Devotionals

Whether we realize it or not, every human being desires to be known. Scripture teaches we were created by God to be known by him. The Hebrew word for “known” is יָד֔וּעַ [yadua] and it can be translated as “intimate knowledge” or in easy terms God having a deep understanding of each member of his human family. God is Spirit and he ministers to our spirits [core of our being] (John 4:24).  We cannot comprehend God with our natural minds, but our spirits in human flesh were wired with a compelling desire to share a relationship with the Lord.  He is our Maker. 

Sometimes we may have a fear of being known and we try to hide our true selves from what may feel like an invasion of our privacy and will.  However, God pursues every person and seeks to reveal himself in hearts, in nature, and in the universe. God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and always presence; so, we cannot hide from him and believers should simply enjoy his loving presence in us!  God with us [Immanuel]. Wow…such a miraculous gift and blessing! 

In our passage today, David sings of the sovereignty of God—his unlimited authority over creation.  Nothing can stop what God has purposed and planned, because he is above and beyond all the limitations of time and creation.  Our Creator holds all things together and has ultimate control over events.  Satan is the deceiver and destroyer and he works to thwart humanity’s understanding of God’s goodness (2 Cor 4:4).  Remember, Satan has power in this world, but his power is not equal to God.  So, believers take authority over Satan and pray for God’s will to manifest on earth as it is in heaven.

One may question why God allows certain horrible things to happen in this world; but, because we cannot comprehend the thoughts and ways of God to save us we are blind to the goodness for the whole of creation that motivates our Lord—he uses evil to bring about a greater revelation of grace, salvation, and godliness to humanity (Isa 55:8-9).  There is always a contrast between righteousness [good] and unrighteousness [evil].  Sadly, humanity sees many things more clearly through the eyes of pain.

As we read our passage, today, rather than dissecting the teaching based on our quest for human knowledge, let’s allow this passage to bring comfort and reassurance to us that God knows and loves us. We must never forget from the beginning, human beings have been created to become God’s glorious temple (1 Cor 3:16).  We are known completely by a perfect and pure God.  All the days of our lives should be focused on knowing him in return and therefore trusting his plan for us.  Are God’s thoughts about you precious in your sight?

Psalm 139:1-6 NLT A psalm of David.

1 

O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.

2 

You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

3 

You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.

4 

You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.

5 

You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.

6 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too great for me to understand!

13

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 

You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

17 

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!

18 

I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me!

Prayer:  Father, thank you for making each of us wonderfully complex and unique.  You offer us a personal relationship and a closeness we sometimes struggle to receive. And, you pursue us until we surrender to your authority, willingly obey your Word to our hearts, and grow spiritually so we can begin to see things the way you do.  Beautifully, in our uniqueness, you have chosen to shine the light of your glory.  Believers are your dwelling place and the Spirit raises us up in Christ’s righteousness.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

The internet is truly helpful when we are looking for instructions, educational information, ideas, networking tools, etc. If you have a question, you can usually find some kind of an answer on the internet. Recently, I was surprised to find a plethora of sample excuses a person could use to call in sick for work. Granted the topic was an odd search on my part! lol! However, the Bible is the best place to search for answers and Jesus does address telling the Truth, as well as the pitfalls of making dishonest excuses (Ex 20:16).

During the sermon time on Sunday, our Luken passage was about honor and the actions of true believers (14:7-14). Jesus uses a dinner banquet he is attending as an example of what NOT to do. Believers are not to seek the seats of honor when going to a banquet gathering. Instead, Jesus’ disciples are to sit as servants waiting for the master to assign their seats. Then, Jesus tells the host of the banquet not to invite people who can reciprocate with a blessing; instead he is encouraged to invite the poor, blind, deaf, and crippled because then he will be blessed by God (14:13). Throughout his example, Jesus is teaching about humility, as well as honor, and he finishes that teaching with, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

In our continuous passage today from Luke’s gospel, Jesus shares a parable about a great dinner banquet, but is really referencing the end of the age Great Kingdom Feast with Messiah. This time Jesus’ teaching exposes the dishonor of making unacceptable excuses for not attending the banquet or entering the Kingdom for the Feast. No excuse is going to be acceptable. Humanity has been invited to Messiah’s banquet Feast; when we hear the salvation invitation [Christ’s sacrifice to die for the forgiveness of our sin] it is our day of visitation and we must respond by seeking Christ’s Kingdom and serving in a righteous lifestyle. Scripture reminds us one day it will be too late to accept the invitation. But for now, there is room in Christ’s Kingdom for all…

Luke 14:15-24 NLT Parable of the Great Feast
15 Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet [eat bread] in the Kingdom of God!”

