Hebrews 12:18-24

Hebrews 12:18-24 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Exodus 19:10-18 LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain.” After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.” On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder.

Under the new covenant, Christians abide eternally in the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of grace and joy garnered by faith in Jesus Christ and his works of holiness. In contrast, entering the presence of God in the Old Testament, as revealed at Mount Sinai, represented a fearful experience, even though Moses consecrated the people and made them outwardly clean. At Mount Sinai the people remained under a cloud of dread and fear; the new Jerusalem provides peace with God, causing the angels to rejoice. The former ends with death; the latter leads to eternal life. The old covenant resulted in shame and bondage to sin such as Abel's blood crying out for revenge; Christ's redemptive work leads to freedom and peace. Only death could equal the scales of justice under the Law. As the Exodus passage reveals, even consecration, cleanliness, and abstinence from sexual activity do not cover man's sinful acts, his rebellious nature. Jesus said God sees our hearts, hears our every thought. Outward acts of holiness do not satisfy God's wrath, we must have a thorough inward cleansing, a "born again" experience. The blood of Jesus spawns a new creation, bringing believers into right relationship with Almighty God.

As children of God we live by faith in Christ, not by works. Good works will never secure a place in the presence of God. When we feel discouraged, condemned or defeated because of displeasing God in our flesh, let us abandon the pit of sin by placing our faith in Christ's work and not our own, by claiming his victory and not ours. At Mount Sinai the people did not please God because their basic sin nature of rebellion brought defeat. Though outwardly clean, their sins kept even the soles of their shoes from touching God's holy mountain. Jesus the mediator of a new covenant speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Thoroughly convinced of the power of the cross, the author of Hebrews uses the word better twelve times to describe the new covenant of grace and mercy (KJV). This new and better way brings us into God's presence where we call him Abba Father, and He calls us his children. We have so much more through Christ than what we have by our own works. Our works lead to death, but faith in Christ leads to life. Failing to recognize that axiom brings us under condemnation and finally judgment because we say Christ's work is not enough for salvation.

Now, what does all of this say about our daily lives? Since Christians love and serve Jesus, we should desire to please him because He has paid the full price for our redemption. Yes, we will feel sad when we fail or when our flesh gets out of control. But as we repent of our sins and ask God to cleanse us of the behaviors that do not reflect his nature, we grow in grace, strength and the knowledge of the Lord. Jesus works on the inside, changing us from the inside out. As we walk in sincerity and humility, trusting in the power of the cross, we take on the nature of Christ and become more like our heavenly Father. As we sit at the feet of Jesus, we will give more grace, exude more patience. The fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, naturally overwhelms the old nature with all its frailties. When change fails to occur, we need more of Christ, not less. We need to depend more on him, less on our own abilities. As we develop a close relationship with him and hear the Spirit more clearly, our hearts become more tender, and we allow God to control our thinking and behavior. In thankfulness and with tears of joy, we will do his work and shine for him in this dark world.

Hebrews 12:12-15

Hebrews 12:12-15 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Romans 12:9-18 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

The author of Hebrews asks believers to grow up into spiritual maturity: to live each day by faith through God's grace regardless of the circumstances. Mature Christians live disciplined lives, resisting the devil and his works. They are wary of the selfishness of the flesh; therefore, they try to extend the Spirit of God to people rather than their own self-serving spirits. When sad, disheartened, or troubled, they strengthen their feeble arms and weak knees through prayer, praise, and worship. Mature Christians attend to the needs of others, helping the hurting and healing the lame. They make level the paths of life and live in peace with all men, displaying God's kindness to the world. As they live holy and circumspect lives, their godly demeanor and gentle spirits testify of God's goodness, so no one misses the grace of God. They do not harbor bitterness, anger, and hatred in their hearts, knowing those spirits cause trouble and defile many. Every Christian should strive to grow into maturity, to put off the weak and destructive elements of the flesh and to put on the whole armor of God's love towards humanity.

