Belief and Behavior.

James 3

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings. - Vs 13 (NET)

Belief and behavior. Who you say you are should reveal itself in how you act. If you think of yourself as wise and understanding, it should show up in your conduct. Wisdom produces fruit. But according to James there are two different kinds of wisdom: The worldly variety and the wisdom that comes from God. The wisdom of this world "is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic" (Vs 15), and it produces the fruit of jealousy, selfish ambition, arrogance, dishonesty, and disorder. It is a wisdom that comes from the world around us. It is natural or sensual. In other words, it is controlled more by the senses than by common sense. This kind of wisdom is driven more by our natural, fleshly desires than by any kind of intelligent, moral code. We do what we do because we FEEL like it. So our conduct becomes selfish and self-centered. It's all about what's in it for us.  We become driven by jealousy and selfish ambition. Our motives become skewed and screwed up. In the first 12 verses of this chapter, James has been talking about the tongue and the difficulty we have controlling it. Verse 13 and on are just an extension of that same thought. The tongue, and the words we use to form with it, can be a destructive force in our lives. We do great damage with our tongues. Yet at the same time we can think of ourselves as wise. We can bless God with our tongue and then turn around and curse our brother. Our behavior, or in this case our speech, does not match what we say we believe. Our "fruit" proves it. Our words betray the kind of wisdom we rely upon. Earthly wisdom.

But James says there is another kind of wisdom. It comes from a source outside of ourselves – from above. It comes from God and it produces distinctly different fruit. "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere" (Vs 17 - NLT). It's pure, innocent, or clean. Free from any kind of impurity or flaw. There's no hint of evil intent in it. No jealousy of pride. It is also peace loving. It's accompanied by an attitude of peace, not conflict. Its gentle and fair – all the time. It yields to others. In other words, it is accommodating, not demanding its own way. It's full of mercy for others that shows itself in positive actions. It shows no favoritism in order to gain an advantage. It treats everyone with equal respect. And it is always sincere. There's no hypocrisy. No blessing mixed with cursing. It is consistent.

The fruit this kind of wisdom produces is righteousness. James is talking about righteous living as a fruit, as the thing produced. The wisdom from above results in lives that are righteous and pure. It produces a fruit that is beneficial to all those who encounter it. When we live according to the wisdom from above, we are sowing seeds that will produce the right kind of fruit. And it will make a difference in the way we live and in our relationships with those around us. I love the way The Message interprets the last verse of this chapter: "You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor." We have the job of pursuing peace with one another based on the wisdom of God, not of this earth. And if we do, the result will be righteous lives and healthy, robust relationships with those around us.

Father, I need Your wisdom. I rely way too much on my own or the wisdom that is of this world. I listen far too much to what is passed off as the wisdom of this age. But it always fails me. Help me to hear Your wisdom more clearly. To seek it more diligently. To obey it more regularly. So that I might live a life that results of the fruit of righteousness. Amen

Faith Produces Fruit.

James 2

Dear brothers and sisters, what’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone. - Vs 14 (NLT)

Back when we looked at the 11th chapter of Hebrews we asked the question, "What is faith?" It was in the context of the Great Hall of Faith chapter.  The issue was what exactly the writer of Hebrews was trying to say about the topic of faith. I believe he wasn't celebrating these people's faith or their ability to conjure up just the right amount of faith so that they could be recognized and rewarded for it. He was talking about God producing faith in us, in spite of us. The very fact that we have faith is evidence of God's work in us. So now we come to that classic chapter on faith and works from the book of James. Its content caused the great reformer, Martin Luther, to reject the entire book of James, referring to it as a "right strawy epistle." But I think Luther missed the point. James was not promoting a works-based righteousness or salvation by self-effort. He was simply saying that true faith will be accompanied by tangible, verifiable works. Behavior will go hand-in-hand with belief. To say you believe in Christ and to live a life with no visible fruit of that belief is evidence that the faith was never really there. Go back to Hebrews 11. The very fact that Abraham was willing to offer up his son Isaac on the altar was "living" proof of His faith in God. It was faith made evident. One could not exist without the other. Charles Ryrie describes the co-existence of faith and works this way: "Faith and works are like a two-coupon ticket to heaven. The coupon of works is not good for passage, and the coupon of faith is not valid if detached from works."

Faith without works is dead. If you take the spirit out of a body, you have nothing but a corpse. If you separate works from faith, you have a dead faith. It has no life. It is useless. That kind of faith is not a saving faith. Because it is missing one of the main results of faith: a changed life. James makes this point very practical in the first part of this chapter. He says, "Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, 'Well, good–bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well' – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all – it is dead and useless" (Vs 15-17 - NLT).

"I will show you my faith through my good deeds." No one can see faith. I can't judge whether someone is saved or not. But I CAN see their deeds. I can see the evidence of their faith. Now, I can't jump to the conclusion that just because someone does good deeds they are saved. But if someone says they have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and they lack any kind of visible evidence that this new relationship has changed their life, then James seems to say that that kind of faith is useless. It is without life and worthless. Saving faith changes us. It isn't just some mental assent to the reality of God or the fact that Jesus died. Demons believe in God and they feared Jesus. No, faith produced fruit. Because when God places His Spirit within us, we become new creatures. He gives us a new heart. He gives us a new capacity to live and love that we never had before. And it shows up in the way we act. It manifests itself in our deeds. Our works become proof of the very fact that we are new creations. We don't make distinctions God doesn't make (Vs 4). We don't act as judges with evil motives (Vs 4). We don't dishonor the poor (Vs 6). We don't show partiality (Vs 9).  We have been set free to live differently. "So whenever you speak, or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law of love, the law that set you free" (Vs 12). Our behavior should reflect our beliefs. Our actions should prove our faith. John makes this very clear when he says, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples" (John 13:35). So our works are proof of our faith. They don't save us, but they prove that we have saving faith. Real faith. God-given, Spirit-produced faith.

Father, You have changed me and it has shown up in my life in tangible ways. I do not act the same way I used to act. I do things I never used to do before. I love in ways I never could have loved before. I am far from perfect, but I am also far from the man I used to be. All because of the presence of Your Spirit within me. When I do good things, it reminds me that I am a new man. I have a new power to live a new life. My works prove to me that You live within me. Thank You. May I keep my works in perspective and never allow myself to think that I am earning favor with You through my efforts, but to remember to thank You every time I do something good that it is proof of Your grace. Amen

Pure Religion Is Practical Religion.

James 1

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us. - Vs 26-27 (NLT)

ere James seems to give us an example of what it means to be a doer of the Word and not just a hear (Vs 22-23). Religion that is free from corruption and does not have anything mixed with it that would make it unacceptable before God is a religion that is marked by obedience and life change. It is hearing God's Word followed by a willing obedience to do what God's Word says. In this case, it is controlling the tongue. James refers to someone who is of the opinion that he is religious. In the New Testament, the Greek word "religious" is never used positively. And that's the case here. James is talking about someone who takes pride in their religiosity, but who is not really right with God. It is reminiscent of the Pharisees. The had all the appearance of being religious or pious, but were walking contradictions. James says someone who has a high opinion of their own religiousness, but can't control their tongue has a religious that is worthless. They are only fooling themselves, but not God. Their hearing of the Word of God doesn't ever get translated into action. So their walk with God ends up with no value because it doesn't end up changing the way they live and the way they treat others. The way they behave doesn't seem to correspond with what they say they believe.

