with devotion: HEBREWS

Showing posts with label HEBREWS. Show all posts

listen. look. linger.

My brothers and sisters, I beg you to listen patiently to what I have said. I wrote this letter to strengthen you. And it is not very long. [Hebrews 13:22 ERV]

An appropriate ending to this epistle. We benefit most from the scriptures when we:

Listen patiently to it's message. Too often we consume the scriptures like fast food. Gulping down thoughts and ideas like a Big Mac. In contrast the writer invites us to slowly chew on the sustenance that is offered to them. Savor the inner meanings of the words and endeavor to taste each idea. Live patiently with ideas. Wait for God to shed light on them.
Look for things in it that encourage us. Too often in life people use the scriptures to beat themselves down instead of lift themselves up. As we read we must do so with an understanding that God is good and loves us. As such his words are always good and loving. As we read the bible we should examine what we read in light of God's character.
Linger over it regularly. Like a nutritious diet, regular portions of the scriptures are good for our health. We benefit most when we read the scriptures consistently. Spending time thinking about what we read helps us understand both God and ourselves. In my life I have found so much inspiration by simply taking the scriptures in one day at a time.

Lord help us to read the scriptures with discipline that we might embrace its message.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

his will is always to transform

May the God of peace provide you with every good thing you need in order to do his will, and may he, through Jesus Christ, do in us what pleases him. [Hebrews 13:21 GNT]

Ever wonder what God's will is for your life? Or for your children? Over the years I have come to understand that his will is more about, as this verse indicates, what he does in us than what we do for him. In reality no one can do anything for God if he has not done something in them.

I believe that the provision this verse speaks about is spiritual in nature. God gives spiritual gifts that we might do his will. That we might become like Jesus, he distributes to us gifts like compassion and wisdom. As we exercise these gifts we are transformed into the image of his Son.

And becoming like Jesus is the heart of being in, and doing, God's will. In essence, we can be in God's will in any vocation, or any situation, if we are being transformed. This idea is so freeing because it allows us to connect with our heart passions and see them as an extension of divine will.

Thank you Holy Spirit for giving us the gifts we need to be in accord with divine will.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

honor of the heart, head and hands

Continue to pray for us, for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in every way. [Hebrews 13:18 MOUNCE]

When my son was young we used to watch Star Trek TNG. One of the characters on the show was a Klingon named Worf. The driving force in his life was honor. The character once said: "A Klingon's honor means more to him than his life." That sentence is so spiritual nature.

Yet I do think that the word (honor) might be a bit misunderstood. For some the appearance of honor is all that matters. The focus is to be perceived as honorable by other people. Yet, in a spiritual sense honor is mostly about the consistency between our inner and outer lives.

When the writer speaks of having a clear conscience he is connecting honor to the heart. In reality honor is an issue of the heart. When we say our conscience is clear we are indicating that our heart, our head and our hands are in full accord. To be honorable is to live this way.

We pray Lord for our friends, and ourselves, that we all might live honorably in every way.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

spiritual authority

Listen to your leaders and submit to their authority over the community, for they are on constant watch to protect your souls and someday they must give account. [Hebrews 13:17 VOICE]

When I first came to Christ in the 1970s there was a phenomena in religious circles called 'the shepherding movement'. It was a heavy handed thing. People were encouraged to ask their shepherd for advice in all matters carnal and spiritual. It lasted for a few years then died out.

I have often said that the issue in religious circles is not really authority. In truth the church is not the military. One may choose to leave one church and attend another. No one has the power to keep a person under their authority against their will. People even escape from cults.

The heart of the issue is about influence. And there is no greater way to influence anyone than to accept them and love them unconditionally. This to me is the heart of spiritual authority. Love people as God loves us and you will have more influence in their life than you can imagine.

Teach us Lord to surround ourselves with people who love us without conditions.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

the sacrifice of doing good

Do not forget to do good to others, and share with them, because such sacrifices please God. [Hebrews 13:16 NCV]

I love the connections made in this verse. It brings pleasure to God when we do good to others. What do you think the writer means when he connects doing good with sacrifices. Can we do good without sacrificing? I guess it depends what we think the phrase 'doing good' means.