16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for modeling a servant’s heart for us as your children. As your family, please teach us to honor one another and to approach all that we say and do with an abundance of gratitude and respect, because we represent you. We have no excuse to approach life any other way. May you be glorified in our lives, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Do you think if you knew the future it would change the way you viewed or lived your life? I know this is basically a hypothetical question, because there is no real reliable way to know the future. However, researcher have studied how a person’s perception, attitudes—positive or negative—as well as beliefs affect a person’s sense of well-being which does influence life choices and outcomes. Although predictions may limit our anxiety about the future, God has created us to have faith and confident trust that he will guide and direct our steps (Pro 3:5-6).

In Isaiah chapter two—written about 740 BC—the prophet has a vision of the future reign of the Lord on Mount Moriah [Jerusalem] (Rev 21). This vision involves Judah [translates praise; thanksgiving] and Jerusalem [translates city of peace; righteousness]; the vision is one of future wholeness and justice with God. Judah, the southern kingdom, and Israel, the northern kingdom, were separated at the time of this vision; a national split. When Isaiah wrote down his vision, these two kingdoms were experiencing a sense of security, but it was artificial. Why? Because the people had abandoned their First Love; therefore, in due time, both kingdoms would face the humbling work of the Lord because of their idolatry.

Isaiah is sent by the Lord to warn both kingdoms; they must return to God. They must heed God’s warnings or they will lose everything. In time, the northern kingdom was captured and defeated by the Assyrians and the southern kingdom was destroyed and the people taken into captivity by the Babylonians. So, even when God sent the prophet Isaiah to warn the people about the future, many chose to remain indifferent to the Word of the Lord.

This nation—the United States of America—needs to return to God, because as a whole we have carelessly abandoned our First Love. As a nation, we have tried to be our own god, live by our feelings and desires, so we are eating the rotten fruit of our unrighteous choices. May we return and humbly bow to the Lord our God, before we face his humbling work—a day of reckoning. “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (2 Chro 7:14).

God wants our hearts and our devotion; allegiance to his Word. We cannot say we belong to the Lord [called by his name] and align our lives with this fallen world. According to Scripture, judgment comes “suddenly” like a “thief in the night” (1 Thes 5:2-3). Now is the time to pray and make some serious changes to live in the righteousness of Jesus the Christ. If as believers, we will prudently judge ourselves, we will not receive the disciplinary action of Almighty God or the judgment meant for the unrighteous following the deceptive lies of Satan (1 Cor 11:31).

Isaiah 2:12-17 NLT
12
For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    has a day of reckoning.
He will punish the proud and mighty
    and bring down everything that is exalted.
13 
He will cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon
    and all the mighty oaks of Bashan.
14 
He will level all the high mountains
    and all the lofty hills.
15 
He will break down every high tower
    and every fortified wall.
16 
He will destroy all the great trading ships
    and every magnificent vessel.
17 
Human pride will be humbled,
    and human arrogance will be brought down.
Only the Lord will be exalted
    on that day of judgment.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for always getting to your children the resources of Truth we need to make wise decisions. You share with us in order to protect us and guide us around the pitfalls created by Satan. You are good, Lord, and we thank and praise you for your pure love for us. Please continue to help us walk in the ways of wisdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

As believers, we live in this ever-changing and many times unjust world; therefore, we must cling to our never-changing Lord. Because he is the same yesterday, today, and forever—he is Truth—we can drawn near him, form roots through our trust, and grow in his righteous character. The Spirit gives us the desire for spiritual growth. As this happens, the world begins to lose its attraction, the Kingdom compels us forward as witnesses, and our hearts begin to long for our eternal home. Our focus changes to the Changeless One!

In our passage today from the writer of Hebrews, we are challenged not to be attached to this temporary world. Only our relationship with Christ and our service to him as our King will last. Believers are in this race of faith together and it requires endurance (Heb 12:1-2). We must not stop praying for one another, because the effort of the enemy is focused on destroying the work of God’s leaders to form sons and daughters who are led by the Spirit (Ro 8:14).

Spiritual maturity is hard work, but we have been invited into the rest of God to receive grace when we need it (Heb 4:16). Never forget, with God all things are possible (Mat 19:26). Happy Labor Day…make sure you enter into the Rest of the Lord!

Hebrews 13:7-21 NLT
7 Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.

