the antidote to deception

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encourage each other daily ... so that none of you is hardened by sin's deception. [Heb 3:13 HCSB]

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The Greek word parakaleite, translated here as encourage, can also be rendered as comfort, exhort or console. I love that! It reminds me of what Paul writes to the Corinthians about what it means to speak prophetically. In reality we need God's prophetic help to keep us from being deceived.

I sometimes think that encouragement is simply giving a friend our undivided attention. These are often the times when we engage our heart with the heart of another. In such moments divine words of comfort spring forth from within. These words encourage our hearts and keep us from sinning.

Teach us Father to hear the unspoken and see the invisible. That we might encourage a friend.

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

the unbelieving heart

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See to it, my brothers, that no evil, unbelieving heart is found in any of you, as shown by your turning away from the living God. [Hebrews 3:12 ISV]

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In the context of a forty year Israeli wilderness experience the writer speaks to us about our hearts. He indicates that the unregenerate and unbelieving heart will eventually turn away from God in the wilderness. We all have seen this play out when times are tough and friends turn away from God.

In contrast we have also seen the glory of those who have endured, believing in God, under hellish experiences. In my view, people who actually know God, have a heart relationship with him, cannot turn away from him. Those who are born from above have new hearts that are incapable of unbelief.

Give us wisdom Lord that we might be instruments of love and grace to an unbelieving world.

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

Wrath vs Rest

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I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ [Hebrews 3:11 ESV]

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What do you think about when you hear about the wrath of God? Images of lightning bolts and fiery brimstone appear for some. Yet for others, the absence of God's direction come to mind. With Israel a two week journey lasted 40 years in the wilderness. It is a terrible thing to go it on our own.

To me this is the essence of faith. Will we go it alone? Make our own decisions? Or will we rest? Will we believe that God is leading us? Will we trust/rest in the Lord with all of our heart? Or will we worry? In a sense this is what wrath looks like to me: worry; anxiety; helplessness; and despair.

A most troubling idea is that God will allow us to go our own way if we, like the Israelites, reject His ways. He will allow us to be afraid of giants. He will permit us to do things that bring harm to us and others. Yet He will allow us to enter his rest when we place all of our trust and hope in him.

I desire to enter your rest Lord. Lead me in ways that bring peace.

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

our hearts are tested in the wilderness

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Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness [Hebrews 3:7,8 ESV]

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What do you think of when you hear the word 'wilderness'? I think of a place where there are no creature comforts like running water or electricity. The Israeli journey from Egypt was through such a place. At times, no food and no water. The people were bitter about their hard circumstances.

In the wilderness they complained. Their hearts hardened as they wondered if God was with them. The wilderness tests our hearts like nothing else. In times of deep distress we are tempted to envision God as the author of our pain. As we give in to the temptation our hearts harden just a bit more.

In contrast, those who see God differently are able to keep their hearts soft in the wilderness.

The key is how we see God. Do we imagine Him to be the one who controls our every step and leads us into pain? Or do we believe Him to be one who walks at our side in the dark times? One who loves us at each step and hears our every prayer. How we see God is the key to keeping our hearts soft.

Thank you Lord for walking with us in the wilderness.

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

we are his house

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Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. [Hebrews 3:6 NIV]

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I love the word pictures that are painted in the scriptures. Sometimes believers are portrayed as the body of Christ. Peter writes of us as living stones laid upon the foundation of Christ. In this verse we are called his house. Bettered rendered as his household. Sons and daughters each of us.

The writer presents conditions to membership in this household. I do not think that he is saying that if we do these things we are members. In contrast he is saying that family members do these things. God's children are known for their confidence in God. These celebrate the hope that they have in him.

We glory today in the hope that you have placed in our hearts Lord.

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

greater honor than Moses

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Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. [Hebrews 3:3 NIV]

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Interesting to note that the words translated as honor in this verse are actually two different Greek words. The first, doxēs, carries with it a sense of something glorious. The second, timēn, denotes a sense of value. Great descriptors when comparing the the ministries of Moses and Jesus.

Moses was such a great leader. One of the greatest of all time. His ministry stands above those that follow him in the Old Testament. He was a revered leader then and still today. Yet his ministry was built on the ministry of God the Son working through him. This is why Jesus is honored more.

As with Moses, our ministry rests on the idea that God, the divine builder, is working in and through us. Consequentially anything we do is of lesser value because we are building on the foundation that Jesus has already laid. In that sense we are merely building on top of what he has already built.

You are worthy Jesus Christ. Of honor. Praise. Glory. Of all we have and are.

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

the heavenly calling of faithfulness

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Therefore, holy brothers, partakers in a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Jesus Christ, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses was faithful in all His house. [Hebrews 3:1-2 MEV]

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The two examples given in this verse reflect the two aspects of faithfulness. Faithfulness to God. Faithfulness to people. These are the things we are called from heaven to do. When we ask for God's kingdom to come we are praying for the courage to be faithful to this heavenly calling.

The words 'till death do us part' have been spoken countless times in wedding vows. They encapsulate the idea that real love is faithful. In a sense faithfulness witnesses to faith. We profess faith in God by our faithfulness to love Him and his creation. One cannot be faithful apart from faith empowered by love.

Dear Lord. When faithlessness knocks at our door, cause us to consider Jesus.

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