Consider giving. Are we doing good if it is not 'sacrificial'? Or what about serving? Is helping another in our spare time 'sacrificial'? I think that there are varying degrees of sacrifice. Yet a case can be made that money or time spent for another, instead of ourselves, is sacrificial in nature. So I think that doing good to others is usually sacrificial. Unless one is compensated, of course. ツ

Help us Lord to remember that we are blessed to be a blessing to others.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

the cost of praise

So through Jesus let us always offer to God our sacrifice of praise, coming from lips that speak his name. [Hebrews 13:15 NCV]

For years many have been led to believe that praise is something that we do in Church. A lifting of hands and a joining of voices to exalt God and extol his virtues. I certainly amen that. Yet the singing of songs and the clapping of hands is a very small part of what it means to offer praise.

As the writer says, praise involves sacrifice. It costs us something. King David understood this when he said that he would not give to God that which cost him nothing. Praise often costs us dearly. It demands that we deny ourselves as we follow the way of Jesus. The way of the cross.

Jesus offered the highest form of praise on the cross. He showed us how to offer a sacrifice of praise. Our hearts, like his, offer praise when we are silent when we are accused. Our sacrifice of praise is most real when we deny ourselves, pick up our cross, submit to God and follow Jesus.

Afresh today dear Lord I offer you my heart. Let your way not my way be done.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

the city of the heart

Here on earth we do not have a city that lasts forever, but we are looking for the city that we will have in the future. [Hebrews 13:14 NCV]

The contrast between the two cities mentioned in this verse is stark. Eternal vs temporal. Invisible vs visible. Inner vs outer. In reality, we who believe are residents of both cities. We walk the sidewalks of this world while living in a city that is so much different that what we see and hear.

The outer city demands our attention by captivating our senses with sights, sounds and aromas of this world. Yet all the while the inner city beckons us to sense an unseen reality. A dimension that is filled with love in the midst of hate. Peace in a time of war. Joy in times of great despair.

Yet this inner city is a place that we must seek out. It does not come to us. We come to it. Like the saints of old we must, by faith, seek this city out. Give priority to this inner city of the heart. Daily we must sense the activities of this city. Then we must live according to the laws of this city.

Lord, please open our inner eyes and ears that we might see the eternal city.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

the strengthened heart

Do not let all kinds of strange teachings lead you into the wrong way. Your hearts should be strengthened by God’s grace, not by obeying rules about foods, which do not help those who obey them. [Hebrews 13:9 NCV]

I have always been somewhat of a rule follower. Obeying the rules always strengthened my ego but never really did anything for my heart. I found that following the rules produced in me a judgmental attitude towards those who did not follow the rules. And that was a problem.

In contrast, embracing God's grace strengthened my heart and gave me the ability to offer grace to others. People of grace understand that they are divinely loved unconditionally and desire to love in the same way. And as they love unconditionally their hearts are strengthened.

Thank you Lord for the grace you give to me and the grace you offer through me.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

the divine self

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. [Hebrews 13:8 NCV]

It is hard to read this and not remember the words that God used to describe himself to Moses. The divine descriptor he uttered was "I Am". I looked up the Greek word translated "the same" here and found that an alternative definition is "self". The idea that Jesus is the "I Am".

This makes sense to me because I believe that Jesus is divine. God in the flesh. Therefore he is "I Am". The divine self. The one who is eternally the same. Love never changing and never ending. Eternal mercy and goodness. Always present with us. These are descriptors of a divine being.

This brings me such comfort Lord. You are always trustable because you are always the same.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

spiritual copycats

Remember your leaders who taught God’s message to you. Remember how they lived and died, and copy their faith. [Hebrews 13:7 NCV]

I have benefited greatly from those who have taught me about spiritual things. Over forty years ago my friend Jerry taught me what following God was all about. My longtime pastor Ernie passed on to me a love for the scriptures. Adam, the pastor of the church we now attend, teaches me how to embrace the gray areas. Since coming to the Lord I have learned so much from spiritual leaders.

