135th Week, Hebrews Chapters 10-13 (Click on Title for Video Introduction)

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 Click on Title for video Intro


Monday, Hebrews Chapter 10
Hebrews 10
Verses 24-25
Tanya Ruden

Verses 24-25:  And let us consider how to spur one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as in the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

THOUGHT
What a great verse!! I like it because it makes me think of our group. So often I read this email at the end of the day or at the beginning of the day.  It is such a great way for us to encourage one another. Through holding us accountable to our faith and our daily reading of the Bible, we are helping each other.  We are truly not neglecting to meet together. Although we aren’t face to face meeting, we are meeting the best way we know how with distance and living schedules.  I think it is amazing how we are all able to keep in touch and stay close in our hearts through this study.

PRAYER
Dear Jesus, so many times we provoke people in our lives, and we ourselves are provoked by others, and many times in more negative ways than positive. You call us to encourage each other to do good deeds and to meet together. Help us Lord to be positive encouragers in our world, workplace and home. Thank You for a wonderful study group which helps us to be that to one another. AMEN


Tuesday, Hebrews Chapter 11
Hebrews 11
Verse 6
Bart Strayer

Verse 6:  It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.

THOUGHT 
It is inspiring to read a summary of the great acts of faith of the Old Testament. Verses 1-31 go through many different acts by many different people. I want to offer personal reflection for us. If you were to
summarize your greatest act of faith into one sentence, what would it say?  Would God be pleased by your faith? Would he want you to have more?  How are you going to increase your faith? After reading the first 31 verses I want you to fill in the following:  By faith, “your name here”, and “your greatest action here”.  Spend time reflecting.

PRAYER
Father, thank You for this weeks’ time of reading and reflecting on Your Word. Help us to inspire each other to seek You on a daily basis. Give us opportunities to increase our faith and help us to trust You more each day. We pray all of this in Jesus Name. AMEN


Wednesday, Hebrews Chapter 12
Hebrews 12
Verse 2
Bart Strayer

Verse 2:  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

THOUGHT
I had underlined some of the text written in the application portion of my Bible that I thought was such a great summary of this passage of scripture.  As I read it again, it struck me again, and I would like to share it.

“The Christian life involves hard work. It requires us to give up whatever endangers our relationship with God, to run patiently, and to struggle against sin with the power of the Holy Spirit. To live effectively, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. We will stumble if we look away from him to stare at ourselves or at the circumstances surrounding us. We should be running for Christ, not ourselves, and we must always keep him in sight.”

“When we face hardship and discouragement, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture. But we are not alone.”

I couldn’t summarize it better. What great words.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word. Help us to keep our eyes on You and to never look away. Help us not to lose sight of the big picture and remind us that we are not alone. Hold us accountable for prayer. In Jesus Name. AMEN


Thursday, Hebrews Chapter 13
Hebrews 13
Verse 17
Bart Strayer

Verse 17: (The Message) Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?

THOUGHT
I would like to encourage all of us to be mindful of this verse. Speaking personally, there are too many times that I am not a good follower of leadership. This verse is an excellent reminder that there are times in the church and out of the church that we must submit ourselves to others in an act that is pleasing to God. We must understand that it is God’s Will to assign leaders in church groups, and we must respect His demands. 

A time may come that God chooses you to act as the leader, and you will be ever more grateful for good followers. Understand that a divine appointed leader is trying to do God’s Will, and we are not to 'make things harder for them’. As we all know, groups perform better with one leader rather than two.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word. Help us to submit ourselves when it is necessary. Help us not to be a burden to leaders, rather, help us to lift them up for Your Glory. When the time comes for us to lead, help us to first come back to You for guidance and strength for the great responsibility of leadership. In Jesus Name. AMEN

Friday, Quiet Time
Today take some alone time and rate your level of faith.  How could you increase that?   What is our Lord asking you to do?  Write down your thoughts and pray about them in the weeks to come.  Become one of those who would be included in the "Cloud of Witnesses".    









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