Monday, April 9: Hebrews 11- FAITH...

 

The message of this chapter is obvious… faith! Faith in God, faith in His Word and Commands. Faith that declares itself by action not mere mental ascent.

I recently read Stephen Hawking’s book, The Grand Design. Honestly there were parts of the book that where beyond me. For a ‘layman’s’ book, the physics ran deep at times. As I read it, it seemed quite obvious that Hawking was searching for an answer to the universe’s existence that did not need God in the equation. Without belittling faith in a creator, Hawking seemed to say that belief in a creator was a lesser intellectual position. Hawking’s final conclusion, which does not need a god to explain the origins of life, is supported heavily on a unifying physical principle called “M Theory”, a theory scientists do not yet even have.

Throughout the read, I kept feeling that having faith in a creator-God subtly attacked. Then this morning the text professes, By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible (3). It hit me plain as day, belief in a God the creator will always take faith. Yes, my faith is reasoned and I believe in places at least it is supported by current science.  However, in other places current science or at least aspects of it (i.e. Hawking’s) undermine faith. Be that as it may, belief in the Creator-God will always be built on faith. And I choose to say ‘yes’ to God as Creator!

Lord, in the world of ideas and concepts, be it science or law or behavior, help me to hold on to faith… faith in You and faith in Your Word. Lord, when my life comes to its earthly end, I want to be commended like the men and women in this chapter and that Lord I know is built on FAITH and faith in You alone. Amen.

 

Saturday, April 7: Hebrews 10- .

I sit here between two great events of our faith, Good Friday -the day of ultimate sacrifice- and tomorrow Easter Sunday- the day of ultimate vindication. Today feels like limbo, a day of waiting.

As I turned to the text, the non-biblical heading for chapter 10 in my NIV started meditations whirling. It reads, “Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All.”

Immediately I began to consider Jesus’ gift on Calvary. Then almost as if I had been primed, my eyes lit on verse 10: And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. I heard Jesus’ cry from the cross, “It is finished” as He breathed His last (John 19:30).

No longer are bulls and goats needed for sacrifice, Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient. It was once,for all, forever. It fulfilled God’s demand for atonement perfectly in every way.

What a perfect way to spend the day between Good Friday and Easter… contemplating the perfect sacrifice of Jesus and all that His sacrifice gains for those who believe.

Do you believe in Jesus? Do you?

Lord God, fill my thoughts and soul with images, feelings, impressions,and truth about Jesus’ gift on the cross today. Allow me to stew in it, to steep in it, to be saturated by Jesus’ great gift of atonement. Fill me with wonder that Jesus would do this for me… through Jesus, I pray. Amen

 

 

Friday, April 6: Hebrews 9- Saved to serve.

Jesus is the perfect mediator. He fulfilled the requirements of the law perfectly. As I read Hebrews it is like gazing at an art masterpiece. The longer I gaze the more detail I see and the fuller and richer my appreciation of the masterpiece becomes. Jesus is the masterpiece the book of Hebrews is painting for me.

Verse 14 caught my attention: How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! The perfect sacrifice of Jesus clears the way so we can serve God.

Too often I look simply for my benefits from salvation… peace with God, eternal life, and so forth… things that benefit me. Verse 14 instructs me that I have been saved to serve. “So that” is a verbal connector suggesting that the first item leads directly to the second. I am cleansed from my sin so that I can serve God. Service of God is to be my end result, is to be what I do now that I am cleansed. Cars are built to transport people and goods. Bridges are built so that people and commerce can travel easily and quickly from one side of a river to the other. I am cleansed so that I can serve God.

The nudge of the Spirit comes, “Bill, examine your life.  Are you honestly oriented to serve Me?”

Lord, as I go through my day, help me to be cognizant of You and the things You might have me do -a word to speak, a deed to do, a prayer to pray- those activities that serve You and Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

 

Thursday, April 5: Hebrews 8- God's way today is Jesus.