Love must be sincere, without manipulation and gain. As we walk in love, we will do what is good and supportive by honoring and respecting one another regardless of our personal feelings. God gives us the grace to live at peace with everyone. But when we remain weak and immature, we protect our flesh by striking back, hurting, and destroying, leaving our testimony of Christ in us in shambles. The flesh produces discord and distrust in our lives instead of the peace and love of our Lord. We may win battles through carnal means, but in the flesh we will lose the real war against the devil and his works. Spiritually immature actions bring confusion to our unsaved acquaintances when our actions are just like theirs. If our light does not shine, if the salt loses it savor, others will not see Christ in us. Worldly thoughts and actions weaken our testimony and leave us helpless. God intends for us to walk in hope and strength as warriors for the cross, dedicated to fighting the good fight and displaying his goodness and his power to a sinful and dying world. When we are IN CHRIST AND HE IS IN US, we do not remain dependent upon others or the things of this world: we stand tall in the hope of resurrection life and in the knowledge of who we are and what God wants.

As partakers of this breakfast, people who want to grow in faith, I know you desire to live IN CHRIST. Hebrews repeatedly tells us the just, the strong, and the overcomers live by faith. If we are not totally committed to a life of faith, difficult events or problems will defeat us: we will do what we hate, talk in ways we despise, and finally embrace the sinful life we once rejected. If you are struggling today, stand back, repent of this world, and rededicate yourself to following Christ regardless of your current situation. A true soldier of the cross does not leave the battlefield but faces his foes by faith with determination to win. The Bible says God finds no favor with those who quit the battle of life. Faith literally means believing and trusting God in everything. Believers do not rely on our senses or human understanding because we know God is in control, and the victory belongs to those who endure to the end. There is no Promised Land without a battle against the giants in the land. This day, cast off the immature garments of defeat and put on the mature armor of God. He will lift you up, make you strong, and show you that the victory is yours because He has won the fight.

Hebrews 12:4-11

Hebrews 12:4-11 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

God disciplines our lives so we might be consistent in our walk, learn righteousness, and love God rather than the world. We who are IN CHRIST should be circumspect and live lives that please the Lord. God knows our basic self-willed, me-first attitude, but He desires for us to willingly put aside our worldly inclinations for his plans and his glory. As the Spirit leads us, we will perform acts of kindness and grace by helping others even when we need help and by placing others before ourselves even when we want to be first. True servants give water to others even though we are thirsty; we sacrifice our needs for the benefit of others. This lifestyle of love and service is usually hard to learn and even harder to follow consistently, but it is a lifestyle of faith. We obey God and minister to people because we believe God is alive and that Jesus our Lord obeyed his Father by living for others and not himself. Our lives of faith confirm that God is a good God who wants to benefit everyone. Any choice other than enduring, constant faith revolves around the self and loves this world more than God.

Living for God involves pain and suffering; it is never easy. At times, we face rejections, envy, even persecution for righteousness sake. People of the world do not necessarily like or affirm those who live for God, testifying of his goodness. Acquaintances, co-workers, or even relatives may call us self-righteous hypocrites or phonies. We must stand confidently by faith, knowing we follow the Spirit inside us who guides us and shows us the will of the Father. When we fail to follow the Spirit or directly disobey him, we fall under God's discipline, for we are his beloved sons and daughters. He wants his ambassadors to reveal his glory, his salvation plan for eternal life. As new creatures, we reveal Christ in us our hope of glory. As Paul wrote, we shine like stars in the universe. When we face discipline, it is because God loves us and wants his best for us. We may meet disappointment and our lives may become harder as God reels us back into his will. We may need a prodigal son's journey from the pig pens of our lives back to the Father's house. But be sure that the Father will seek you and search for you like a lost sheep until He brings you back to his fold.

Today if you feel disheartened, lonely for the fellowship of your Father, return to him. Listen to the Holy Spirit's voice as you walk back home. As you repent of your life and tell God that you do not deserve to be a son or daughter in his household, God will hear your cry. As grace covers you, you will realize that you are willing to be a servant in the house of the Lord for the rest of your life if He will take you back. You will experience a renewed joy and peace, a willingness to obey and to live for God alone. When the Father sees you coming a long way off, He will run to you with open arms and receive you to his heart. The angels in heaven will rejoice because a wandering child has been found. Satan will be defeated as you fall into the arms of the One who loves you and gave his all for you. We may face discipline in life because we have a good parent, but it is his perfect will that we abide in him and enjoy the benefits of his protection and love, his sufficiency and grace. Even if you have strayed a little, recognize the road to sin and bondage before you take another step, and then turn around and look ahead. In the distance, you will see a loving Father coming your way.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 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. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

John 15:4-7 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

People of faith should not lose heart; with faith in God, we should run the race of life with vigor, discipline, and perseverance. People with little or no real faith in Jesus and his words will stop because of distractions or troubles along the way. The hardships of the race and the difficulties of following Jesus will discourage the faithless, and they will fall out of the race, quitting on God. Nevertheless, Jesus encourages everyone who begins the race: Remain in me, and I will remain in you. He provides the strength and fortitude to finish the race when we abide in him and trust him. If we continue in his words, He helps us persevere to a victorious finish. Jesus pleased God the Father as He willingly ran to the finish line without sinning, without displeasing God. God accepts our race of faith also because we run BY FAITH IN CHRIST, hidden IN HIS GRACE, his sinless nature. Consequently, if we remain in Christ and his words remain in us, He leads us all the way to a successful end.

