Jesus Christ and Moses were Faithful (Heb. 3:2)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-09-03

 

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Jesus Christ & Moses were faithful

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 3:2

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.”  (NKJV)  “For He was faithful to God, who appointed Him, just as Moses served faithfully and was entrusted with God’s entire house.”  (NLT)

            The word for “house” in this passage refers to people and not a building, in the case of Moses the house was Israel, and in the case of Jesus Christ the house was all of God’s people.  Both Moses and Jesus Christ were faithful in the assignments that God the Father had given them to do, as they were both stewards of these households.  1Cor. 4:2 speaks of this truth, “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” 

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  God has a purpose and an assignment for me to do as I live on His earth, and I want to be faithful to do the things that He has for me to do.  He has entrusted me to be a steward of many different things such as my family, our home that we live in, my jobs as the church, the money He as entrusted me with, and I am to be faithful in all of these areas.

 

The Word of God was both convicting and refreshing to me this day.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I trust the Lord to give Dave and I a successful time as we talk today about anger and the results of not dealing with anger, and that he would accept these things that we discuss and act upon them to make himself a more fruitful believer.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Colossians 4:5 (NIV)

 

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

 

Jesus Christ, Apostle, and High Priest (Heb. 3:1)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-08-03

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  Jesus Christ, Apostle, & High Priest

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 3:1 

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,”  (NKJV)  “And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are bound for heaven, think about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s Messenger and High Priest.” (NLT)

            This short verse starts out a section which shows that Jesus Christ is superior to Moses, which is the next main point the author wants to make to these Jewish believers who were considering going back into Judaism.  He calls his readers “holy brethren,” which is only use here and possibly in 1Thes. 5:27, which means he was writing to true believers, set apart to serve God.  He next says that they are partakers of the heavenly calling, and all true believers have been called by God to be apart of His family.  He now says something that I must say that I have never seen before when I read this passage, and that is he calls Jesus Christ “the Apostle.”  The word means messenger and Jesus Christ was a messenger of God while He was upon the earth.  John 3:17 says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  The verse is saying that God did send His Son into the world.  The writer goes on to say that Jesus Christ is High Priest and in that roll He represents men to God, not like the roll of apostle.  One other note that I think is important and that is about Christ superiority of Jesus Christ over Moses.  Moses came to deliver the people of Israel out of bondage from Egypt, and Jesus Christ came to deliver all men, (who accepted His forgiveness,) out of the bondage of spiritual Egypt.  The last part of this verse speaks of “our confession, Christ Jesus.”  Jesus Christ is the center of our confession of faith; He is the One we must but our faith in to be saved.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I must say that I have never thought of Jesus Christ as an Apostle, but now that I understand why He is called that in this verse I not only understand it better, but I am thankful for this office that He fulfilled while on planet earth.  If He would not have been a Messenger sent from God to tell men about God then I would still be in my sin.

 

The Word of God was very refreshing to me today.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To continue to trust the Lord to lead me each day, and to have faith that He will work things out so that Jimmy can lead the lesson on Friday, even though he is sick 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 Aids Those Who Are Tempted (Heb. 2:18)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-07-03

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  Jesus Aids those who are Tempted

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 2:18

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”  (NKJV)  “Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted.”  (NLT)

            Some verses in the NT that speak on the subject of aiding in temptations:  “2 Peter 2:9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

            How is Jesus Christ able to aid believers in temptation?  These last verses that are in this 2^nd chapter of Hebrews show that because Jesus Christ came to earth in a perfect human body then died on the cruel cross to pay for our sins, and then was resurrected to life again, and now sits at the right hand of God in heaven, he is our perfect High Priest who knows what it is to be tempted, yet without sin, therefore He is able to aid those who are being tempted.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is not enough for me to know this wonderful truth, but I must act upon this truth whenever I am being tempted by quoting some of these verses, by meditating on these verses, and then by living out these verses in the power of the Holy Spirit when situations of temptation come into my life.

 

The word of God was refreshing, convicting and challenging to me as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I want to remember to quote 1Corinthians 10:13 whenever I am tempted today.  By doing this and not succumbing to temptations I will win battles with the evil forces that tempt me and then as time goes on they will not tempt me as much.  Resist the Devil and he will flee is what the Scripture says.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Colossians 4:5

 

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

 

 

 

 

Jesus Aids Those who are Being Tempted (Heb. 2:18)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-05-03

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  Jesus Aids those who are Tempted

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 2:18

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”  (NKJV)  “Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted.”  (NLT)]

            Once again the writer writes about the humanity of Jesus Christ and in this verse he says that Christ suffering came through being tempted.  In Hebrews 4:15 the writer makes a similar statement when again he writes about the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ.  “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.”  I think that the point that the writer is trying to make in verse eighteen is that Christ is superior to angels, where as in 4:15 he speaks of His Priesthood.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As stated in our last SD, it is good for me to know that Jesus Christ was tempted, yet without sin, and that He is able to give aid to me because He has gone through temptation.  Examples of Christ temptation are written in the Gospels from His temptation in the wilderness to His temptation in the garden.  He is not only my Savior and Lord, but also my example on how to live the Christian life.

 

The Word of God was refreshing and challenging to me this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To trust the Lord in all areas of my life as He is dealing with me in the area of being anxious, so I want to learn what He is teaching me in this area.  I pray that He will use my weakness to bring glory to Himself.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Colossians 4:5 (NIV)

 

Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders, make the most of every moment.

