Category: Hebrews

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Holding On

Years ago when I realized that the Lord had given me an ability to teach and share His word, it became my goal to share about His unconditional love, His mercy, His grace and His gift of sonship to us who believe that Jesus Christ died, was buried and is risen as our living Savior.

I saw so many Christians who were like I was; reading the Bible but not really applying it to their everyday lives. We had grown up in believing in a God that’s “going to get you for that” or “you never know what God’s going to do” relationship; fearing God and His retribution rather than living in His love. So I accepted my calling to proclaim the “good news of the gospel” to Christians.

It is and was my desire to see believers grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior. It was my desire to see Christians walk in the full power of relationship with Christ and to receive fully from His blessings so that we truly are examples of Jesus, Christians, on the earth and that it would be the goodness of God that would draw men to repentance and not the condemnation of man.

There is nothing I find more fulfilling than to share God’s word through written communication, one on one personal interaction or teaching to a gathering. It’s my heart’s passion. So, this morning when I reread these verses, it reminded me of my purpose, to share with others the wonderful works of God.

“Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered. 6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. 7 Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”

9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know. 10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.” Psalm 40:5-11 NKJV

Look particularly at verses 8-10. Reread them.

I titled today’s blog, “Holding On”.

Holding on to Jesus means clinging to His presence, trusting His promises, and remaining  steadfast in faith through all circumstances.

“ We must hold on to the hope we have, never hesitating to tell people about it. We can trust God to do what he promised.” Hebrews 10:23 ERV

I will declare again today – God is faithful, He is righteousness, He is my salvation and His lovingkindness endures forever!

I hope you will read all of Psalm 40. When you feel weak – Hold On!

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Never Alone

Yesterday we got together at our oldest daughters for swimming and a bbq. Our youngest daughter and her family were there too. It was a great afternoon.

Our oldest daughter mentioned that she and her husband were going on a morning trail ride with friends today. To me, it’s an almost perfect start to an Easter. You see when she and her brother were little, before their younger sister was born, we spent nearly every Easter at Cowboy Church Sonrise Service.

Before dawn, we would gather up in the grandstands at the arena and celebrate the resurrection of our wonderful Lord. We’d sing, give testimony of God’s goodness, preach a little and pray.

Those were the thoughts filling my heart as I felt off to sleep.

Jesus is our risen Lord!

We met so many people during those days, some of them still stay in contact with us. Life is good when you can join together with others who love the Lord. There’s a bond – a connection – a common love. There’s something about being together with people who know that they are loved by Christ, have been forgiven and know they will never be alone.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in heaven. 4 In Christ, he chose us before the world was made. He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault. 5 And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it. 6 And this brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely. He gave us that grace in Christ, the one he loves. 7 In Christ we are made free by his blood sacrifice. We have forgiveness of sins because of God’s rich grace.” Ephesians 1:3-7 ERV

If you feel lonely, abandoned, “forsaken”, outcast and unloved. I have one word for you – Jesus!

Jesus’ mission was to the lost and the hurting. He came for those who were hopeless, helpless and alone. His promise is real:

” Don’t fall in love with money… The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us.” Hebrews 13:5 CEV

Money and things will never fulfill our hearts desire. They can satisfy for a while but Jesus has promised to never leave us – He won’t abandon us, desert us or leave us unprotected and without help.

“ Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! 16 So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:15-16 CEV

That was the message we preached in those moments just before dawn. In those grandstands and bleachers at rodeo arenas across Arizona. That’s the message that we will be preaching today.

Christ is faithful. He is forgiving. He knows our needs. He is risen! and because He rose, we will never be alone, abandon or left without help and hope. He is risen indeed!

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He Lives

There were three that died that day on crosses but only One lives!

You all know how I feel about the old hymns. There is so much truth and power in those songs but because I sang them over and over again as a child I didn’t realize the value of the words. Also, sad to say, the message of those songs didn’t line up with the message that many times was being preached from the pulpit.

I often heard “this life down here will always be a struggle BUT when we get to heaven it will all be worth it”. I agree with the fact the heaven will be so much greater, not even comparable, with the life we live here but we are called to be victorious and world over comers living the abundant life of Christ while we are here. So many times, Christians live as if they were saved and stuck.

Jesus didn’t live that way and He doesn’t want us to either. When he died, rose and ascended to the Father, Jesus lives to make intercession for us. He is our source of strength and our example of victory.

