133rd Week, Hebrews Intro - Chapter 4 (Click of Title for Video Introduction)

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Click on Title for Video Intro


Monday, Hebrews Introduction
Hebrews Intro
Mindy Strayer

I’m not sure how to do the notes for the intro, so thought I’d share some summaries and thoughts my Bible has discussing this book.  

Hebrews Theme
Hebrews is a masterful document written to Jews who were evaluating Jesus or struggling with this new faith.  The message of Hebrews is that Jesus is better.  Christianity is superior.  Christ is supreme and completely sufficient for salvation. Whatever you are considering your focus of life, Christ is better. He is the perfect revelation of God, the final and complete sacrifice for sin, the compassionate and understanding mediator, and the only way to eternal life. Don’t settle for anything less!

Verse
Hebrews 10:25: Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I couldn’t help but think of our group when I was reading this. I think it’s awesome how we have almost daily interaction with each other to study the Word of God and encourage each other. I’m sure the devil is pretty upset about it. Praise the Lord for this group - the dear precious Salt Shakers!

Prayer
Lord, thank You for family. All the different shapes and forms family comes in from biological family to church family to friends that are family.  Thank You that through Christ our Lord we can call each other family. Help us to continue to encourage each other and spur one another on to a life completely and utterly in Love with You. AMEN


Tuesday, Hebrews Chapter 1
Hebrews 1
Verse 3
Mindy Strayer

Verse 3:  The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.  After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

THOUGHT
God’s mission has always been to reveal himself to all people. To use some examples from the application part of my Bible, He spoke to Isaiah in visions, to Jacob in a dream, and to Abraham and Moses personally. From the time Eve rebelled against God by eating the apple that God had forbidden, sin has been present in the world. Sin is what keeps us from God, preventing us from knowing Him. The Old Testament is full of examples of God calling His people back to Him, urging them to repent of their sins, and turn their hearts towards Him. The books of Isaiah and Jeremiah are just two examples that show us the countless times when God called His people into repentance. 

His desire was for His people to be reconciled to Him. And then God’s mission gets more focused, and He sends the world His Son. Jesus completed God’s mission when He took on all sin, died on the cross, and rose again to life to be seated at God’s right hand. And there He remains still, interceding on our behalf, directly connecting us with God the Father.

What I love about the book of Hebrews is that the consistent message is “Jesus!” All-important is Jesus. He is the true epiphany of love, kindness, wisdom, patience, humility, service, sacrifice, and forgiveness. He represents all that is good and pure, righteous and holy. He is God’s perfect revelation of Himself. No other religion offers complete forgiveness through faith. They may offer moral standards by which to live. They may offer some false sense of peace. They may offer a “way of life” through one’s own works. Only Christ offers us forgiveness of sin through faith in Him. We must only believe and accept the grace that He has given us.

PRAYER
Lord, how grateful we are that it was and still is Your mission for the world to know You. How thankful we are that You sent us Your Son Jesus so that we may know You completely. Oh Jesus, that You would rather suffer and die than live without us. You are worthy of all honor, glory and praise!!  AMEN


Wednesday, Hebrews Chapter 2
Hebrews 2
Verses 14-15
Mindy Strayer

Verses 14-15:  Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil-and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

THOUGHT
Jesus, and the word sacrifice, could be synonyms. God turned human, suffered and died so that we (humanity) could conquer death. How many of us, if we had the power and means to control what happened to us, would choose suffering?

Jesus did. “For my children, I need to leave heaven and live as they do, with them. I will assume no special beauty or majesty. There will be nothing in my appearance they would desire. I will be one who is despised and rejected by men. I will be found guilty of a crime for which I am innocent, and I will not try and defend myself. I will be spat at, ridiculed and mocked, severely beaten, flogged, and have a crown of thorns lodged into my scalp. I will carry the cross from which I will hang, down the path leading to Golgotha, and there I will be nailed by my hands and feet onto the cross. I will take on all of mankind’s sin and be forced to experience what it feels like to be separated from my Father. I will sacrifice my life so that you can have your sin washed clean with my blood and be clothed with righteousness. Death, you will not have to fear any longer for I have defeated it. Life will be Eternal!!!”

PRAYER
Jesus, we just thank You for laying down Your life to save ours. Help us never to forget the huge sacrifice that You made so that we could live eternally with You. Place in all of our hearts a renewed urgency to tell others of what You have done, so that they too can be given the gift of grace and life eternal in your presence. Praise and Glory to You, Lord Jesus!  AMEN


Thursday, Hebrews Chapter 3
Hebrews 3
Verse 12
Mindy Strayer

Verse 12:  My fellow believers, be careful that no one among you has a heart so evil and unbelieving that he will turn away from the living God.

THOUGHT
When God speaks to us, and we refuse to neither listen, or we disbelieve His Words, our hearts harden up. When we disobey God’s commands, our hearts harden up. When we do not pray to God or spend time in His Word, our hearts harden up. When we are not in daily communication with God, we begin to disconnect. We cannot disconnect from God and avoid sin. Sin and the ways of Satan start to move into our lives. Lots of times it is a gradual process where the devil sneaks into our life and begins to manipulate and deceive us with lies and enticing propositions. Then one day our priorities are not anything like God’s priorities.  Our thoughts, words, and actions resemble nothing of God. If only we had listened when we heard God’s voice.

Where would we be right now if Jesus had refused to listen to God’s voice in the Garden of Gethsemane?

I have wondered sometimes what blessings I have missed because I refused to listen, trust, and have faith in what the Lord was saying to me. And, I wonder what blessings await me if I choose to listen to the voice of God with a receptive and trusting heart? God wants to fill us with new hearts, new desires, and new spirits, but first we must listen and believe in Him.  We must have faith and trust in the Lord as Jesus did!!

PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, for speaking to us daily through reading Your Word and through our prayer time with You. We pray for soft and receptive hearts so that we can understand and do Your will. Thank You, Jesus, for Your faithfulness and love.  AMEN


Friday, Hebrews Chapter 4
Hebrews 4
Verses 12-13
Mindy Strayer

Verses 12-13:  For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

THOUGHT
Chapter 4 talks about the rest we find by having faith in God’s Word.  God’s Word says whoever believes in Jesus, confesses their sins to Him, asks for forgiveness, and asks Jesus to be Lord of their life. These actions will give us eternal life. Jesus Himself promises rest if we come to him. “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Two words come to mind when I think of finding God’s rest. Trust and obey. First we must trust Christ with our life. And second we must obey His Word and teaching. It is through God’s Word that our true selves are brought into God’s light. Everything about us is illuminated and made visible. The Word helps us to see ourselves for who we really are in relation to God’s Law. Our hearts cannot hide from God, and they cannot fool God. For He is ever present and all-knowing. His Word holds us accountable for our thoughts and our actions. Reading His Word is not enough. God expects us to act on what we have read and allow it to shape our lives.

PRAYER
We thank You, Lord, for the Bible. We are grateful that Your Word is alive and active, transforming us, changing our lives, and renewing our spirits fresh every day. We are thankful for the rest that has been given us because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We thank You, Lord, that even though You see all of us, the good and the bad, that You love us still. May our relationship with You continue to grow as we read Your Word and act according to what You have taught us. In Jesus Name.  AMEN











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