Hebrews 12 - 5.22.24

Scripture

Hebrews 12: 1-3 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Observation

1.     Let US run the race

2.     Fixing our eyes on Jesus

Application

Us – Notice the term us instead of me. Running is frequently a singular pastime, but sometimes a team sport. My daughter ran on the cross country team throughout high school and into college. The team practiced together, encouraged and challenged each other to be better, and hung out together. The goal was not to create one great runner, but to create a great team of runners. When they competed, they tried to stay together as one pack for as long as possible during the race. Likewise, following Jesus is not a solo endeavor – we need to be part of a team heading the same direction, who will support us and challenge us. Thank you to my DSC family!

Run the race – Cross country teams run a challenging 2-mile course, up and down steep hills and uneven paths, in rain, cold or extreme heat, trying to finish below 18 minutes. There are injuries, failures, and disappointments. It is a struggle! A Greek word for race is agona, or struggle. These runners acknowledge and accept the struggle in front of them – to them the prize is worth the struggle. Throughout the New Testament, we are urged to run the race. We have many promises in the Bible, but a life of ease is not one of those promises. Following Jesus means accepting that there will be hard times, but He is in control and will be with us through it all.

Fix our eyes on Jesus – Other races have “pacers,” whose job is to help a runner keep to a certain pace or help them stay on the course. Some of our team members can serve as pacers for us – people who mentor and disciple us. But our great pacer is Jesus. And we shouldn’t just look to Jesus, but FIX our eyes on him, focus all our attention on him, laying aside anything that distracts us from him.

Let us throw off everything that hinders – “Sin can hold us back. But there are also things that may not be sin but are merely hindrances that can keep us from running effectively the race God has for us.” (Enduring Word)  Some choices are between right and wrong (sin), but other times we need to choose between what is acceptable and what is BETTER.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for the opportunity to spend time with you, practicing for the race ahead. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on you, whatever comes my way, so that I can run the race set before me today with strength and endurance.

- Debbie Dunn

Hebrews 11 - 5.21.24

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews 11:13 – 16

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

OBSERVATION:  This chapter begins with a well known verse “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” I love how this verse so perfectly explains what faith is.  The next set of verses from 2 – 12 all begin with “By faith…” and go on to reveal the faith shown by many great people in the Bible like Noah, Abraham, and Enoch. These verses explain, in depth, each person’s use of their faith and the outcome. It’s a great testimony and offers a chance to build our own faith in reading this chapter.

In verse 6, after mentioning how God took Enoch away from this life before death and notes that he was “one who pleased God”, we see how important our faith is to God. Verse 6 says “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.” Faith is the cornerstone to our entire life as a Christian and is the hope of what God promised us after death: eternal life with Him in heaven.

Verse 13 pivots to explain the bigger picture of faith and where it leads. All of the great people of the Bible, talked about in verses 2 – 12,  lived by faith yet verse 13 says “They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.”  This verse might be a bit confusing and imply that after all these great men did in their faith, God did not give the things promised. God did give them the promises yet the one final promise had not been fulfilled yet. In order to really understand this, it’s important to look at this section from a heavenly view. The “things promised” is relating to what awaits them after death. They were living on earth in their faith – living as foreigners and strangers because earth is not their real home. Verse 16 says  “They were longing for a better country – a heavenly one.”  They had their eyes set on living in faith here on this earth, yet longing, believing and having faith that after death comes life with God in heaven. That is where the promises are fulfilled to all who believe. On top of all that, He has prepared a place for us. The second half of verse 16 says “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” How great it is that God is not ashamed - actually proud - to be our God AND He’s preparing a place for each of us, a home, our eternal resting place. How sweet!!! I don’t know about you, but that is another faith builder of the heart.

APPLICATION: Our faith, just like the ones of those mentioned in this chapter, is a journey that is built stronger when living our life for God. Each day, event, prayer and reading of God’s word is an opportunity to grow our faith. As our faith grows stronger and deeper, our view of this world becomes clearer: This world is not our home. When our focus is on things in heaven and not on this earth, everything changes. Our view of relationships changes, how we deal with situations change, and how we view circumstances will change. Our life focus is best set vertically to heaven rather than horizontally on this earth.

The bottom line is our hope and promise, the foundation of our faith, is nothing that we gain on earth or based on this world.  Colossians 3:1-4 says it best:

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

PRAYER: Lord, I believe in you, trust you, and only want your will to be done. Thank you, Lord, for your promise of heaven and eternity with you. Help my faith to grow deeper and deeper each day. Help me to live my daily life with a heavenly view so that each event, circumstance, and relationship reflect your glory. I pray that every aspect of my life reflects you and helps lead others to you and grow their faith. Amen!

- Mary Oberg

Hebrews 10 - 5.20.24

Scripture

Hebrews 10:36-39

You need to persevere so that when you have done with will of God, you will receive what he has promised.  For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will not delay.” And,  “But my righteous one will live by faith.  And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”  But, we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Observation

This part of Hebrews 10 is an encouragement to those of the faith to continue to persevere. He is actually using other Scripture references, such as Isaiah 26:20, Habukkuk 2:3, and Habukkuk 2:4 to support his point.

Also, from today’s reading in Exodus 32, I saw a similar theme of being tired of waiting for the Lord. The Israelites were tired of waiting for Moses (who was still with God on the mountain), so they made a golden calf to worship. As a result, they were later destroyed by a plague. (Ex. 32:35)

Application

When getting tired of waiting, don’t quit. Keep persevering in the faith.  

Let us learn from the Israelites and not return to our vomit (which are our past sins and idols).

It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.  Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to his vomit.” (Proverbs 26:11) and “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” -2 Peter 2:21-22 NIV

“But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.” -Luke 12:45-46 NIV

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Please help us to continue to persevere in the faith.  When we are tired of waiting and tempted to go back to our “old ways,” may we continue to seek You wholeheartedly in prayer and through Your Word for encouragement. May we also remember Your promise of return. We do not want to be a people “who shrink back and are destroyed, but rather a people who have faith and are saved,” as Your Word says. Amen.

-Michelle Gaddi