Monday, December 17, 2007

Today's Daily Bread Hebrews 4

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God Bless You Today, Lena B


Hebrews 4
When the Promises Are Mixed with Faith
1For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God's goal for us, we need to be careful that we're not disqualified. 2We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn't do them a bit of good because they didn't receive the promises with faith. 3If we believe, though, we'll experience that state of resting. But not if we don't have faith. Remember that God said,
Exasperated, I vowed,
"They'll never get where they're going,
never be able to sit down and rest."
God made that vow, even though he'd finished his part before the foundation of the world. 4Somewhere it's written, "God rested the seventh day, having completed his work," 5but in this other text he says, "They'll never be able to sit down and rest."
6So this promise has not yet been fulfilled. Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient. 7God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David's psalm, centuries later than the original invitation:
Today, please listen,
don't turn a deaf ear . . .
8And so this is still a live promise. It wasn't canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn't keep renewing the appointment for "today." 9The promise of "arrival" and "rest" is still there for God's people. 10God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we'll surely rest with God. 11So let's keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.
12God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. 13Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it--no matter what.
The High Priest Who Cried Out in Pain
14Now that we know what we have--Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God--let's not let it slip through our fingers. 15We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all--all but the sin. 16So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.


Lena Journals~
So why would God be exasperated?
Think about it in parental view………….
You birth a child and expect growth, growth brings joy to the family, because things are well, if there’s no growth, things are not well.
Normal development is expected.
If development is in any way hindered, there is a disability, compared to having ability.
Humans were designed to grow and contribute. The contribution is response-ability.
If no contribution is able to be given, there is an irresponsibility.
A parent is pleased that all works out according to design. The earth needs what is designed to work as deemed by the designer.
There is joy in wellness, wholeness, ability, contribution and responsibility.
If one has the ability to respond, and yet does not, chooses not, there is grief, for the lack of response places an undue burden in places already responding, or leaves a gap of untended to business, which becomes a burden on the earth and its inhabitants. Everyone alive was designed to play their part.
If you as a parent, raised a child who could not respond, it would be one matter, then if they would not respond, that is a different matter, each carries its own measure of emotion.
Which could exasperate you?
One could find compassion for the unable, and sadness over the unwilling.
“Man, they’ll never get where they need to go with this unwillingness…..”
If, you were that parent, would you not want to see your child well, happy, whole, responsive, productive, contributing and at ease in life, for a “job” well done?
How does all of that cause one to “feel”?
Does “proud” come to mind, accomplished, satisfied, pleased?
Sure, why not?
So, one could say a willingness on our parts, brings our Father God pleasure, and an unwillingness brings a certain grief?
Sure.
He made us as He is, He has emotion.
How does God know if we are listening? How does any person know this?
The response.
The proof is found in the response. The response brings forth the fruit of the productivity of hearing and doing.
We are blessed in what it is we do, after we’ve heard. When we’ve really heard.
What causes us to respond or not?
Faith & Willingness
Faith moves us towards willingness.
How would we get to this place of rest?
Laboring, by responding willingly.
It says, don’t drop out….
I think this is one of the hardest things in our culture to not do – dropping out and quitting, seem so easy. I wonder why? The prize awaits those who go all the way! Those who stay the distance. Those who pursue and run and keep running, they win.
How does one do all of this? Become well, respond, contribute, run, stay….
They do it by faith, through His strength.
He isn’t asking for us to develop super muscular power or super intellect, but rather super trust and super faith in His ability to work through a human body, here on earth, at your address.
How does faith like that come?
By hearing, the very words that come from God.
What has God said, right now, today?
What was the last thing you believed you heard of Your Father?
Do that, you’ll be blessed in what you do. Doing what He has said for you to do
Today.