Two women having a quiet conversation in a busy café
Bible, Hearing, Hebrews, Listening, Obedience, Scripture, Voice

IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE

HEBREWS 3:7

“Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, ‘TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,’”

Many good intentioned Christians will tell you that God does not speak the same way He used to. May I beg to differ? God is speaking. The problem is we aren’t listening. There’s a great book by Henry and Richard Blackaby entitled “Hearing God’s Voice.” Let me encourage you to order it and read it. They take us through Scripture showing us how God spoke then and how He continues to speak to us today. You just have to have your ears tuned to the right frequency.

Today starts a long Old Testament quotation from Psalm 95:7-11. It may not be an exact quote, depending on our translation, but the message is clear. Listen to the Lord. Barnes says, “the admonition was as pertinent and important under the Christian dispensation, as it was under the Jewish. The danger of hardening the heart by neglecting to hear his voice was as great, and the consequences would be as fearful and alarming.” I agree wholeheartedly.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

Boy, if this isn’t a Command to Obey, I have never seen one. As I said in the opening, you have to be listening to hear His voice. As is often the case, our English doesn’t fully convey the original Hebrew text which could read “Today, oh that you would hearken to (obey) His voice” or “Today, if you hearken to His voice.” The Psalmist then goes on to deliver the words of the Lord directly.

So, the question begs to be asked – are you listening? Well, Carl, how do I hear God’s voice? So glad you asked. The first and best way is to get into His Word and let Him speak through the text. God inspired every writer to pen every word. Read it as if listening directly to the voice of God. Secondly, pray. Spend voluminous amounts of time in prayer. I have never known anyone who was in tune with the Lord who didn’t do that. Prayer is the gateway to the throne of God. And thirdly, shut up and listen. Just get in a quiet spot, turn off all distractions and listen. Don’t talk. Allow the Spirit of God to speak to you about things you need to hear.

Let me close this blog by saying, if you listen He will speak. So many times He has tried to speak to me, but I was too busy. As we go through these next verses from Psalm 95, take a minute and go read the entire psalm. It’s only eleven verses. I love what verse 6 says just before we enter into our quotation in Hebrews. It says, “Come, let’s worship and bow down, Let’s kneel before the LORD our Maker.” That’s where it begins. Are you worshipping? Are you kneeling?

Speak, O Lord, I am listening. I want to hear Your voice and obey Your commands.

Standard
Bright open-plan living room, dining area, and kitchen with a dog by the window
Bible, Confidence, Family, Hebrews, Hope, Household, Scripture

HIS HOUSE

HEBREWS 3:6

“but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the boast of our hope.”

My wife maintains a beautiful home for us. Sure, I help when and where I can, but she is the one who deserves all the praise. Every picture that is hung and every pillow that is placed just so are her doings. I never fear coming home to a home that is in disarray. She is amazing. Of course, she thinks the house is always a wreck, lol. It’s not.

As the comparison between Jesus and Moses continues, we are reminded that Jesus is the “Son over His house.” He was not a servant of the house, as Moses was. That is not to put Moses in a lowly position, but he was not master of the house. Jesus is. And here once again we are called something so dear. We are told that we are His house. That means we are part of the family that makes up the household of faith. Aren’t you grateful?

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

There is a Promise to claim in our verse in a couple of spots. First, the fact that we are called His house is promise enough. Don’t you think. It reminds me of 1 Corinthians 6:19 which says, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” We’ve already talked about how we are God’s House, His building. Now we see we are Jesus’ house. What a promise, don’t you think.

But there are two other Promises to claim at the end of the verse. Look closely. The writer says we are Jesus’ house “if we hold firmly to our confidence and the boast of our hope.” That doesn’t sound like a promise, Carl. That’s sounds like a condition. I see that, too. But the promises are the “confidence” and the “hope.” The same word for “confidence” is found in Philippians 1:20 where it is translated as “boldness.” That verse reads, “according to my eager expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”

And that “hope” is found twice in Romans 15:13. This is one of my favorite verses on hope. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Listen, we are promised that confidence and hope because of Jesus, and because we have them, we are His house. So, move over roomie.

Thank You, Father, for assuring me a spot in Your house.