But if you want to practice religion that is really free from corruption and doesn't have anything mixed with it that would make it unacceptable before God, you'll be more concerned about His opinion than your own. You will want to keep His standards, not yours. You will want to do what He says is important and not try and add to His requirements some rules and religious rituals of your own. God's view on religion is pretty basic. It's simple, practical stuff. First, visit the orphans and widows in their distress. Give yourself away to those who have nothing they can give in return. Love the ones who are loved the least. Care for the ones who no one else cares about. Widows and orphans were the downtrodden of the day. They had no rights, no representation, no resources, no hope. They were typically neglected and ignored, even by the religious elite of James' day. The religious world of James' day was saying to ignore them. They had no value. They were in their condition because they had somehow deserved it. They were being punished by God. But James said to care for them in the midst of their distress. To not do so would be to allow yourself to become stained or corrupted by the world's influence. Pure religion is practical religion. True religion is selfless religion.

James sums it up best in verse 25: "But if you keep looking steadily into God’s perfect law – the law that sets you free – and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." Our religion isn't worthless, it is highly worthwhile because it is based on the Word of God. We do what He calls us to do. We obey what He commands us to do. We love the unlovely. We care for those who have been ignored. We feed the hungry. We clothe the naked. We love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.

Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ And the King will tell them, ‘I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’" (Matthew 25:37-40, NLT)

Father, I don't want to practice worthless religion. I don't want to think of myself as being religious when in reality I am only practicing some corrupted form of self-righteousness. I want what I do to be in keeping with what You have told me to do in Your Word. I want my behavior to match my beliefs. No contradiction. No disconnection. No hypocrisy. Give me the grace I need to be "an effectual doer" or Your Word. Amen

All You Need.

Hebrews 13

And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to him. Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an everlasting covenant, signed with his blood. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. - Vs 20-21 (NLT)

In this closing chapter we have been encouraged to "let love of the brethren continue," to "not neglect to show hospitality to strangers," to "remember the prisoners as though in prison with them," to see that the marriage bed is "held in honor among all," to "make sure your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have," and to "not be carried away by varied and strange teachings." We are reminded of the unique sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for our sins. In gratitude for what He has done we are to "continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name" (Vs 15). And we are to please God by "doing good and sharing" (Vs 16). We're to obey our leaders, submit to them, and imitate their faith.

But how are we supposed to do all this? Is this just some kind of a gut-it-up, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps kind of effort on our part? It all sounds great, but it also sounds impossible. At least for me. I find it hard to continue loving the brethren. Some of them aren't so lovable. I don't particularly like showing hospitality to strangers or even friends. I sometimes find it difficult to be content with what I have. And I don't always do a very good job of praising God and thanking Him for all He has done. Complaining and murmuring seem to come easier to me. So how am I supposed to pull this off without just gritting my teeth and trying like crazy to make it work?

That's where this closing prayer come in. My hope is in the same God who raised Jesus from the dead. He will equip me with all I need to do His will. That word equip means "to strengthen, perfect, complete, make one what he ought to be." God will fully provide what I need to do what He is calling me to do and become. It is God who produces in us the capacity to do what is pleasing to Him – all because of what Jesus has done for us. This is totally a God thing. Jesus is our Great Shepherd. He is the one who provides for us. He gives us the ability, the empowerment to do all the things mentioned in this chapter. In fact, they are a natural response to our growing dependence on and relationship with Him. So if we struggle with them, it is a sign of our need to depend more on Him and less on ourselves. I need to learn to turn to Him more and more for the strength to live the life I have been called to live. I don't need to gut it up and try harder. I need to give up and lean harder on Him. That means spending more time in His Word, more time on my knees, and less time living in my own strength. Not only is salvation God's work, our sanctification is as well. That Greek word translated equip can also mean to repair, restore, or mend. It was used when speaking of restoring something back to the way it was originally supposed to be. So God is restoring us back to the condition He first intended for mankind. He is perfecting us. He is repairing what was broken by the fall and marred by sin. He is doing it, not us. That is why the writer of Hebrews says "to Him be the glory, forever and ever." God gets all the glory, not us. Because He is doing ALL the work. He is doing in me what I could never do. All because of what Jesus has done for me. To God be the glory!

Father, I can't thank You enough for the reminder this morning that it is ALL up to You. You are the one who equips me with what I need to live this remarkable life to which I have been called. You give me the capacity to do the things You call me to do, those things that are pleasing to You. All because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ Your Son. Thank You! Amen

Love and Discipline.

Hebrews 12

My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children. As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. - Vs 5-7 (NLT)

Discipline. Not exactly a favorite word in our culture today, even among Christians. It conjures up some fairly negative images. The concept of self-discipline brings to mind dieting, exercise, abstinence, denial of self in order to achieve some worthwhile objective. Being disciplined by someone else is even more distasteful because it usually thoughts of punishment or pain due to some mistake we have made or our failure to meet someone's expectations. So when we run into a passage like this and read, "For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines," all kinds of conflicted ideas come into our minds. Love and discipline just don't seem to go together. In spite of the fact that most of us have told our children when spanking them, "I'm only doing this because I love you."

Nine times in seven verses the writer of Hebrews uses the word discipline. It is the Greek word peideia and as is usual with most Greek words, it is rich in meaning. It comes from another Greek word, pais, which means "child." So the term peideia has to do with the training of a child. "The word is a broad term, signifying whatever parents and teachers do to train, correct, cultivate, and educate children in order to help them develop and mature as they ought" (John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary). The NET Bible defines it this way:

The whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment) It also includes the training and care of the body

So while the word does include the idea of punishment and reproof, there is much more involved than that. It is a positive term that involves instruction which aims at increasing virtue. So when hardship or trials come our way, we are to view them with the perspective that God loves us and is disciplining or training us. "It is for your training that you undergo these things" (BBE). We are to see our difficulties as part of God's sovereign, loving plan to discipline us. It is not always punishment for wrongs done, but like a loving parent or teacher, God is using every circumstance in our lives to mold into us Christ-like character. My kids hate exams in school. They see no value in them. They only view them as some kind of sick punishment meted out by unfair teachers who seem bent on ruining their lives. But what they fail to see is that their teachers have a greater goal in mind than my children's happiness. They are responsible to mold and prepare their minds for future study and in to ready them for future careers. But because my kids live in the immediacy of the moment and do not want to think about the future, they can only see these tests as roadblocks to their personal pleasure. They would prefer they be taken away altogether, not realizing that to do so would be an act of hatred, not love.

So we too are constantly asking God to take away those tests or trials we find distasteful or disturbing to our idea of comfort and pleasure. But because God loves us, He refuses to do so. Instead, He treats us as a loving Father, who knows exactly what we need and refuses to give us what we want. God loves us too much to give us our way. He knows better. And if we will learn to view the difficulties and hardships of life through Gods eyes, we will begin to see that He has a plan for even the hardest moments of our life. We have to cultivate an eternal perspective that helps us see beyond the moment. "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening––it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way" (Vs 11 - NLT).

