Hebrews 10:18 “Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

BATTER UP

Softball! Have you ever had a child who played? Our daughter played when she was younger. We loved watching her play the games with her friends. I truly think it more about the socialization than the game itself, but she loved it. What I didn’t enjoy were those weekend tournaments. You know, those double elimination ones. Most of the season if you lost, that was it, but not in these tournaments. If you lost one game, you just got moved to another bracket and kept playing until you lost again. You had a second chance to redeem yourself. This made the weekend a long one sometimes.

Jesus didn’t need a second try. He got it right the first time. He died once for all. Through His death all sin was forgiven, therefore, “there is no longer any offering for sin.” I am so glad that it true. And just like His death was necessary only once, my salvation is necessary only once. The day I confess my sin and ask Him into my heart, I am sealed with a promise. It can never be undone. I did nothing to save myself, so once I accept His gift of eternal life, there is nothing I can do to unsave myself.

TEACHING MOMENT

How do we explain this to our children so they can understand? Have you had to forgive them lately for something they have done? If so, this is a perfect verse to use in that situation. Explain to them that your forgiveness doesn’t get erased when they mess up again. Sure, you may be disappointed, but you don’t stop loving them. Tell them the Lord forgives them for all their sins once, when they ask Him in their hearts. He, too, is disappointed in our disobedience, but his forgiveness never stops.

Too many Christians believe they have to start all over again if they mess up. That is a lie the devil loves for us to believe. It is defeating. It is depressing. It is discouraging. But most of all, it is deceitful because it is not true. We are promised by the Lord that He will never leave nor forsake us. He is the great Promise Keeper. Believe Him!

Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”

SURVIVING THE DRY SEASONS

Did you know you can actually buy drought resistant plants? I didn’t, until a few years ago. I grew up in the South where it rains a good bit every year. Sure, every few years we would have a dry year, but I never thought about buying drought resistant plants. I always depended on the rain to take of things.

This verse is a reminder to us that the Word of God will never dry up, wither and blow away. It is always fresh and growing. It is always giving new life. It doesn’t depend on anything to flourish. In fact, it’s just the opposite. If we want to flourish, we must come to it and partake of it.

TEACHING MOMENT

What part do you play in your child’s growth? Do you do anything to help them grow physically? Sure you do. You provide a safe, warm environment called a home. It doesn’t take a huge home, just one in which they can get out of the elements. You provide food and water. You actually feed them on a regular basis and make sure they get enough to drink. Depending on where you live in the world, the food can vary, but it is still necessary.

You tend to any cut or wound they may get to prevent infection. You make sure they get their immunizations to ward off any diseases. I think you get the picture. You do a lot to help your child grow physically. But all that is for naught unless you also feed them with the Word of God. If they are the most perfect physical specimen on earth, yet die and go to hell, what good have you done.

Will you spend time today with your child in the Word? It doesn’t have to be a lot. God’s Word can enrich their life and your life in ways you cannot imagine. But you must take the time to dig into it. Let the Word indwell you so that you too may not wither.

Hebrews 8:1 “Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,”

GETTING THE JOB DONE

Having a “right hand man” implies that you are the person with power. The President of the United States has a right hand man. That is usually not the Vice President, but rather his Chief of Staff. Most great generals had a right hand man who handled all his daily scheduled activities. And we see in this verse that even God has a right hand man – Jesus Christ, His Son, and our High Priest.

Now God doesn’t NEED a right hand man. He chose to have one. He chose to send His Son to earth to die for us and then return as the God-Man to sit beside Him in Glory. Jesus, God’s right hand man, is the one who is constantly interceding for us. He is constantly rebuking the accusations of the Evil One. God can handle it ALL Himself, but He chooses to have Jesus sit at His right hand. The one difference between a human right hand man and Jesus is Jesus has equality with God the Father. He is not His subordinate who is given power. They share the same power.

TEACHING MOMENT

Now, how in the world do you teach this concept of the “right hand man” to your child? Do your kids like to help you in the yard or around the house? This is a perfect opportunity. Explain to them that you don’t NEED them to accomplish your task, but you want them with you. You desire them close to you. You love seeing them accomplish the tasks with you. You especially love it because you know the task they are completing benefits the whole family.

Now there is a difference. They may not complete it perfectly. Jesus always does. He can’t, because He is God, doing anything imperfectly. We struggle to complete tasks, but He can just speak and it will be done. Aren’t you glad He is the “Right Hand Man”? Knowing He is there beside the Father on my behalf gives me comfort and peace. I pray you can rest in that too.

Isaiah 39:8 “Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good.’ For he thought, ‘For there will be peace and truth in my days.’”

I’M SORRY (NOT REALLY)

Have you ever caught your children red-handed doing something they shouldn’t have? Instantly, they say “I’m sorry,” but you know they didn’t really mean they were sorry. They were just sorry they got caught. That is the story here in this verse. Hezekiah had just been caught by Isaiah showing all the kingdom’s riches and defenses to the son of the king of Babylon. He had spilled the beans, so to speak.