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 NKJV

“But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:24-25 NKJV

Remember our message a few weeks back on the resurrection – Jesus spoke Mary’s name and told her to tell the disciples that He is risen! This old hymn reminds us that Jesus is alive and walking with us, giving us a life of victory.

• I serve a risen Savior

He’s in the world today.

I know that He is living,

Whatever men may say.

I see His hand of mercy;

I hear His voice of cheer;

And just the time I need Him

He’s always near.

• He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart.

• In all the world around me

I see His loving care,

And though my heart grows weary,

I never will despair;

I know that He is leading,

Through all the stormy blast;

The day of His appearing

Will come at last.

• Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,

Lift up your voice and sing

Eternal hallelujahs

To Jesus Christ the King!

The Hope of all who seek Him,

The Help of all who find,

None other is so loving,

So good and kind.

Lyrics by Alfred Ackley

HE LIVES! He lives within my heart.

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Knowing What’s Ahead

How many times do we wish we could know our future? What will happen next week, next month, next year? If we only knew…

Jesus knew.

He had preached a message that He was the Good Shepherd and like a good shepherd He would give His life for the sheep. He boldly proclaimed, “I am the Son of God”. Some people believed Him but most wanted to arrest Him and have Him killed. (John 10)

Jesus knew what was ahead. He separated Himself and His disciples.

A few days later He received word that His friend Lazarus was sick. He stayed where He was another two days. He knew what would happen.

Lazarus died. He went to Bethany and He knew that He would perform another miracle. He would raise Lazarus from the tomb after he had been dead for four days. This miracle sealed Jesus fate. The religious elite were determined to have Him killed.

“ From that day on, the council started making plans to put Jesus to death. 54 Because of this plot against him, Jesus stopped going around in public. He went to the town of Ephraim, which was near the desert, and he stayed there with his disciples.” John 11:53-54 CEV

Jesus knew. It was almost Passover and people were asking if Jesus would come.

“The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors 13 took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, ‘Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hail to the King of Israel!'” John 12:12-13 NLT

This incident has become known as Palm Sunday. The day we celebrate today!

“Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.” Psalm 118:25 NLT

Jesus knew. He also knew this would lead to His arrest, mock trial, beating and crucifixion. He knew.

So why did He put Himself through all of this?

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” II Corinthians 5:21 NLT

Jesus knew the Father’s plan and He submitted to it willingly.

“We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. 3 Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying.” Hebrews 12:2-3 ERV

He knew and He endured the cruelty because He also knew that joy that was waiting for Him.

Jesus knew that His obedience of suffering for sin would keep us from having to pay that price!

Now we can look ahead and see that we have been made right with God and our future is glorious!

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The Gift of Grace

Yesterday I shared with you on mercy. Today I want you to see grace, love in action.

Some teach that if we are “good christians” we will never face the hard things in life. But that just isn’t true. All we have to do is look at Jesus – He was maligned, misunderstood, hated and crucified.

The Apostle Paul said that he was being buffeted (harassed) by a “messenger of Satan” and that He had asked the Lord three times to deliver him. I’ve heard it said that God basically told him to “buck up”. But I don’t see it that way at all. I see God’s response to Paul as one of victory and deliverance – making him an overcomer and more than a conqueror. You read and you decide.

“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” II Corinthians 12:8-10 KJV

Now for the Complete Jewish Bible

“Three times I begged the Lord to take this thing away from me; 9 but he told me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness.” Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weaknesses, in order that the Messiah’s power will rest upon me. 10 Yes, I am well pleased with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties endured on behalf of the Messiah; for it is when I am weak that I am strong.” II Corinthians 12:8-10 CJB

Christ was the strongest when He hung on the cross and cried out “Father, forgive them”. Grace is giving others something they don’t deserve – mercy, that we saw yesterday, is not giving others something they do deserve.

Jesus, in His most painful moments, forgave the thief hanging next to Him on the cross. Paul was stoned and left for dead one day and got up and walk to the neighboring town the next day to preach the gospel. He lived out what God had said.

“My grace is sufficient. My power is made perfect in weakness”.

Now, let’s look at grace and mercy together.

“ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16 NKJV

Thank you Father for your grace being sufficient for me. It gives me YOUR strength for my weakness. Grace is God’s love in action!

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Mercy Rewrites the Story

Time this morning for another old song.

Mercy rewrote my life. Mercy rewrote my life. I should have fallen, my soul cast down but mercy rewrote my life.

Each year as we get closer to celebrating the resurrection of our Savior, and our Lord, my heart is drawn to focus on His mercy and sacrifice on our behalf.

