What this blog is about and what I hope it does...

I hope this will be a simple fun tool for us to grow in our understanding and surrender to God through the Bible as we connect over the web. Reading the Bible is both simple and difficult. What could be easier than opening a book and reading? Yet we've all done that and wondered what sections of the Bible mean? What's with the book of Leviticus? What is Revelation really about? Is the Song of Songs about marital love or is it supposed to be more 'spiritual' than that?

So, my intent is for this blog to be a tool that helps us in our faith. A forum for better understanding. An honest place of sharing that nurtures us as we follow Jesus together.

(There are a few resources I have included under "PAGES" that may be a helpful start, especially to those newer to reading the Bible. It's located just below this and to the right. Also included is a READING OUTLINE. If you miss a day, go on to the next rather than trying to catch up.)

ONE LAST NOTE: you don't have to join or set up an account to share comments. Just click 'comment' at the bottom of a post, click the drop down and click 'anonymous.' Then write your post and if you want sign it with your first name and finish by clicking 'Post comment.' I would love to hear your thoughts.

7.30.2011

Hebrews 10:19-39

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I'm sorry it's been so long...maybe you haven't missed our posting/commenting, but I have. I'll push through the rest of Hebrews. There's such good stuff there.

These last 21 verses of chapter 10 can be organized in three sections: verses 19-25, verses 26-31 and verses 32-39.

The first section begins with the reminder of two phenomenal realities that have been given to the Christian in Christ (notice the the 'have' in verses 19 and 21): 'we have' (1) confidence to enter the 'Most Holy Place,' and (2) a great priest (Jesus). The 'confidence' referred to is not so much what we think of as self-confidence, as if it is a feeling inside us; rather it is a boldness, openness, free invitation to come to the very throne of God for relationship, help, service and worship and it is open to us not because of us, but because of what Christ has done for us.

In the second section, the author leads us to 3 big Christian qualities that are at once both gifts given to us, and responses we must take seriously: faith (v. 22), hope (v. 23), and love (v. 24), which might remind us of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13.

Verse 25 is a reminder to every church that gathering together for worship, though it is for some easy to 'give up,' is a necessary, God-given meands of encouraging one another.

Verses 26-31 are meant to serve as a caution to also watch how we live. To casually continue in sin (v. 26) is practically speaking, a 'trampling' (v. 29) over the Son of God and an insult to God's Spirit of grace.

Third and last, verses 32-39 are meant to motivate the listeners to remember that they can stay faithful to God, to a moral life, and to each other as a local church regardless of the circumstances. It is a simple stark push that every Christian 'needs to persevere.' We can't always make excuses or shift blame. Yes, God is amazingly patient (thank you, Lord), but God is also a just Judge (vv. 30-31) and though His grace comes to us, it is not to be treated as no big deal.

So...may we also be 'not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.'

2 comments:

  1. 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. - I love this scripture. It is integral to the foundation of our faith!

    26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”d and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”e 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. - How scary is this? Thankfully our GOD is long on grace!

    32Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

    35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37For in just a very little while,

    “He who is coming will come and will not delay.
    38But my righteous onef will live by faith.
    And if he shrinks back,
    I will not be pleased with him.”g
    39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. - This section of my Bible is underlined and highlighted. It perfectly describes my faith walk. So very true!

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