Exhortation

Living Sacrifice {Hebrews 13}

12:30 AM

October 31, 2017

This chapter is filled with exhortations.  Briefly, an exhortation is urgent advice or recommendations.  We should listen to what it says.

How do we learn to be content?  Hebrews 13 reminds us in verses 5-6 that we become content when we realize God’s sufficiency for our needs.  We see God’s love in what He provides.  We see that we may have to leave our creature comforts and go outside the safe confinements of our past to be completely loyal to Christ (v. 13).  We need to focus on all that we’ve been given in the love of Christ.  A love for others that produces tangible actions like kindness to strangers, empathy for those who are in prison and those who have been mistreated.  We need to have a respect for marriage and be content in what we have.

Image result for Hebrews 13:1

Many of us have experienced or are experiencing changes in life.  We have matured through the process of raising children and are witnessing the changes in our children’s lives.  We are also witnessing the changes in our parents as they age.  This morning, as I read this chapter, I recalled something my parents minister told me.  I wrote to him not long after my mom was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia.  It’s a disease which takes your memory and your ability to speak away.  I knew he was aware of this diagnosis and asked him to pray for my parents since I knew each day would bring new and different challenges for my parents, my sister and I.  But above all, I worried that my mom would forget Jesus.  He reminded me that Jesus would not forget her.

What I have witnessed these past couple of years is how my dad, wakes up each day not knowing what hole was created overnight in my mother’s brain.  He simply adjusts to whatever changes come his way.  My dad has told me over and over lately that changes come quickly and are frequent.

The heading in my bible for this chapter is “Sacrifices Pleasing to God.”  The sacrifices we give to God are not the “things” we give, they are our hearts.  This final chapter of Hebrews is another reminder to not only accept Jesus as the perfect sacrifice, but for us to BE that sacrifice.  The more we learn from Him, the more we emulate Him.

I worried about my mom forgetting Christ, but she can’t.  He is with her every day.  What I realized through the reading today and through these experiences with my parents is when Jesus told Paul, “My grace IS enough” (2 Corinthians 12:9), we are also to accept His grace.  Our afflictions may not be removed, but God’s power is displayed in our weaknesses.  Nothing can compare to the humility and love and mercy I see each time I see my parents.  And their minister was right, Jesus has not forgotten my mother, for He has given my dad everything I’ve asked – strength, courage, and above all His love to care for my mom.  I see the love of God in the tender care she receives from my dad.  

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.”  Romans 12:1

"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you.  Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."  Hebrews 13:7-8 

We are living sacrifices by not being conformed to the world.  1 John 2:15-16 defines it for us as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. All that the world has to offer can be reduced to these three things.  The lust of the flesh includes everything that appeals to our appetites and involves excessive desires for food, drink, sex, and anything else that satisfies physical needs.  Lust of the eyes mostly involves materialism, coveting whatever we see that we don’t have and envying those who have what we want.  The pride of life is defined by any ambition for that which puffs us up and puts us on the throne of our own lives. 


Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepard of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen.  (vs. 20-21)

Endurance

Running With Endurance {Hebrews 12}

12:00 AM

Running With Endurance { Hebrews 12 }


Life is hard. There are no two ways about it. The Bible refers to life as a race. And in the running of this race, we encounter hurdles of trials along the track. When we hit those curves in life, the Lord calls us to dig our heels deep into our faith, keep our eyes on Him, and patiently endure to the end.

Hebrews chapter 12 begins with, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (v. 1) In the previous chapter, we are told of many great saints who have gone to be with the Lord. Saints who ran their races with faith and perseverance, and who inspire us all to do the same. Saints we can draw strength from when our run becomes difficult. They encourage each step we take that brings us closer to victory. I like to imagine a great grandstand filled with believers cheering me on, with my Grandma waving the biggest flag. 