The message of chapter 8 is clear; the way to God today is Jesus. The way to God today is through the New Covenant, which is Jesus.

Notice how this thought is emphasized:

·         Verse 6: But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

·         Verse 8: But God found fault with the people and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

·         Verse 13: By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

It is no longer by sacrifices of lambs and goats.  It is no longer through circumcision.  Now the way into relationship with God is through faith and belief in Jesus…

Have you connected with God through Jesus?  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

Lord God, show me how to best introduce people to Jesus… Amen.

 

 

Wednesday, April 4: Hebrews 7- The perfect offering.

This very Jewish chapter about Jesus ushering in a new order of priesthood, culminates with a grand pronouncement, Therefore he [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself (25-27).

Able to save completely: the grand statement of our faith; salvation through Jesus is complete and permanent. We add nothing to our salvation. Jesus does it all. His sacrifice is perfect, fulfilling all law and righteousness. And since salvation is a work of God -a complete work of God- once received it cannot be undone.

He always lives to intercede: Jesus lives to pray for you and for me.  Oh, what a thought! Jesus is before Almighty God’s throne interceding for us! The Perfect One praying the perfect prayer for you and me! Hallelujah!

Sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself: the sacrifice Jesus offered was not goats or rams; it was himself on the cross of Calvary. The perfect One offered the perfect gift -Himself. And this is why salvation in Jesus is perfect and complete.

Wonderful meditation to begin my day… thank You, Lord.

Lord Jesus, I sit awestruck again by the wonder of Your grace and love and sacrifice for me. You gave Yourself for me. What can I say?

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation. O my soul sings, for You are my health and salvation. All you who hear, now to His holiness draw near. Join me in glad adoration!

 

 

Tuesday, April 3: Hebrews 6- Don't become lazy.

The opening of this chapter is always a challenge for me spiritually… and it was again this morning. It puts a bit of the ‘fear of God’ in me, which is not a bad thing.

The writer, under Holy Spirit inspiration, brings his argument to its conclusion with verse 12: We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

That’s it! He does not want us to become lazy. Instead he is hoping to inspire us to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

“Don’t become lazy in your faith…” the Spirit pounds that into my skull.

So I began to think about what I do when I am lazy about something…

#1: I procrastinate; I avoid the thing I know I should do.

#2: I do other things, sometimes worthwhile things and sometime innocuous time wasters.

#3: Another trick I use to procrastinate is to slow work. I kind of start what I should do and I get ready to do what I should do. However, I don’t put my mind and heart into it, which means I don’t actually get anything accomplished because I run out of time.

#4: I have other ‘lazy’ tricks like, “Oh, I am tired, or I need time for myself, etc.”

Bottom line is that I can be lazy about things including my faith. The message of Hebrews 6:12 hits again. Instead of falling into my ‘lazy mode’ I should imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Lord, help me to become as good at imitating giants of the faith as I am about being lazy in my faith. Lor,d grant me the perseverance to put my heart, soul, mind and strength into my following of You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

Monday, April 2: Hebrews 5- Jesus as priest.

A priest stands between people and God. They offer sacrifices, hear requests and speak for God to people. Jesus Christ filled the position of priest standing between us and Almighty God. Interestingly, Jesus Himself is God, God who took on human flesh.

Meditating on Jesus as our High Priest took me to the wonder and gift of the sacrifice He offered, the sacrifice of Himself on the cross.

As we enter this Holy Week, I find myself meditating upon Jesus’ incredible gift and what it means for Jesus, God in human flesh, to offer His life in my place on the cross. As high priest, Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice for my sins, your sins, the sins of the world. All we have to do is acknowledge Jesus and receive His offered sacrifice and we are free from sin and granted eternal life to boot! What a deal! I hope and pray you have accepted Jesus’ deal.

Jesus, thank You for all You do and all You have done for me and for others. Thanks be to God that You gave us all this gift. I pray that this week, in particular, I spend time thanking and praising You for the gift of salvation through faith in You. Alleluia. Amen.