What hinders you as you run the race of life? Is it sin or is it hardships, trials, or sorrows you do not understand? Have you let your neighbors, relatives, or friends defeat you or do problems at work pull you away? Is it your loneliness, doubt, or fear that trouble you? Whatever it is, nothing is worth stepping out of the race. The author of Hebrews encourages us to throw off everything that hinders. He literally says, "Strip down naked to only faith." Run the race with endurance, accompanied only by the faith in your heart. This is the real race of life. No other race, no half-hearted effort, will please the Lord. Jesus ran the race passionately with great faith and expects us to run the race in the same way. God is a rewarder of those who trust in him. As Paul wrote, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

We cannot run the race of faith trough the faith others. WE MUST RUN IT IN CHRIST, trusting in his total sufficiency. Faith is not limping along in defeat counting on others to hold us up and to carry us to the end. A preacher, a friend, or spiritual companion can encourage and help you along the way, but no one runs the race for you. You must go up the hills, around the turns, and into the deep valleys. As you trust in God, the indwelling Holy Spirit will guide you and defeat anything that hinders you. This is your faith journey, your life to run. Fellow racers will share their water and hand you a little bread to nibble on, but you alone must get up and run with endurance. This is the life of a competitor IN CHRIST. You might be sore, even bloodied, but the Lord gives you the strength to run.

If I complain about the day: my duties, weariness, poor health, or emotional scars, God tells my spirit: "I have given you enough strength for today." He has given me just enough strength, and his grace is sufficient for me to endure each day's demands: to make it up the hill, to traverse the dark valley, even the valley of the shadow of death. As I listen to his voice, I purpose in my heart to place one foot in front of the other until the close of the day. Christians take each step by faith. Trusting in anything else leads to discouragement and defeat. Running by faith is not considering how well we feel, how righteous we are in our good works, or how happy we feel in our circumstances. If we follow Hebrews and consider how Jesus ran the race, we see that his life was not always smooth and enjoyable. Although Jesus faced pain and sadness, He ran with vigor and passion, believing in God's goodness and his presence. Following Christ's example, we must not grow weary and lose heart. We should finish the race as Christ finished the race with love and mercy: Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. As Christ's last words were for others, may the same Spirit guide our steps each day.

Hebrews 11:35-40 Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated — the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

2 Timothy 2:1;8-13 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

God's people have always been people of faith. From the beginning, people of faith endured hardships and troubles. All the patriarchs experienced trials in their lives. Nevertheless, rather that looking at their circumstances, they chose to believe God was in control of their lives and would bless them. At times God revealed his hand of miracles to people in the Old Testament, and we recount these stories and teach them in Sunday School. But other believers lived their whole lives by faith, awaiting the promised blessings. They lived in misery and wretchedness. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated. We tend not to tell their stories because we think they do not uplift our spirits or they might be inappropriate for little children. But we are not children. Our faith should go far beyond our feelings or circumstances because faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV) Faith in God is more than a strong Protestant work ethic, more than a try harder attitude. By faith we know GOD IS, and He rewards those who seek him. Beginning with our salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God blesses all his children and will never disown those He adopted into his family.

As they sacrificed animals every year for their sins, the ancients looked forward to the ultimate deliverance by Messiah, Jesus Christ. In obedience, they brought their sacrifices; however, the blood of bulls and goats could never take away their sins. Only Jesus Christ's sacrifice could deliver them from the bondage of sin. Yet even those who died under the Law received the full forgiveness of their sins because of Christ's work of the cross when He set them free. Now we who live by faith today receive the same gift of eternal life because of Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection. Faith in Christ Jesus establishes the grace and mercy of God in our hearts. We are no longer strangers to God, but we are his sons and daughters, "born again" in his image, and forever pleasing to Father God.