And like those saints, we too can win the race set before us. But winning means letting go. Letting go of things in our lives that hinder our relationship with God. Sin weighs us down, slows our pace, and keeps us in bondage. It places our focus elsewhere when our eyes should be fixed on Jesus, “the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (v. 2) Jesus, our perfect example, endured torture, pain, sorrow, rejection, and betrayal. He despised the shame of being publicly crucified, yet He did so willingly for the joy of fulfilling the will of the Father, and the greatness of His reward. During the toughest times of our race, when we've hit a wall and can't go one step further, remembering Jesus’ sacrifice gives us our second wind so that we don't, “grow weary and lose heart.” (v. 3)

We know that nothing in our lives happens without God’s permission. The difficulty He allows to enter is meant to train, strengthen, test, and often times, discipline us. And although no one likes to be disciplined, we can find comfort knowing that, “whom the Lord loves, He disciplines”.  (v. 6) God wants the very best for us and His discipline leads us to repentance and complete dependency on Him, which in turn results in great blessings. For verse 11 promises, “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” “Brokenness is God’s requirement for maximum usefulness. He disciplines us because He loves us, and He wants us to experience abundant Christian life.” (Dr. Charles Stanley) 

James 1:2-3 says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” Trials bring with them the opportunity to grow in maturity and to become more like Jesus. We are like diamonds in the rough, and each fire we successfully walk through in faith polishes us a little more, until we shine like the brilliant gems we are meant to be. God promises to never give us more than we can handle. And trusting Him provides us with the endurance to run our race with joy, knowing that He’ll be at the finish line waiting to receive us into His loving arms.


The Race of A Lifetime
                       
The race we are running,
is the race of a lifetime
we must run it well . . .
or else we’ll be left behind.
If we’re going to succeed,
we must run it to win
the only way to victory
is to run away from sin.
For Satan is on the chase,
after our souls, he is gunning
we must be sure from him
to always keep on running.
We need to stay focused,
on the goal that is ahead
we must be sober and alert
so we can be Spirit lead.
It’s a race of endurance,
not one of swiftness or speed
we must depend on God . . .
for the stamina that we need!
.....Deborah Ann

Chocolate

Pumpkin Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

12:00 PM

These yummy cookies have a texture that is more like a muffin. I used half butter and half shortening, and added a dark chocolate Hershey’s kiss on top for an extra treat.



Pumpkin Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter flavored shortening 
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2-1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) Beat shortening, 
brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and white sugar together in a bowl until creamy; add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Whisk flour, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Gradually stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until dough is well-mixed; slowly stir in oats. Stir butterscotch chips into dough until evenly distributed. Drop dough by the spoonful 2 inches apart onto a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. About 4 dozen.

Abraham

12:00 AM





Assurance and Conviction

Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

Today we are memorizing Hebrews 11:1…

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Now the amplified version…

Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].

Faithfulness is holding fast to the promises of God…even if these promises are “things not seen.”  Think upon Abraham and Sarah. Faithfulness is manifested by this couple.  Abraham and Sarah teach us that faithfulness requires trust.  “The power of the example of Sarah and Abraham is that their lives joined these two dimensions. In the midst of change and uncertainty, they found God constant and faithful. Therefore, they too could be full of faith, holding fast to God's promises and moving forward into that future with God. May their faithfulness shine forth as an example for us that we too may prove faithful.”

“Faith makes real in our experience the promises that God has given about the future. Faith proves to us the fact that the things we presently cannot see—God, angels, demons, heaven, hell—are very much true and real. In other words, faith applies the reality of God’s promises and the unseen world to life in the present, visible world.”  (various sources)

Father, thank you for the promises you have given us, for our present and for our future. We will move forward placing our trust in You, for you know us best, You know what is best, and You are the Best!

Have a blessed and precious day everyone!

Angie Benjamin

Assurance and Anticipation {Hebrews 11}

7:28 AM



Hebrews 11 is often called the faith chapter…It describes the Faith Hall of Fame. It lists people responded in faith to what God had promised. Their lives and their stories encourage us to have faith in our lives and struggles, too.