Mercy: (I want this word to become engrained in your heart)

from Merriam Webster dictionary

1 a : compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power; also : lenient or compassionate treatment

2 a : a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion

3 : compassionate treatment of those in distress

Compassion shown to an offender. The focal point of the Tabernacle was the mercy seat. The focal point of God’s relationship to man is mercy!

Can you imagine being tasked with the responsibility for crafting the items used in the Tabernacle?

“Bezalel built a chest of acacia wood forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. 2 He covered it inside and out with pure gold and put a gold edging around the top…6 The entire lid of the chest, which was also covered with pure gold, was the place of mercy.” Exodus 37:1-6 CEV

This chest was the ark of the covenant – this ark was a sign of God’s presence and here in God’s presence was the place to find mercy!

Why do we so often run from God when we sin? The Father’s heart is that we run to Him, run to Him for mercy and for help, run to Him for forgiveness and restoration.

The high priest could only enter the Holy of Holies and offer the blood sacrifice once a year to the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat. But no more!

Jesus became our high priest, and He offered His own shed blood for the forgiveness of sins and we have been forever cleansed! Hallelujah!

“11 Christ came as the high priest of the good things that are now here. He also went into a much better tent that wasn’t made by humans and that doesn’t belong to this world. 12 Then Christ went once for all into the most holy place and freed us from sin forever. He did this by offering his own blood instead of the blood of goats and bulls.” Hebrews 9:11-12 CEV

I heard mercy described like this once.

We are taken to court with a long list of charges (sin) against us. The prosecutor (satan) stands before the judge (the Father) and declares that we are guilty. The defense attorney (Jesus) stands before the judge and says “My client throws himself on the mercy of the court, Your Honor.”

The judge then says” I will grant your plea for mercy however someone has to pay the penalty”. Then the defense attorney, Jesus, steps forward and says “I will pay the penalty Your Honor. Let my client go and take Me in His place. (grace)”

Mercy: not receiving the penalty we deserve

Grace: receiving release or forgiveness that we don’t deserve

Thank you Father for your mercy and your grace! Your mercy rewrote my life’s story!

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From the Heart

I’m not normally someone who has restless sleep but this week has been a booger!

Tossing and turning all night long.

However, with that as my back story, coffee in hand, quiet surrounding me, except for the birds I have been listening to my heart. And wouldn’t you know it…I heard a song.

“Oh Lord, you’re beautiful,
Your face is all I seek,
For when your eyes are on this child,
Your grace abounds to me.

Oh Lord, please light the fire,
That once burned bright and clear.
Replace the lamp of my first love,
That burns with Holy fear.” by Keith Green, 1980

1980, I was a young mother with two small children, ages 5 1/2 and 4. I had recently experienced a miscarriage and I was learning to lean on the Lord’s strength in ways that were beyond my years.

This song became the anthem of my heart. “Your face is all I seek. Your grace abounds to me”.

The abounding grace of Jesus – His grace that covered all my sin, His grace that brought me into right standing with the Father, His grace that saved me.

“ God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God’s own adopted children. 6 God treated us with undeserved grace because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God.

7-8  Christ sacrificed his life’s blood to set us free, which means our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because of God’s gift of undeserved grace to us. God has great wisdom and understanding,  9 and by what Christ has done, God has shown us his own mysterious ways.” Ephesians 1:5-9 CEV

“ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 NJKV

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:7-11 NKJV

We have God’s promise that when we seek His kingdom, His way of doing things, we will find it and not only will be find it but we will be rewarded for seeking Him.

“ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

Good days or bad days. Rest filled days or restless days, it doesn’t matter. We come to Him and praise Him from the heart and He will do the rest.

“You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. 2 You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, 3  and you refresh my life.” Psalm 23:1-3 CEV

Yes Lord, You are beautiful and I will praise you with all my heart!

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And the Winner Is…

We all like to win. I was never very athletic so I would cheer from the sidelines, encouraging those who were competing.

But I know now that I am a winner and I’m cheering for you.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT

Those who have gone before us in this life of faith are cheering us on. Their lives are examples of encouragement of what God will do in the lives of common, ordinary people.

Do you realize Jesus considered Himself a winner when He endured the cross?

“In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.” Colossians 2:15 NLT

He did this for all of us.

“ My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” I John 2:1-2 NLT

When our lives are committed to Christ we participate in His victory.

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” I John 5:1-5 NLT

We are destined to be winners – victorious – overcomers.