Knowing who we are in Christ, how then should we live? Paul says, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1) We fight the good fight of faith; we finish the race, believing God is in control. Some of the ancients faced jeers and flogging, others were chained and put in prison, others were stoned, sawed in two, put to death by the sword. Hebrews 11 commends these people for their faith, their endurance to the end. Living for God is not always easy; every generation faces hardships and difficulties. Our own sins and the sins of others dishearten us or make us want to give up. At times we feel like failures, too weak to live a life of faith for Christ. But as we have seen, faith overcomes the world, the flesh, and the devil. Paul told the Ephesians to put on the whole armor of God and having done all to stand by faith. We read in Hebrews 12, In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. You are alive and reading this breakfast; therefore, resist the devil, and he will flee. Sing songs of praise to the Lord, read his Word, and live for him by helping others. Let the Holy Spirit anoint your head with the oil of gladness, so you might serve others and not yourself. Right now, live IN THE GRACE THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS. He pleases the Father; therefore, you please him too. YOUR HOPE LIES IN CHRIST JESUS. Whether you succeed or fail, BY FAITH IN GOD'S GRACE, YOU ARE SAVED AND FREE TO SERVE HIM.

Hebrews 11:29-35

Hebrews 11:29-35 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.

Luke 9:38-43 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

As an unbelieving and perverse generation, we have written God out of history and out of our everyday lives. We teach our children the "true facts" about existence, implying there really isn't a God. He is but a figment of the imagination of the weak, the primitive. If He does exist at all, He is irrelevant to life, more like a clock maker who set things in action than a personal God who is involved in our lives. Authors have written thousands of books challenging God's relevancy or his existence. Even some theologians tell us the God of the Bible does not exist; instead, He is some kind of mystical power, a positive force, an energy holding everything together. Whoever God is, his power remains limited and temporary, existing only in our minds. This god thing works when we all get together and think good thoughts. Then God is real, but outside of the collaboration of the mind, He fails to exist. The god of the sophisticated and well-informed of our day is at most a distant creator, at the least a weak figment, and definitely not a personal, loving Father. As the Bible says, in the last days scarcely shall faith be found. Jesus could do little in his own town, for the people lacked faith: he was merely a carpenter, the son of Joseph and Mary, not the Son of God.

As the author of Hebrews describes people of faith, he reveals God's continued involvement with the people who placed their total faith in him. To these people, Jehovah was not an absent God or a seemingly capricious God: He was loving, caring, and nurturing. He protected his people from extinction by leading them to Egypt and sending them to the Promised Land where He created an imposing nation. His love endured, even when they prostituted themselves to other gods. Their rejection of God caused havoc and eventually led to their dispersion to other nations, but He always protected a remanent of believers, making sure the Jewish people would exist. God was intimately involved with Abraham's descendants, his people of faith. We know the Old Testament is a schoolmaster, revealing man's self-willed and rebellious nature. But in spite of this obstinacy, the Bible also proclaims the marvelous acts of the faithful that extend beyond our comprehension. Faith pleases God; without faith, no one will see God or experience the touch of his hand on their lives.

Today, we must reject the unbelieving and perverse nature of the dominant society of sin. As simple people of faith, Christians believe in God's active presence in our lives. For us He is still the God of all creation, the God of action and miracles. He is neither asleep nor absent from reality. He hears our every word and processes every thought we think. Do we speak words of faith or do we let circumstances create doubt in our hearts? As we face life's trials and difficulties, living by faith is not always easy. When we believe in God, we know that ongoing hardships do not mean He is not involved with our lives. We can choose to be men and women of faith or we can fall into double-minded thinking. The scriptures we are reading show that God surely intervenes in our lives, however, not all people are healed, not all travel a smooth path through this life. Even in the Old Testament difficult times occurred between the miracles, yet God remained committed to the Jewish people. Today, He is involved with your life. Today, He wants to cast out the demons of fear and unbelief from your mind. Today, He seeks caring and generous people to testify of his goodness and mercy. Today, He desires to reveal himself through you regardless of your circumstances. That is the true miracle, that is a life of faith.

