Praying Pint

 

A Rest for the People of God

Heb 3:7-19  Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,  do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,  where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.  Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’  As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’”  Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.  But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.  For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.  As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”  For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses?  And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?  And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?  So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

 

 

Merry Christmas !!!!

 

Matthew 6:19-23    “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

A big house on several acres with multiple cars in the driveway. A prosperous life full of comfort and free from suffering. The opportunity to plot your own course and achieve your dreams through hard work and diligence.

These are a few examples of what some consider the American Dream, that national ethos which was summarized in the Declaration of Independence: “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

On the surface, this is almost all you could ever ask for—the opportunity to choose your own way and have the freedom to pick your path to happiness. It’s certainly something that is not promised in other parts of the world. Many would give everything they have to come to the United States and pursue the American Dream.

I must ask, though: How’s your American Dream going? Are you finding the happiness you’re free to pursue, or has your American Dream become a nightmare?

You see, I love the idea of the American Dream. I love the belief that we all have opportunities in this great country, and if we’re willing to work and sacrifice, we can reap the benefits. With that said, there’s a bit of an inherent risk with that attitude. When it’s all about me (I’m working hard, I’m making my way, I’m going to do what I need to get ahead), it leaves very little room for the One who has promised that He has a plan for us.

I believe in the American Dream and agree that we should all work hard, for the Bible has plenty to say about downfalls of laziness. But I also believe that it’s impossible to find true and lasting peace and happiness through simply chasing prosperity and comfort.

Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21, ESV).

I don’t think I’m going too far out on a limb by assuming that many of you reading this are struggling with something in your lives. Maybe the American Dream has come true for you and you have all the money that you could ever need, but you’re finding that the material possessions aren’t buying you any happiness. Or maybe you’ve worked hard every day of your life but nothing has come easy, and it feels like you’re spinning your wheels with little hope of ever catching up, let alone getting ahead.

Regardless of where you are in the journey, I’d humbly suggest that you examine your life and see if everything you’re amassing—both your successes and struggles—are bringing you happiness and hope. Truly consider if you’ve allowed Jesus to consume your life. Are you following His path and calling, rather than your own?

The American Dream is fine—incredible, in fact—but don’t forget that for Christians “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20, ESV). By turning your eyes to Jesus, you not only find joy here on earth, but have hope for eternity as well. (Graham)

 

 

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail.
Revelation 12:7-8

Because we do not see the warfare that takes place in spiritual realms, it is easy to forget that it even exists. In his vision of the End Times, John saw the war between God’s angelic agents and Satan (Revelation 12:7-9).

The oldest example we have of this warfare occurred in Job’s life. Satan wanted to prove to God that Job was only faithful because God had put a “hedge” of protection around his life (Job 1:10). That is, God had prevented Satan from having access to Job and his family. But God removed the hedge and allowed Satan access to Job in order to prove that his faithfulness was not based purely on blessing but on love for God—which Job ultimately proved.

Daniel discovered that a war in heaven for three weeks had delayed an answer to his prayers (Daniel 10). And Paul taught that we are in a struggle with principalities and powers in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

Do not let your guard down. Pray that God would keep a hedge of protection around you and your family as you pursue a righteous life. (Jeremiah)

There is no holiness without a warfare. 

 

 

Hebrews 9:27  And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Revelation 11:13    In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

 

The apostle Peter observed a way of thinking common among most people. When confronted with the truth about the end of the age, people would say, “All things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). In other words, because life continues uninterrupted, we tend to think it will go on that way forever. But such is not the case.

When describing the two witnesses who will testify during the Tribulation period, the apostle John saw a severe earthquake that would happen in Jerusalem and kill seven thousand people. He saw them as terrified and giving “glory to the God of heaven.” But their fear was not a reverential fear of the Lord, rather it was a fear of death. He gave no indication that the disruption in their lives prompted them to turn to God and secure their salvation. Instead, their fear of death only hardened their hearts further.