10 We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. 12 So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. 14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

17 Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

18 Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do. 19 And especially pray that I will be able to come back to you soon.
20 
Now may the God of peace—
    who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
    and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
21 
may he equip you with all you need
    for doing his will.
May he produce in you,[us]
    through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
    All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

Prayer: Lord, we desire for you to be the beginning and end of our faith, so we pray and ask for grace. Help us grow in spiritual maturity and in the beauty of your righteous character. May we produce the fruit of your love, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In our LIFE lessons Bible study time on Wednesday, we dove into Matthew chapter 11 and it became clear the narrow way of the Lord is the path of endurance.  Life right now can be stressful and emotionally driven, so we must use healthy coping skills to successfully navigate each day. Certainly, getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy, exercising, enjoying a hobby or connecting with friends all help us gain a better balance to manage stress. 

All of these choices and actions are good tools, but don’t forget Jesus teaches love never fails and disciplined, grateful, and childlike prayer is essential to the believer’s endurance (Mat 6:5-8; 6:9-13; 11:25; 1 Cor 13:7).  The time between Jesus’ death/ascension and the time of his return are considered the “end times” or the “age of grace.”  We must stay focused on prayer and seeking the Kingdom way of living, because we must learn to remain in the peace and joy of the Spirit.  

Jesus told his disciples no one but the Father knows the time of Christ’s return (Acts1:7). During this stress infused end time, we must trust God to safely guide us around the traps of worldliness; Satan uses stress to destroy us. Therefore, Christ’s disciples are to live in anticipation of his return while they faithfully pray for God’s provision and strength and stay focused on witnessing to the world about the Kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy believers can enter and enjoy in the Spirit (Mat 21:22).

In our passage from Peter, today, we are encouraged to pray, love one another, share life, rely on God’s strength, and live for the glory of God.  If we are stressed, we will struggle to do these things.  If you find yourself burdened with stress…reach out in prayer to Jesus. He says, “Come all of you…” (Mat 11:28-30).  

Who is all of you?

• All of you who are struggling to find answers and peace
• All of you who are exhausted, overworked, overextended
• All of you who desire to know the truth and be set free
• All of you who are in need of hope to go on
• All of you who are concerned about the future
• All of you who are fighting or in the midst of conflict
• All of you who are bending under the weight of life’s problems
• All of you regardless of age, gender, race, past, present—all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and the Lord will give you rest.

1 Peter 4:7-11 NLT

7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Prayer:  Lord, no one knows how to connect time with your return.  So, help us live anticipating your return, by actually fulfilling the work you have for us as your witnesses.  Holy Spirit, bring us people who need help coping with the pressures of life and we will tell them about you and how you help us.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

It may be acceptable in our world to verbally tear a person down or discredit him/her as a way to take some kind of revenge for a personal offense, but it is not what Jesus taught.  If we profess to be a follower of Christ, kindness and humility are to rule in our thoughts and actions.  For this reason, Paul teaches us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, because if we are thinking ugly thoughts it is just a short period of time until ungodliness exits our mouths or is displayed through our actions (2 Cor 10:5).  The spiritual battle begins in the mind, so we must stop sin there.

Few biblical characters had a stronger or more impulsive personality than Peter—which frequently caused him to learn things the hard way.  He was strong-willed and struggled to recognize his own weaknesses.  Peter is not alone; most of us human beings fit in this category if we are honest. Yet, through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, Peter learned to operate his life in humble Christlikeness.

In our passage today, Peter writes and encourages every believer to think like Jesus.   When we have the mind of Christ, we allow the Spirit to produce the fruit of his character within and subsequently through us.  As we read these words today, may we take an honest look at ourselves.  Every day we are given a choice of living for Christ [eternal Life and divine blessing] or living for the world [sin and death under a curse] (Deut 30:19).  Let’s learn the easy way and ask the Spirit to lead us into the blessing, today.  I am praying for us…

1 Peter 3:8-12 NLT  All Christians

8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. 10 For the Scriptures say,

“If you want to enjoy life
    and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
    and your lips from telling lies.

11 

Turn away from evil and do good.
    Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

12 

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,
    and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face
    against those who do evil.”

Prayer:  Lord, we bow with a humble posture and pray for the power to keep our hearts clean, our thoughts righteous, our mouths speaking blessings, and our actions Christlike.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Love is to be the fragrance of each believer’s life; love is the evidence that Christ’s work for salvation changes lives.  God is love…God is with us…God is good! (1 John 4:8; Mat 1:23; Ps 100:5).  Our self-centered lives are being transformed into God-centered living.  In Christ, we are now blessed to be a blessing in the salvation of the nations (Gen 22:18; Mat 28:18-20).  This is the plan of God to redeem his world—one heart at a time!