 

 

Jesus Took on the Nature of Man (Heb. 2:16)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-03-03

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  Jesus took on the nature of man.

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 2:16

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.”  (NKJV)  “We know that Jesus came to help the descendants of Abraham, not to help the angels.”  (NLT)  The Young’s Literal Translation says “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.”

            There are different ways that this verse is interpreted from the King James Version and the New King James Version.  The Young’s Literal Translation has this verse similar to the KJV.  The point to all of this is that of “giving aid” and how it was interpreted.  In verse eighteen there is a word for aid and this is how it should be interpreted.  This is the Hebrew word that is translated aid in verse eighteen:  “997 bohyew boetheo bo-ay-theh'-o” and the meaning of the word:  “1) to help, succour, and bring aid.”  The word that the NKJ translates “to give aid is “1949 epilambanomai epilambanomai ep-ee-lam-ban'-om-ahee” and it’s meaning, “1) to take in addition, to lay hold of, take possession of, overtake, attain, attain to 1a) to lay hold of or to seize upon anything with the hands, to take hold of, lay hold of 1b) metaph: to rescue one from peril, to help, succour.”  When you take hold of a person to get him away from evil you are giving aid to him and that is how the NKJV gets there meaning.

            Look at the note in the MaCarthur Study Bible for more information on this.  The rest of the verse speaks of the seed of Abraham, and that is speaking about the Messiah.  Jesus Christ is the long awaited seed of Abraham that is written about back in Genesis and Paul spoke of in Galatians 3:16, “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ.  Genesis 24:7 in the KJV says, “The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.”

           

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I think about Jesus Christ who is the “seed” of Abraham to which Paul tells me about in Galatians, and latter he goes on to tell us that those who are truly descendants of Abraham are those who are spiritual descendants of Abraham of which I am one by the grace of the Lord.  I need to live like one so I can fulfill the purposes that God has called for me to do.

 

The Word of God was refreshing to me and also a challenge to me, and also convicting to me.

 

 My Steps of Faith Today:  I want to make the phone calls to the men who are joining are Bible Study next Friday to remind them to start reading their books tomorrow, and to encourage them to do so.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Colossians 4:5 (NIV)

 

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

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

Jesus Removed the Fear of Death (Heb. 2:15)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-02-03

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  Jesus Removes the Fear of Death

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 2:15

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”  (NKJV)  “Only in this way could He deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.”  (NLT)

            One of the many things that Christ’s death on the cross and latter His resurrection has done for the believers is taken away the fear of death because Jesus Christ has died for us and when a believer dies he will immediately go to be with the Lord, so there is nothing to fear about.  1Corinthians 15:54 says, “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”  Unbelievers have every right to fear death and I believe that all of them really do fear death, and if they don’t the very second that they pass from this life the will fear death.

 

             2. Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think that because I do not have the fear of death because of Christ Jesus, that I need to be willing to tell others why I do not fear death, and also how they to can be released from the fear of dying.  By God’s grace I would pray that He would lead someone to me that need to hear this wonderful truth.

 

The Word of God has given me a challenge today.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I want to be available to the Lord Jesus Christ and His cause today to be used of Him in what every way He wants to use me.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Colossians 4:5

 

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

 

A Reason Jesus Became Flesh (Heb. 2:14)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-01-03

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  A Reason Jesus became Flesh

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Hebrews 2:14

 

            1. Message of the verse:  “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,” (NKJV) “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form.  For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death.”  (NLT)

            The definition of the word “partaker” in the NKJV from Strongs Concordance is as follows:  “1) to come into communion or fellowship with, to become a sharer, be made a partner 2) to enter into fellowship, join one's self to an associate, make one's self a sharer or partner.”  Also from the note in Dr. MacArthur’s study bible for the word “shared” in the NKJV is as follows:  ‘“Shared’ means to take hold of something that is not related to one’s own kind.  The Son of God was not by nature ‘flesh and blood,’ but took upon Himself the nature for the sake of providing the redemption for mankind.”   The first phrase of this verse is speaking of the fact that God’s children are made of flesh and blood, they are human beings.  Now because of this fact Jesus Christ also had to become a human being so He would be able to become our “sacrifice” for sin, (He became sin for us).  The definitions of the words above make this clearer to understand.  The last part of this verse speaks of Jesus Christ destroying the devil, who had the power of death.  The question is how did the devil have power over death?  Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe in his book on Hebrews, “Be Confident,” has a good explanation for this question.  “In what sense did Satan have the power of Death?  The final authority of death is in the hands of our God (Deut. 32:39; Matt. 10:28; Rev. 1:18).  Satan can do only that which is permitted by God (Job 1:12; 2.6).  But because Satan is the author of sin (John 8:44), and sin brings death (Rom. 6:23), in this sense Satan exercises power in the realm of death.  Jesus called him a murderer (John 8:44).”

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I look at this verse I see that God, through Jesus Christ, has solved the biggest problem that I will ever face in all of my life, and that is the salvation of my soul, and becoming a born-again child of God.  If He has solved this problem He will take care of my life in the best way He knows how, and that is the best way that it can be taken care of.  Paul said in one of his writings something to the effect that if God has done this wonderful work for us when we were sinners, how much more will He now do for us since we are His children.  I can only say amen to that.

 

The Word of God was very refreshing to me this first morning of 2003.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I want the grace of God in my life to live like He is for me in all that I do.  I want to trust Him with my life, knowing He will never leave me, nor forsake me.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Colossians 4:5

 

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