The Ordination of a High Priest (Heb. 5:1)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02-10-03

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  The ordination of a high priest

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 5:1

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins;” (NASB) “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.”  (NKJV)  “Now a high priest is a man chosen to represent other human beings in their dealings with God.  He presents their gifts to God and offers their sacrifices for sins.”  (NLT)

            This verse speaks of the ordination of the high priest.  He is beginning to make the point of the ordination of Jesus Christ as High Priest in this section which according to Dr. Wiersbe is this verse and also verses 4-6 of chapter five.  The verse tells how a high priest was selected and also tells his duties.  God chose Aaron from among men and appointed him on behalf of men in things pertaining to Himself so that he could offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.  The ordination of Jesus Christ as High Priest will be explained in verses 4-6 and I think that I will go there next and after that is done will return to verse 5:2 afterwards.

 

            1.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I need a high priest so that I can be connected to God.  God chose Jesus Christ to be my High Priest because He is the perfect High Priest for a sinner like me to have.  As I look at the complexity of the salvation process I am truly amazed by it.  God’s provision for my salvation causes me to bring glory to God because of His mercy and grace He provides for me.

 

The Word of God was refreshing to me today.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I do believe that God wants us to continue to meet as a small group of men and do things that will bring glory to His name as we learn and grow and have the Lord produce fruit in our lives to the glory of God.

 

Memory verses for the week:  Colossians 4:5

 

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  .

 

 

Where to go to Find Grace and Mercy (Heb. 4:16)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02-09-03

 

 

My Worship Time                              Focus: Where to go to Find Grace and Mercy

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:16

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  (NKJV)  “Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.”  (NASB)  “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.”  (NLT)             

            I think the writer writes this verse because of the ones that he wrote before it, that is Jesus Christ is our faithful High Priest, He is the One who understands our weakness, and knows about our temptations, and therefore He is a sympatric High Priest.  In light of all of this the writer goes on in this verse to say that we may come boldly to His throne of grace that we receive mercy and may find grace to help in our time of need.  The NASB uses the word “confidence” as to how we should come to God’s throne.  We are not to be cocky or timid, but we are to have confidence because we have such a wonderful and merciful High Priest.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  “What a wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Jesus, what a wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord.”  That is the verse of a song that comes to my heart after reading and studying this verse and the ones before it over the past few days.  Jesus is my wonderful, merciful, and gracious Saviour, but it does not end there for He is my sympatric High Priest who invites me to come with confidence to His throne of grace to find grace and mercy in my time of need.

 

The Word of God was so very refreshing to my heart upon reading it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  In light of all that I have been learning and the challenge that I have before me this morning I come boldly to God’s throne of grace to find mercy and grace to help me get through this challenge of being at the guest center at Church this morning.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Colossians 4:5

 

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 

 

 

We Have a Sympathetic High Priest (Heb. 4:15)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02-08-03

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  Our Sympathetic High Priest

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:15

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”  (KJV)  “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.”  (NKJV)  “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same temptations we do, yet He did not sin.”  (NLT)

            The Lord Jesus Christ not only came down from heaven to become a man so that He would qualify to die for our sins, but He also became our High Priest so that He can bring intersession for His own.  To be our sympathetic High Priest Jesus Christ knew all of our weakness and all of our temptations, yet He did it without sin.  He knows what we go through in our lives because He was on this earth in an earthly body subject to the things that we go through each day of our lives.  I want to hone in on the word sympathize that the NKJV uses in this verse because from other readings about the word it seems that it is not understood as well as it should be in this day and age.  Strong’s says of this word:  “AV-have compassion 1, be touched with a feeling of 1; 2 1) to be affected with the same feeling as another, to sympathise with; 2) to feel for, have compassion on.  The part where it says, “to be affected with the same feeling as another, to sympathise with” is the heart and soul of Jesus Christ being my High Priest, for He can do this for me.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:    Jesus Christ knows what I am going through when I am tempted, or sad, or overcome by anger, or anything that I am going through, and He can sympathize with me in the truest since of the meaning of that word.

 

The Word of God was refreshing to me as I studied it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I want to trust the Lord for the things that are going on regarding Haven Equity.  I know that the Lord has been blessing my life through this ministry and I believe that He will continue to do so.  Because of this knowing that He is in charge I need not worry about it and just trust the Lord with it.  I give this to the Lord today.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Colossians 4:5

 

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.    