Father, thank You that you love me so much that you are willing to train me. Please help me look past what I can only seem to see as the pain of discipline and see the fruit that will result from it. Give me an eternal viewpoint that sees my circumstances from your perspective. Help me to remember that Your discipline is proof of just how much You love me. Amen

The Object Of Our Faith.

Hebrews 11

What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. - Vs 1 (NLT)

What is faith? That's a great question. Is it something we muster up or is it, like salvation, a gift from God? For years I have heard this passage referred to as the "Great Hall of Faith." In it we have chronicled the great feats of faith of such icons of the Old Testament as Noah, Abraham, and Moses. Verse after verse tells us that these men and women accomplished certain things in their lives "by faith." Abraham offered up his son Isaac as a potential sacrifice "by faith." "By faith" Noah built a boat big enough to hold two of every kind of living thing, plus his family – when there wasn't a body of water big enough to float it anywhere nearby. We read of Jacob's faith, Sarah's faith, Isaac's faith, Joseph's faith, even Rahab's faith (a woman referred to as a harlot). Over the years this chapter has become a source of inspiration and irritation for me. It has been used by pastors in an attempt to inspire me to greater feats of faith. To muster up the kind of faith that Abraham and Moses had. It has been used as a measuring rod to determine the amount of my own faith as compared to that of these members of the great hall of faith. Which is why this chapter has also irritated me. I have found it defeating and deflating to look at the lives of these individuals and try to compare my meager faith with theirs. I just never seem to measure up. I ask myself what I would have done if God had asked me to sacrifice one of my sons on an altar. I just don't think I would have had the faith to pull it off. If God had asked me to build a boat in my backyard in order to save the world from a flood, would I have had the faith to pull it off? Probably not. So I just don't measure up.

But I think I've missed the point. This isn't a celebration of these people's faith. This isn't about their ability to conjure up just the right amount of faith so that they could be recognized and rewarded for it. This is about God producing faith in us, in spite of us. The very fact that we have faith is evidence of God's work in us. Faith is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. The New American Standard Bible translates verse 1 this way: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. That word conviction means "proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested." Faith is proof of the unseen things of God. The very fact that we have faith is a gift from God. We can't manufacture it or conjure it up. We can't try to have more of it. As I read through these verses, it hits me that I could replace the word "faith" with the name of God and it all begins to make more sense.

"By God Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance…"

"By God Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark…"

"By God he [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king…"

These people were able to do what they did because of God, not because of themselves. Their faith was proof or evidence of God's work in their lives. He was orchestrating things behind the scenes that they weren't even aware of. It was God who gave Joseph the faith to believe that the people of Israel would some day return to their land. So he asked his family to return his bones there when it happened. The faith of every one of these individuals was future-oriented. It was based on things yet to come. We are told that "all these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance" (Vs 13). Their confident assurance was in things they hoped were going to happen. Isaac and Jacob both blessed their sons, hoping and trusting in God's faithfulness to fulfill the blessing. Rahab helped rescue the spies, at great risk of her life, hoping and trusting in God's faithfulness to rescue and protect her. The very fact that we have faith is the evidence of things we cannot see. It is the proof that those things really do exist. God has given us the faith to believe in them. He has given us the faith to believe in the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. He has given us the faith to believe in a future kingdom and our place in it. He has given us a faith to endure the trials and tribulations of this life because we know He has given us eternal life. Faith is a gift from God.

Nothing supports this more than verses 33-40. Here we see a list of nameless individuals – some of whom accomplished great deeds. They conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, shut the mouths of lions, from weakness were strong, became mighty in war, etc. It is by faith they were able to do these things. But who gave them the faith to do so? God. Others didn't fare so well. They were mocked, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two, tempted, put to death, afflicted, ill-treated, and destitute. But they are noted for having had faith. They endured what they did because of faith. They had hope in something yet to come. "Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised" (Vs 39, NLT).

The emphasis is not on their faith, but on the One behind their faith and on the object of their faith. Our faith is God-given and future-oriented. It isn't about the here and now. It is about what is to come. It is about the things not yet seen. It is about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The good news that we have an inheritance reserved for us in heaven because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fact that we can live lives of faith here and now is proof of the reality of God's promise. We live with our eyes set on the hope that lies before us and ahead of us. "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see."

Father, thank You that the issue is not the amount of faith I bring to the table, but the fact that I have any faith at all. The presence of faith in my life is evidence that You have changed my life. The fact that I have a hope in things I can't even see is proof of Your Holy Spirit's presence in my life. Thank You for giving me the faith to believe. Amen

Draw Near.

Hebrew 10

Let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds."- Vs 22-24 (NLT)

Let us draw near. Let us hold fast. Let us consider. These are the three encouragements given by the writer of Hebrews in light of the fact that they have "been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Vs 10). Unlike the sacrifices made under the Law, which had to be offered "year by year" (Vs 1) and "time after time" (Vs 11), Jesus "offered one sacrifice for sins for all time" (Vs 12) and He has "perfected for all time those who are sanctified" (Vs 14). "Now where there is forgiveness … there is no longer any offering for sin" (Vs 18). What Jesus did for us is done. We can have complete confidence to enter into God's presence completely forgiven and accepted by Him.

So we can draw near with a sincere heart us full assurance of faith" (Vs 22). Or as the New Living Translation puts it: "go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him." Why" Because we have had our hearts made clean and our bodies washed pure. What were our hearts made clean from? The condemning nature of our own conscience. Our conscience condemns us and reminds us of our own guilt. But Jesus' death removed our sin and, therefore, our guilt. The second aspect of our cleansing is that our bodies have been washed with pure water. This is not a reference to baptism, but to the cleansing and transformative presence of the Holy Spirit.

He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit." - Titus 3:5

The Holy Spirit within us changes us. He is sanctifying us daily – transforming us into the likeness of Jesus Christ Himself. The reality of both of these cleansings allow us to come boldly and confidently into the presence of God Himself.

Secondly, we are to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. Why? Because He who promised is faithful. We are to remain faithful because of God's faithfulness. Again, the New Living Translation says it well: "Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise." Our steadfastness is based less on the strength of our own faith than on the reality of God's faithfulness. He will do exactly as He has promised. "Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass" (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Third, we are to consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. We are to "think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds." Once again, we see the importance of the community of faith – the body of Christ. We are to constantly be thinking about ways we can encourage or stimulate each other to love and serve one another. Notice that in all three of these words of encouragement, the writer uses the terms "us" and "our." WE are to do these things, and we are to do them together, not alone. We are to love and be loved, serve and be served – all in the context of community – "not forsaking our own assembling together" (Vs 25). There is no place for free-agent, Lone Ranger Christians in the family of God. We are in this together. We need one another. We are to encourage one another – to draw near and to hold fast. Because the day is drawing near. The Lord is coming back. We are to live with that reality in mind.

Father, thank You for the once-for-all sacrifice of Your Son that has provided me with complete forgiveness and complete access into Your presence. Because of what He has done for me, help us to not be afraid to draw near to You – free from guilt or condemnation. Help us to hold firmly onto what we say believe because You can be trusted to keep your promise. And help us to constantly be thinking about ways we can stimulate each other to greater love and acts that reflect who we are in Christ. Amen

The Son’s Selfless Sacrifice.