Standard
Street cleaner sweeping beside red Chelsea 14 bus; “Wheee!” text above
Bible, Hebrews, Joy, Scripture, Servant, Service, Testify, Testimony

WHAT KIND OF SERVANT ARE YOU?

HEBREWS 3:5

“Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later;”

There’s a big difference between being made to serve in a capacity and choosing on your own. If you are made to do something, you will despise it. You will hate every moment. But if you choose to do it, no matter how hard it might be, you can find true joy. I had a CNA recently while I was in the hospital who came into my room every few hours to check my vitals. She was always humming a song, usually a hymn. Though her job was tedious and demanding, she put joy into it. I thanked her for that.

The writer of Hebrews continues to draw the comparison between Jesus and Moses in today’s verse. Don’t forget to whom he is writing. It is a Jewish audience. These Jews had come to Christ and were facing persecution. They highly revered Moses as part of their Jewish faith, so the writer is making sure they understand that as great as Moses was, Jesus is far greater. Let’s look at what he does in this verse. You might just miss this if you just read an English translation.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

There is an Application to make here. First, let’s look at something. The word used here for “servant” is not either of the words we commonly see used in the New Testament. It is neither doulos (bond-slave) or diakonos (servant). It is therápōn which is only used one time here in today’s verse. The Topical Lexicon says it, “portrays a personal attendant who renders willing, often intimate service. The term is distinct from the more common doulos (bond-slave) in that it highlights voluntary devotion rather than compulsory labor. It evokes the image of one standing near his master, ever ready to act for that master’s honor.” It goes on to say, “The writer of Hebrews selects therápōn —rather than doulos or diakonos —to underscore Moses’ privileged access to God’s presence and his trustworthy stewardship of divine revelation.” I am not sure what else I could add to that, lol.

Now, how do we apply this to us? First of all, I don’t think we can call ourselves a therápōn. We are never called that anywhere in Scripture. However, we are referred to as doulos or diakonos. I hope I haven’t lost you. I don’t usually get this deep in the weeds. Bottom line – we too are called to be servants of the most high God, just in a different role. Moses’ role was unique. The writer says he was a “testimony” for things to come. In that way, so are we. We are to testify of the coming Christ to all who will listen.

Are you serving willingly or begrudgingly? Your face will tell. As you serve in your role(s) at your church or your family or your community, tell your face to show joy. Even if you are having a hard time with the task, your upturned face can change your mood.

Thank You, Father, for allowing me to serve You in the role(s) You have given me.

Standard
Workers building a timber-frame house in a rural wooded landscape
Availability, Bible, Building, Hebrews, Imperishable, Perfection, Scripture

THE BUILDER OF ALL THINGS

HEBREWS 3:4

“For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.”

I have had the privilege to travel a good bit internationally over the years, and one thing I have noticed is the very different styles of buildings in every country. Let me give you one example of two different styles. In the rural villages of Uganda, most houses are built using homemade bricks made of clay. They are large bricks but not as big as cinderblocks. However, in Kenya, you will see the larger blocks made of a grayish material. Both use the available resources to build their homes. I wonder if Ugandans would like the Kenyan style or vice versa.

The point of the verse today is that God is “the builder of all things.” The word “builder” is the same word we saw in yesterday’s blog, kataskeuazó, which is more of like the architect, the planner, rather than the physical builder. The literal Greek reads much different than our translation above. It would read, “Indeed, every house is built by someone; the One however everything having built (is) God.” The phrase “having built” is an Aorist (factual event, one time) Participle (which describes God).

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

What is the writer trying to tell us in this verse? I don’t think he is telling us not to build. He says, “For every house is built by someone.” We all have building to do. In my ministry, I am always praying for the Lord to use me to build into the lives of other men to lead them to be disciple makers so they too can build into the lives of other men. We call that generational growth. So, what do I see in this verse? An Application to make and maybe even a Command to Obey.

Another thing I notice is God is just like those Ugandans or Kenyans. He uses the available resources. 1 Corinthians 3:9 says,
“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” Now, let me ask you a question. If we are called “God’s building,” do you think He would use faulty materials? No way. He would only use the finest available. He has chosen to build us. We are even called “living stones” in 1 Peter 2:5. “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

The next time you drive by a construction site, take a look at the materials gathered. Some builders aren’t as honest as others and will try to cut corners to save money, risking the integrity of the structure. Satan will also build things that look legit until tested. Trust the Great Architect Who builds all. I promise His building plans are perfect.