“ We thank God for the power Christ has given us. He leads us and makes us win in everything. He speaks through us wherever we go. The Good News is like a sweet smell to those who hear it.” II Corinthians 2:14 NLV

God uses us to be a voice for Christ in the world telling the Good News of His love, forgiveness and victory.

“ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 15:57 NKJV

“ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39 NKJV

Better than winning the lotto or anything else is the victory we have in Christ. And the winner is…US!

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Up for a Chariot Ride?

Are you looking to be set-up by God today? You know, those “chance” meetings, wondering about people you used to be close with, just being in the right place at the right time.

God’s set-ups!

Philip was open to God using him. When Saul started persecuting the Chrisitans in Jerusalem, Philip went to Samaria to preach there. Then one day the Lord told him to go south of Jerusalem on the road to Gaza. Philip obeyed.

There he met a high official in Egypt’s political system. The man was reading the book of Isaiah but didn’t really understand what he was reading.

“The Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’ 30 So he went toward the chariot, and he heard the man reading from Isaiah the prophet. Philip asked him, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’

31 The man answered, ‘How can I understand? I need someone to explain it to me.’ Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him… The official said to Philip, ‘Please, tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is he talking about himself or about someone else?’ 35 Philip began to speak. He started with this same Scripture and told the man the Good News about Jesus.” Acts 8:29-35 ERV

There are people all around us waiting for someone to be their Philip. We need to slow down from our own demanding schedules and allow the Lord to direct us to them.

It might be as simple as giving someone a smile and a God bless you. It might be asking someone how they are doing and really listening to their answer. Philip was listening, he heard the man and then he asked a question.

It’s the Father’s job to prepare hearts but it’s our job to be prepared to be obedient when He calls on us.

“Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope.” I Peter 3:15 CEV

” I pray God will make you ready to obey him and that you will always be eager to do right. May Jesus help you do what pleases God. To Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever! Amen.” Hebrews 13:21 CEV

Are any of you praying for the Lord to send someone to minister to your children or a dear friend? What if that person is too busy? Maybe we are the answer to someone’s prayer? Are we ready?

When we take time to listen to the Father, we will be the answer to someone’s prayer! It may involve a ride in a chariot.

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My Choice

What I’m about to say may shock you. I am pro-choice.

Don’t stop reading. Let me explain.

“My body and mind may fail, but you are my strength and my choice forever.” Psalm 73:26 CEV

“You, Lord, are all I want! You are my choice, and you keep me safe.” Psalm 16:5 CEV

“ Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the spiritual blessings that Christ has brought us from heaven! 4 Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. 5 God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God’s own adopted children. 6 God treated us with undeserved grace because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God.7-8  Christ sacrificed his life’s blood to set us free, which means our sins are now forgiven.” Ephesians 1:3-7 CEV

I woke up this morning thinking how thankful I am that God chose me – He chooses us! And then I heard my heart say, “Father, I make You my choice”. Yes, I am very definitely pro-choice. God doesn’t demand that we love Him, He give us the choice.

You all know I love getting up early in the morning and starting my day in the quiet. It didn’t use to be like that.

I didn’t always enjoy being alone with just my thoughts. My heart would become anxious; I would want to turn on the tv or the radio – anything to block out the silence, anything not to focus on the unrest or the distress that I felt churning in my spirit.

Maybe you’re like that. No wanting to get up and be “alone” with yourself and with the Father. Wanting to get up and get going right away to keep yourself from pausing in the quiet of the morning…

King David wrote in the Psalms to “be still and KNOW that I AM God”. Know = to be intimately acquainted with, a deep personal knowledge or understanding.

“God is our mighty fortress, always ready to help in times of trouble. 2 And so, we won’t be afraid! Let the earth tremble and the mountains tumble into the deepest sea..10 Our God says, “Calm down, and learn that I am God! All nations on earth will honor me.” 11 The Lord All-Powerful is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress.” Psalm 46:1,2,10,11 CEV

This verse says to calm down where the KJV says be still. Take time to let what you just heard sink in.

God has made the choice to be our strength, our peace, our help, our defender, our protection and our Savior. We need to make the choice to “calm down” and “be still” so we can learn that He is God and He has chosen to be kind to us.

It’s our choice.

It was reading, learning and applying God’s word that brought me peace.

” With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16 ERV

When I come to His throne, in the quiet of the morning, I find grace, mercy, kindness and help. I find Jesus! I can’t imagine starting a day without this time.

The choice is ours! My choice is to choose God!

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