Hebrews 9

…all thing are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. - Vs 22 (NASB)

The concept of shed blood would not have been foreign to the writer's Hebrew audience. In fact, they were well aware of the role blood played in their sacrificial system. But the author is comparing the old and the new. The old covenant (law) and the new covenant (grace). Under the old covenant, the High Priest had to enter the Holy of Holies "year by year with blood that is not his own" (Vs 25). No one sacrifice was enough. And his sacrifice was to cover the sins of the people and his own as well. He was just as sinful and in need of cleansing. Even Moses inaugurated the giving of the covenant with blood. "He took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people" (Vs 19). "Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood" (Vs 18). Blood played a major role in the old covenant. The purpose of the blood was to symbolize sacrifice for sin, which brought cleansing from sin.

Even under the old covenant, forgiveness was a costly thing. It involved the loss of life. In the case of the old covenant, the lives of countless innocent animals. But under the new covenant, the loss of the life of Jesus Christ Himself – the sinless, innocent Son of God. But we take forgiveness so lightly. We are grateful that we have forgiveness for our sins and it is readily available any time we ask for it. We love verses like 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." But Paul warns us in Romans 6:1-2: "Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?" I love what John MacArthur has to say on this topic in his commentary on Hebrews:

To realize and rejoice in God's boundless grace is one thing; to presume on it by willfully sinning is quite another. How can we, as forgiven sinners, take lightly and presumptuously, the price paid for our forgiveness? We become so used to grace that we abuse it.

Our sin cost Jesus His life. It's why He came. Yet we can't overlook the cost. We can't ignore the fact that your sin and my sin are the reason He died. Our sinfulness caused His blood to be shed. Because without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Our sin demanded payment by death. And the only death that could pay for all the sins of mankind was that of the sinless Son of God. God didn't overlook sin, He provided the payment for it. And it cost Him dearly. So should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not! The Savior of the world has paid for the sins of the world with His own life – once for all. And one day He is coming back, but this time not to deal with sin, but to consummate our salvation. "So also Christ died only once as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again but not to deal with our sins again. This time he will bring salvation to all those who are eagerly waiting for him" (Vs 28). So lets live our lives in appreciation for the forgiveness we have been given and in anticipation of the salvation we will one day receive.

Father, thank You for Your Son's selfless sacrifice. Thank You for the blood that was shed for me. Forgive me for taking His death so lightly and Your grace so cheaply, without considering the cost. Without Jesus shedding His blood, I would have NO forgiveness for my sin and NO hope for salvation. Keep that thought in the forefront of my mind at all times, so that I might live a life that reflects my appreciation and gratitude. I can never repay You, but I can live for You. Amen

New and Improved.

Hebrews 8

But our High Priest has been given a ministry that is far superior to the ministry of those who serve under the old laws, for he is the one who guarantees for us a better covenant with God, based on better promises. - Vs 6 (NLT)

A more excellent High Priest. A superior ministry. A better covenant based on better promises. Chapter 8 seems to sum up everything from the previous 7 chapters. In fact, Paul says, "Here is the main point: Our High Priest sat down in the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand" (Vs 1 - NLT). Jesus, our High Priest, sits at the right hand of God, a place of power, honor, and authority. He has complete access to God the Father. He ministers in the true sanctuary, not a temporary, man-made, representation of what is to come. It is not "a copy and shadow of the heavenly things" (Vs 5), but the real thing. He is the real High Priest who has real authority and who ministers in the real sanctuary in the very presence of God Himself.

And as our High Priest, Jesus guarantees us a better covenant. A new covenant. Why? Because the old covenant had been broken. The people of Israel had failed to keep their end of the covenant. They had disobeyed and rebelled time after time. They could not and did not keep the laws that were tied to the Mosaic covenant. They did not hold up their end of the agreement. Paul backs this up with a quote from the prophet Jeremiah. He says that this is going to be a completely, radically new covenant, "not like the covenant which I made with their fathers" (Vs 9). The blessings of the old covenant were conditioned on Israel's obedience to the law that God gave with the covenant. Because they "did not continue in" the covenant, God "did not care for them" (Vs 9). In other words, their lack of obedience led to curses, not blessing. God could not bless them because of their disobedience.

But God made a new covenant with Israel.

But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. - Vs 10

The old covenant was based on externals. It was external rules and regulations that required complete obedience. And obedience was primarily out of fear of punishment. The new covenant is internal. Obedience will be inwardly motivated and generated. It will come from the heart and will be empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit. And there will be a knowledge of God unlike anything they have ever experienced before.

And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me. - Vs 11 (NLT)

Paul is telling his Jewish readers news that should be extremely exciting to them. The old covenant, based on rules and ritual, has been replaced with a new and better covenant. One that is based on the faithfulness and mercy of God alone. It is the new covenant based on the blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:20). It is a new covenant "not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old way ends in death; in the new way, the Holy Spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:6). It is a new covenant based on mercy and forgiveness of sin. It is an unconditional covenant, that requires nothing of me because I have nothing to give. It has been written by God, ratified by God, and made possible by the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son. It's new. Its better. It's available here and now. Are you living in it and under it? Or are you still trying to keep a set of rules, somehow trying to earn favor with God? Do you still believe that your salvation or better yet, your sanctification, is somehow up to you? That is the old way. You are living according to the old covenant based on works, human effort, and self-righteousness. We live under the new covenant. We have the Spirit within us who has given us a new heart and a new desire to obey because we are loved, not to try to earn God's love. The new covenant is better. So let's live in it.

Father, thank You for the reality of the new covenant. I do not have to live under the law. I don't have to try to keep a set of impossible standards in some attempt to appease or please you. I am not doomed to failure and defeat. Because of Your Son's death and resurrection, I am a new creature with a new nature, and a new capacity to obey and worship and know God that I could never have manufactured on my own. Help me to live according to the new covenant and not the old. Amen

Better.

Hebrews 7

He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has now been set apart from sinners, and he has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. He does not need to offer sacrifices every day like the other high priests. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he sacrificed himself on the cross. - Vs 27-28 (NLT)

This is a confusing chapter. All the talk of priesthoods, laws, Melchizedek, commandments, and covenants can leave your head spinning. So what's the point? It would seem to be to stress that Jesus brought a new way of doing things. Instead of life lived according to the strict and stifling requirements of the Law, administered by sinful men serving as priests from the tribe of Levi, we are offered a better way. We have a High Priest who was born into a different tribe and offers a totally different solution to the problem of sin. He is Jesus, our High Priest. He is "holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens" (Vs 26). Unlike the Levitical priests, who had to offer up sacrifices every day to atone for their own sins and the sins of the people, Jesus offered one sacrifice – "once for all when He offered up Himself" (Vs 27). And He never had to offer a sacrifice for His own sins, because He was sinless.

God provided a new way. He provided His own Son because the Law, administered by sinful men, could never give the people what they desired: restored communion with God. No one could keep the Law, not even the men who were sworn to uphold it. The sacrificial Levitical system never accomplished what it set out to do. It couldn't. It pointed to a future sacrificial system that would satisfy the justice of God and pay the debt for sin that was owed by mankind "once for all." Through Jesus Christ, God made a way for us to have our sins forgiven permanently and perfectly. He made a way for us to have our relationship with Him restored, mercifully and justly. And it wasn't left up to us to keep some set of rules or standards that were beyond our ability to obey. Jesus did that for us. He lived the life we could not live. He fulfilled the requirements we could not meet. He satisfied the righteous standard of God we never could have kept. And He "has become the guarantee of a better covenant" (Vs 22). The covenant that God made through Jesus is better than the old one because the old one was temporary and the new one is eternal. A better priest guarantees a better covenant. This is not to say the old covenant was bad, but only that it was imperfect and temporary.  In Romans, Paul defends the Law when he says, "Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is evil? Of course not! The law is not sinful, but it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, "Do not covet" (Romans 7:7).