Yesterday, we read John’s Spirit-guided letter to the church in Philadelphia [Asia Minor]; the love of a spiritual family that permeated the community with the fragrance of the Lord.  Every true believer enjoys a personal relationship with God and identifies him or herself with divine Love based on the Word.  As well, believers join together as a spiritual Body or family to proclaim God’s Love and welcome redeeming Truth while worshiping God as One in the Spirit.

It is impossible to say we believe in Christ for salvation and not love the spiritual family.  It is also impossible to say we believe in Christ for salvation, love the spiritual family, and neglect caring about the burdens of those in the world that need a saving touch from God.  We are God’s ambassadors in the world; we represent his love.  So our actions must be ruled and directed by agape Love.

In our passage today, Dr. Luke writes about an encounter Jesus has with the Pharisees when Jesus stops to heal a man with a deformed right hand on the Sabbath.  The Jewish religious leaders believed healing was wrong on the Sabbath, because it was unlawful to practice medicine [or any other profession] on that day.  Dr. Luke concludes if God wants to miraculously heal on the Sabbath; it must be a holy time to do so. Amen! 

Luke 6:6-11 NLT  Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

6 On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. 7 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.

8 But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. 9 Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?”

10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for another wonderful lesson about your love and heart to heal those who are suffering.  We have so many people we are praying for right now who need a miracle.  You are Lord of the Sabbath and you are King of all Kings.  Power and glory are yours to give, so we pray for our loved ones today to be miraculously healed in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Every believer must use his or her faith when it comes to trusting God for the future. So much of God’s plan must be revealed over time. Still, we always have a foundation of Truth on which to stand, because Jesus is the Solid Rock and Word of Wisdom and he existed from the beginning of time and faithfully directs our paths (John 1:1; Pro 3:5-6). We must trust him and stay connected to the Word if we desire to grow in the Truth.

The Apostle John is the author of the Book of Revelation; written around 95 AD while John is exiled on the island of Patmos as a punishment for preaching the message of Christ in Asia Minor [modern day Turkey]. The word “revelation” actually comes from the Greek word “apokalypsis” and translates “unveiling.” God uses the apostle and his letters to begin to unveil what has been unknown about the future of the world and the heavenlies. John is issued a command from the Lord to write his Word to the seven churches is Asia Minor. Only two churches mentioned in those letters actually gain the Lord’s approval.

In his letter to the Church in Philadelphia [translates “brotherly love”], the Lord sends a Word of encouragement. Their wholehearted love for God and one another pleases the Lord; they emulate the characteristic of Christ. Because of their love, these believers are used by the Lord. This spiritual family in Philadelphia faces challenges; however, God also opens righteous doors of blessings and provision to face these difficulties. This church is the recipient of divinely “opened doors.”

Challenges come to those who please God, but with every hardship there will be an open door from God for provision and help. Righteous Love [agape/selfless] always leads the Way to victory! This was true from the beginning of time and it will be true at the end of time, as well.  “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance” (1 Cor 13:7).

These letters from the Lord to the churches and especially this one today are tremendously important for believers across the globe. Before Christ returns for his Church Body [all believers seeking to walk in obedience to God’s Word through the Spirit], the world will be shaken and unsettled in order to give an occasion for every human to call upon the name of the Lord. God wants to save humanity and he will even allow challenges in order to provide witnesses [believers] to the rescuing Savior who opens the door to God’s mercy and care.

For the present day church, abundant courage and trust will be necessary if we are to fulfill our mission from God. The unveiling is happening over time. No one knows when Christ will return, but the Word of God has revealed some things to notice as we follow and obey him (Matthew 24–which we will explore in our LIFE Lessons soon). Our response should be positive and hope-filled when we begin to see more unveiling of Christ’s return for us.
This is not a time for fear, because the enemy will use fear to stop the blessing of God’s love (1 John 4:18). This is a time for great faith and love. God will protect his own and those obedient to his Word. Fear not! Instead, have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. Rise Up; be filled with excitement, courageous faith, and see the salvation of the Lord. It’s a privilege for those who connect to Christ [the Living Word].

Revelation 3:7-13 NLT The Message to the Church in Philadelphia
7 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia.
This is the message from the one who is holy and true,
    the one who has the key of David.
What he opens, no one can close;
    and what he closes, no one can open:[quoting Isaiah 22:22]

8 “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. 9 Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.
10 “Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. 11 I am coming soon [suddenly]. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. 12 All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.

13 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.