Thank You, Father, for building me into Your image which is perfect.

Standard
Architectural floor plans with drafting tools, coffee, and rolled blueprints on a wooden table
Bible, Building, Hebrews, Plan, Salvation, Scripture

THE BUILDER OF THE HOUSE

HEBREWS 3:3

“For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.”

I have an uncle who has been drawing house plans for well over 50 years. He is 82 and still working. He has thousands of house plans on file. Some of those have been built more than once while others were a one time job. He is very detailed and still reads the state building codes as he builds. He knows every building that is built according to one of his plans must pass by all the engineering and building codes.

We see the comparison of Jesus and Moses once again. While Moses was highly revered by all Jews, he paled in comparison to Jesus. The writer says Jesus is “counted worthy of more glory than Moses.” Moses was used by God to lead the Jewish nation at a time when they were under great distress. And although he may have given them physical salvation from the slavery of Egypt, he could not offer them spiritual salvation from the slavery of sin. That job was already taken.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

The Something new about God I see in today’s verse is the fact that Jesus is the architect of our salvation. In fact, the Greek word used here for “builder” is not the one you may expect. It’s kataskeuazó, not the normal word oikodomo, which is used for a formal, material building. The Topical Lexicon says kataskeuazó “consistently portrays purposeful preparation or construction carried out so that God’s redemptive purposes can advance unhindered. Whether the work is performed by God, by His appointed servants, or by faithful believers, each occurrence underscores His sovereign intention to ready people, places, and plans for His glory.”

In Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2 and Luke 7:27 this word is used to describe John the Baptist by Jesus Himself. He said, “‘WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’” We’ll see it used five more times in Hebrews 3:4; 9:2,6; 11:7. Listen, this isn’t a sword drill competition, but I encourage you to look up each of those verses. What is the Lord saying here? I believe it is clear. Jesus doesn’t not do anything without a plan. Every action He has ever taken had a purpose. We get in the way of that when we refuse to yield to His building plan. Jesus will not force us to comply.

I have often thought how much better it would be if Jesus made all my decisions for me and all I had to do was follow afterwards. He has actually done that through His Word. Every decision we face can be guided by His Word. This, however, requires us to spend time in the Word daily. Study to show thyself approved we are told. Amen?

Thank You Lord for being the wise master builder in my life. Help me point all the glory to You.

Standard
Weathered wooden sign reading “FAITHFUL TO THE END” outside a church
Bible, Calling, Faith, Faithfulness, Hebrews, Scripture, Trust

ALWAYS FAITHFUL

HEBREWS 3:2

“He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.”

Faithfulness! Let me ask you a question. Are you a faithful person? I don’t mean just in your faith in Christ. I am talking about your faithfulness to family and friends, even coworkers. Faithfulness is more than just a buzzword. Faithfulness requires action. We live out our faithfulness to God and others by the way we live.

The writer of Hebrews describes Jesus as being “faithful to Him who appointed Him.” Who was that? Of course, that was His Father Who had sent Him on a mission to redeem mankind. Benson writes in his commentary, “Faithfulness respects trust. Our Lord, therefore, must have had a trust committed to him wherein he was faithful. Accordingly, he sought not his own glory, but the glory of him that sent him; declaring that he came not in his own, but in his Father’s name, John 5:43. He moreover sealed that truth with his blood, which he came into the world to bear witness to, John 18:37; and greater faithfulness could not be expressed.” We’ll look at those verses in a bit.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

In this verse I see a clear Application to make. Just as Jesus was faithful to His calling, we must be faithful to our calling. The verse referenced above, John 5:43, says, “‘I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.” Read that again. Just as Jesus obeyed the Father and was rejected, so will we be. Just because you are faithful, that does not mean you will be accepted. In our world today, faithfulness to God will almost certainly get you rejected.

John 18:37 is in the passage where Jesus is standing before Pilate. When Pilate asks Him if He is a king, Jesus answered, “‘You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.’” We have the same purpose – testify to the truth. And those who are “of the truth” will listen. Remain faithful.