The Law, the old covenant, was given to reveal my sin and my need for a Savior. The Law and any attempt by men to keep it only further proved our complete inadequacy to live up to the kind of standard God required. God knew that the Law could never save us. Why? Because we have a sinful nature that prevents us from obeying it. But if God had never given us the Law, we would have never realized just how sinful we really are. Without a holy standard of measurement, we would never have realized we don't measure up. But God didn't leave us in this sad state.

The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4 NLT)

He gave us His Son, a better High Priest. He gave us a way to become righteous that is completely outside of ourselves and not based on our own efforts. Or salvation is no longer based on us having to do something, but on what His Son has already done on our behalf.

Father, thank You for coming up with a better way. Because if You had not, we would have all been doomed to failure. We were without hope, lost in our sins, incapable of saving ourselves. But You graciously provided another way for us to be restored to a right relationship with You. You provided a way for us to stand in your presence as righteous and holy in Your sight, that was not based on our own efforts, but on the sinless sacrifice of Your Son and our great High Priest. I am literally forever grateful. Amen

A Promise and A Pledge.

Hebrews 6

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain, where Jesus our forerunner entered on our behalf, since he became a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. - Vs 19-20 (NET)

We have a hope that is based on God's unchangeableness and faithfulness. The two unchangeable things are God's promise (Vs 13) and His pledge (Vs 19).  They are unchangeable or unalterable. The Greek word is ametathetos and it was used in relation to wills. Once made, a will was considered ametathetos, unchangeable by anyone but the one who made the will. God has said that His promise and pledge is ametathetos. They are binding and cannot be changed – even by Him. So those who believe in His promise and pledge are secure. Those who place their faith in God can rest in the knowledge that He will never let them go. They are secure. And our security is not based on us having to hold on to God, but in Him holding on to us. He has made a promise and a pledge to keep us and never let us go.

It is because of these two unchangeable things – His promise and His pledge – knowing that God will not lie to us, that we have taken refuge and have found a strong encouragement to "take hold of the hope set before us" (Vs 18). That hope is an anchor to our souls, a hope both sure and steadfast. It leads us right into the throne room of God, past the curtain and into His presence, where Jesus has already entered before us. He has opened the way ahead of us. At His death, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple was torn in two – from top to bottom – removing the barrier between God and man. Now we can enter confidently, with hope, into the presence of God, where Jesus our High Priest intercedes on our behalf. He has entered into the Holy of Holies as our High Priest and offered the final atoning sacrifice for our sins. Our soul is anchored, safeguarded, kept, or secured by the very presence of Christ at the right hand of the Father. His sacrifice was accepted by God. Our sins have been atoned for. We are secure and can never have our right standing with God removed.

So who are these who have "fallen away" in verse 6? They have "been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away" (Vs 4-5). If we are secure, how can we fall away? The writer of Hebrews is speaking to those in his audience who have heard the truth and acknowledged it, but who have hesitated to embrace Christ. They had been around the things of God. They had heard the truth of the Gospel. They had seen the works of the Holy Spirit. They had seen the life-changing power of God in the lives of others. But they had failed to place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Now they run the risk of losing their opportunity to believe. They have heard, but have rejected the truth of what they have heard. They have even feigned a form of repentance, but with no real heart change. There are those in our churches today who fit this description. They have been exposed to the truth of the Gospel, but refuse to accept it. They have all the appearance of being saved, but have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their sin-substitute. Instead, they think they can somehow save themselves through their own righteous acts. They can somehow earn their way into God's good favor.

Our hope and assurance is in Jesus alone. He is our anchor. He is our source of confident assurance that we can never lose our salvation, and that we will inherit the promises that God has made to us who believe (Vs 12). I can know that I am right with God because I know that Jesus has died for me. He is my High Priest. My sins are forgiven and I can stand before God as righteous in His eyes.

Father, thank You for the hope that I have because of Jesus Christ. I am saved and can confidently know that my salvation is permanent, not based on my behavior, but on Your unchanging promise and pledge. You will never let me go. Your own Son stands in your presence as my High Priest, having offered the final sacrifice for my sins. He has paid the price, once for all, and I am Your child. Thank You that it does not rest on me and my good merits, but on Your good grace. Amen

A Hunger For Holiness.

Hebrews 5

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! - Vs 12 (NIV)

The letter of Hebrews is written to Jews. Thus, the name. This was more than likely a congregation of believers who lived outside of Israel – possibly in Italy. Within this congregation were believers, but also those who professed belief, but were not living it out in their daily lives. Their common bond, besides the gospel, was their Jewish heritage. For some this was posing a problem. Their "Jewishness" was making it difficult for them to embrace faith in Christ completely. They had been exposed to the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but as chapter 4 seems to indicate, they were being disobedient to it. They were hearing God's voice, but hardening their hearts (4:7). Now they are confronted with the reality that even though they had been raised on the Old Testament teachings of God and had been around the gospel message of Jesus Christ for some time now, they were still immature in their faith. They had not grown. They were like infants spiritually, who couldn't handle the "meat" of God's word concerning Christ. "Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food" (NLT).

The writer has been telling them about the high priestly role of Jesus. That even though He wasn't born into the priestly tribe of Levi, Jesus was appointed to be a high priest by God Himself. In that role, Jesus offered the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of man, His own life. "In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him" (Vs 9, NLT). And while the author of this letter (probably Paul) would love to tell them more, he can't, because some in his readership have become dull of hearing. They are spiritually slow to learn, difficult to teach, and unresponsive to instruction. So they are not able to grasp the significance of all the talk about priesthoods, sacrifices, and the order of Melchizedek. Their dullness is what is behind their spiritual child-likeness. Because they cannot or will not hear the truth of God, they end up remaining in spiritual infancy – stuck on the elementary or basic teachings about God, faith, and salvation. They never progress, never move forward in their faith. They're stuck in perpetual spiritual infancy.

How many in the church struggle with the same problem today? They have been exposed to the Word of God. They have heard the message of the gospel. But they can't grasp the significance of it all because they are dull of hearing. They sit in pews Sunday after Sunday, hearing the message of salvation, but refuse to accept it by faith. Even believers can be exposed to the deeper truth of God's Word and refuse to obey what they have heard. John MacArthur has this to say:

When we do not trust and act on any part of God's truth that we know, we become hardened to it and less and less likely to benefit from it. Or we can avoid delving into the deeper parts of God's Word, being satisfied with the 'basics,' we insulate ourselves from the Holy Spirit to that extent.

We become satisfied with what we have and what we already know. We refuse to go deeper. We become content with milk and not meat. We remain in spiritual infancy when we should be progressing into spiritual maturity. We turn up our noses at the "solid food" of God's truth. Yet Paul closes this chapter with the warning, "Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right" (Vs 14). So how's your hearing? Better yet, how's your appetite? Do you crave the meat of God's Word or are you satisfied with the basics? Are you content with milk or have you moved on to the main course – the word of righteousness that can change your life and lead to spiritually maturity? By now you ought to be the one teaching. Are you?

