Believers Beware (Heb. 10:28-29)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR Date:  05-19-03

 

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Believers beware

 

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Hebrews 10:28,29

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”  (NASB)  “Anyone who refused to obey the Law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant as if it were common and unholy.  Such people have insulted and enraged the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to his people.”  (NLT)

            In verse 28 the writer is getting his information from Deut. 17:2-7 which talks about a person who deliberately sins and is then punished by stoning.  I still believe that the writer is speaking to believers in this passage, however I still believe this passage has an application to those who are unbelievers and are considering the Christian faith, but then after they understand it turn away from it without receiving forgiveness in Christ Jesus for their sins. 

            The question is whether or not a believer can get himself into such a mess as described in these verses, can a believer trample under foot the Son of God, and do some of the other things described in these verses?  My answer is that I do believe that it is possible for a believer to do such things, because of the sin nature that they have within them.  If a believer continues to follow the deeds of the flesh then he can get himself into a position where he will do some of the things that are described in this passage.  Now the question is what will happen to this believer who does these things?  Paul deals with this issue in 1Corthians where he speaks about some people who have died prematurely because of sin.  (See 1Cor. 11:30)  1John 5:16 says this:  “ If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.”  In conclusion I will again say that believers can act in way that disgraces the name of their Savior and Lord in such a way that the only thing that God will do for them is to take them home early so that they do not continue to disgrace the name of Jesus Christ.  There is another example of this in Acts chapter five that is familiar with most students of the Bible, where God took home two believers very suddenly.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I as a believer in Jesus Christ must be continually checking on my faith to make sure that it is real, and not in vain.  Paul speaks of this and I think that it is in 11Corthians where this is found, but I am not quite sure of the exact passage.  As a blood bought believer in Jesus Christ who would be on my way to hell without this pardon that He has given me, should always be living my life to bring honor and glory to the Lord because of His wonderful gift of salvation that He has given to me.   “2Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?”  I am thankful to the Lord for showing this verse to me.

 

The Word of God was a big challenge to me as I read it this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  To continue to trust the Lord in these times of difficulty, as there are a lot of people who are going through the same thing that Sandy and I are going through.  To trust the Lord who has led me out into this storm of His choosing.  I am comforted that Jesus Christ is praying for us as we go through this storm, that He knows all about this storm, that He will come to us in this storm, that He will help us grow because of this storm, and that He will see us through this storm.  I am so thankful for the message that Pastor Tim Konuch brought to us yesterday, as it was a message that the Lord knew we needed and He provided just what we needed.

 

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 40:1-14

 

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.

6.      Sacrifice and meal offerings Thou hast not desired; My ears Thou hast opened; Burnt offerings and sin offerings Thou hast not required.

7.      The I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me;

8.      I delight to do Thy will O my God; Thy Law is within my heart.”

9.      I have proclaimed glade tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O LORD, Thou knowest.

10.  I have not hidden Thy righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation; I have not concealed Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.

11.  Thou, O LORD, will not withhold Thy compassion from me; Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth will preserve me.

12.  For evils beyond measure have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head; And my heart has failed me.

13.  Be pleased of LORD, to deliver me; Make haste, O LORD, to help me.

14.  Let those be ashamed and humiliated together who seek my life to destroy it; Let those be turned back and dishonored who delight in my hurt.

 

 

   

 

Christ is the Only Sacrifice for Sin (Heb. 10:26-27)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR Date:  05-17-03

 

 

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Christ is the Only Sacrifice for Sin

 

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Hebrews 10:26, 27

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”  (NASB)  “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins.  There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.”  (NLT)

            As in the other exhortations that are in this book there are different views on whom the author is writing about, whether he is speaking to believers or to non-believers.  As in all of the other exhortations that are in this book I believe that the author is writing to believers and am encouraged from reading the writings of Dr. Warren Wiersbe to strengthen my beliefs along this line of thinking.  In verse 26 the author is speaking about sinning deliberately and the fact that in the OT their was not a sacrifice for this kind of sin, a sin that David committed and fell upon the mercy of God because he knew that there was no sacrifice to care for it. 

            The exhortations that are in Hebrews continually go spiritually downward in direction and this is the furthest downward for a believer to go, and that is despising the Word of God.  The despising of the Word of God is a willful sin as seen in the latter part of verse 26 where is says “the knowledge of the truth.”  I want to say that this can also pertain to an unbeliever who continues to turn down the offer that God has given to him for salvation and there is no other sacrifice for him if he indeed rejects the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for his salvation.  There comes a time in an unbelievers life when the Spirit of God will give up on Him and he will someday experience the “raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” 

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  This is a warning that I as a believer need to take very seriously and also on a personal level pray for Andy that he would stop his downward spiral and get his life back on track so that it will be honoring to the Lord.

 

The Word of God was challenging to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To continue to trust the Lord to give me victory over fear, to continue to trust the Lord for peace in our financial problems that we are going through at this time in our lives.

 

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 40:12,13

 

12.  For evils beyond numbers have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head; And my heart has failed me.

13.  Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; Make haste, O LORD, to help me.