Hebrews 11:27-28

Hebrews 11:27-28 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

Jesus said the kingdom is near you. He also said the kingdom is in you. The above passage commends Moses for his willingness to leave the kingdom of Egypt for an unknown land, his willingness to look foolish and even to expose himself to Pharaoh's wrath to fulfill God's call on his life: freeing the children of Israel from bondage and leading them to the Promised Land. Moses' life illustrates a life of faith. By faith, he willingly faced down Pharaoh, placing his own life in jeopardy to execute God's plan for the Israelites. He told the children of God that they would need a covering of blood to escape the hands of Pharaoh and their bondage. To protect them from the wrath of God on the Egyptians, they needed a blood covering. This blood-bought protection allowed them to escape to God's kingdom, The Promised Land.

The hardening of Pharaoh's heart revealed the Lord's majesty and power. As God manifested his power throughout Egypt by exposing the Egyptians to the plagues, He freed the Israelites through blood. God broke the stronghold of sin and bondage by requiring the blood of the firstborn. All the plagues, all the sorrow, all the pretensions of repentance by Pharaoh could not free the Israelites from Egypt, the land of sin, until the Angel of Death killed the firstborn child from every unprotected family. The spilling of innocent blood broke the bondage. In a society like Egypt, the firstborn ensure the continuation of civilization. As the blessed ones, they carried the aspirations of their parents and the values of the culture. They held the primary responsibility of implementing and extending the kingdom. The firstborn represented Egypt's hope for a future. Taking the firstborn struck at the very heart of Egypt's glory and their way of life; consequently, great despair and sorrow filled the land of the living when the firstborn died. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt — worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. (Exodus 11:6) Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. (Exodus 12:30)

The Israelites' tale of deliverance from bondage to the Egyptians provides a metaphor for our journey out of bondage to sin and death. As Moses followed God by faith, we also follow God by faith. As the Israelites placed the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorposts, we place the blood of the Lamb of God over the portals of personal households (our lives), knowing the blood of God's firstborn, the only begotten Son, delivers us from the consequences of our sins. Following God's instructions, we proceed to the Red Sea in baptism, crossing over to a new existence, previously unknown to us. As Moses before us, we now walk through the wilderness of life by faith, listening to the still small voice of the Spirit within us who guides us through this land. A pillar of fire at night and a cloud in the day guided the Jews, but we who are IN CHRIST listen to the Spirit within us. To sharpen our spiritual ears, we pray, meditate, and read God's Word. Every day is a day of faith, a day to listen and obey. We look for the manna on the table set before us each morning, and we rely upon the springs of living water to sustain us. The just will walk by faith until we finish the journey and reach our heavenly home.

Hebrews 11:24-26

Hebrews 11:24-26 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Moses rejected the fineries and power of Pharaoh's household, turning to the wilderness to live as a shepherd. God spoke to him there about the purpose of his life. Sometimes we want to receive everything this world has to offer while expecting God to hear our prayers and to talk to us. John says if the love of world is in anyone, the love of the Father is not in him. American Christian beliefs sometimes center on gathering around us as much as we can of the world and then adding God to the mix. In fact, the current prosperity theology teaches we can have God and the world too. But we read in Luke, No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Luke 16:13 KJV) Moses was God's instrument in the Old Testament because he lived by faith and looked ahead. People of faith seek God, always looking for a new land, a place where God dwells. This world is not their home. They refuse to settle in the land of Pharaoh regardless of the comfort and power that might come. I think Jesus understood this when He said there would not be very many great and powerful believers. Most Christians do not seek this world; instead, they are known for their generosity, concern, patience, and selflessness. THEY DO NOT FOCUS ON THIS WORLD; THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A HEAVENLY HOME.

As I look at the American church, I believe we have strayed from the truth. The media church in particular sometimes manipulates us to follow the world's pattern of getting the most we can out of this life. When this lie skews our attitude, we usually avoid servanthood, leaning towards self-preservation and earthly gain. Our choices even convince our children that more of this, and a bigger that connote success in life. Of course, a fleshly lifestyle leads our children into self-absorption and a belief that possessions and wealth bring happiness. Sadly this focus on the world brings the self and its ME-FIRST attitude to center stage in every situation in life. A carnally minded person makes choices based on how they affect him, and he does not willingly put the needs of others above his own. If necessary the individual looking out for number one will sacrifice the life of another human being to protect his possessions, his earthly kingdom. A self-centered, self-obsessed life follows man's purposes while ignoring the way of the cross.

