Read: Hebrews 10

verse v. 10-14 “…we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the sames sacrifices, which can never take away our sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice He has perfected forever those who are being made holy.”

The Old Testament had a system of sacrifices that was set up by God so that people would understand what sin is and that  we needed to be clean again before approaching a holy God. All of the many rules and types of sacrifices were meant to point to Christ, who in the fullness of time would be born … and die on the cross for the ultimate sacrifice for sin – and the Only One who could grant forgiveness and cleansing. The priests in the Old Testament would offer sacrifices time after time after time – for the same people and the same sins. And that had to be done – God required it.

Christ set aside the first system of offering and sacrifices to bring in the new through His sacrificial death on the cross. He fulfilled all the requirements of the law and most importantly did what the law could not do. By his death and resurrection, He made us perfect in Him -so that through Him we can approach God with confidence and assurance. Hallelujah! what Savior! And Jesus sacrifice is completed – He sat down at the right hand of God. So there is no more need for those who are in Christ to offer sacrifices for sins. It is finished! And that should make us want to love Him more and to be quick to ask His forgiveness when we sin.

Jesus paid the price that God required for sin – death. And that sacrifice is once for all time. But in order to live in close fellowship to God, we have to confess our sins to him. 1 John 1:9 says that He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to wash us from all unrighteousness!

Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful gift of salvation and all that it means. Father, please forgive me for the times I take you and this awesome gift for granted. And thank you that it is finished!

I’ve been off-line for awhile, trying to rest my hand. It seems to have helped!

Read – Hebrews 9

verses 27-28 – “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people, and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.”

Jesus is coming back! And He will come back as Victor over sin and death and hell.  I’m looking forward to that day, and even more as I think of all that He suffered so that I could be forgiven. Lord, help me to be a light for you, holding up Christ for others to see and believe in.

Today I read chapter 8. The book of Hebrews was originally written to Jewish believers. They would have understood the comparisons God is making between the high priest who offered gifts and sacrifices for the children of Israel and Jesus, the High Priest who offered Himself up as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. And the only way to have a relationship with God.

The writer quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34  in verses 10-12. He again tells Israel that He will make a new covenant with them. He says, “I will be their God and they will be my people.”  God’s love for His people is unchanging, eternal and amazing. We(everyone who’s ever lived)  sinned – broke His law..fell short of the mark- and He provided the way back into a relationship with Him.  Israel will one day be living the reality of Heb. 8:10-12 and Jeremiah 31:31-34. But even now, the Great High Priest calls out to whoever will, “Come!”

And so, one day long ago, I did. And I’m so thankful to Him for all He’s done in my life. Thank You,Lord.

Read Hebrews 7

Verse: 24-25   “…but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood.Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.”

Just previous to these verses are some that refer to Melchizedek again which is very intriguing and once again I wonder who he is and where he came from! The verse I’ve highlighted is very clear. Jesus is alive and standing before the Father on my behalf and on behalf of all His children. So I am not just a little saved, or saved today and lost tomorrow but I am saved forever because Jesus lives! He totally meets my need because He is holy and pure, set apart from sinners and exalted above the heavens. His death, burial and resurrection secures my salvation.

Thank you, Lord Jesus for your love and grace and mercy in my life. I am overwhelmed by my unworthiness. You are worthy of all praise and adoration and worship. You have secured my salvation forever because You are alive. I praise You and I worship You and I love You.

Read Hebrews 6

Verse 12 – “We do not want you to become lazy but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

This verse makes me think of all those who’ve impacted my life as a believer in Christ. There are a few who come readily to mind. Like Priscilla, a woman who taught me so much about loving God and my family as a young mom. She encouraged me to walk with the Lord through her words and actions but mostly by her life. I met her as she was going through a very difficult time with a daughter. Her faith in God and in his love for her child was so strong it drew me to her like a magnet. She encouraged me as a mom. She walked into my house one day as the kids were playing (very small house+4 small children=chaos!) and she said “I love how you let the children play with pots and pans and encourage ‘freeplay’ around the house!”

She encouraged me to grow – to set time aside to be with the Lord and to read and meditate on His word. And to teach others. And she was a lot of fun to be with! I want to be like her.

There are others … Jayne and Cheryl and Joyce…and more who have been used of God to touch my life and help me love Him more.

Lord, you’ve blessed my life with so many women who love you. Thank you for the impact they’ve had on my life and my family. Help me to encourage others in the same way. And keep us all on Your path, walking in obedience to You.

Read Hebrews 5

Seems verses 1-10 are a continuation of Chapter 4, lifting up Jesus as our Great High Priest. He is the one appointed by God the Father to stand between a Holy God and sinful man. He (Jesus)” is a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (v.6)

Melchizedek is an interesting Old Testament priest who came out to meet Abraham after he’d won a battle. (Genesis 14:18) The priest blessed Abraham…and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. Melchizedek was the king of Salem (later known as Jerusalem). He is mentioned again in other passages in Hebrews, always in relation to Christ.

It makes me wonder if he is Jesus appearing in the Old Testament. I don’t know, but I wonder???  But this I do know – that Jesus is THE Great High Priest who died and rose again! Thank God for his wonderful gift of salvation!

Read – Hebrews 4

verses 14-16 – Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.

my thoughts – I love this word picture of Jesus as our Great High Priest. He is able to sympathize with my weaknesses because He was tempted in the same way I am BUT He is without sin.  So I can come to His throne, boldly, the Bible says and with confidence that He will hear me and that He will intercede for me and I will find grace and mercy to carry me through the trial or around the temptation. And it makes me want to fall at His feet in worship and adoration. He is worthy. 

Lord, I worship you, my Great High Priest. Thank you that you understand the situations in my life. Thank you for your grace and unlimited mercy for me and thank you for your presence in my life. You are amazing and I love You.

I’m so excited that the games are soon to begin! I love opening up the sports section of the paper and finding lots of interesting baseball stories.  I am a Red Socks fan (Mariners are my west coast team) – make no mistake about that – BUT  I think it is fun that Billy Crystal is going to pitch a practice game for the Yankees for his 60th birthday. Maybe he can really help them out this year

Read – Hebrews 3

verse -13- But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

This verse popped out of the Bible at me today. I’ve been thinking a lot about accountability and discipleship. What do they look like in my life? This verse really speaks to me of accountability.  I am to encourage other believers every day -speaking truth into their lives and having them speak truth into mine. The truth about the things we see God doing in each others life and the not so godly things we see. The sin that hardens our hearts by it’s deceitfulness. (Oh, that’s just a mistake or a little white lie or maybe just this once I’ll …)

It is easier for me to encourage another believer with the God like things I see in them. And I certainly would rather hear about what others see as God doing in my life. But that’s just half of the picture. I need to hear (and speak of) the not so godly things, too. Before they become so rooted in my life that I am totally entangled and of no use to my Savior.

Lord, thank you for all the safeguards you have built around each one of your children so that we can walk in step with you. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who speaks truth to my heart in that still, small voice. Please forgive me for not always listening and following His leading. Please incline my heart more and more towards you. Thank you for your word that speaks truth into my life. And thank you for those who you’ve placed in my life who encourage me in my walk with You. Help me to encourage those around me to keep on walking with you so that none of us fall into sin’s deceitfulness and harden our hearts. Amen