Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Revelation 14:7
Based on Hebrews 12:18-29
God, not just God the Father, but God; is terrifying at best to sinful weak human beings. God is so holy that any lesser being who steps near him must be killed.
But God has given us himself as Jesus, and his blood guarantees us harmony with God, a place in heaven and stability in these strange times.
It is so important that we hold onto the truth that God has revealed, only then are we able to be firm when everything around us is falling apart.
God should be feared, but he is also kind and generous.
Are you standing for the truth?
If you are, are you also being kind and generous?
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
The Value of Discipline
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Proverbs 3:11-12
Based on Hebrews 12:11-17
Being disciplined doesn't feel good at the time; but it makes us righteous, giving us contentment.
We need to help each other to live righteous lives. We need to get along with each other. We need to watch over each other making sure that nobody is rejecting the grace God is giving to help us forgive each other; causing the offended person to be bitter and ultimately causing many people to fall into sin. When this happens in the church it leads to a widespread devaluation of God's principles inside and outside the church, resulting in sin. Eventually people will be so hardened against the Holy Spirit that they will be eternally lost.
It is absolutely essential that we are all willing to be disciplined by God and others, and that we are willing to discipline others as well.
Are you rejecting discipline which the Holy Spirit is bringing into your life, perhaps through another person? Are you bitter against someone? Is it really worth losing heaven for? What will you say to Jesus when he shows you how your bitterness has also destroyed others?
Do you know others in your church well enough to help them with their struggles?
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Why is there Suffering?
"When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them." Deuteronomy 4:30-31
Based on Hebrews 12:4-10
You have probably not even had to bleed in trying to overcome sin in your life, at least not yet. You have also forgotten the appeal God makes to you as to one of his children; "My son, do not hate getting disciplined or corrected by the Lord, because he rebukes and punishes every son that is his own." If you are being disciplined by God that proves you belong to him, all good fathers discipline their children. If you were not suffering at all it would just indicate the you were not a child of God. We should be even more grateful to God for his correction than our natural fathers, because God has all authority and is entirely selfless, so his discipline is perfect.
To overcome sin involves a process that will require you to submit to the hand of God and be willing to go through suffering and sorrow in the process. God loves you and you are his child, so he will take responsibility to discipline and train you. But you must not refuse this training or you will not be changed to be like Jesus.
Are you willing to be cut by God in order to become like Jesus?
Based on Hebrews 12:4-10
You have probably not even had to bleed in trying to overcome sin in your life, at least not yet. You have also forgotten the appeal God makes to you as to one of his children; "My son, do not hate getting disciplined or corrected by the Lord, because he rebukes and punishes every son that is his own." If you are being disciplined by God that proves you belong to him, all good fathers discipline their children. If you were not suffering at all it would just indicate the you were not a child of God. We should be even more grateful to God for his correction than our natural fathers, because God has all authority and is entirely selfless, so his discipline is perfect.
To overcome sin involves a process that will require you to submit to the hand of God and be willing to go through suffering and sorrow in the process. God loves you and you are his child, so he will take responsibility to discipline and train you. But you must not refuse this training or you will not be changed to be like Jesus.
Are you willing to be cut by God in order to become like Jesus?
Monday, 28 May 2012
The Power of the Cross
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18
Based on Hebrews 12:1-3
Since there are so many witnesses/martyrs that testify to us that there is hope in God worth suffering for; we can put aside everything that holds us back and the sin that we often succumb to, and we can do the Christian walk like a marathon.
Look to and depend on Jesus who founded and will complete this faith. Consider how he endured excruciating pain because he hoped that you might be healed of sin. Consider how Jesus did not care that his own reputation/glory was dragged through the mud, and now his reputation is better than anyone else in the universe.
Consider what Jesus went through for you often, especially when you feel like being selfish/sinful.
Would you be so quick to sin if you reflected on Jesus' sacrifice for a few minutes every morning?
Try it.
Jesus gave everything so that you could be saved, what are you sacrificing to bring others to Jesus?
Based on Hebrews 12:1-3
Since there are so many witnesses/martyrs that testify to us that there is hope in God worth suffering for; we can put aside everything that holds us back and the sin that we often succumb to, and we can do the Christian walk like a marathon.
Look to and depend on Jesus who founded and will complete this faith. Consider how he endured excruciating pain because he hoped that you might be healed of sin. Consider how Jesus did not care that his own reputation/glory was dragged through the mud, and now his reputation is better than anyone else in the universe.
Consider what Jesus went through for you often, especially when you feel like being selfish/sinful.
Would you be so quick to sin if you reflected on Jesus' sacrifice for a few minutes every morning?
Try it.
Jesus gave everything so that you could be saved, what are you sacrificing to bring others to Jesus?
Thursday, 24 May 2012
Your Part
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Hebrews 11:39-40
Based on Hebrews 11:30-40
Those who served God had faith to do good and faith to endure evil. God has a part for us to play in his work, without us the work of God's people throughout history is not complete. All the work that Abraham, Moses, Paul and others did will not mean anything unless it is finished by us.
You have a bigger role than you think, how are you going to fill that role?
Based on Hebrews 11:30-40
Those who served God had faith to do good and faith to endure evil. God has a part for us to play in his work, without us the work of God's people throughout history is not complete. All the work that Abraham, Moses, Paul and others did will not mean anything unless it is finished by us.
You have a bigger role than you think, how are you going to fill that role?
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Moses and Christ
Based on Hebrews 11:23-29
Consider the parallels and differences between Moses and Jesus Christ outlined in this passage.
Birth circumstances
Sacrificial lifestyle
Motivation
Obedience to God over man
Relationship to Passover
Relationship to Baptism and Judgment
Why is this significant?
The Life of Faith
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17
Based on Hebrews 11:20-22
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau though things did not go the way he planned. He did not know who he was blessing, but gave the blessing anyway and the second son but right son Jacob was blessed.
By faith Jacob blessed Joseph's sons, also blessing the younger above the older; contrary to tradition but correctly. Jacob at the end of his life also exerted great effort to worship God.
By faith Joseph, at death, commanded his family to take his bones with them mentioning a return to the promised land. He believed that the descendants of Jacob would return and by requesting the removal of his bones symbolised that the descendants of Jacob should not remain in Egypt.
Isaac had faith and accidentally blessed the right person, Jacob had faith and deliberately blessed the right person. Joseph brought his family to Egypt but by faith did not want his body to always stay there, because he knew it was not his home.
Trusting God has many applications for different situations. The emphasis of faith is on a relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Do you have enough faith in Jesus to obey him by obeying his word and following the prompting of his Spirit?
Based on Hebrews 11:20-22
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau though things did not go the way he planned. He did not know who he was blessing, but gave the blessing anyway and the second son but right son Jacob was blessed.
By faith Jacob blessed Joseph's sons, also blessing the younger above the older; contrary to tradition but correctly. Jacob at the end of his life also exerted great effort to worship God.
By faith Joseph, at death, commanded his family to take his bones with them mentioning a return to the promised land. He believed that the descendants of Jacob would return and by requesting the removal of his bones symbolised that the descendants of Jacob should not remain in Egypt.
Isaac had faith and accidentally blessed the right person, Jacob had faith and deliberately blessed the right person. Joseph brought his family to Egypt but by faith did not want his body to always stay there, because he knew it was not his home.
Trusting God has many applications for different situations. The emphasis of faith is on a relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Do you have enough faith in Jesus to obey him by obeying his word and following the prompting of his Spirit?
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