New Testament Christians focused on obeying God and sacrificing their lives for others. They followed Jesus' commands to love, serve, and help others. Jesus even asked us to love our enemies and to do good to those who would harm us. He spoke of the good Samaritan who stopped on his journey to care for a Jewish man. He not only bound his wounds, he paid for all of the man's expenses at an inn until he recovered. The Samaritan loved his enemy. When Christians think only of their needs, even grousing about their taxes providing health care for the indigent and the working poor, their attitude reveals how far we have fallen from Christ's teachings. Christians do not merely ask Jesus into our lives, we must believe his words, taking up the cross to follow him. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. (1 John 3-6) Jesus, OUR LORD, is generous, kind, gentle, loving, caring, long suffering, and patient. Paul said, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5) He came to serve, we also serve. We leave the castle of leisure and live as servants of the Most High, leading our children and many others out of bondage. Today, forsake the comforts of your castle, looking ahead by faith to a better life.

Hebrews 11:20-23

Hebrews 11:20-23 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones. By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

By faith the people in today's passage looked for a better future. By faith, we who are in Christ look for a better future, a future blessed by God with no more tears, heartbreaks, sicknesses, and deaths. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelations 7:16-17) How wonderful: God himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Sometimes little children fear death or experience anxiety over existence. Thoughts of the vastness of space often confound children or young teens as they struggle with the incomprehensible fact of living insignificantly among the myriad of galaxies and stars. They wonder who they are and where they are in this existence called life. Such thinking sometimes brings a hysterical feeling of bewilderment that life is beyond comprehension. I always told my own children that all this uncertainty and bewilderment will be put to rest when we see God. He will quell every tormenting fear, and He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. We will know we are finally home in the safety of our heavenly abode: we will understand all things, never again disturbed by our finiteness, imagination, or consciousness.

The people of faith mentioned in Hebrews believed in God's active involvement with their lives and the lives of their descendants. Therefore, they passed on God's blessing to each new generation, illustrating their faith in God. They trusted God's love and concern for their progeny because He had shown his commitment to their needs. Do we also have such hope? Do your prayers include blessing for your children's children? Prayers are powerful: God honors our prayers, even to the blessing of future generations. Present and future households can be saved through prayer. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household.” (Acts 16:31) But prayers aligned with God come from believers who consistently serve THE LORD, passionately believing that He lives, intends to bless people, and has a plan for his followers. Understanding of God's involvement with their lives and his intentions to care for them, the ancients blessed their progeny. They did not wonder whether God was in their lives or merely suspect he might be: THEY KNEW GOD WAS ALIVE and the author and finisher of their faith. They did not debate this reality; they rested in the idea that God created the world and mankind. They were not double-minded concerning the reality of God and his plans for his children.

In our present fact-finding world, we sometimes question God's reality or at least whether He is intrinsically involved with us and concerned about our future. A double-minded spirit receives nothing from the Lord because God is pleased by faith that trusts in him regardless of the circumstances. Faith in God extends beyond the now, beyond our human senses or understanding. People of faith bless their families, knowing God hears them. The flesh may struggle with a walk of faith, but a Christian rejects doubt and fear, believing the Holy Spirit exists with all power and authority in every believer. God sent the Spirit to remind us He is real and to teach us his ways; the Holy Spirit puts us in tune with God. As we hear his still small voice, we have faith to place our baby Moses into the water, believing there is a better tomorrow and a God who intervenes in our affairs. With Christ in us, our hope of glory, we trust God will take care of our children. We pray blessing for our offspring, knowing God hears our words and answers them according to his perfect will. Pray the prayer of faith over your family; let God have his way with them. God will faithfully perfect the work He has begun in every Christian household. As Jeremiah declared: But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Hebrews 11:17-19

Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son, his last hope of God fulfilling his promise to him of many descendants. By faith he believed that somehow many sons and daughters would come from the death of his only son. He chose to believe God would fulfill his promise regardless of the circumstance. This situation depicts the ultimate test of faith. Abraham believed that out of nothing (Isaac's death) God would make something, that from a negative God would create a positive. Similar to our belief in the creation story: By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Abraham's faith stood the test of time: now not only the Jews call Abraham their father, but millions of Christians throughout the ages have called Abraham their father of faith. As Jacqueline's grandma used to say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The results of faith are seen in the outcome.

God provided a sacrifice, so Abraham did not have to sacrifice Isaac, but mentally he had already sacrificed Isaac, for he obediently followed God's instructions to the last detail: Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. As Jesus told his followers, God reads our minds, He knows our thoughts, we cannot fool him with a pretense of faith. God knew Abraham would carry out his orders; therefore, he sent an angel to stop him from harming the boy: “Abraham! Abraham!” “Do not lay a hand on the boy.” “Do not do anything to him. (Genesis 22:11-12) Abraham followed God even though his instructions seemed contrary to his promise, his covenant with Abraham. He chose to remain faithful to God in a situation where he could have concluded God was being unfaithful to him.