 

 

 

Jesus Christ Our High Priest (Heb. 4:14)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02-06-03

 

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Jesus Christ our High Priest

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:14

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”  (NKJV) “That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God.  Let us cling to Him and never stop trusting Him.”  (NLT)

            In this section, (4:16-5:10), the writer is proving that the Priesthood of Jesus Christ is superior to that of Aaron’s.  Dr. Wiersbe says that the Priesthood of Jesus Christ is the theme of the book of Hebrews.  In his book he gives four reasons why the Priesthood of Jesus Christ is superior to that of the Priesthood of Aaron.  The first reason is that Jesus Christ has a superior title.  The name Jesus means “Saviour” and this identifies Him as being human.  Jesus Christ is The High Priest and this could not be said of any of the OT priests.  In this verse it says that Jesus Christ passed through the heavens, and this is speaking of where He is at now, He is in Heaven and is available to minister on behalf of all believers all of the time and not just once a year as the OT high priests could.  They were only allowed to enter into the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement to offer up the blood on the mercy seat for the sins of the people.  Verse 16 tells the believers that they can come boldly to the throne of grace to find mercy and grace to help in time of need.  This is far different than the way it was done in the OT setting.  The OT priest passed through areas to get to the Holy of Holies and Jesus Christ passed through the three heavens to get to God.  One more point from this verse and that is the last phrase, “let us hold fast our confession.”  Those to whom this letter was first sent to were thinking of “not holding fast to their confession,” because of the persecution that they were going through; the writer is encouraging them to hold to it.  This would not cause them to loose their salvation, for that is eternal, however it would cause them to bring reproach to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think more than ever before that I am more thankful for my Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ and for what He is doing for me from His throne in heaven.

 

The Word of God was so very refreshing to me today.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  The Bible says,  “the just shall live by faith,” and because I have so great a High Priest who has gone before me being an example on how to live, I want to live my life by faith each day.

 

Memory verse for the week:  1Peter 4:10

 

Each one should use whatever gift he has to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

 

The All-Knowing God (Heb. 4:13)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02-05-03

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  The all-knowing God

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:13

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”  (NKJV)  “Nothing in all creation can hide from Him.  Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes.  This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done.  (NLT)

            Not only is the Word of God living and active, but God Himself, who has written this wonderful Book for us is all knowing and all-powerful.  God knows everything as this verse says and nothing escapes from His knowledge, no one can hide from God as evidenced by Jonah who found this out.  We are all as the text says, “naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”  Believers will give an account of their lives and how we have used the gifts and abilities that God has given to us.  No-believers will give an account on why they refused the grace that God offered to them and will thus pay for their sins because they chose not to accept the payment for their sins that Jesus Christ paid for on the cross.

 

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  To think about giving an account of my life to God is very sobering to me.  I know that there were times in the past when I would not think about this in the right way and kind of pass over this because I knew that Jesus has paid for my sins and therefore God will not speak to me about any sins in my life.  However as I think about the rest that I am to obey God by entering into it, and as I look back at the miracle of salvation that God has provided for me in Christ Jesus, then I see this in a different light and realize that my life must be lived in obedience to God and to His Word.

 

The Word of God was convicting to me today.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To make an efferent, by faith, to enter into the rest that God desires me to enter into, and live by the power of His Holy Spirit.

 

Memory verse for the week:  1Peter 4:10

 

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

 

The Word of God (Heb. 4:12)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02-04-03

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  The Word of God

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:12

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  (NKJV)  “For the Word of God is full of living power.  It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires.  It exposes us for what we really are.”  (NLT)  “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  (KJV)

            I want to take some of the words that are in this verse and give the meaning of them from the Strong’s Concordance.  1) Word, This is the same word that is used in John 1:1 that refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, the word in the Greed is Logos.  2) Sword “A small sword, as distinguished from a large sword; 3) dividing asunder, “ 2) a separation 2a) so far as to cleave asunder or separate.”  Now I want to give the quotation from the Life Application Bible concerning this verse.  “The Word of God is not simply a collection of words from God, a vehicle for communication ideas; it is living, life—changing, and dynamic as it works in us.  With the incisiveness of a surgeon’s knife, God’s Word reveals who we are and what we are not.  It penetrates the core of our moral and spiritual life.  It discerns what is within us, both good and evil.  The demands of God’s Word require decisions.  We must not only listen to the Word; we must also let it shape our life.” 

 

2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The Word of God has changed my life in a way that cannot be explained unless one knows the power of God’s Word.

