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Hebrews 3-4 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Hebrews 3:1-4:16.

“For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened” (Hebrews 4:2).

In the Old Testament, we read of those who rebelled against Moses and through that against God. We learn of those who wandered in the wilderness and died on their way to the Promised Land. But why? Why did they miss out on the blessings God had promised? God wanted to bless them. God planned to bless them. Did God somehow fail?

No.

Rather, they heard God’s Word. They listened to God’s promises. They simply didn’t believe them. Because their hearing was not coupled with faith they did not pursue God’s plans. Because they did not pursue God’s plans, they missed out on God’s promised blessings.

We need to take heed of this. The gospel has been given into our hands. It is filled with wonderful promises for each of us. However, the blessings it promises are not universally applied. Only a select few will actually enjoy these blessings that God has promised everyone. What is the distinction? Is it about race? gender? class? education? No. It is about faith. Only those who couple their hearing with faith will enjoy God’s blessings because only those who couple their hearing with faith will pursue God’s plan to accomplish that blessing.

Today, I need to increase my faith. God’s way really does work. The more I believe it, the more I’ll live it. The more I’ll enjoy the blessings He offers.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Post a comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Today’s reading is Luke 23:1-24:53.

“And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!’” (Luke 24:25).

I like to think this rebuke doesn’t apply to me. I very readily accept the resurrection of Jesus. I have no problem with the prophecies that claim Jesus would come, live in the flesh, be a servant, die, be buried, then be resurrected on the third day. Then I recognize, that while I don’t have a problem with these things, there are numerous other prophecies I struggle with. Not the ones that talk about the future, but prophecy simply in the sense of a message from God.

For instance, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Or “be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Or “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Part of me wants to hang on to my old, in the world, way of thinking. I will seek God’s kingdom first, right after I get my salary in order. Maybe a little sin while I’m angry is okay. After all I’m angry; surely that can’t be held against me. It’s not conceit; it’s conviction (what a laugh).

I’m a foolish one when I won’t just believe what Jesus said through His word and live accordingly. After all, God’s way works and mine doesn’t.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is John 9:1-10:42.

There’s so much good stuff in John, it is hard to write these posts every day because I just want to keep writing and writing and writing. Today, I’ll note two.

1) A little tidbit caught my eye while reading. As the Jews were rebuking the former blind man, they said of Jesus, “We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from” (John 9:31). That grabbed my attention because I remembered in John 7:27  some decided Jesus wasn’t the Messiah because, “But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” I don’t exactly know why they had this idea; I just couldn’t help but notice the contrast. Frankly, what I get from it is if we don’t want to believe God, any excuse will do. We may eve take opposite sides of the fence at different times just to not believe. 

A little caution here: It is too easy to see this and point the finger at all those out there who don’t believe what I do. The warning is I can be susceptible to this too. That is why we have to keep our hearts open to God’s Word and ask Him to enlighten us through it.

2) That first point really caught my eye, but the point about this reading that really helped me today is actually in John 10:7-10.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. I anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

I’ve often read this as a distinction between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. I’m sure that applies. However, today it hit me just a little bit differently. Satan sends a lot of false shepherds our way. That is, he sends a lot of messages that promise comfort and pasturing. He says, “Tell this little white lie. It’s not that big of a deal and it will get you out of trouble. Go ahead.” He says, “Just drink a little of this alcohol. No one can really prove it is wrong. It’s okay. It will make you feel better, calm your nerves, help you face the day and all its troubles.” He says, “Click this link to find out which hot women are searching your name on Google, oh and here are some naked pictures of them. Just look at a few of these, it will make you feel better.” He says, “That guy didn’t have a right to speak to you that way. You need to let him have it. You don’t get mad, you get even. That will make you feel better.” I could keep going. When we take refuge in these temptations, we are looking for pasture. We are looking for comfort. We are looking for something that will just feel right and feel at home. 

But these other “shepherds” are actually robbers, thieves, murderers. Satan promises pasturing through them, but all we get is guilt, shame, anxiety, death. They suck the life right out of us. Sometimes we don’t even know it. All we know is that something just isn’t working but we can’t figure out what so we can run in circles, trying these same things over and over again, butting our heads into the tree trunks, until we finally collapse from utter exhaustion and despair.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He can pasture us, making us lie down in green pastures, leading us beside still waters. Don’t let the thief, Satan, steal your life. Trust Jesus.

***Question: What do you do to stay with Jesus and stay away from false shepherds?

Keep the faith and keep reading.

ELC

II Corinthians 6:2 drives it home: “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Christianity is not merely something to think about. It is not something to tinker with for a while to see if it fits you. Christianity is about freedom in Christ. It is about freedom from guilt and shame by His love and forgiveness. It is about freedom from the controlling power of sin by His strength and grace. 

However, if you are just kind of playing with Christianity, it won’t do you any good. Half-measures accomplish nothing. We need to whole-heartedly surrender to God and submit to Him. If you haven’t done that yet, do it today. Today is the day of salvation. Trust me, this is one of those issues that if you put it off for a year and you are actually still alive a year from now, you will wish you had started today. And, having added another year of pursuing the lusts of the flesh you will find it harder to start then. So just go ahead and start today.

Just surrender yourself today to the Lord and let Him cleanse you of your sins. Then rely on His word and His people to help you grow. Do exactly what the Corinthians did to surrender themselves to the Lord. 

Acts 18:8 says, “And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.” If you haven’t committed your life to Christ through faith in the working of God in baptism (immersion in water) for the remission of sins, do it today. Don’t wait. There is no other plan by which you may be set free from your sins and receive the salvation Jesus offers.

Don’t delay. Today is the day of salvation.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

The Bible contains amazing stories and illustrations of faith. But perhaps the greatest comes from today’s reading. Just consider this picture. 

Jesus is on the cross. His closest disciples and students have fled or followed “at a distance.” The crowds were mocking, having accepted the release of a hardened criminal and rebel in place of Jesus. His mother was in the crowd at his feet, crying. Only John was there with her.

At that time, who in their right mind would believe that this man, broken, battered, bruised, bleeding, gasping for breath with His last bit of strength was going to establish a kingdom. Of course, Jesus believed. But there was one more. There was one who just moments earlier had been hurling insults. However, something changed. I don’t know what caused the change. Perhaps the dying man had heard Jesus teach at some time. Who know, but perhaps he had even been baptized by one of the apostles when Jesus was teaching and all the people were going out to Him. But maybe he merely knew Jesus’ reputation. Maybe he simply saw how Jesus faced this execution. Maybe he was moved by Jesus’ statement, “Father, forgive them…” 

Who knows what did it. But at that moment two people believed Jesus was going to establish His kingdom. Jesus and the thief on the cross. In the face of the longest odds, the thief believed. I hope we can all develop this kind of faith.

ELC