 

Lord I love to praise Your name, I’m so glade Your in my heart.  You came from heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross my debt to pay, from the cross to the ground, from the ground to the sky, Lord I lift Your name on high.   

Faith, Hope, and Love (Heb. 10:24-25)

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

                                                                                                            Date:  05-14-03

 

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Faith, hope, and love

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Hebrews 10:24,25

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.”   (NASB)  “And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”(MKJV)

            It is possible that some of these Hebrews believers were not coming to worship with the other believers because of their desire to go back into Judaism and when this happens the others miss out on what the have to offer at the worship service.  It seems that God calls people to a certain assembly to worship Him and to use their gifts that He gave them for the good of others and when they do not come the assembly will miss out on these gifts.  The verse says that we as believers should consider how to stimulate each other to love and to good deeds.  This is stated in another version “stir up” like Paul had said to Timothy that he should stir up the gifts that God has given to him.  Dr. Wiersbe says that the three virtues of the Christian faith are all present here in verses 22-25 and that is faith, hope and love.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As we all are at this retreat I believe that this is a great verse for me to consider and I would hope that the Lord would allow me to stimulate different members of the group to love and good deeds.

 

The Word of God was very timely to my present situation; it was refreshing, and also a challenge to my heart.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To continue to trust the Lord to defeat fear in my life so that I will learn more about becoming a man who is more and more like my Savior and Lord; Jesus Christ.

 

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 40:12,13

 

12.  For evils beyond numbers have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head; And my heart has failed me.

13.  Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; Make haste, O LORD, to help me. 

God is Trustworthy (Heb. 10:23)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 05-12-03

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  God is Trustworthy

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Hebrews 10:23

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;” (NASB) “Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”  (NLT)

            This verse is another of the things that we as believers should do in light of all that Jesus Christ has done for us, and that is we are to hold fast, without wavering, to our hope, and the reason that we are to do this is because God is the One who has promised and He is faithful.  As stated in other entries of my “spiritual diary” the word in the Greek that is translated hope is a noun and so it is not used in terms of a wish that may or may not come true, but it is used as something certain, and I believe the most noted term is in Titus where Paul speaks on the hope of the return of Christ at the rapture.  This is one of the believer’s hopes that is certain and in light of these hopes that are our promises we as believers should go about the work of the Lord.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I think of this verse in light of the troubles of our investments I can be certain of one thing and that is that God is faithful, and that my hope is in my Faithful God who has given many promises to believers that pertain to this situation that we are in.  I must say that the Lord has used this situation in order to get the attention of many who are in the same boat, and I do believe that we all of us come out of this that the ones who know that the Lord is in control of this and trust Him to work it out for His glory and our good will grow and learn the most.  I pray for both Gary and Andy who are in the middle of this situation that the Lord would continue to bring about His will for them, that He would give the peace that passes all understanding to Gary, and that He would use this to work a work of maturity and revival in the heart of Andy so that Andy will be used of God in a new and fresh way.

 

The Word of God was exactly what I needed to hear this morning.

 

Enter into the Presence of God (Heb. 10:21-22)

SPIRITUAL DIARY For 05-12-03

 

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Enter into the presence of God

 

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Hebrews 10: 21,22

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”  (NIV)  “And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s people, let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him.  For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”  (NLT)

            In verse 21 the writer is speaking of Jesus Christ who is the Great High Priest over the house of God.  In verse 22 the writer comes to the conclusion of the things that he has mentioned from verse 19, and that conclusion is, we as believers, are to “go right into the presence of God,” as the NLT says.  We can do this because we have true hearts that fully trust the Lord.  The next part of this verse I do admit that I am not perfectly sure of the meaning of the use of the word conscience, but I do think that it is related to salvation, because it is only through salvation in Jesus Christ that a person can have a clear conscience.  I am sure that there are other applications that are involved for this word.  The writer goes on to say that are hearts have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean and our bodies have been washed with pure water.  When Moses first consecrated Aaron and his sons as priests, (Aaron war the first high priest), he put blood from a sacrificed animal on the right ear lobe, the right hand, and the right big toe, and they were also ceremonially washed before they received the right to be priests.  I believe that this was a picture of what Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit do for a believer when they accept Christ’s forgiveness through His blood for their sins.  The Bible says that we are priests, for we can come into the very presence through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, we need no other intercessor.  The believer is also said to have been washed by the Holy Spirit when he was saved, and this also is pictured in the OT.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I think of all of these things that God has done in order to bring about salvation for me I am much more in ahh of all of the love that God has for me, and He did all of these things while I was yet an enemy of His, so that I could become one of His children.

 

The Word of God was very instructive to me, and it also warmed my heart from the truth that is has shown me as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  As I continue to learn from the book “Wild At Heart,” the Lord is showing me more and more of my fear and an idea of where it stemmed from.  The trip to West Virginia is going to be a test for me concerning this fear that I have, and I hope and pray that the Lord will not only see me through it but also teach me things that will have a life --changing event for me.  I know that I have been wounded from some where in my past that has caused me to have this unnatural fear, and that I am going to have to deal with it in order to become the man that God wants me to become.  I give myself the Lord for His service today as spoken of in Romans 12:1-2.

