Hebrews 3 - 5.9.24

Hebrews 3:12-14

S – 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

O – This chapter provides a compelling contrast between Jesus and Moses, emphasizing Christ’s supreme role as our High Priest. By connecting Old Testament narratives with Christ’s teachings, the chapter delivers profound insights into faith, disbelief, and the promise of God’s rest.  Jesus, our high priest, is superior to Moses and all others. His faithfulness is our model, and His promises are true. We are called not just to acknowledge this, but to respond with steadfast faith, encouragement to others, and a heart that remains soft to the whispers of God.

A – Not believing that God is supreme over everyone, and everything, is a choice. If someone does not believe God exists, it is not that they “can’t” believe in Him, it’s that they choose not to. They are basically calling Him a liar and stating that His Word is untrue. That is where sin lies.

We can all be discouraged at times, maybe lacking in our faith for a season, but we can’t camp out there, and it is our job as Christian brothers and sisters to make sure no man is left behind. To do that, we must be in constant contact with our brothers and sisters. A hug and a “Good Morning,” on a Sunday morning aren’t going to cut it.  We must be in constant fellowship ….eating together, taking walks together, praying together, doing life together and holding each other accountable. Holding each other up when we are too weak to do it ourselves. Whether that be emotionally, spiritually, and/or even physically.

Exodus 17:12  When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

Exhort one another daily.  If we will strengthen our faith and avoid the ruin of unbelief, we must be around other Christians who will exhort – that is, seriously encourage us. This shows our responsibility to both give exhortation and to receive exhortation, and to exhort one another daily. It is an easy thing to judge and criticize, but that is not exhortation. If you are out of fellowship altogether, you can’t exhort or be exhorted. When we are out of fellowship there is much less around us to keep us from becoming hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Spurgeon)

P – Lord, I pray I will never let one of my brother’s or sister’s hearts be hardened by not checking in with them, by being lost in my own life struggles, or by not being purposeful in my time spent with them. I thank you for those you have placed in my “family” who look out for me by ensuring that I am right with you, that I am encouraged, that I am held up in my weakness. I pray that after a moment of despair or self-pity, I, we, reign it in and get back to the ONE thing that is best…the ONE person who is superior to everyone and everything else! Lord may I never sin against you by not believing you ARE who you say you are! May I respond with steadfast faith today and always and help me hear the whispers of Your heart. 

Amen!

- Crystal Flory

Psalm 136 - 5.8.24

Scripture

Psalm 136:1

 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

Observation

Psalms 136 is a song. Most likely the priest would call out a statement about God (the first half of each verse) and the people would respond, “His love (or mercy) endures forever.” The first three verses speak to who God is. Verses 4-9 speak of His wonders. The rest of the book describes what He has done for His people. The Psalm ends with a command to give Him the thanks that He deserves.

I read it described as, “It seems that the Psalmist is exploring the parameters of God’s love and rule, and he finds that there are no limits to it. There are no limits to the merciful lovingkindness of God.”

Application

I am challenged by this Psalm to focus on God’s love and mercy and actively explore new ways to thank Him. I want to learn to respond to whatever comes my way with His love endures forever. When I hear my grandchildren laugh – His love endures forever. When I am disappointed or offended – His love endures forever. When I get a promotion at work – His love endures forever. When I am dealing with a health issue – His love endures forever.

· The past, present, or future will not end His mercy.

· The storms of life will not end His mercy.

· Distance from loved ones will not end His mercy.

· Death itself will not end His mercy.

· God’s never-ending mercy should make us merciful to others.

· God’s never-ending mercy should make us hopeful for others.

· God’s never-ending mercy should make us hopeful for ourselves.

Charles Spurgeon

Prayer

Thank you to my amazing, almighty, eternal, powerful, compassionate, and merciful God. Thank you for your love for me. May my answer always be – Your love and mercy endure forever.

- Debbie Dunn

Exodus 23 - 5.7.24

SCRIPTURE:  Exodus 23: 10 - 12

10 “For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, 11 but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

12 “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.

OBSERVATION

Verses 10 – 12 cover the Sabbath Laws about “rest” for all – including when to rest the harvest field, for people and even the animals.  I’m currently studying earth science and this week’s chapter happens to cover planting, harvesting, plowing and rotating crops. Science confirms exactly what God gave us in Exodus 23: the ground even needs rest. Farmers today still practice crop rotation every 7 years. They have found it helps prevent disease and it allows time for the ground to recover nutrients for crop use in the future. Throughout time farmers have used this tried and true method that God gave to us.

I love how God also provides the unplowed / unused crops can be used by the poor and wild animals. Although in modern times, allowing the poor to get food from a crop is not possible, the wild animals can sure use them.

Rest for people is another proven fact. We have all heard we need enough sleep per night, take vacations and resting; but God’s standard is more important to our physical and spiritual health. He knows that having a systematic rhythm of rest is important to refresh us. He wants us refreshed in order to do His work. We are also honoring God for all He did in creating the heavens and earth. Genesis 2: 2 says “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”  We are all created in His image. If He found it important to rest on the 7th day, there’s a good reason for us to also rest. He knows us intimately, cares for us and understands our physical and spiritual need to rest:  to “refresh” us.

APPLICATION

In our busy lives, not working on the Sabbath (Saturday for Jews and Sunday for Christians) is easy in principle but our “on the go” society can easily wrap us up in the chaos of life. It’s easy to get swallowed up in our busy lives yet, in all of this, God wants us to rest on the Sabbath. But what does “not working” on the Sabbath and rest look like? In the Jewish culture, not working on the Sabbath is very strict to the point you can’t cook, write, or even brush off mud from your shoes. I don’t think God wants us to be legalistic about it, but we can sure change our schedule to not “work” on the Sabbath and find ways to rest. After church there’s family time, take a walk, a nap, visit with other family and friends, go to a special place, read more of your Bible and simply enjoy all that God has given to us. The ultimate goal of keeping the Sabbath holy is to honor God, give glory to Him for all that He’s provided and rest so we can be refreshed. He has a plan for each of us and needs us refreshed to do His work.

PRAYER

Lord, thank you for caring for us so much. You know each of us intimately and understand how important rest is to us. Help me, Lord, to always keep the Sabbath holy, to rest, to reflect, and to restore. Forgive me when the busyness of life can feel so consuming and “work” creeps into life on the Sabbath. Help me to realize those times of busyness and to reflect on other ways to rest in You. In Jesus name! Amen

- Mary Oberg