Hezekiah agrees with Isaiah’s words, but is thinking, “At least it won’t happen while I’m alive.” Wow! Isaiah had just told him that his sons would be carried off into exile. Thousands would probably be killed, and Hezekiah shrugged it off. Sounds kind of cold-hearted to me. How about you?

TEACHING MOMENT

We have to teach our children what true remorse is. They need to learn that just saying “I’m sorry” doesn’t cut it. There has to be a change of mind and heart. Words don’t mean anything unless our actions change. How can you teach them that? How do you get your children to understand true repentance?

This is one of those skills that is better caught than taught. We have to show them through our own lives what it means. The next time you do something or say something in their presence you shouldn’t, make it right quickly. Tell them how sorry you are that you did that and they had to witness it. Then ask them to help you. “What!? Me, ask my child to hold me accountable!?” Yep! And I promise you they will.

We all need people in our lives to help us walk the path Christ has laid out before us. I have people right now in my life who will nail me to the wall if I get out of line. For that I am grateful. I need accountability. I need someone to point out my flesh when it raises its ugly head. It happened just the other day. And because of the Holy Spirit in me I was able to apologize and make it right. Mind you, it wasn’t me. It was the Spirit of God in me that drove me to that. I NEVER want to admit I’m wrong. Lol

Will you live true repentance before your child today? They need to see it lived out!

Hebrews 7:22 “so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.”

LASTS FOREVER?

Have you ever bought something that came with a lifetime warranty? That’s really hard to beat. I have some sandals that have that. If they ever tear up, I just send them back and get a new pair. I have had brake pads on my car before that had a lifetime warranty. That’s really hard to beat.

On the other hand I have had some stuff that carried only a one year or three year warranty. Sure enough, it seemed just as soon as that time period expired, it would break. It almost seemed there was a built in timer that went off to tell the product to break.

TEACHING MOMENT

But don’t you love this verse? Jesus is the guarantee of a better covenant for us. This covenant never expires. It lasts for eternity. Wouldn’t this be a great verse to use with your child the next time one of their toys breaks? When you explain to them that the warranty has expired on the toy, you can bring up the fact that our “warranty” with Jesus never expires. We are secure in our relationship. He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if everyone in our lives were that way? No divorces, no broken relationships, no estrangements! No broken promises, no desertions, no deceptions! Wow! That would be incredible. While we can’t rely on other humans for a lifetime guarantee, we can rely on the Chief Promise Keeper. He will never break our hearts. In fact, His focus is always on us. He longs to be with us. He is always bending His ear toward earth to hear our pleas. He loves us so much.

Warranties are only as good as the word of the company or the life of that company. Isn’t it nice to know that the one guaranteeing our eternal warranty is The Eternal One? He isn’t going anywhere.

Best Verse: Isaiah 33:22 “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; He will save us-“

HERE COMES THE JUDGE

Have you ever had to go before a judge? Have you ever needed a lawyer? I have only had to retain legal counsel a couple of times in my life. Neither time was it my choice. It was a matter of necessity to protect my legal rights in an unpleasant situation. But having an experienced person who knew the legal system was important.

The Lord IS our legal system. He knows our guilt, but declares us innocent. Not because of anything we have or have not done, but because of His Son’s act of taking on Himself our guilt and punishment. As believers, Jesus is advocating for us daily. Shoot, in my case, He is probably advocating every second. But I can rest in the fact that my final verdict reads “Forgiven through the blood of the Lamb.”

TEACHING MOMENT

When is the last time you have caught your child red handed? There was no doubt about their guilt in the commission of a sin. Perhaps they lied to you about something. Perhaps little Bubba hauled off and hit little Leroy right in front of you. Perhaps Susie stole something from her brother Elrod. Whatever, you know they are guilty. Here is an opportunity for you to portray forgiveness. They need to know that justice must be served, but this time, you are going to pay the price for them. You want to illustrate very clearly that Jesus has done the same for them for eternity.

Now, you can’t do that every time (and there will be more times, lol) or they will begin to think they can “get away” with anything. But what a perfect chance to teach them grace and mercy. There may still be consequences for their actions, but the punishment is removed. Wow! That is what we all have in our judge, lawyer and king.

Have you forgiven yourself? Have you allowed the Lord to remove from you the guilt you are feeling for past sins? Don’t wallow in the mud. Let the fresh, clean waters of forgiveness wash over you today. Walk in newness. Enjoy the grace and mercy bestowed on you today. That is what our Lord has done for us. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 5:12 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.”

KEEP TRYING

I will never forget my experience of learning how to water ski. My brother had a friend who had a small boat with a 40 hp outboard. It was powerful enough to pull you up, but you had to know how to get up out of the water. I didn’t. Most people learn after several attempts. Not me! It took me several trips to the lake and several attempts each trip to finally get up. But once I did, I had it. From then on I popped right up out of that water. I am not sure if it was the size of the motor, my size or my inability to learn that caused me to take so long to learn.

Our verse today talks about the inability or maybe the stubbornness of the learner. It says “by this time.” In other words, you should have learned this by now. You should be teaching others. You shouldn’t have to be reminded.

TEACHING MOMENT

Don’t you get frustrated with your child when you have shown them for the 100^th time how to make their bed? You start to believe that they just don’t want to learn. They make the excuse they just aren’t big enough or strong enough to make it like you do. But you have been careful to only expect from them what you know they can handle.