We Enter the Holy Place by the Blood of Christ (Heb. 10:19-20)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR Date:  05-09-03

 

My Worship Time                  Focus:  We enter the Holy Place by the blood of Christ

 

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Hebrews 10:19-20

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “19 ¶ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, (NIV)  “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.  This is the new, life-giving way that Christ has opened up for us through the sacred curtain, by means of his death for us.”  (NLT)

            This starts a new section in the letter to the Hebrews and Dr. Wiersbe has entitled it, “Christ’s sacrifice opens the way to God,” and it goes till the end of this chapter, (verse 39).

            In verse 19 the writer speaks of the believer having confidence to enter into the Holy Place.  He is talking of the Holy Place that is in heaven, and not the one that was in the Jewish Temple, for that one had had the curtain between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place torn into from the top to the bottom when Christ’s flesh had been torn on the cross.  (See verse 20).  The OT high priest entered this Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement, and he did it with the blood of an animal sacrifice, while we as believers enter this Most Holy Place in heaven by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Verse 20 speaks of us entering this Most Holy Place by a new and living way, and this speaks of Jesus Christ for He Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one can come to the Father but by me.”  Verse 20 and John 14:6 have similar things in them and it could even be said that Hebrews 10:20 is in some way a fulfillment of John 14:6.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I want to focus in on the “new and living way” that is in verse 2o and in the NLT is translates it “new life-giving way.”  As stated above I do believe that this verse is a fulfillment of John 14:6 or at least John 14:6 put into action and that has spoken to my heart this morning, for in this new life-giving way I can approach my Heavenly Father and have fellowship with Him.

 

The Word of God was inspiring to my heart as I read it this morning, as it seemed to me that God spoke to me through His Word into my heart.

No Need for anymore Sacrifice's for Sin (Heb. 10:15-18)

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

                                                                                                            Date:  05-08-03

 

My Worship Time                  Focus:  No need for any more sacrifice’s for sin

 

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Hebrews 10:15-18

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:  16  "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."  17 Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."  18 And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.  (NIV)  “And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so.  First he says, ‘This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord:  I will put my laws in their hearts so they will understand them, and I will write them on their minds so they will obey them.’  Then He adds, ‘I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.’  Now when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.”  (NLT)

            Verse 15 speaks of the Holy Spirit testifying of “this” and that has taken me some time to try and understand what the “this” is that he is speaking of.  I have come to the conclusion that he is speaking of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ being all that is needed to satisfy God for all sin for all time.  (I realize that a person has to accept this sacrifice in order to receive forgiveness of sin.)  The writer goes on to again quote from Jer. 31:33-34 which speak of the new covenant that God will have with His people, and it is based upon the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross.  God can now put His laws in the believer’s heart so they can understand them, and also write them on their minds so that they can obey them.  Then in verse 17 he adds that He will never again remember the believers lawless deeds or their sins again.  I believe that the Bible makes it clear that when a believer sins that he should confess or agree with God that he has sinned and that God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, this according to 1John 1:9.  The other point is similar to the one made yesterday when our position as a believer was brought up and that we as a believer have a perfect position with God once we have been saved.  I do not believe that God will ever bring up our sins in heaven because they are all under the blood of Jesus Christ, however as a believer in Jesus Christ, one saved by His blood I have a responsibility to walk worthy of my calling, and that means confessing any sins that I do to God, my Heavenly Father.  Now in verse 18 the writer makes the point that after the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of the world there is no more sacrifices needed or accepted for any sin, as Jesus said when He was dying on the cross, “It is finished.”  That means, “Paid in full.”

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  There is no more important truth that I will ever here than what is wrapped up in these verses, for in them I learn that all of my sins have been paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross, and that I will never have to do anything on my own, nor could I to have my sins paid for.  The song “Jesus Paid it All” is appropriate here, for He truly did pay it all, and I truly owe all to Him.  I must say that I do have a hard time accepting God the Father’s love, I believe in my heart that He has accepted me, but there are far too many times when I do not act or feel like I deserve the great gift of love, and I know that apart form the grace of God I do not deserve it.  I want to have this truth living in my life very much, and perhaps more than anything, and as I write this I would pray that I would empty myself of all pride of life, and anything else that would get in the way of receiving my Heavenly Father’s love.

The Word of God was a blessing to my soul as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To believe that my Heavenly Father will take me to the wound that I have suffered as a child, and that He will identify this wound to me, and then release me from it so that He can fill me with His perfect love.

 

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 40:9-12; 1John 1:9

 

9.      I have proclaimed glade tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O LORD, Thou knowest.

10.  I have not hidden Thy righteousness within my heart, I have spoken of Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation; I have not concealed Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.

11.  Thou, O LORD, will not withhold Thy compassion from me; Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth will continually preserve me.

12.  For evils beyond numbers have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous that the hairs of my head; And my heart has failed me.

18.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.