SPIRITUAL
DIARY FOR 03-22-03
My
Worship Time Focus: A Better Hope
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference:
Hebrews 7:18-19
Message
of the verses: “18 For, on the one
hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness
and uselessness 19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand
there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to
God.” (NASB) “Yes, the old requirements about the
priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless. For the law made nothing perfect, and now a
better hope has taken its place. And
this is how we draw near to God.” (NLT)
I believe
verse eighteen is speaking of the law that was given to Israel when they were
in the wilderness. There is much said
about this law in the NT and in fact there is repeated in the NT nine of the
Ten Commandments with application to the one that is not quoted. The laws that told about all of the
sacrifices and the things that the priests had to do were all fulfilled in
Jesus Christ while He was here on earth, for He said that He did not come to
abolish the law, but to fulfill it. If
one carefully studies all of these OT laws he will see the person and the work
of Jesus Christ in them. The problem
with these laws are that no mere human could keep all of them and they did not
draw us closer to God and the book of Galatians goes as far as saying they were
a curse to everyone. Gal. 3:10-13 “ 10 For as many as are of the works of the
Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT
ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM." 11
Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, ‘THE
RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.’ 12
However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, ‘HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL
LIVE BY THEM.’ 13 Christ redeemed us
from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written,
‘CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE.’”
Verse 19
goes on to say that the law made nothing perfect, but it did not say that the
law in and of its self was not perfect because it was, for it came from
God. The verse goes on to say that there
was a bringing on of a better hope, and that hope was and is Jesus Christ for
because of His work on the cross to take care of our sin problem we can now
draw nigh unto God. I wish to quote from
John Gill’s notes that are from my online Bible program about drawing nigh to
God: “ by the
which we draw nigh unto God; the Father, as
the Father of Christ, and of his people in him, and as the Father of mercies,
and the God of all grace and this drawing nigh to him is to be understood not
locally but spiritually; it includes the whole worship of God, but chiefly
designs prayer: and ought to be done with a true heart, in opposition to
hypocrisy; and in faith, in opposition to doubting; and with reverence and
humility, in opposition to rashness; and with freedom, boldness, and
thankfulness: and it is through Christ and his priesthood that souls have
encouragement to draw nigh to God; for Christ has paid all their debts,
satisfied law and justice, procured the pardon of their sins, atonement and
reconciliation for them; he is the way of their access to God; he gives them
audience and acceptance; he presents their prayers, and intercedes for them
himself.”
Spiritual
meaning for my life today:
I have come to the conclusion that God does things the way He wants to
do things and I, as a believer in Jesus Christ for the salvation of my soul had
to do things God’s way in order to be a believer. People cannot come to God the way they think
that they can, but only the way God has provided. As one reads through the Law they would
probably come to the same conclusions that the Pharisees came to when they read
it and that is they must keep it in order to be accepted by God. Wrong, for although the Law is perfect it has
no power in it to save us.
Now
as I live my daily life I need to remember this truth about the Law, and that
is I cannot do good works on my own to impress God like the Pharisees tried to
do, but I need to be available to God, to be used by Him through the power of
His Spirit, in order to do the things that please Him and I believe this is
where many times that I have trouble, because I believe many times that I try
and do things to impress God or do things because I believe this is what I
should do and automatically think that it is God’s will for me without even
consulting Him in advance. As John Gill
says about the purpose of Jesus Christ being our High Priest that I am to draw
nigh unto God through prayer knowing that He is my sympathetic High Priest
because He has been there when He walked on the earth.
The
Word of God has brought conviction and a challenge to my heart today, but it
was also refreshing to me too.
My
Steps of Faith Today: Again
I need to make sure about having devotions with Sandy, as we have missed it for
three days now. I realize that this is
important for both of us and it is my job to see that it is done, and done in a
constructive way where we will both benefit from it.
Memory verses for the week:
Psalm 40:1-5
1.
I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and
heard my cry.
2.
He
brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; And He set
my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
3.
And He put a new song in my mouth, A song of praise to our
God: Many will see and fear, and will trust in the LORD.
4.
How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, And
has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
5.
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which Thou hast done,
And Thy thoughts towards us; There is none to compare to Thee; If I would
declare and speak of them they would be too numerous to count.
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