A simple definition of faith is given in verse 1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Two words describe faith: Sure and certain

The beginning point of faith is believing in God’s character: HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? – Number 23:19

 Secondly, is believing in God’s promises: HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. FAITH means believing and acting on something we cannot see. – Philippians 1:6

It is only when we believe that God will fulfil his promises even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet, that we demonstrate true faith.

Creation itself shows that just because something can’t be seen, doesn’t mean that it won’t happen. The author does not say that God made everything out of nothing— he only says that he made the visible out of the invisible; that is the specific contrast he wants to make.

 Our future is based not on what we see today, but on something we do not see: God.



Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Believing in God is just the beginning, even demons believe in Him (James 2:19,20)…God will not just settle for mere acknowledgement of his existence. He wants our faith to lead to a personal and dynamic relationship with Him.

There are many stories mentioned or alluded to in these verses. We see Cain and Abel, Abraham, Sarah, Noah and many prophets not mentioned individually by name.
Which one is your favourite story and how can you relate to that particular character?

After all these great stories of faith verse 39 tells us that these individuals never received the promise in a physical way. That promise was the future birth of the Redeemer Saviour and Messiah Jesus Christ. They did not see the day of His coming. However, their faith in that promised Redeemer was counted for their salvation. Their faith was in something they never saw, but that does not mean that their faith was in vain. They believed God for something He promised.

The Bible tells us we must be like children to enter the kingdom of God, I believe faith is similar to the excitement and anxiety prior a birthday. We know we will definitely receive gifts and other special treats…some of the things would be a surprise. Birthdays combine assurance and anticipation, and so does faith!! Faith is the confidence based on past experience that God’s new and fresh surprises will surely be ours!

Remain strong and encouraged!
Enjoy your weekend!



Angie

Becky Austin

Once and For All {Hebrews 10}

12:30 AM



Housework is a never ending thing.  Washing, drying, sweeping, tidying, vacuuming, mopping, folding, scrubbing, etc.  How wonderful it is to sit back and enjoy a clean house when all the work is done!  If only it would stay that way.  But, it doesn't.  The dust and grime is never completely gone and it accumulates quickly again and again. 

The sin of our hearts is much like that dirt and grime that must be dealt with endlessly.  The Law convicted us of sin and the sacrifices offered temporarily atoned for our sins but those sacrifices could not provide eternal , complete forgiveness.  The cleansing process had to be repeated over and over again. “But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (v3-4)

Fortunately, God had a better plan.  The sacrifice of his perfectly blameless Son provided a " once and for all" guaranteed eternal cleansing. “When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (v8-10)

With this one time perfectly accepted sacrifice a new covenant was established between God and his people.  “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” ( v 16-18‬ ‭). Isn't it wonderful that we have been shown such mercy and we can know that no matter what we have done, we can have complete forgiveness from God. 

We are encouraged to confidently enter in to a very close, intimate relationship with God, our Father. “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” ( v 22)

We are granted complete, eternal forgiveness when we acknowledge Jesus as our Savior but we still have to live out our lives in a sinful, often very difficult world. We are encouraged to remain strong  in our faith and to encourage one another. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." ( v 23-25)

What a great challenge for us as we go through our day.  Look for ways  "to stir up one another to love and good works."  God loves us and He has so much prepared for us.  All He asks is that we trust Him and remain faithful. “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised." (v35-36)

Be encouraged!  You are completely forgiven.  You are promised all the blessings of eternity.  You are greatly loved! 

Adoration

Accept No Imitations {Hebrews 9}

12:00 AM

Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon? I haven’t. I’ve only seen pictures like this one, but others who have been, tell me that photographs can’t begin to do it justice; it’s something you have to see and experience yourself to truly appreciate it. That’s sort of what’s going on here in chapter 9 of Hebrews.   

