WORD up!

What is the best encouragement you’ve received lately?   I praised the Lord by sharing a photo depicting an answer to prayer with one of my spiritual mentors, and she texted me back the most beautiful prayer and praised the Lord with me.   But the biggest part of this happening was the palpitating of my heart that I felt when I looked at the photo and realized that this prayer of mine had been answered!   God Himself encouraged me with the realization that He heard and answered my prayer!   (Imagine me making hand motions on either side of my head like my mind is blown!!!)   In our study of Hebrews 3:1-19, we’re talking about the ideas of :   encouragement, having Jesus thoughts, and preventing hard heartedness and unbelief.   Ooh, that sounds like a tall order!   Let me tell you, without the Holy Spirit, it’s impossible!   Worldliness oozes discouragement, anti-Jesus thinking, hard-heartedness and unbelief!   The author of Hebrews says: think on Jesus, encourage others, don’t hard

Divisions: 1.The letter to the Hebrews says: Jesus is the faithful Son (Hebrews 3:1-6) Principle:   Jesus’ people are called to be faithful, fixing their thoughts on Jesus. 2.The letter to the Hebrews says: Do not harden your hearts, but encourage one another (Hebrews 3:7-13) Principle:   Jesus’ people encourage each other to prevent hard hearts. 3.The letter to the Hebrews says: Hold your original conviction firmly and don’t harden your hearts (Hebrews 3:14-19) Principle:   Unbelief leads to hard hearts, rebellion, sin and disobedience.   Subject Sentence: Hebrews says: think on Jesus, encourage others, don’t harden hearts.   Aim: The root problem of a hardened heart is unbelief, and we fight unbelief by fixing our thoughts on Jesus and encouraging each other.   Application: 1.How will you refocus your thoughts on Jesus when they stray?   What do you need to let go of to keep your thoughts from straying? 2.What have you learned from brothers and sisters

When was the last time you received a hand-written letter?  I connected this way with my one and only pen-pal in elementary school.  A little girl in Hawaii.  (Immediately after typing that sentence, I took a 10 minute break and googled her, found her old address and wrote it down.  I will put a note in the mail to her today.)  I always loved receiving letters and packages from her.  Communication today seems a bit less deliberate with the access to so much technology.  We don’t go to the stationery store to buy pretty paper and envelopes.  We don’t have wax seals for our correspondence.  We barely write checks to pay bills!  Does anyone still buy stamps?   Back in the time it was written, people would’ve been hungry to hear from people outside their community.   They couldn’t connect any time day or night over Facebook or some other social media platform from anywhere in the world like we do today.   The hunger for others’ words would’ve been especially intense if that person were

Divisions ( run-on sentence OK, direct verbiage from Scripture/Principles are Aims for each Division – a truth about God, a truth about man, a truth about God’s relationship to man; a sin to avoid, promise to trust, example to follow, command to obey, truth to believe ): 1.So great a salvation (Heb 2:1-4) Principle:   God testifies to the Gospel message. 2.Mindful of mankind (Heb 2:5-9) Principle:   God gave Jesus all authority. 3.Bringing many sons and daughters to glory (Heb 2:10-18) Principle:   God, through Christ, saves and sanctifies His people.   Subject Sentence ( 10-word sentence with proper structure showing exactly where you are in Scripture ): Mindfully, God sent Christ to save, bringing many to glory.   Aim (“ To Cause My Audience To…” Know, See, Learn, Understand, etc .): TCMATK Jesus came to earth to save mankind and bring many sons and daughters to glory.   Application ( not yes or no question.   Meant to bring about heart change ): 1.How i

Today, we are going to begin studying the book of Hebrews.  Before we get into the first chapter, I want to give you a little background information.  The book of Hebrews a little mysterious.  It is believed to have been written prior to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD.  Scholars believe, because of the subject matter addressed in this letter, the author would’ve mentioned that major event if it were written after that time (See Hebrews 8:3-4).  Once the temple was destroyed, no gifts were being offered, so the wording of those verses would’ve been different.  Ooh, think about that.  There’s no atonement for the Jews right now.   The author is unknown, but many scholars believe the author to be an associate of Paul and Timothy.  Some scholars believe Paul is the author because of how doctrinal truth is presented first, then practical application in the letter’s structure.  But other scholars say that the writing style is more elegant in the Greek language, like the

Content ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture, fit on one line ): 1.In past God spoke to ancestors through prophets many times in various ways(1:1) 2.in these last days spoken by Son, whom he appointed heir, thru whom he made universe(1:2) 3.Son=radiance God's glory/exact rep of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word(1:3a) 4.After he provided purification for sins, sat down right hand Majesty in heaven(1:3b)   5.So he became as much superior to angels as name he inherited is superior to theirs(1:4) 6.For to which angels God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"?(1:5a) 7.Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?(1:5b) 8.when God brings his firstborn into world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."(1:6) 9.In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire."(1:7) 10.But about Son he says, "Your throne,

I want to live a “resurrection” life.  This moment.  Right now.  Today.  Not waiting until I arrive in heaven and Jesus completes that resurrection in me! The resurrection life is love.   But not my brand of love that I only give to those I want to love.   Resurrection love is Jesus’ love flowing through me to those who may be difficult to love on my own. The resurrection life is compassion.   This is a completely foreign concept to my human nature.   But, in Christ, my heart for others grows so large it bursts the tiny box I’ve placed it in for protection.   Just like the Grinch. The resurrection life is freedom.   Freedom from the world’s ways and opinions.   Freedom to see how high and wide and deep the love of God really is.   And freedom to give up my wants as an example to someone else. The resurrection life is power.   Like when the Holy Spirit nudges me out of my comfort zone and prompts me to a new area of service.   Or when He stands with me while I am paralyzed with

What do you think of when you read the word “discipline?”  Do you think of punishment received from parents, caregivers or teachers?  Do you think of training designed to help you follow rules or a code of conduct?  Do you think of a time when you started a new exercise regimen?  Do you think of a branch of knowledge to be studied?  The words “discipline” and “disciple” come from the same root word, and their share a common theme dealing with study, instruction and governing one’s behavior.   In our final devotion on the Gospel of Matthew, we are going to talk about discipleship .   As we look at Matthew 28, we are going to see Jesus rose; priests devised a plan; disciples went to Galilee .   My hope is that you will walk away knowing Jesus is the risen Savior Who calls His followers to make disciples (in spite of opposition) .   Let’s pray.   Heavenly Father, I ask in Jesus’ name, that You would alert us today to where we are being discipled and where we could be discipling ot