Father, we have far too many infants in the church. Not new believers, but long-time converts who have refused to listen to Your Word and have remained in spiritual infancy. Show us how to help them gain an appetite for the meat of Your message. To grow and mature in their relationship with Christ. So that they can become teachers and instructors of others. So that they can know right from wrong and truth from falsehood. May spiritual maturity become a real priority and a constant pursuit among Your people. Amen

Rest For the Weary.

Hebrews 4

For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.. - Vs 10 (NASB)

Rest. It seems to be the main theme of this chapter. In fact, the word rest is used at least 10 times in today's reading. And what an attractive word rest is. It has a certain appeal to us because most of us are in desperate need of rest. We live busy lives filled with activity and action, seldom pausing long enough to really experience true rest. Even our sleep is filled with anxious thoughts and restless nights. We wake up tired instead of refreshed. We take vacations in the hope of finding rest, but return from them worn out and dreading the thought of all the work that has piled up while we were away. But the writer of the book of Hebrews talks about a rest that seems to be a non-negotiable. The rest he talks about is tied to the gospel and can be rejected through an act of disobedience. But what kind of rest is he talking about?

In his commentary on the book of Hebrews, John MacArthur says this, "Rest involves remaining confident, keeping trust. In other words, to rest in something or someone means to maintain our confidence in it or him. To enter God's rest, therefore, means to enjoy the perfect, unshakeable confidence of salvation in our Lord. We have no more reason to fear. We have absolute trust and confidence in God's power and care." It carries the idea that we can confidently "lean on" God both now and for eternity. We can depend on Him for everything and in everything – for support, for health, for strength – for everything we need. We have confidence in Him, so we rest in that confidence, because we know He is going to be there for us. It is like a child sleeping soundly in the arms of his father, even in the midst of a thunder storm. He rests because he knows he is safe from harm. He trust his father.

But this rest only comes to those who believe in God. Hearing the good news is not enough. You must believe. To not believe is to disobey and to disobey is to never enjoy the rest God offers. So we are warned to "be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience" (Vs 11). The example given is that of the Israelites in the wilderness, who because of their disobedience, never got to enter the rest of the Promised Land. In the New Living Translation verse 11 reads this way:

Let us do our best to enter that place of rest. For anyone who disobeys God, as the people of Israel did, will fall.

The choice of words here is interesting. The author says, "Let us do our best." The Greek word is spoudazo. It means “to make effort, be prompt or earnest:-do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavour, labour, study”. We're to make every effort to enter that place or rest. We should so want to enter the final rest that God offers, that we will do everything in our power to see to it that we get there. Now this is not talking about earning our place in heaven or our salvation. But it is promoting the idea of value or worth. The rest God offers is so valuable that we will do anything to gain it. We will not allow anything to sidetrack us or distract us. And God will examine our intentions and our hearts through His "living and active" word. He will determine whether we have embraced His offer of rest through faith or not.

But if we believe, we can "draw near with confidence to the throne of grace" and "obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." We can find rest NOW – in our times of need. We can come with confidence to His throne and appeal to His mercy and grace and He will give us rest – even in the midst of the storm. But we can also rest confidently that we will one day enter into His final rest for us. There is a Promised Land prepared for us. And while we wander through this wilderness experience of our own, we can rest knowing that He is taking care of us now, leading us, feeding us, providing for us – and guiding us into the place He has prepared for us.

Father, I need rest. I need physical rest, but I also need emotional and spiritual rest that only You can give. Forgive me for doubting You, because that is what causes so much of my unrest. I doubt, so I worry. I doubt, so I stress out. I doubt, so I wake up at night in a cold sweat. I am not resting confidently in Your word and Your promises. I am not resting in the assurance of Your promise of heaven. I obsess about the inconveniences of the "wilderness" and I grumble and complain. Father, I want to enjoy Your rest, now and for eternity. Show me how. Amen

Encouraging Words.

Hebrews 3

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. - Vs 13 (NASB)

According to this passage, we have an obligation to one another. Both to our believing brothers and sisters and to those in our sphere of influence who remain unbelieving. This verse commands us to encourage one another daily. That word "encourage" is the word parakaleo in the Greek. It means to "come alongside to give help, exhortation, entreaty, comfort, or instruction." We are to play a significant part in one anothers’ lives every day. But our encouragement is more than a pat on the back or a token "hang in there." The context of this verse is a warning to not follow the example of the people of Israel, who provoked God to wrath. The children of Israel challenged God's authority and tried His patience. They grumbled and complained during their days of wilderness wandering. They didn't like the manna He miraculously provided. They didn't approve of the leadership He selected. They saw God's miraculous works for 40 years, but still chose to turn from Him on a regular basis. In short, they did not know His ways. They did not believe.

That seems to be the warning here. A warning against unbelief. In verse 12 we read, "Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you and evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God." One translation puts it this way: "My brothers, take care that there is not by chance in any one of you an evil heart without belief, turning away from the living God" (BBE). This is not a warning against losing your faith. It is a warning about having never had faith to begin with. So we are called to exhort or encourage one another to true faith. Otherwise, we will end up the same way the children of Israel did – with hearts hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Sin is tricky, deceptive, and can easily delude us into rejecting God. Sin seldom appears as what it really is. It lies and deceives. And over time it can cause our hearts to harden toward the message and mercy of God.

Sin convinces us that we aren't even sinners. It causes us to self-justify and rationalize away our behavior as necessary and acceptable. And in so doing, we call God a liar. We reject His assessment of us and rebel against His authority. So we are called to encourage one another day after day. To do what? To believe! To trust! To obey! To listen to His voice and not harden our hearts (Vs 7-8). We are to encourage one another to live by faith. To believe in the promises of God and the reality of the cross. Read what the author of Hebrews has to say later in his letter:

And a righteous person will live by faith. But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away. But we are not like those who turn their backs on God and seal their fate. We have faith that assures our salvation. – Hebrews 10:38-39

We have a faith that believes and assures our salvation. We don't fall away. We don't rebel. We don't allow the deceitfulness of sin to delude us and deceive us into rejecting God and His Word. To do so would be to have never believed at all. You can't lose a faith you never had to begin with. True, saving faith continues to believe. But we must be there to encourage one another when difficulties arise to continue believing the truth of God and to reject the falsehood of sin. And we need to do it as long as today is still called "today." Because the time is short.

Father, I want to be more of an encourager of those around me. I want to come alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ and exhort them to continue believing. But I also want to challenge the unbelieving people all around me to examine their hearts and to accept the gracious gift You have offered them. I want to warn them to not allow the lies of sin to harden their hearts against you and seal their own fate. Make me more of an encourager every day. Amen

One Of Us To Die For Us.

Hebrews 2

Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. - Vs 17 (NLT)

Chapter 1 reminds us of Jesus' sovereignty and power. It refers to Him sitting at the right hand of the Father. He is the creator of all things. And yet, He subjected Himself and came to earth as a man. He subjected Himself. He took a position that was lower than the angels. When Jesus became a man, He willingly lowered His rank. He who was worshiped by angels, became lower than the angels.

