,…”  How does He do that?  How does He accomplish this in our lives?  In 1 Peter 5:10, we get a clue.  “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”  God will do it, but suffering may be His tool!  Through suffering, we are blessed.

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 12:18-13:25 (day three)
“If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?”  Sooner or later, everyone fears God.  Those who fear him sooner discover his shocking mercy.  Those who fear him later, when he brings this age to a close, discover their shocking inability to talk him into mercy.

Re:Verse reading-Hebrews 12:25-29; 13:1-9, 20-21 (day two)
“Let the love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Sounds like quite a dinner party doesn’t it? As I  re-read this text I am convicted that this has less to do with some overt act of benevolence as it does understanding the nature of humanity.  We all have the privilege of bearing the image of God, it is simply a truth of how we were made.  Regardless of the vile corrupt nature of our hearts, we were all made to reflect the beauty of God’s image.  Therefore, it comes down to Christ’s greatest command, “Love”.  We do not love because others think like us, or act a certain way, have the means to help us, or vote like us, no, it is more grand than any of those reasons.  It is because they bear the image of Christ, and whether or not they acknowledge that truth does not absolve us from understandings God’s great design for us all.  Think on this as you meet someone today, you are meeting more than an angel.  You are meeting an image-bearer.

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 12:25-29; 13:1-9, 20-21 (day one)
“His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised. . .’Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but the heaven.’ (which) denotes the removing of things which can be shaken. . .in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.  Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude. . .for our God is a consuming fire.”  (12:26-29)  It was a familiar Bible story.  The day God gave the 10 Commandments, the earth shook. See Exodus 19. It demonstrated the relative stability of the two things.  (Compared to the God’s Law, even the mountains were fragile, unstable)  Something similar will happen at the end of time.  All things will pass away.  God’s Kingdom will remain.  Everything else will shake and collapse. (2 Peter 3:11) It reminds us to be grateful and reverent.  God is the fire that will eventually burn up (consume, make disappear) all that is not completely His.

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 11:1-2,32-40; 12:1-3, 12-17 (day seven)
“By faith (they) conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, (and) shut the mouths of lions. . .Others experienced mockings and scourgings. . .they were stoned, they were sawn in two.”  (11:33, 36-37)  Christians have two kinds of spiritual heroes.  People who trust God into triumph AND people who trust Him to death without any apparent vindication or victory (in this world, at least).  As a Pastor, I have known believers who experienced miraculous rescue.  I have also known those who endured pain and injury without complaint for long and patient years.  The lesson?  Faith’s reward is not always now.  Never completely now.  (Kipling says that triumph and disaster are both “imposters”.)  The real value of life will only be known when God declares it in eternity.  Whether they win or get wiped out, our heroes all tell us the same thing.  Trust God!  He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  Always!  Eventually!

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 11:1-2, 32-40; 12:1-3, 12-17 (day five)

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us”. When I read the scripture, I am frequently reminded about my own weakness and inability to navigate life without the risk and ample opportunities of sin, burdens, and selfishness to take their toll on me. Any reminder that would prompt me to re-direct my attention and recalibrate my priorities is SO helpful.  So, I pause to pray.  I ask God to examine my heart and mind (for burdens and sin vs.1).  I ask God to help me have a disciplined and determined focus on The One who is writing my story (vs. 2); I ask God for energy and strength to press back against any discouragement or desire to slow down or quit on “my race” (vs. 3).

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 11:1-2, 32-40; 12:1-3, 12-17 (day four)
It always seems to take me by surprise.  I begin to read of the acts of righteousness, the miracles of overcoming great odds, and the mighty power of faith demonstrated in the lives of men and women.  Then I read verse 35ff…”others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death…”  Wait a minute!  We were talking about great miracles of deliverance and feats of power.  What is this description of defeat and loss?  Does faith reside in the pain and suffering of life as well?  The circumstances of our life do not determine our faith.  Our faith transcends the circumstances of life.  Faith comes from God because He has provided something much better for us than temporary victory.  We must keep our eyes upon the faithful God!

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 11:1-12:17 (Day Three)
“Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead.” When Abraham heard God tell him to sacrifice Isaac, he knew who was directing him to do such a thing. Abraham already had a long history with God. Each ability of God’s that Abraham saw over time brought him a clearer understanding of God’s power: He knew God could lead him across hundreds of miles of trackless territory to a new home; he knew God could help him lead an army to victory; he knew God could give an old man and old woman a son in their old age. By the time of this demand, Abraham knew God’s character and power—even though he did not know how it would all end. He went up Moriah to where he did not know, based on what he did know of God. That’s faith.

RE Verse reading-Hebrews 11:1-2, 32-40; 12:1-3, 12-17 (days two) “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right and of the throne of God.”