 

The Word of God was very refreshing to me as I read it this afternoon.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I finally got over to the gas station where I bought the gas on Friday that was cheaper that it was suppose to be.  I offered to pay the amount that I believed I owed, but as I thought before I went they would not take the money, but I felt that I should at least make the offer because when I saw the price that they were advertising I agreed to pay that price.

 

Memory verse for the week:  1Peter 4:10

 

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.

 

 

 

 

The "Word" Discovers Our Condition (Heb. 4:11)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR  02-03-03

 

 

My Worship Time                              Focus:  The Word Discovers Our Condition

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:11

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”  (NKJV)  “Let us do our best to enter that place of rest.  For anyone who disobeys God, as the people of Israel did, will fall.”  (NLT)

            This section of three verses focuses upon the Word of God, and how it discovers our condition.  In verse eleven the writer says that we need to be diligent to enter that rest, and then goes on to talk about the example of the people of Israel which is recorded in Scripture in different places.  In 1Cornthians 10:6 Paul speaks of the example that the children of Israel gave to us by saying, “Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.”  They are an example to us because their story is written in the Word of God.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think that it is very interesting to see how two very important verses of Scripture are related, and if I remember correctly when I was going over 1Corthians 10 in my study of the New Testament I could see the connection between 1Cor. 10:13 and Hebrews 4:12.  The verses that surround both of these passages are talking about the struggles of the Children of Israel in the wilderness and how they can be an example to us. 

 

The Word of God was refreshing to me today.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I still have a desire to go and speak to the people at the gas station about the price they had on the pump the other day.

 

Memory verse for the week:  1Peter 4:10

 

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.

 

Rest in the Lord (Heb. 4:10)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02-01-03

 

 

                                                                                               

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Rest in the Lord

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:10

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”  (NKJV)  “For all who enter into God’s rest will find rest from their labors, just as God rested after creating the world.”  (NLT)

            Dr. Wiersbe says that the two he’s in this verse refer to the Lord Jesus Christ and the rest He entered after His work on Calvary.  The NLT translates this differently as it says “all who enter into God’s rest.”  The word in the Greek has only one word for “he who enters,” so I am not sure how Dr. Wiersbe comes up with this conclusion.  However I do like what he writes after explaining his interpretations of the he’s where he goes on to say, “We may enter into His rest by trusting His Word and obeying His will.  We can do this as we listen to His Word, understand it, trust it and obey it.”

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The Word of God has to make a difference in my life as I read it and by the aid of the Holy Spirit understand it, I then must apply it’s truths to my life so that by do this it this process will conform me more into the image of Jesus Christ. 

 

The Word of God did convict me and it also brought a challenge to me as I read it today.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  As I have thought over my response to buying my gas cheaper that I believe the gas station intended it to be, and as I think about what would Jesus do in this situation, I have come to the conclusion that I need to go back there and at least offer to pay the difference to them.  This is the Word of God being read and understood, and then applying it to my life so that I will be more conformed to His image.  Well I did that and they said it was their mistake and not to worry about it.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Philippians 2:5

 

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

 

We Can still get The Rest (Heb. 4:8-9)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-31-03

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  We can still get the “Rest”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:8-9

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.”  (NKJV)  “This new place of rest was not the land of Canaan, where Joshua led them.  If it had been, God would not have spoken about another day of rest.  So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.”  (NLT)  Or Sabbath rest “1) a keeping Sabbath; 2) The blessed rest from toils and troubles looked for in the age to come by the true worshippers of God and true Christians.”  (Strong’s)  The word in verse 8 for rest is different than the word for rest in verse 9.  Strong’s definition for rest in verse eight is as follows; “1) to make quiet, to cause to be at rest, to grant rest; 1a) to lead to a quiet abode; 1b) to still, restrain, to cause (one striving to do something) to desist; 2) to rest, take rest”

            I do believe that as I read the verses in the NLT that they do bring out what these verses mean in a way that is understandable.  The people of Israel did not obtain the rest that God was speaking about, however that rest is still available to people today.  The salvation rest and also the submission rest and is still available for believers today.  I believe that the Sabbath rest spoken of in verse is salvation rest.