Isn’t it amazing what you can get out of one verse of Scripture? I am blown away every day when I turn to the Word. I am home this week recovering from an emergency surgery last Friday. I’m good, but it reminded once again of His faithfulness over me. Thank Him today for that.

I am eternal thankful for Your faithfulness. Help me exhibit the same faithfulness.

Standard
Weathered wooden cross on a rocky mountain summit at sunset
Bible, Calling, Hebrews, Holy, Scripture, Think

CONSIDER THIS

HEBREWS 3:1

“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus;”

I like to look at things closely and really analyze the pros and cons before deciding. Let me give you an example – our trash service. As a full time missionary, I watch our budget expenses each month and try to hold down unnecessary expenditures. Our trash service rate had gradually increased over the past several months, so I called the company. Guess what? They lowered our rate by $10 a month. But it took me looking at this bill closely and following up.

I love how the writer of Hebrews addresses us a “holy brothers and sisters, partakers of a heavenly calling.” Isn’t that rich? To be called holy is one thing but then he goes on to say more. I believe Barnes says it well. “The ‘heavenly calling’ denotes the calling which was given to them from heaven, or which was of a heavenly nature. It pertained to heaven, not to earth; it came from heaven, not from earth; it was a calling to the reward and happiness of heaven, and not to the pleasures and honors of the world.” Woo-hoo!

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

Do you see the Command to Obey? The verb there, “consider,” is an Imperative which means it’s a command. Interestingly enough, it’s also in the Aorist Tense which implies a simple and complete act and not an ongoing action. What does that mean. I think the Holy Spirit is telling us we don’t have to keep wondering about Jesus. What is stated is truth, and that settles it. Right?

The Greek word for “consider” is katanoéō “(from katá, ‘down along, exactly according to’ and noiéō, ‘to think’) – properly, to think from up to down, to a conclusion; to consider exactly, attentively (decisively); to concentrate by fixing one’s thinking ‘to perceive clearly’ (kata, intensive), ‘to understand fully, consider closely.’” Do you get that? I am not saying we will ever fully understand Jesus. But I am saying that He will reveal Himself to you as you yield to Him more fully. I’ve said it before – Jesus isn’t playing hide-and-seek from us.

So, today consider Jesus! Think on Him! Don’t waste your time on the things of this world that really don’t matter. Sure, we have to live in this world, but we are not to have our minds focused on it. Amen? I pray you discover one new truth about Jesus today.

Thank You, Father, for revealing Your Son to us as we consider Who He is and what He has done.

Standard
Customer browsing a café pastry case filled with cakes and macarons
Bible, Hebrews, Perfection, Scripture, Sin, Suffering, Temptations

TEMPTATIONS

HEBREWS 2:18

“For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”

I once had a friend who was discipler of men until the day he passed into Glory. I will never forget we were in a meeting with some other men and were discussing purity and the temptations of the flesh. At the time, my friend was 86 or 87 years old. Someone asked him, “Does this ever end?” He humbly and gently said, “Men, the temptations of the flesh never end, but we do learn how to resist them better each day we surrender.” I have shared that story several times with men who thought they could forever quash those temptations.

Today’s verse is similar to Hebrews 4:15 which says, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.” The Greek word “tempted” is the same in both verses. It means to be tried or tested. It can be in a negative way (which the Lord would never do) or a positive way (which the Lord often uses to grow us).

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

In this verse we have a Promise to claim, a Sin to avoid, an Application to make, and Something new about God. The Promise to claim is that Jesus will come to our aid in our temptations. But we have to call on Him. We can’t choose to sin and then cry that He didn’t help us. This is a proactive decision. Before you sin, when you are tempted cry out to Him and He promises to deliver.

A Sin to avoid is obvious. Don’t yield to temptation. Jesus has shown us through His sinless life that it is possible. Think of the suffering He endured and yet He did not yield to the temptation to react. Do you remember the temptations He faced in the wilderness by Satan himself? Who was going to know? He was all by Himself out there. Is that an excuse you have used?

An Application to make is given us by showing us the possibility of refraining from temptation. If you are like me, you are faced with temptations every day. It may be in how you talk to your spouse or children. It may be in refraining from talking badly about someone. We can apply this verse to our life every day.