But it was necessary. In order to accomplish God's plan for man's redemption, Jesus had to become one of us – in every respect. So that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. But not only did He become like us, He suffered for us.

And it was only right that God––who made everything and for whom everything was made – should bring his many children into glory. Through the suffering of Jesus, God made him a perfect leader, one fit to bring them into their salvation. (Vs 10)

Jesus can relate to us, not just because He became one of us, but because He has suffered in all things like we do. Since He himself has gone through suffering and temptation, He is able to help us when we are being tempted. He understands. He can relate. He can empathize.

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

And it was His sinlessness that made Him the perfect sacrifice. He was the one man who could pay the penalty that God required. And He did it for me. He became like me so that He could die for me. That is amazing love.

Father, thank You for Your amazing love. Thank You for sending Your Son to die in my place, to pay a price I could not afford to pay. I am blown away by Your plan for MY salvation. That You would send Your Son to take on human flesh and die a sinner's death, that He did not deserve. All for me. Forgive me when I take that death, that gift, for granted. Amen

Worthy of Worship.

Hebrews 1

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. - Vs 3 (NASB) "

The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven. (NLT).

What a clear statement of Jesus' deity. He is the exact representation of God because He IS God. He is the creator and sustainer of the universe. "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands" (Vs 10). His word is so powerful that He spoke the world into existence. And yet He still came to earth, took on human flesh, lived a sinless life, died a sinner's death, and rose again, just for me! And now He sits in the place of honor right next to God the Father, where the angels worship Him.

I think that we have so humanized Jesus that we have virtually eliminated the deity of Jesus. We are so used to seeing images of the blond-haired, blue-eyed Jesus in a robe, walking across the Judean landscape in some movie version of His life, that we forget just how powerful, regal, holy, and awe-inspiring He is. He no longer walks along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He sits on a throne. He no longer holds loaves and fishes in His hands. He holds a scepter. The world He created is decaying and changing, yet He is unchanging and everlasting. He is the same Jesus who was there when the world began and He will be there when it comes to an end. His life is not limited to the 33 years He spent on this earth. He is eternal. He has no beginning and He has no end. He is God.

In our effort to get to know Jesus, let's not forget to worship Him. While we find it so easy to relate to the humanity of Jesus, let's never lose sight of the deity of Jesus. It wasn't just some man who died on a cross in my place – it was the God of the universe! The One who made me died for me. The One who created the tree from which the wood of the cross was made. The One who made the elements from which the nails were formed that would pierce His hands. The One who formed the rocks from which His tomb was carved. The One who rose again and is one day coming again. Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Father, let me never take Jesus for granted. Keep me focused on the reality that He is God. His human flesh did not change that. He was God when He was born as a baby and He was God when He ascended back into heaven. He is God. He is powerful, holy, and worthy of my honor and obedience. In my efforts to understand who He was when He was on this earth, don't let me forget where He is now. He is at Your side and He has all the power of the universe at His disposal. And He uses that power to intercede for me! "Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us (Romans 8:34).  Amen

Borrowed Faith.

Ephesians 6

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. - Vs 10 (NASB)

This verse sounds so good, but it is so hard to live out. Sure, I say I believe God is strong, but then I turn right around and place all my hope on my own strength and ability to handle the difficult situations of life. Yet I know going in that my strength is limited. It fails me every time. So why don't I take advantage of His strength? What keeps me from trusting in His power?

Paul uses three different words here for strength or power. The first one is usually translated "be strong." It really carries the idea of having your strength increased. It literally means, "to endue with strength, to receive strength, be strengthened, to increase in strength." Paul seems to be saying that we need to increase our strength, because he knows that the enemy we are up against is more than we can handle. Just take a look at verse 12. Our enemy isn't a flesh and blood one, but a spiritual one. And he has powers we don't possess. So Paul says that we had better increase our strength. But that extra power needs to come from a source outside of ourselves. It has to come from God. He says, "Be strong in the Lord." I like the way the New Living Translation puts it. "Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power." We can actually increase our feeble strength with His. We can access a power source that is far beyond anything we could ever imagine. Paul refers to it as the "strength of His might." Those are our two other power words. You could almost translate this phrase "in the power of His power." The first word seems to be talking about the extent of God's power. It is referring to His dominion. He doesn't just have power, He has complete, kingly, authoritative, sovereign power. Someone can have power, but no authority. God has both. He has power and the right and authority to use it. Everything and everyone has to submit to Him. He has ruling power. I don't have that.

So how do I increase my strength with His? The following verses seem to give us the answer. He says that we are to put on God's armor. Notice that Paul refers to it as God's armor. It is His armor that will allow us to "resist in the evil day." It is His armor that will allow us to "stand firm." But we have to remember that the armor belongs to Him. His armor consists of His truth, His righteousness, His gospel, His faith, His salvation, and His word. This isn't about my version of the truth. It isn't about my righteousness or my self-righteous acts. This isn't about the gospel according to Ken. This isn't even about my faith. It is about His. The word faith here can be translated "faithfulness." One of its definitions is "the character of one who can be relied on." That's why I think Paul is referring not to my faith, but to God's. I am protected by the faithfulness of God. He will never fail me. It is He who extinguishes all the flaming arrows of the evil one. This isn't about my meager faith, but God's unfailing faithfulness. It's also about His salvation, not mine. It is He who will save me, not myself. And it is His word that is my primary weapon. It's interesting that Paul uses the Greek word rhema here and not the more familiar logos. The word rhema refers to a "spoken utterance." It does not usually refer to the Scriptures in their entirety, but to a specific word from God. A rhema is a verse or portion of Scripture that the Holy Spirit brings to our attention with application to a current situation or need for direction. The sword God gives us to use is perfect for the situation. It is His word spoken specifically for the circumstances in which we find ourselves. It is His word made practical for each of life's situations.

So God wants us to increase our power by turning to His. He wants to supplement our weak strength with His. And He gives us all the armor we need to go into life's battles with all the power we need – His. We can stand firm because we have access to His power. We can have victory because His power has authority.

Father, help me to lean on your power and not mine. Help me to believe that your power is inexhaustible. Your strength never runs out. And Your strength comes with authority. You are sovereign and in control of any and every circumstance and situation that I encounter in my life. I shall not fear.  Amen

Let the Light Out.

Ephesians 5

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. - Vs 15-16 (NASB)

Be careful how you walk, how you live your life. Watch your step. Walk in love (Vs 2). Be imitators of God (Vs 1). Walk as children of the light (Vs 8).

Paul calls us to live our lives differently than those around us. We are not to blend in, but stand out. We're not to look like the world around us. Paul says, "do not be partakers with them!" (Vs 7). Instead our lives should exhibit the "fruit of the Light" – consisting of goodness, righteousness, and truth. We are supposed to find out what pleases God and then do it (Vs 10). This is what a life lived in the Light looks like. But those who live in darkness, apart from God, live lives that are unfruitful, and we are supposed to expose them, not join them. We're not even supposed to talk about the things they do. But in our society, we seem to get a perverse pleasure talking about the things "done in darkness." We watch TV shows that glamorize the lifestyles of those who live in darkness. Reality TV has brought "entertainment" to an all-time low, giving us a glimpse into the lives of individuals whose lives are characterized by immorality, impurity, and greed (Vs 3). Filthiness, silly talk, and course jesting are common fare on the tube and in many of our lives today. We have forgotten how to blush. Instead of being ashamed and embarrassed by the "sons of disobedience," we too often become partakers with them. We join in. We become like them and in doing so, we walk as unwise men and women. Our light diminishes. Instead of exposing the darkness around us, we become absorbed by it.