 

The Word of God was challenging to my heart today as I read and studied it.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I do believe that the Lord is impressing on my heart that I am not to always, if ever, be the one who solves the problems of my wife, but I am to support her and listen to her, and then help if she asks me to do so.  I need to trust the Lord to work this out in my life.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Philippians 2:5

 

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

 

 

Do Not Harden Your Hearts Against Him (Heb. 4:6-7)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-29-03

 

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Don’t harden your hearts against Him

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:6-7

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, ‘Today,’ after such a long time, as it has been said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.’”  (NKJV)  “So God’s rest is there for people to enter.  But those who formerly heard the Good News failed to enter because they disobeyed God.  So God set another time for entering his place of rest and that time is today.  God announced this through David a long time later in the words already quoted:  ‘Today you must listen to His voice.  Don’t harden your hearts against Him.’”  (NLT)

            I would like to quote a paragraph from Dr. Wiersbe’s book on Hebrews; “Be Confident” that has much to say about this rest or rests that people can enter into.  “The Canaan rest for Israel is a picture of spiritual rest we find in Christ when we surrender to Him.  When we come to Christ by faith, we find salvation rest (Matt.11: 28) ‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’  When we yield and learn of Him and obey Him by faith, we enjoy submission rest (11:29-30) ‘By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.  By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.’  The first is ‘peace with God’ (Rom 5:1) ‘Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’  The second is ‘peace of God’ (Phil. 4:6-8) ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy----meditate on these things.’  It is by believing that we enter into rest (Heb. 4:3); ‘For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, `They shall not enter My rest,'" although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.’  It is by obeying God by faith, and surrendering to His will that the rest enters into us.

            I think that is of the utmost importance that I learn what this writer of Hebrews is saying about this rest of rests that I either have or need to enter into, and I believe that I finally understand what these rests of God are about.

2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Whenever I learn something from the Word of God then I need to put it into practice and this is the most difficult part of becoming like Christ.  Jesus Christ lived on earth in a way where He always did everything according to the Word of God for He is the living Word.  It was His nature to live this way, and by God’s wonderful grace I too can live this way as He conforms me to the image of His Son.

 

The Word of God was convicting, refreshing, and a challenge to me as I read it today.

My Steps of Faith Today:  To live my life in control of the Spirit of the living God.

Memory verse for the week:  Philippians 2:5

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

 

 

 

  

 

 

Spiritual Rest is Available (Heb. 4:4-5)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-28-03

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Spiritual Rest is Available

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:4-5

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all His works’; and again in this place: ‘They shall not enter My rest.’”  (NKJV)  “We know it is ready because the Scriptures mention the seventh day, saying, ‘On the seventh day God rested from all His work.’  But in the other passage God said, ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”  (NLT)

            The thought just came to me about this passage in a way that I had not looked at it before, and that is that God rested from His work after creation because His work was done and not because He was tired.  I can rest from salvation because Jesus Christ has done all the work for me on the cross of Calvary.  I can do nothing at all to gain salvation and therefore once I have been saved I can rest in that wonderful salvation that God has given to me.  I can also rest in knowing that God is the One who can show me the right way to live out my life, and not doing things in my own effort.  In verse five the writer again quotes from Psalm 95 and in this verse he quotes verse eleven.  Those who could not enter the rest are the ones who came out of Egypt in unbelief of going into the Promised Land.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  When I take God at His Word and by faith believe what He has said, even though at times I do not understand all that is involved, I too can enter His rest.

 

The Word of God was convicting to me today as I read about not entering His rest that is available to me, which means that it also challenged me too.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To put shoe leather on the things that I have read about in His Word, to apply those things to my life so I can enter His rest.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Philippians 2:5

 

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

           

 

 

Entering God's Rest (Heb. 4:3)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-27-03

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Entering God’s rest

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 4:3

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: ‘So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”  (NKJV)  “For only we who believe can enter His place of rest.  As for those who didn’t believe God said, ‘In My anger I made a vow:  They will never enter my place of rest,’ even though His place of rest has been ready since He made the world.”  (NLT)

            As stated in the last spiritual diary it takes faith to enter into God’s rest whichever rest that is describes still takes faith.  It takes faith to enter into the rest of salvation and it takes faith to enter the rest of walking with the Lord in His power.  God has finished the rest from the foundation of the world.  God had purposed this rest in eternity past just like the rest when He had finished creating the world.

 

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It takes faith in the Lord to enter this rest and faith must also have actions or works on our part to be able to enter this rest.  Just like it would have taken the children of Israel to walk into the Promised Land in order to enter that rest, whenever God has something for me to do I must begin to do it and then trust the Lord to see me through doing it by His power and strength.

 

The Word of God was refreshing to me today and it was also convicting.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To trust the Lord to get me through the things that He would have me to do today whatever they may be.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Philippians 2:5

 

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.