Prayer: Lord, your commands are clear. We are to love you wholeheartedly and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. In our desire to fulfill your commands, we gather as a spiritual family and we help one another grow in all of these areas. We know our first love must be you, Lord. When we love you in a righteous and wholehearted way, we have the power and desire to love others into a place of wholeness with you. A preoccupation on self and selfish desires are always trying to gain power in our lives, but we cast down wrong spirits for the Holy Spirit who leads us in the Truth of your agape [selfless love]. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Friends, as I grow closer to Jesus, I find myself wanting more of the rest that only He can offer me, and it goes far beyond physical rest. In this place of resting in the Lord, my heart needs to be fully connected to Him, as I submit every aspect of my life into His care. I must have faith that He will overshadow my fears, peace that removes my self-control, and trust that He will guide my life.

The writer of today’s passage from Hebrews uses the theme of God’s rest to both warn and encourage believers. Several times throughout the passage, the writer reflects on Psalm 95:7-11 and reminds us that despite hearing God’s voice and experiencing His miraculous provision, Israel did not remain faithful to God, and as a result of their disobedience their hearts grew cold, and they missed out on God’s promised rest.

Today we need to really press into our faith and allow the Word to open our spiritual ears so that we can truly hear God’s voice. We cannot stop at hearing God’s voice; we must respond to Him with open hearts that are willing to walk out His call on our lives.

Hebrews 3:7 – 4:11 (NLT)

7 That is why the Holy Spirit says,

“Today when you hear his voice,
8 don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled,
when they tested me in the wilderness.
9 There your ancestors tested and tried my patience,
even though they saw my miracles for forty years.
10 So I was angry with them, and I said,
‘Their hearts always turn away from me.
They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 So in my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”

12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. 14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. 15 Remember what it says:
“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled.”

16 And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? 18 And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? 19 So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.

Promised Rest for God’s People

4 God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. 2 For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. 3 For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said,

“In my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest,’”

even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. 4 We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” 5 But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.”

6 So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. 7 So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:

“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts.”

8 Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. 9 So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. 10 For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. 11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for providing us with Your rest. Holy Spirit, please help each one of us to hear Your voice and to respond quickly by faith. We want our hearts to remain soft to Your Word, we want our faith to be obedient, and we want to grow in our trust in You. Your rest and peace are what each of us wants for our lives, both now and for eternity. We ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

In our Bible Study Wednesday night, we spent time in Matthew chapter 10 highlighting the courage of the apostles to Jesus’ commission of sending them out to share the gospel. Courage is not action in the absence of fear; it is righteous action despite fear. The apostles had every reason to withdraw from Christ’s instructions. There were so many areas that would require trust. Even the warnings Jesus gave these men—the negative responses from others they could expect—was enough for them to say, “No thank you, Lord.” But, instead these courageous ambassadors of Christ let faith for the Lord’s mission to save the world drive them further into the miraculous unknown.

Throughout Scripture, faith is confident trust that what God has said he will do. We each have a part in sharing the gospel and every part will require courage. God’s story must be shared according to God’s thoughts, by God’s power, for God’s glory…so there will always be a plethora of unknowns for our human mind that will required trust. God’s thoughts and ways are always higher than ours (Isa 55:8-9). It takes great faith to be conformed to the thoughts and ways of Christ (Ro 8:29).

Today, we continue with the writings of Dr. Luke in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. Our lesson is focused on two Apostles, Paul and Silas, and the mighty work of grace upon them to draw people to Christ. The location of the reading is Thessalonica—a very wealthy city in Macedonia [northern Greece]—where God took Paul to plant a church. People were turning to God through salvation in Christ and the church was growing strong.

In our passage today, Paul goes to the synagogue to preach. He begins his teaching with what is known from the Old Testament Scriptures and he brings people’s attention to what is presently unknown to them—Jesus the Messiah. The religious leaders become jealous of the power of God on the apostles; they cannot refute the Truth but they can hate the messengers. And they do. As well, they try to punish Jason, a man honoring the Jewish command of hospitality. Jason gets very little attention for serving God, but by courageously sharing hospitality with the apostles he becomes a spiritual hero who proclaims the world’s true King.

Where do you need supernatural courage, today? Every believer has the commission to share the gospel and serve Christ. Our calls are all different, but every call is essential to share the rule of our King and the growth of his Kingdom. Whatever part you are called to offer in service to Jesus, do it with courage. Fear will always come to stop you. Remember, you never know what you can do in the power of the Holy Spirit until you step out. Have a blessed weekend.

Acts 17:1-9 NLT Paul Preaches in Thessalonica
1 Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. 3 He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.” 4 Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women.

5 But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd [city council]. 6 Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. 7 And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”

8 The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. 9 So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.

Prayer: Lord, even though the forces of evil never seem to stop trying to draw us into a place of fear, we thank you for supernatural courage. We know you love us and we know your plans for us are holy. However, many times we need a gentle reminder about the measure of faith and trust that is essential to please you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.