Paul is calling the community of Christ to shine, to let the Light that is within us to illuminate the darkness around us. Darkness is an absence of light. But because we carry the Light of life within us, we should be shining into the darkness with lives characterized by goodness, righteousness, and truth. Over in the first letter of John, we read, "This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:5-7). We are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we live our lives in the Light of God, just as Jesus did, we get to enjoy the fellowship of one another, and the constant forgiveness of our sins. Fellowship and forgiveness. Those are just two of the many benefits we enjoy when living in the Light.

So we are to be careful how we walk, how we live our lives. Our lives should be characterized by wisdom, not foolishness. Our speech should be characterized by thanksgiving, not obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking. We are to be filled with the Spirit. Why? Because the days are evil and we need to make the most of the time we have here on earth. We should want to make good use of the days God gives us here. We have an opportunity to make a difference. We have the solution to the world's darkness right within us. It is the Light of Jesus Christ.

For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. But this precious treasure––this light and power that now shine within us––is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own." – 2 Corinthians 4:6-7

We have the Light within us. But we need to let it out. So that everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.

Father, thank You for the Light of Your Son. He illuminated my darkness one day and I have never been the same. Thank You that I share that Light with others, and together, we have the privilege of allowing the light of Jesus Christ shine through our lives into the darkness all around us. I confess that my light is dim at times and I allow the darkness to overwhelm me. But I want to let the Light shine more brightly and I want to shine together with my brothers and sisters in Christ so that our presence could dispel the darkness, expose sin, and attract others to the glory of Jesus Christ. Amen

Grow…Together.

Ephesians 4

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. - Vs 11-12 (NASB)

I love this chapter. In it Paul paints a picture of the way in which the church, the body of Christ, was meant to function. He reveals to us God's plan for using the body of Christ to bring about spiritual maturity in the people of God. The community of believers is key to the maturity of believers. We were not meant to grow in isolation. God placed every one of us in the context of a community of believers and called it the body of His Son. Jesus Himself is the head of this body – an interdependent organism where every member is critical to the health of the whole.

…we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. (Vs 15-16)

We are to grow up – together. Because we are a body that has been fitted and held together. We are each to do our part – together. And when we do, the body grows – together. This is a team effort. It is only normal that we grow together and not individually. It would be abnormal if a child's arm grew at twice the rate as the rest of his body. It would be considered an aberration. Yet we think it is perfectly normal for one Christian to grow more rapidly than another, with no apparent concern or feeling of obligation to contribute to the growth of anyone else. We have turned the Christian life into an individualized effort – isolating ourselves from the influence of others and ignoring any responsibility for the spiritual well-being of one another.

Yet, throughout this chapter, Paul stresses the corporate or community aspect of the body of Christ. He uses phrases like "one another," "preserve the unity," "one body," "the unity of the faith," "the whole body," "the growth of the body," and "we are members of one another." Everything Paul talks about in this chapter has to do with the communal or relational aspect of our faith. We need each other. We were created to be dependent upon one another. In fact, Paul seems to indicate that independence and isolation are attributes of our former life. He tells the Ephesians not to live their lives the way the lost world lives (Vs 17). Their lives are characterized by confusion, with thinking that is devoid of truth or an understanding of what is right and appropriate. Their understanding is darkened. Their hearts are hardened. They are calloused. And they have given themselves over to sensuality. The NLT Bible translates verse 19 this way:

They don’t care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed."

Their lives are characterized by immorality fueled by greediness. That word means "greedy desire to have more, covetousness, avarice." They don't care about others. They only care about themselves. Their greed and avarice drives them to satisfy their own selfish desires. But Paul says, "you did not learn Christ in this way" (Vs 20). That is not the way of Christ. We are to die to ourselves and make others our highest priority. We are to serve and not be served. We are to lay "aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another" (Vs 25). Don't let anger, greed, covetousness, or potentially damaging words destroy the unity of thebody. Instead, Paul says to "be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Vs 32).

We are members of one another. We need one another. We are to live for one another. We should have the attitude that we cannot exist without one another. God created us to live in unity and community – thriving and growing together in an interdependent, loving atmosphere where the grace of God is being lived out every single day.

Father, show us how to live together in unity. Open our eyes and let us see just how important the body is to You. Forgive me for trying to live the Christian life on my own. Forgive me for my self-centeredness and greediness. May we truly learn what it means to be one, just as You and Your Son are One. Amen

Comprehending Christ’s Love.

Ephesians 3

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. - Vs 16-19 (NLT)

Here is another one of Paul's incredible prayers for the church. It gives us real insight into how Paul viewed the needs of the believers of his day, but it also reflects what we need as we attempt to live out our faith in this generation.

Paul's prayer revolves around the love of God. First, he prays that the Holy Spirit would give us inner strength. The New American Standard Bible says, "to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man." The idea is that we would continue to grow in strength. The result of that increasing internal strength is an increasing dependence on Christ. As we grow in Spirit-empowered strength in our inner man, we live increasingly more by faith, allowing Christ to inhabit and influence our lives as we learn to trust Him. We also begin to discover the reality of God's incredible love for us. It is measureless and incomprehensible. We can't fully understand it or explain it, but we can experience it and live in it every day of our lives. And Paul is praying that we would experience it. Not just talk about it, but experience it. We tend to relegate the love of Christ to what He did at Calvary. But He continues to express His love to us every single day in a variety of ways. Paul is praying that we would begin to recognize that love in all the details of our lives. We would see it, recognize it, comprehend it, appreciate it, be grateful for it, and live in it. The result will be that we are filled up with the fullness of God. We will be filled with His love, His power, His presence, His peace, His joy, His wisdom, His Son.

But it all begins with love. A growing comprehension of just how much Jesus Christ loves us. He loved us enough to die for us, but He also loves us enough to live within us. The presence of His Holy Spirit is an expression of His love. The power the Holy Spirit provides is proof of His love. His Spirit helps us grow in our understanding and recognition of the countless ways Christ expresses His love to us each and every day. But we can't see it because we are living in the flesh. Our inner man is controlled by sinful, selfish desires that lie to us and tell us that Christ can't love us because He won't let us have what we want. We begin to believe that it is the things of this world that give us joy, peace, and contentment. We turn to confuse the love of Christ with the love of pleasure. And we begin to trust in and turn to the creation instead of the Creator for our satisfaction. That's why Paul prays that we would have inner strength to trust Christ and recognize His matchless love for us. We need to Holy Spirit's power to say no to the flesh and yes to Jesus. We need His strength to help us trust Christ and not ourselves. As we do, we will begin to see just how much we are loved and we will begin to overflow with the things of God. Now isn't that a prayer you'd love to see answered in your life?

Father, I want to be filled up with your fullness. I want to begin to understand just how much You love me. Give me the strength I need through the power of Your Holy Spirit so that I might stop giving in to my own sinful flesh and the lies of the world. Help me to trust Your Son more and more and to live in the reality of Your love. Amen