The articles the author of Hebrews describes in these verses were considered the holiest objects of the Jewish faith. If these articles were discovered today they would be considered priceless archaeological treasures by today’s standards. But here, in this chapter, the author calls them all just an illustration (v. 9), carrying out mere external obligations (v. 10). 

What’s more, not everyone was free to enter the Holy of Holies where God dwelt. When Jesus died, He tore the curtain that separated the entire world from the Most Holy Place and He completed the ceremonial sacrifices once and for all. 

Throughout this book the author continues driving home the same message, which is: all that the Jewish faith treasured; the holy objects and rituals, amazing as they all were, were never sufficient to clear ones conscience or cleanse the stain of sin once and for all (v. 9).
Christ's role as our high priest is spelled out in the book of Hebrews 4:14 to 10:18.  He is the sinless Son of God! He is our compassionate Mediator before God the Father:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. -Hebrews 4:15
No other book of the Bible so powerfully speaks of Jesus’ supremacy. Throughout Hebrews, the author continues to compare Jesus to the heroes of the Jewish faith. With each hero playing his part well, but still not able to compare to Christ Jesus! His sacrifice, His covenant, and His current ministry are far, far greater than anything the others have had to offer.
Jesus is greater than the angels, because He is the divine King (Heb 1:4, 6, 8).
Jesus is greater than Moses, because while Moses was a servant of God, Jesus is the Son of God (Heb 3:3–4).
Jesus is greater than Joshua, because Jesus brings a greater rest to the people of God (Heb 4:8–9).
Jesus is a greater priest than Aaron, because He is sinless and immortal (Heb 7:26–28).

"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing our eternal redemption." - Hebrews 9:11-12
 
The more I’ve read and researched,
·         The more I wanted to stop and just worship Him.
·         The more I also felt compelled to stop and examine my own walk and how I fall so short of such a holy God and all that He has done on my behalf.

I believe the author of Hebrews, whoever he might be, has done exactly what he set out to do and did it well. There is so much more we could say, but let’s spend the rest of our time worshiping Him and making sure we have accepted the gift He has given us.
Have you given all of yourself to Jesus?

This song by Hillsong United and sung by, Kari Jobe seemed to fit with our study today. Enjoy!





Lisa Thayer

Out with the old, in with the New {Hebrews 8}

12:30 AM

Do you struggle with change?  Do you have traditions, rituals or ways of doing things that just don’t need to be messed with?  Satan’s aim at diminishing the supremacy and all-sufficiency of Jesus is one of his goals.  You can evaluate a teaching or practice by this:  If it diminishes the glory of Christ, it is not of God.  Satan has used legalism to divert Christians to the superficial and external, as opposed to the substance, which is Christ (Col. 2:16-23).  If Satan can get our focus onto rules and outward observances, we are fooled into thinking that we are “good” Christians.  But if the person and work of Jesus Christ is not our focus and joy, we can do all sorts of outward things, but miss the vital thing, which is to glorify Christ and to know Him (Phil. 3:1-11).

The book of Hebrews can be difficult to follow at times because as a long-time believer, it seems easy to understand that Christ is better than the old way of the Jewish sacrificial system.  But we have to remember that this book was written to help the Hebrew Christians and others seeking Christ, to discover that Jesus is supreme.

Image result for Hebrews 8:1

Here are 2 points I want to share:

  1. The Levital priests always stood when they were in the tabernacle, thus their work was never done. 
  2. Jesus has taken His seat at the right hand of God’s throne.  He accomplished His work of purification of sins (1:3).  He has done all that can be done to accomplish our redemption.  As He cried out from the cross “It is finished” (John 19:30).  To add any human works or merit to what Jesus accomplished on the cross is an insult to His death as our perfect sacrifice.
It appears to me that the author of Hebrews is saying that there is nothing compared to where Jesus is at the right hand of the throne of God!  The yearly ritual was nothing compared to our high priest offering Himself once for all on the cross, and now serving in heaven on our behalf.  His heavenly ministry is much more excellent than the old earthly ministry ever was.  Why would anyone even consider returning to the old, earthly system that was a mere shadow? 