Something new about God is a reminder of the fact that our God, our Savior is sinless perfection. There is not a shred of sin in His life, never has been and never will be. We will not reach sinless perfection in this lifetime. We will be able to experience that in heaven one day.

Today, give thanks to the Lord for His sinless perfection in the midst of suffering and for His example to us of how to live our lives daily.

O Lord, You are beautiful beyond description, too marvelous for words because You are perfectly sinless.

Standard
Biblical high priest holding a smoking censer inside an ornate sanctuary
Appeasement, Bible, Forgiveness, Hebrews, Propitiation, Reconciled, Scripture, Wrath

TO RECONCILE

HEBREWS 2:17

“Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brothers so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

We are living in a day where thousands of families are suffering from estrangement from family members. I truly believe this is a work of Satan. He knows if he can attack and destroy families, especially Christian families, he can destroy the church. Unfortunately, our mental health field has flamed this wildfire into a frenzy. The only hope is repentance and reconciliation through our Lord. No amount of counseling will heal these wounds.

Jesus came for one purpose – to reconcile mankind back to the Father. We see this so clearly in today’s verse. The writer says Jesus became “a merciful and faithful high priest” in order “to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” The verb “make propitiation” only occurs here and in Luke 18:13 where it says, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” This is the passage where the tax collector is beating his chest and praying to the Father. He knew and we know that our only source of forgiveness is from Him and we can do nothing to earn it.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

The Promise to claim is apparent. Christ has done this for us. The Greek word is hilaskomai. HELPS Word-studies says this word means “to extend propitiation, showing mercy by satisfying (literally, propitiating) the wrath of God on sin.” We all need mercy in this regard. There is nothing we could have ever done to appease God’s wrath. Only Jesus could do that.

This word appears in the noun form in two places in the New Testament. Both occur in 1 John. The first is 1 John 2:2 which says, “and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Two chapters later, John writes in 1 John 4:10, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

As followers of Christ, we will never face the wrath of God. But pity the souls who never turn to Jesus in this lifetime. They will feel the full weight of their sins one day. They may think they are skating by right now, but there will be a pay day someday. Aren’t you thankful your debt has been paid? Aren’t you glad Jesus has appeased God’s wrath on your behalf? If so, live like it. Live with a lifestyle of gratitude.

Words can never fully express my gratitude to You for my salvation through Jesus. Help me to live a life of gratitude.

Standard
Sleeping newborn in a straw-filled manger with Mary, Joseph, and animals nearby
Angels, Bible, Hebrews, Helping, Humanity, Salvation, Scripture

NOT LIKE THE ANGELS

HEBREWS 2:16

“For clearly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendants of Abraham.”

Some people just don’t need your help, do they? You could offer all the help in the world, and they would decline it because they don’t see themselves as needing anything. I find that is true especially among the lost. And if they are affluent, they sure don’t think they need any help at all. I hate to bear it to them, but we all need help.

Today’s verse is a little puzzling at first read. Was the writer saying that Jesus didn’t help the angels but instead helped mankind? That is part of it, for sure, but that is not all of it. One scholar says, “the meaning is, that He did not seize the nature of angels, or take it to Himself with reference to rendering ‘them’ aid, but He assumed the nature of man – in order to aid ‘him.’ He undertook the work of human redemption, and consequently it was necessary for Him to be man.” (Barnes’ Notes on the Bible)

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

Let’s call this verse Something new about God. God could have sent Jesus to earth in His heavenly form, and millions would have immediately fallen at His feet in fear. He could have appeared with the heavenly host in Bethlehem announcing God’s wrath upon all men unless they bowed to Him. But instead of taking that form, He chose the form of man. He came as a baby.

Philippians 2:5-8 spells this out very clearly, “5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.”

Aren’t you glad He chose to come like us? He not only appeared in human form, but He also came as a helpless baby born in a manger. God could have sent Him into Herod’s palace, but He chose to place His seed in a young virgin Jewish girl betrothed to a carpenter. God followed the lineage proclaimed throughout Scripture and not a Hollywood script that would have made a “bigger” story. Never underestimate the lowliness of our Savior. It was a chosen position for a specific purpose – so He could relate to everyone.

Lord, Your plans are always perfect and for that I praise You.

Standard