God knows our abilities. After all, He gave them to us. If He expects us to have known things He has taught us, rest assured you have the ability to know it. The word “oracles” actually comes from the Greek word “logos,” which is the word used to describe Christ in John 1. We should know Christ and be teaching Christ. Not simply sitting in our high chair being spoon fed by the Pastor.

What are you waiting for? What are you not doing that the Lord has already asked you to do. Why have you lowered your expectations for your child? Don’t you want little Gertrude to grow strong in the Lord? Then challenge her. Push her to become stronger. Allow her to fail, if necessary, to learn that the Lord is there to pick her up.

Put down the bottle and pick up the fork. It’s time for some real food!

Isaiah 25:4a “For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat;”

PLAYING DEFENSE

When I hear the word “defense” my mind automatically goes to football. Sorry, but I just can’t help myself. I played high school football and loved playing linebacker. The linebacker normally has the responsibility to be the “quarterback” of the defense. He is watching the “attack” of the offense and directs his defense to move this way or that to prepare for the next play.

But the verse here isn’t talking about us doing anything. It is referring to God as our defense. He is our defense when we are helpless and needy. He is our refuge in the storm and our shade in the heat. What a beautiful portrayal of God for us. God is the “linebacker” who is ALWAYS guarding against the onslaught of the evil one. He knows his playbook and always has the defensive move to block his attacks. But we have to listen to Him.

TEACHING MOMENT

Your children are going to face the enemy sooner or later, probably sooner. They need to know to trust the Lord as He directs them. They need to know that He always knows the best play to run. They need to know to do exactly what He says when He says. If they don’t, they run the risk of letting the enemy score one on them.

Okay, enough with the football analogies, right? But isn’t it comforting to know that the Lord is defending us day and night. We only have to surrender and let Him do it. If we stay under the umbrella of His protection by submitting to His will, He’s got us covered, no matter what. I don’t know about you, but I would prefer to let Him handle the adversary. The Lord will ALWAYS win!

Hebrews 3:13 “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

WING MAN

The writer of Hebrews instructs us here to encourage one another. Have you ever been encouraged by someone? You may have been at your lowest, but a friend comes alongside you and reminds you that they have your back. They remind you that they will stick by you, no matter what. Man, friends like that are rare.

But why do we, as believers, need to do that for each other. The author says, “so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” We need to watch out for each other so the devil won’t deceive us. Wow! Now that sure changes the tune, doesn’t it? It is not just to be an encourager. It’s to help us stay on the straight and narrow.

TEACHING MOMENT

Do your children have that natural tendency to be an encourager? Some do. Others don’t. But this verse isn’t meant for just a few. It is directed at all of us. So we need to be showing our children what it means to be an encourager. Have you done that this week? Have you encouraged a fellow believer in their walk?

I am as guilty as anyone of doing that for people outside my family, but not doing it for my family members. For that I ask forgiveness. We need to be so encouraging to those closest to us. They need it for no other reason than that they have to live with us, right? I can test the best of the bunch sometimes.

The writer also says do this “as long as it is still called ‘Today.’” In other words, do it quickly. Don’t let the sun go down before you do it. Don’t put it off to tomorrow. That person may just need that voice of encouragement that very moment. Don’t wait. Act! Let the Lord be your encourager to be an encourager. He can give you the words and the wisdom.

Isaiah 20:2 “at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go and loosen the sackcloth from your hips and take your shoes off your feet.” And he did so, going naked and barefoot.”

YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING, GOD!

Naked! Did the Lord say, “Take off your clothes”? I don’t know about you, but if the Lord had told me to walk around naked and barefoot for THREE YEARS, I might have questioned His wisdom. Not Isaiah! He just did it. He obeyed. I am sure he must have been a little embarrassed. He had to be. I am sure he got cold. I am sure people pointed and laughed. But he stayed true to the Lord’s command.

Now, hopefully, the Lord won’t ask you to strip down and walk around. You would get arrested today if you did. But what else has He asked you to do that you think sounds crazy? What command is He directing you to obey that you have thoroughly ignored?

TEACHING MOMENT

I am sure you give your children directives each day. They probably think your commands are just as stupid. They may have even said so. But does that change the fact that you asked them to do it? No! The next time this occurs in your household, use this verse to explain to them the necessity to follow the commands of God no matter how ridiculous they may sound. God has a purpose in everything He asks us to do.

In the day we are living most of the Lord’s commands sound stupid in comparison to the world’s outlook on life. Most of what the world is doing is in direct contrast to the Lord’s commands. We may appear to them to be “walking around naked and barefoot.” But we are supposed to be just like Isaiah here. He obeyed to send a message to the nation. The message was “if you don’t repent, you are going to end up looking just like me, being led into exile.”

We have a message for the world. It’s the same message. If the world does not repent and begin following the Lord’s commands, as we are trying to do ourselves, they too will end up in exile. But their exile will be eternal. So, keep preaching the message. Do whatever the Lord commands so you can be used, like Isaiah, to reach a unrepentant nation.