I read this on Bible.org and it is simply too good not to share entirely:

 (1) Jesus serves in heaven on our behalf—let Him serve you! Our tendency is to focus on how we should serve Jesus, and there is certainly a place for that (1 Cor. 15:58). But there is also a place for pausing from our busy activities and allowing Jesus to serve us. Do you recall Peter’s horrified response when Jesus took the towel and basin and washed the disciples’ feet? He said, “Never shall You wash my feet!” But Jesus countered with, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me” (John 13:8-9). We have to allow the Lord, through the water of His Word, to wash off the dirt that we pick up from walking in this world. As our high priest, He ministers on our behalf before the throne of the Majesty. Take the time before Him to allow His ministry to cleanse your soul.

(2) The heavenly and spiritual is more real than the earthly and visible—keep seeking the things above! The author is making the point that the earthly tabernacle was not the real thing. The real tabernacle is in heaven, where Jesus now is seated on our behalf. We are prone to think that the earthly is real, but the heavenly is less real than what we can experience with our senses. But Paul tells us, “keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col. 3:1, 2).
At the very least this means that we should meditate so often on the things of God that they become more real to us than the things on earth. We can only apprehend the things of God by faith in the truths of His Word. Meanwhile, we’re surrounded and bombarded by all of the things that we see on earth. Unless we deliberately and consistently cultivate this heavenly vision, our priorities will get out of kilter. We will get caught up pursuing the transitory and missing the eternal. Like the rich man Jesus spoke of, we will build more storage units to hold all of our earthly goods, but we will be poor in relation to God (Luke 12:15-21). So remember, the earthly is the shadow; the heavenly is the real.



“Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”  (Col. 3:1-4)

Hebrews

Our Righteous King { Hebrews 7 }

12:00 AM

Our Righteous King { Hebrews 7 }


Hebrews chapter 7 tells of the priesthood of Melchizedek, “king of Salem, priest of the Most High God” (v. 1) The Hebrew word melek means king, and tsedek means righteousness, so the name Melchizedek is recognized as meaning “king of righteousness.” 

We first meet this king of Salem,(Jerusalem), “king of peace”. (v. 2) in Genesis 14:18-20. Abraham has just defeated Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and his three allies. After the battle Melchizedek meets Abraham and his men, bringing them bread and wine. He  blesses Abraham and praises God for the victory. In response, Abraham gives Melchizedek a tenth of all his spoils. 

Under the Law, as told in Lev. 27:30-32, the Israelites were to give a tenth of their tithes and offering to the Levites. But Abraham was under no such law, for Levi was yet to be born. (v.10) Instead, Abraham gave to Melchizedek out of thankfulness, recognizing the greatness of Melchizedek and of his priesthood. A priesthood even greater than that of Aaron’s. And like Abraham, we too should give priestly honors to our righteous King, Jesus Christ. Not because of a law, (which He freed us from), but out of thankfulness and the recognition of His great priesthood.

For Jesus is our perfect high Priest, “holy, innocent, undefiled, spectated from sinners and exalted above the heavens.” (v. 26)   The Leviticus priests of Israel being human were sinners and had to make sin offerings not only for the people, but also for themselves. But Jesus, who never sinned, became our perfect sin offering. (v. 27) His death on the Cross provided forgiveness for every sin we have or will ever commit once and for all. (Heb. 10:10).  And He is the “guarantee of a better covenant.” (v. 22) Levitical priests die, but Jesus who lives forever, “holds His Priesthood permanently.” (v. 24)  He is our holy Minister, “made perfect forever” (v. 28) always at the side of the Father interceding on our behalf, and representing us perfectly before the throne of God.

Chicken

Easy Chicken and Noodles

10:45 AM

There’s no better comfort food than a big pot and chicken and noodles. I threw in some peas and served it over garlic mashed potatoes. So good!



