His Hold On Me

Knowing the gospel is not my strength in holding on to God, but his hold on to me!

2 Timothy 1:12 (New International Version)
That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Philippians 1:6 (Amplified Bible)
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.

Romans 8:29-39 (The Message)
God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

Song of Solomon 4:9-16 (English Standard Version)
You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.

How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!

Your lips drip nectar, my bride; honey and milk are under your tongue; the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed.

Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits, henna with nard,

nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all choice spices—a garden fountain, a well of living water, and flowing streams from Lebanon.

Awake, O north wind,

and come, O south wind!

Blow upon my garden,

let its spices flow.

Our Champion and High Priest

Hebrews 2:16 (New King James Version)
For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.

The writer of Hebrews continues to encourage the first century Christains that this Jesus they are so willing to abandon came for one thing - to come to their rescue. In Hebrews 2:10-18, he describes Jesus as our Champion and our High Priest.

As our Champion, we looked at the life of David (1 Samuel 17) in fighting Goliath. He went to battle line, defeated Goliath and all of Israel shared in the victory. That is the picture the writer of the Hebrews gives to the church, Jesus went to the battle line, defeated our enemy and we all share in his victory. Hebrews 2:14-15 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

As our High Priest, we looked at the line of Aaron (Exodus 28:1, 29-30; 29-34). He was chosen of God to represent the people before the throne; atoning for their sins by the blood of animals. Yet for Jesus, the atoning sacrifice was his own life - he was the spotless lamb and it was his blood that atoned for our sins. Hebrews 2:17-18 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. See also Hebrews 5:1-10; 7:23-38.

For the Hebrew Christians (and us), no matter what we face, Jesus experienced it, conquered it and will see us through whatever we face. We can have a quiet confidence that in all our experiences of testing and trials, Jesus is at our side.

Not Losing Hope

As we opened our study today in Hebrews 2:5-9, it was necessary for us to do a short history lesson (Genesis 1:26-28 and Psalm 8:4-6). This history lesson was used by the writer of Hebrews to remind the persecuted first century church that God's original plans for man was not thwarted by Adam's sin nor would it be thwarted by Roman persecution. God had graciously addressed man's failure to achieve the destiny he marked out for them by providing a Redeemer, Jesus Christ, through whose death many will be led to share in his glory.

The encouragement for these Hebrew Christians and for each of us at the study - everything, everything, everything will be in subjection to him. In Jesus, we find the solemn pledge of our own entrance into the glorious destiny intended by God for each of us.

Romans 8:31-39 (New Living Translation)
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Greater Weight

For the last two weeks we looked at this "greater weight" that is emphasized in Hebrews 1-2:4. In spite of the current and pending persecution this church was facing, the writer of the Hebrews wanted them to know (and us) what we have in this great salvation won for us through Jesus Christ, pales in comparison to any light and momentary affliction (2 Corinthians 4:17) we may be experiencing.

The assurance if this hope we have was "declared first by the Lord" (Hebrews 2:3a). We look to the activity of the Lord while he was with us. For the three years of ministry Jesus was resolute as to his purpose - "I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness" (John 12:45).

"And it was attested to us by those who heard" (Hebrews 2:3b). We have many accredited witnesses "which have heard, which have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life" (1 John 1:1).

"While God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by the gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will" (Hebrews 2:4). A confirmation and validation of this great salvation by God in the works of the apostles, disciples and children of God throughout the ages.

In the face of such evidence, the writer to the Hebrews poses the question. "How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?"

Found Alone

All the things that we hold dear, do they pale in comparison to what we have in Christ? That is the question that confronted the first century Hebrew Christians. That is also the question before each of us today.

The Message Bible translation puts it in plain speak for us as to what our answer must be.

Hebrews 12:28-29.
Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

An Exhortation to Steadfastness

We finished our study on the Cross of Christ. All the blessing of the cross are mine, but I must take hold of it by faith alone in the finished work of Christ. This pulls at us because by nature we think we have to do something. Well, the "do something" is to believe.

This week we began a study of the Book of Hebrews. I sensed that the Lord is preparing us for the trials that are to come as His return draws near. Hebrews is one continued plea to cleave to Jesus. Our faith in Christ will be severely tested. What we have in Christ is superior than anything this world can offer us. In fact, Hebrews 13:14 tells us that For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

So the exhortation to us in these last days is to be steadfast, patient and hopeful in all that God has revealed and won for us in His Son, Jesus Christ.

I am a Friend of God!

Today during devotion, the Lord said he is able to say it best and so again this week, I let his Word speak to us.

Romans 5:9-11 (The Message)
Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!