Do we willingly follow God regardless of the circumstances or do we fall off the track of faith when faced with events we do not understand? Are we willing by faith to travel to the end of the track, or do our minds sink into befuddlement and confusion? One day we believe and the next day we do not; one day we think God is near and the next day we doubt his existence. The Bible describes the latter state by saying a double-minded person is unstable in all his ways and will receive nothing from the Lord. Hebrews 11:6 states, Anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Abraham believed God would reward him for his obedience in sacrificing Isaac. He knew God was good and would fulfill his promise, even if it meant bringing life from death, hope from despair, something from nothing.

How is your faith? Can you believe for good to come from chaos, or do you stand, waiting to detect something good with your physical senses before believing in God's work in you and your situation? Do you believe He will bless you as well as your descendants? Faith opens the door to God's work; unbelief closes the door to God's power and presence. Even Jesus was limited by a lack of faith in his own hometown: And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:58) Faith unlocks the door to God's domain as it stretches the horizons beyond what we can see, moving us from a land we know to a land we have neither seen nor experienced. Abraham is the father of faith because he set his affections on God, obeying and believing in him. He chose to put his whole mind, soul, and strength into following God. We must do likewise, following God with everything within us. We cannot be like the swimmer who puts one toe in the water to test the temperature before entering the contest. We cannot live by our senses or by a faithless belief system. No, we jump into the river of life by faith and commence swimming with our eyes on the prize of the high calling of Christ Jesus. Today, my brothers and sisters in Christ, "JUMP IN!" The victory is yours by faith.

Hebrews 11:1-12

Hebrews 11:1-12 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith Abraham, even though he was past age — and Sarah herself was barren — was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Hebrews 11:13-16 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Faith is knowing there is a God who made all things and understanding this world is not our home, not our permanent dwelling place. Faith believes God wants us as his children, adopted into his family. This kind of faith never rests in self-sufficiency or despair but daily looks to God, believing and trusting in him regardless of the circumstances, knowing God is good. We who are IN CHRIST always look beyond this world, awaiting our final resting place, the City of God. We are aliens and strangers on earth. We never sit down and say, "This is all there is." No, as God's chosen, we resist this faithless idea with a passion. We are like a baby who desires to get out of a crib. As this baby knows, there is a larger world to experience outside of his crib. A Christian knows there is definitely more life out there than we are experiencing on Earth: everlasting life in heavenly surroundings that we cannot imagine or have words to describe.

Faith compelled Abel to offer up a sacrifice of life to God, knowing only a blood sacrifice would appease God's displeasure with mankind. By faith Enoch served God by living a life committed to him, and he pleased God through his life of faith. By faith Noah remained obedient in a wicked generation, and he obeyed God by building an ark in the face of unbelief, ridicule, and scorn. Abraham went to a land he did not own, believing by faith that God would bless his life in his new surroundings. In that land he received the promise that God would bless many nations through his seed, Jesus Christ. These men were looking for a heavenly city, a place not made by human hands. They were looking for God and following him on their earthly journeys.

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Faith unlocks the door to God's domain. God does not allow us to come to him in any other way. Men try to approach God with sound reasoning, with their rational minds, but God will not accept a belief system based on man's insights and thinking. Manmade systems will never give anyone access to heaven. Only faith in Jesus Christ and his shed blood pleases God. Of course, faith is an anathema to the secular person who stubbornly refuses to believe in God by faith. Carnally minded people sometimes say they would believe in God if they could see him or detect his presence by their senses, but without discernible evidence they do not believe.

God asks us to believe in THE ONE who made something out of nothing, the Creator of the universe. He asks us to walk by faith when we cannot know or see the way. As Christ came in weakness as a baby, we come in our weakness, believing that the God who is beyond our understanding is our God through faith. The unredeemed cannot believe a human baby could become THE CHRIST, the door to God. Concomitantly, they cannot believe faith in God unlocks the door to heaven. But God chose to reveal himself in weakness, not in strength. Out of weakness, in absurd circumstances, He reveals himself. Viewing the world and eternity through eyes of faith diametrically opposes the thinking of sinful man. But the just, the righteous, the holy, shall live by faith. They will see God.