Easy Chicken and Noodles

1 (26 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) cream of mushroom soup
3 cans chicken broth 
2 cups diced chicken
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 (9 ounce) packages frozen noodles

In a large pot, mix the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, and chicken meat. Season with onion powder, seasoning salt, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, and stir in the noodles. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

boldness

12:00 AM

WITH BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENCE!


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

Today we are memorizing Hebrews 4:16…

Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the the proper time.

And again in the amplified version…

Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].

Oh how rich this verse is!

Time and time again I have witnessed, have personally experienced, this amazing mercy and grace in my time of need and most recently which I’d like to share…

My husband, Rick, is not a believer, yet knows of my faith in Christ, my desire to follow Him in all things and to pray to Him for all things (including for him).  Recently, we made the decision that it would be best to move his mother from where she is to closer to us into an assistant living situation. We both knew that convincing her would not be easy. She loves her independence, yet requires much help because of illness and age, and being far from home that made it difficult. Rick needed to visit her and present our case. So I called upon my prayer warriors - my Christian sisters!  I and my sisters approached the throne of grace with boldness and confidence without fear and prayed that God would go before Rick arrives and soften his mother’s heart.  And of course, our Father came running to the rescue! She immediately said yes-no hesitation! Our Father reached down to Rick, his mother and I, and touched us with His grace! Praised Him! Glory to God! I believe in my heart that Rick experienced how important prayer is, and how God can come and bless us through our prayers, confidence in Christ, and His love, at just the right moment! What a great testimony of His faithfulness!

I know that we all have testimonies like mine.  I pray that we all experience ,on a daily basis, through our prayers and supplications, His great mercy and grace!


Have a blessed and precious day everyone!

 ___________________________________
I'd like to personally invite you to join me and a wonderful, eclectic group of women from all over the world on a Facebook site we call, Women in the Word . We are currently traveling through the entire New Testament - one chapter a day! It has been such an incredibly journey which we want to share with you! 

So, if you've ever wanted to know more of what God's Word has to say about everything, and meet and make new friends from all over the world, come join us by clicking on this link . 
There will always be someone there to welcome you! Oh! And please feel free to invite others!

Faith

Jesus, The Anchor of our Soul {Hebrews 6}

10:30 PM



Today in the first 8 verses, we find the author of Hebrews warning  this  group of  Christians to stand firm on their faith and to persevere in the truths they had learned:  “Therefore let us get past the elementary stage in the teachings about the Christ, advancing on to maturity and perfection and spiritual completeness, [doing this] without laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God… “(V 1)

Since Christianity did grow out of Judaism, it was easy for a Jewish Christian to slip back into some Jewish practices. These Jewish Christians did not want to abandon their new faith, but they went back to this kind of “comfort zone”, to avoid persecution.  

This is exactly what is happening to some Christians in these days, too! What do you see in the world today? Watching the news we only find chaos, suffering and persecution. How about our personal lives? We also encounter difficult and hopeless situations at times, but that is why Christ came and why he gave us His Holy Spirit… We must not waver in our faith!

-          “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” (2:1).

-          “Consider it nothing but joy, my [b]brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. 3 Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing….” 6 But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind.” (James  1:2-4,6)
So let us not be discouraged because God’s promises are reliable. (6:13-18) 

We are not alone and in Him we find HOPE.! “ This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it]—a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells], 20 where Jesus has entered [in advance] as a forerunner for us, having become a High Priest forever according to the order of [e]Melchizedek.” (6:19-20)

The anchor was a common figure for hope in the ancient world. Here the idea is that we are anchored to something firm but unseen (which enters the Presence behind the veil).
· We need the anchor to hold the ship and keep it from being wrecked.
· We need the anchor to stabilize the ship and keep it more comfortable for those on board.
· We need the anchor to allow the ship to maintain the progress it has made.