Yet I think that each of these men would absolutely not want me to be their clone. They would want me to copy qualities like their faith but not how they lived. The latter is a mistake that I made when I was young. I admired my leaders and copied what they did. I was a spiritual copycat. Thankfully, I found the unique expression of God in my heart and embraced a faith that was truly my own.

Teach us Lord to embrace the uniqueness of our faith and your life in our lives.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

confidence of the heart

I will not be afraid, because the Lord is my helper. People can’t do anything to me. [Hebrews 13:6 NCV]

On the surface this statement sounds a bit absurd. People of faith are often mistreated. Saints of old were tortured and martyred for their faith. So the idea that people cannot hurt us seems to border on delusional positive thinking. Yet, perhaps the author is trying to convey a different truth?

Under threat of papal imprisonment and censure Martin Luther uttered these words:

"I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen.

In saying this Luther affirmed that there are things in life more important than external appearances or consequences. When he says it is neither right nor safe to go against conscience he affirms that there are things greater than what we can see. His words are filled with a confidence of the heart.

In truth there are things worse than what can be done to us. What we do to ourselves is far worse. It is worse to betray our conscience. In his epistle James teaches us that sin is knowing the right thing to do and refusing to do it. In doing so we do great damage to our very being.

Help me to not be afraid of what people can do to me Lord. Give me a confidence of the heart.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

the divine presence in the heart

God has said, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.” [Hebrews 13:5 NCV]

On the cross Jesus cried out: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Perhaps this was the most human thing that he ever said? His emotion was raw. In his heart he knew that God was with him but in the extreme pain of a torturous cross he 'felt' abandoned. In that I take much comfort.

We all know, in our heads anyway, that God is with us in the most awful times of our lives. Yet we often do not sense his presence with us in our pain. Our prayers go unanswered and a feeling of raw abandonment encompasses us. Some do not spiritually survive the experience.

In my own life an inner faith, a knowing in my heart, has helped me to persevere in hard times. Jesus had such a knowing. He experienced a divine presence within his inner being when his outer senses were on fire with pain. Because of this he persevered through feelings of abandonment.

Lord, teach us to look for your presence within when we feel abandoned.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

satisfaction of the heart

Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. [Hebrews 13:5 NCV]

Has there ever been better advice for citizens of 21st Century America? And other nations for that matter. It reminds me of that old Rolling Stones song that refrains "I can't get no satisfaction". The deep unrest about material matters reminds me that satisfaction is a matter of the heart.

The writer accurately observes that the issue is not money but the love of it. And the things that money buys. The matter is one that confronts the rich and the poor. In the most basic sense, satisfaction and contentment are inner issues that cannot met with external things like money.

Our lack of contentment often drives us to make really unwise decisions. We go into debt thinking that a new car or house will bring satisfaction. And they do not. As Paul told the Philippians, contentment is a learning process. A journey of the heart that confronts us at a deep level.

Help us Lord to be free from the love of money. Teach us to find satisfaction in our inner life.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

the heart of marriage

Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. [Hebrews 13:4 NLT]

I recently had a conversation about marriage with a young man. Here is the question that I asked him: "Who determines whether a couple is married or not? Is it the government? Or a religious group? Or something else?" He was a bit stunned by the question. How would you have answered?

I told the young man that only the couple can determine whether they are married or not. In a sense, no civil or religious entity can legitimize a marriage. These groups only deal with externals. In contrast, marriage is internal. A joining of heart and minds. Such relationships transcend legality.

Faithfulness is the product of the joining of hearts. Our hearts to a spouse. Our hearts to God. There is no entity that can separate this union. Governments cannot. Religion cannot. Each day married people all over the world remain faithful because their hearts have been joined together.

Remind us Lord of what it means have our hearts and minds joined to you and to each other.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

developing empathy

Remember those who are in prison as if you were in prison with them. Remember those who are suffering as if you were suffering with them. [Hebrews 13:3 NCV]

Jesus taught us that the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets is to "Do to others what you want them to do to you." His words ring especially true for those who are suffering. The main thing that people want is empathetic friendships not passive pity.