After death comes the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Don’t miss the chance to secure your eternal destiny through faith in Christ. (Jeremiah)

As death finds us and life leaves us, so judgment will find us. 

 

Heb 9:23:28  Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.  Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own,  for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,  so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Perfection. Have you ever seen it? Sure, we may look at a snowflake, a flower, or a child’s smile and we feel that we are looking at perfection. In our mind’s eye, it may seem that way, but that snowflake will soon dissolve, the flower is missing a petal, and the child will certainly have his share of misbehavior. The fact of the matter is that in this world, it is very rare—impossible, even—to find something without spot, without blemish, without defect.

The same can be said of the Old Testament sacrifices—they were not perfect. They did not purify anything and never truly dealt with sin and judgment. But when we look at the sacrifice of Jesus, the most pivotal moment in history, we witness something that is faultless. Hebrews 9:23–28 shows us that Jesus’ sacrifice was perfect.

First, Jesus’ sacrifice purified everything—even itself (vv. 23–24). Christ’s blood not only purified mankind, but Heaven as well. Why Heaven? Was it corrupted because of Satan’s presence or defiled because of God’s wrath? No! Christ’s blood had to cover everything, and therefore even the way into Heaven must be covered and enshrouded with blood in order to cover man as he comes to God. The sacrifice of Jesus is what makes it possible for us to enter into Heaven. We have been cleansed through the blood of Jesus on the cross.

Second, Jesus’ sacrifice does not need to be repeated (vv. 25–26). Every year under the old covenant, the High Priest had to make atonement for the sins of the nation on Yom Kippur. However, since the blood of animals is incapable of permanently atoning for sin, the High Priest had to repeat the sacrifice year after year. Not true with Jesus’ sacrifice. He never had to repeat it because it was a perfect sacrifice—the shed blood of a Man for men. He died once for all.

Finally, Jesus’ sacrifice is perfect because it took away judgment (vv. 27–28). There is an old joke that says that the only two sure things in life are death and taxes. There’s certainly some truth to that statement. Man has an appointment with death that he cannot avoid and he must keep. Man dies once—not twice (except for Lazarus who died twice, and Elijah and Enoch who did not see death). And just as man dies once and then is judged, Christ died once to take away our judgment. That is the point of Hebrews 9:23–28.

Jesus’ sacrifice was so perfect that it purified everything from you and I to Heaven itself; it never had to be repeated, and took away our judgment.

Take a moment today to appreciate the incredible impact of Christ’s death and resurrection; the purifying final act that took away judgment for those that call upon His name. What a joy to place our eternal hope in Him! (Graham)

 

 

Zec 1:3  Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts.

“Says the Lord of hosts,” is the announcement given multiple times in this little verse. What is being said must be of great importance to Him, and therefore should be extremely important to us. What was so urgent? It was a call for God’s people to repent and return.

Notice that the call to return is voiced by Him who remained steadfast and not the one who has wandered away. How different the Lord is from us. When someone does not desire our company, we will be the first to distance ourselves quickly. After all, why should we stay when our absence is desired?

But thanks be to God! He never gives up on those who would rather not have His companionship. God’s willingness to heal a fractured relationship with one of His children is beyond human reason and resource, for He is always there when a wayward child returns.

The Lord of hosts’ sovereignty encompasses the stars, the heavens, and all the powers of the universe. His name implies the boundless resources at His command for His people’s good. It is unfathomable that anyone would willingly leave such a God, and yet they do.

Are you sensing a distance between you and God? It is you who have moved, not Him. If you have been careless in your walk, disobedient, or even rebellious toward the Lord, take His call seriously. Repent! and return now and enjoy the bountiful blessings of His presence once again. The Lord of hosts is waiting. (Hibbs)

 

 

 1 John 5:19: “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.”

1Co 15:24  Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

If God is sovereign, the whole world can lie under the influence of Satan.