 “And just as sailors sometimes send the anchor ahead that they may have a fixed point towards which to warp themselves, so, if our anchor is that Christ who has passed into the heavens, He will draw us, in due time, whither He Himself has gone. A calm steady hope fixed upon the enthroned Christ, our fore-runner, and the pattern of what we shall he if we trust Him, will make us steadfast and victorious in all our sorrows, Burdens, changes, and temptations. Without it life is indeed as ‘futile then as frail,’ and our only ‘hope of answer’ to its torturing problems, or of ‘redress’ of its manifold pains is ‘Behind the veil, behind the veil.’ Such a hope knits us to the true stay of our souls, and is a cord not easily Broken. As for men’s hopes fixed on earth, they are fragile and filmy as the spiders’ webs, which, in early autumn mornings, twinkle dewy in every copse, and are gone by midday.

My brother! You have this great faculty; what do you do with it, and where do you fix it? You have a personal concern in that future, whether you think about it and like it or not. What is your hope for that future, and what is the ground of your hope? Let me beseech you, fasten the little vessel of your life to that great anchor, Christ, who has died, and who lives for you. And then, though the thread between you and Him be but slender and fragile, it will not be a dead cable, but a living nerve, along which His own steadfast life will pour, making you steadfast like Himself, and at last fulfilling and transcending your highest hopes in eternal fruition of His own blessedness.” (Bible Hub Heb. 6:19 Commentaries -MacLaren’s Exposition)


Thank you Father for Jesus, our only Hope!!
Blessings my sisters!

Mari

Becky Austin

Time To Grow Up {Hebrews 5}

4:07 AM



In Hebrews 5 we are given a description of a priest.  Under the Old Testament, the priests came from the line of Aaron and met the following criteria:
1. They were human.
2 They were chosen by God.
3. They represented the people to God.
“For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.” (v1)

 The OT priests were not perfect and therefore they also had to offer sacrifices to God for their own sins.  Because they were sinners, they were expected to have compassion and empathy for other sinners.  We also, as sinners should have compassion and extend love to other sinners.
“He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.” (v2-3)

God designates who will be a priest, a mediator on behalf of man.  God appointed Aaron and God appointed Christ.  But notice that Jesus did not come from the line of Aaron, but instead was referred to as being of the order of Melchizedek.  Melchizedek is a priest mentioned in Genesis 14 and Psalm 110.  Chapters 6 and 7 will give us more particulars about why Melchizedek's priesthood was superior to Aaron's.  The important focus of this chapter is that the priesthood of Jesus was an eternal one. Jesus, unlike the OT priests was not a sinner in need of offering sacrifices.  Instead, he offered himself, perfect and unblemished as the eternally accepted sacrifice to atone for all sin.  No longer would the priesthood of Aaron be needed.  Jesus became the perfect representation of man to God  once and for all.  
“And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” (v 9-10)

The author closes this chapter expressing frustration because he does not see the Hebrew people growing in their spiritual understanding.  In kindergarten you learn your ABCs and then in 1st or 2nd grade you use the letter sounds to understand simple words like "cat" and " ball". You then progress to making sentences, then paragraphs, then essays, term papers, etc.  God wants us to study His Word and to gain over time a more mature understanding of spiritual principles.  He doesn't want us to stay spiritual babies. In fact, He wants us all to eventually be able to teach the knowledge He gives us to others.
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (12-14)

May I encourage you to keep studying God's Word with us so that you can grow alongside of us and we can learn from each other. Next year we will be going on a journey through the whole Bible in a year.  We want to reach as many women as possible who are seeking to learn about God and grow more spiritually mature. Help us get the word out and pray for this ministry to be used for God's glory and purposes. 