I learned a lot about empathy during the three years that I weekly visited prisoners at a state penitentiary. I realized that the inmates did not need a minister but a friend. They did not need my wisdom but desperately wanted my empathy. They benefited most from my vulnerability.

I often say that I received so much more from the inmates than I gave to them. I saw how one mistake could change a life in such a negative way. I also saw how much love they had for me. Life is filled with opportunities to develop empathy if we are willing to live outside of our comfort zones.

Dear Lord, please transform our pity into empathy.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

loving strangers as spiritual siblings

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it [Hebrews 13:1-2 NLT]

The Kingdom of God, in a spiritual sense, is one filled with familial relationships. We are all spiritual children of God and sibings in Christ. It is why the writer urges us to persist in loving. Even when we are offended or rejected. We love without condition in the manner that God loves us.

The word philoxenia, translated hospitality, is defined as a love of strangers. It fits so beautifully with the idea of loving your spiritual siblings. In reality, a stranger in the flesh just may be a spiritual brother or sister sent, in angelic fashion, into your life to be loved by you or to love you.

Open our eyes Lord that we might see those who we meet as our spiritual brothers and sisters.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

a transforming fire

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” [Hebrews 12:28-29 NIV]

When I hear the phrase "consuming fire" my mind wanders back to that moment when Moses first encountered God. He saw a bush that appeared to be on fire but the bush was not consumed. God was in the bush but he did not harm it. So it is with the presence of God in us.

His presence burns up all that can be burned. Shakes everything except what cannot be shaken. God's presence in our lives is anything but passive. He aggressively transforms our lives that we might be like his Son. It is why we are thankful and why worship him with reverence and awe.

Coming Holy Spirit. Burn away all that holds us back. Shake us loose from all that hinders.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

the message of two mountains

You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom ... No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. [Hebrews 12:18,22 NLT]

The verses surrounding these speak of ancient Israelis being terrified by the voice of God at Mount Sinai. The contrast between that mountain and Zion could not be more stark. The contrast seems to spill into the image of the Warrior God to the image that Jesus presented us with in the gospels.

I think that many today suffer because they embrace the imagery of the first mountain. The ancient picture of divine wrath and vengeance. They sadly identify more with a God to be feared than a Father to be loved. In doing so they miss the joyful gathering at Mount Zion, the city of the living God.

Lord, please open our eyes that we might see the angels rejoicing.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

spiritual pollution

Make sure that no one misses out on God’s grace. Make sure that no root of bitterness grows up that might cause trouble and pollute many people. [Hebrews 12:15 CEB]

God's grace is a communal phenomenon. When grace is given to one it affects us all. A life transformed transforms other lives. Yet some think that grace, amazing as it is, is a purely personal matter. These embrace the idea that salvation is 'personal' and are blind to a greater grace.

Consequentially, some do not understand that a lack of experienced grace can pollute a spiritual community. We need the grace given to others to confront us about things like unforgiveness and selfishness. Such grace can cleanse the atmosphere of spiritual pollution.

Help us Lord to be agents of grace that cleanse our communities of spiritual pollution.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

peace and progressive transformation

Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord. [Hebrews 12:14 NET]

What do you think of when you read the word holiness? Perhaps you see it as form of sacredness or piety? The Greek word carries with it a sense of being progressively transformed by the Lord into His likeness. That makes sense to me. The Christian life is all about spiritual transformation.

This verse indicates that the fruit of such transformation is a pursuit of peace. Furthermore it teaches us that this sort of peace is not merely passive. The peace that God desires is not about a cessation of war. His peace is all about pursuing the welfare of the other and not the self.

This rings true to me. This kind of peace involves transforming pride into humility. Offense into forgiveness. It is not about nations but about individuals becoming like Jesus. The lack of such transformation is an evidence that one does not know or see the Lord in this life or the next.

I need your transformation Lord. Help me to do the things that make for peace.

... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.

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