The same person who wrote about Satan’s influence in the world also recorded a vision of the End Times in the book of Revelation—the apostle John. In that vision, John saw a time when “the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to his servants the prophets.” While John doesn’t specifically describe the nature of the mystery, it surely has to do with the culmination of evil and catastrophe on the earth in the End Times and the coming of God’s Kingdom on earth—a day foreseen by the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 15:24).

Do not be anxious about the pervasiveness of evil in the world. The day is coming when it will be removed and righteousness will reign. (Jeremiah)

 

 

You shall have no other gods before Me.

–Exodus 20:3

As a pastor, it’s been my privilege to conduct wedding ceremonies for almost fifty years. When I stand at the altar with the bride and groom, one of the vows I ask them to make before God and the congregation is to love and cherish each other and, “forsaking all others,” to be faithful to each other for the rest of their lives. In other words, I ask the couple to esteem each other.

In the Ten Commandments, God asked us to make a similar commitment to Him. The first commandment says, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). God said we are to esteem Him alone.

According to Merriam-Webster, esteem means “to set a high value on; regard highly and prize accordingly.” In Hebrew, there are several words that carry the idea of esteem. One is chashab, which means to regard or value; another is arak, which means to arrange things in order. When applied to a person, arak means to place first in order of priority.

If you’ve played in an orchestra or attended a symphony performance, you probably understand the concept of arak. Before the conductor enters and the concert begins, one of the violinists stands up and leads the rest of the orchestra in tuning their instruments. That person is the principal violinist, and they occupy the position we call the first chair. No matter how many violinists are lined up onstage, only one is the first chair. The same is true for the other instruments–there may be five trumpet players in the orchestra, but the first chair belongs to the best trumpet player, the one who is esteemed above all others. Or think about a football team. There may be multiple quarterbacks on the roster, but only one is the first-string or starting quarterback. The writer of Proverbs 31 described “an excellent wife” (v. 10) in a similar way: “Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her, saying: ‘Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all’” (vv. 28–29). In other words, his wife is the first chair; she takes first place.

In Exodus 20:3, God commanded us to place Him first in order of priority, to make Him the first chair above anyone and anything else in our lives. We are to esteem Him alone. (Jeffress)

 

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:21-22)

A man came to Jesus and asked, “what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” He thought the entrance to heaven was mainly about doing something, so he asked Jesus about what good thing he needed to do.

This man is often called, “The Rich Young Ruler.” Matthew, Mark, and Luke say he was rich. Matthew says he was young (19:22), and Luke 18:18 says he was a ruler.

Jesus eventually told this man what to do: Sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. The call to forsake everything and follow Jesus was a call to put God first in all things. Jesus called the man to full obedience to the first table of the law, which dealt with a man’s relation to God.

We can make two mistakes regarding the answer Jesus gave this man. The first mistake is to believe this applies to everyone, when Jesus never made this a general command to all His followers, but especially to this one rich man whose riches were clearly an obstacle to his discipleship. Instead, many rich people can do more good by continuing to make money and using those resources for the glory of God and the good of others.

The second mistake is to believe this applies to no one, when there are clearly those today for whom the best thing they could do for themselves spiritually is to radically forsake the materialism that is ruining them.

Yet we notice that Jesus simply called this man to be His disciple, in saying, follow Me. He used similar language in calling many of His disciples (Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; Mark 2:14). Jesus simply called this man to be His follower; but for this man it meant leaving behind the riches he had set his heart upon.

Yet, the man went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. In this, the wealthy questioner failed utterly. Money was his god; he was guilty of idolatry. This is why Jesus, knowing the man’s heart, asked him to renounce his possessions.

The principle remains: God may challenge and require an individual to give something up for the sake of His kingdom that He still allows to someone else. There are many who perish because they will not forsake what God tells them to.

The rich young ruler had a lot going for him: his youth, his wealth, his influence. Yet he knew these things didn’t satisfy. That’s why he asked Jesus the question. Sadly, he refused to put Jesus first in all things and went away sorry and empty.

Don’t be like this poor rich man. (Guzik)