Hebrews

Let Us...{Hebrews 4}

9:00 PM

It’s evident, as we read through the Book of Hebrews, that the author’s reason for writing is because he feared his Christian readers were wavering in their faith in Christ. Perhaps their faith was growing cold, or perhaps the cares of this world, or the traditions they once followed were pulling their attention away from their newly found faith they professed. (Do you know anyone like that today?)
His goal was to demonstrate that Jesus was far better than the faith they once lived out before, and in light of what has all come about because of all Jesus had done, the author gives his readers three specific exhortations in this chapter,  each begin with “let us…”.

Let us...enter His rest...
_Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. Hebrews 4:1
_Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. Hebrews 4:11
Did you notice that both these verses explains that we can actually fail to enter into the benefits that God has provided for us? This is exactly what happened to many of the Israelites. Even though God brought them out with a strong hand, they were not confident in God’s love for them, nor His provision, and because of their disobedience and unbelief, the children of Israel did not enter into the rest that God had promised them. Therefore today, like them, we’re called to be diligent to enter into God’s rest.

We also need to remember that the author is writing to Christians, therefore there is another rest for all believers that some may never receive. When we first trusted Christ as Savior we received our “salvation rest”, but as children of God we are called into an “abiding rest", – a “submissive rest”. We’re not to drift through our Christian walk in a carnal way, but rather we are to trust God and enter into His rest, by resisting temptation, trusting His truth, obeying His word, and submitting to the Holy Spirit. In other words the rest the author mentions here is a rest from our own efforts or works, and surrendering and becoming totally dependent upon our Lord Jesus Christ. We’re being called to remain in Him, to abide in Him, to rest in Him, to submit to Him – to depend utterly and entirely upon Him. Then,

Let us...hold fast...
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Hebrews 4:12-14

Holding fast to our faith is crucial because the sin that hardens most is unbelief. Israel hardened their hearts “in the rebellion . . . in the wilderness” (Hebrews 3:8). This happened during Israel’s time of testing, when trials had come upon them. During those times, God’s promises seemed to fail them. And when it seemed the Lord was no longer answering their cries, they grumbled, complained and began to follow their own way .
The same can happen to Christians in this generation,and those who were once zealous for the things of God can hardened their hearts towards God. People who once walked faithfully with the Lord, believed His Word, based their lives on biblical truth, and were totally on fire for Jesus, were faced with a crisis, and when they cried out to God in their time of need, no answer came on their time schedule,or in the manner they thought it should. Can you relate?
Others may have been led away by their relationship with ungodly friends. But God’s grace is still available to them, His mercy is still available, but over time their sin has hardened them.

Therefore the author exhorts us to hold fast to our faith no matter what! Trust God and His word when tough times and trials come and “if you will hear His voice, do not harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). But rather,

Let us...come boldly to the throne of grace...
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.-Hebrews 4:15-16

The author next pleads with us to draw near to God through the complete and finished work of Jesus. He knows that the proof that we have confidence in God and have entered into His rest is demonstrated in how we respond to Him. When we don’t fully trust Him, we're distant. When we do trust Him, we’ll draw nearer. I believe the author has already anticipated that there will be those that, due to their own shame and guilt, will refuse to trust YHWH and draw near to Him even though every obstacle has been removed, and every provision made for every need. Therefore, regardless of how we’re feeling, we’re commanded to draw near, for Jesus has made a way to Almighty God.

When I think of these passages I always remember a story someone told me long ago about this little girl who wanted more than anything else to ride a new ride that had just opened at Disneyland, but by the time she had reached the ride a huge line had already formed, and she feared she’d never get in. Suddenly, just as she turned to walk away, a man came up and took her by the hand and began walking her to the ride's entrance, and just as they were about to cross the threshold to the ride, another man in line called out, “Hey, who do you think you are, Walt Disney!?”

To which the man turned around and replied, “As a matter of fact I am!” and the two continued through the door.

This is what Jesus does for us! He is able to take our hand and bring us right into God’s presence into the Holy of Holies. I pray you’ll remember this the next time you feel unworthy or inadequate to come before Him! Jesus has already paved the way; take His hand and let Him lead you through the entrance.