Hey friends, are you ready for week 3 of our study? Here’s a peek at what we will be reading as well as our prayer focus for the week. Meanwhile, I’m committing each of you and this study to the Lord! I invite you to share some prayer requests and/or praises here today. They can be study related or personal. Feel free to like/comment on the praises or requests as a way of encouragement.
Father, You are good and in Your goodness You have given me much needed rest and I praise You. The enemy has been quick to target my mind with fiery darts of the past but Your Spirit has been faithful and quick to remind me to – take captive every thought to make it obedient to Jesus Christ! (2 Cor. 10:5) Help me to do this throughout today and everyday and to encourage others to do the same – so that,
The words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart may be pleasing to you, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Father, You are good and in Your goodness You have provided Your Word as a way for us to know You.💜 Your Word allows me to personally know Who You are, to know my sinfulness and need for a Savior; It makes a way for me to not only know The Savior but to trust in Him and to have a relationship with You, the True and Living God. To be able to grow in the wisdom and understanding of your Word is a blessing that allows me to live and love like Jesus❤️, to bring salt and light into this dark world, and to share You with others.
I do not deserve this blessing but have received it as a gift from You💜 It is a gift born not of merit but of Your love and desire to have a relationship with me. You are good and I am greatly blessed!
Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 5:11-6:3 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 6:1)
On this topic we have much to say[a] and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish[b] in hearing. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time,[c] you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances.[d] You have gone back to needing[e] milk, not[f] solid food. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.
Therefore we must progress beyond[g] the elementary[h] instructions about Christ[i] and move on[j] to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works[k] and faith in God, 2 teaching about ritual washings,[l] laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this is what we intend to do,[m] if God permits.
Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 5:1-10; Matthew 26:36-46 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 5:7-8; Matthew 26:39)
For every high priest is taken from among the people[a] and appointed[b] to represent them before God,[c] to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring, since he also is subject to weakness, 3 and for this reason he is obligated to make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. 4 And no one assumes this honor[d] on his own initiative,[e] but only when called to it by God,[f] as in fact Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God,[g] who said to him, “You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,”[h]6 as also in another place God[i] says, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”[j]7 During his earthly life[k] Christ[l] offered[m] both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered.[n]9 And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 and he was designated[o] by God as high priest inthe order of Melchizedek.[p]
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed,[a] “My Father, if possible,[b] let this cup[c] pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He[d] said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed,[e] “My Father, if this cup[f] cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” 43 He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open.[g]44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer[h] is approaching!”
Question of the Day: Why can we approach the Throne of Grace with confidence?
Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 4:14-16 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 4:15-16)
Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.[a]
Everyday I declare the Goodness of God. I look for it and see it often in my own life or in the life of someone I know. I see it in His Word or played out on the world’s stage in some miracle unexplainable by man. I know He is good. I trust in His goodness. I rehearse it daily in prayer and praise to Him, and I proclaim it often to others. However, there are days when the goodness is overshadowed by the disappointments in life or the hurtful deeds and words of another. There are, I confess, moments when I find myself tempted to doubt or at the very least question ‘it’. *I mean where is His goodness in job loss or the devastating illness of a loved one? Where is ‘it’ in financial struggles, the hurtful words of a friend, or when a spouse walks out on the marriage? Where is His goodness when the ones we trust aren’t honest with us or a trusted confident betrays us? Where is it when the something good we’ve waited for comes – and then just as quickly is taken away. Where is it when ________? You fill in the blank. I would venture to say that if we are honest we can all fill in that blank.
We may not want to admit it but, I believe, we’ve all experienced something that has made us at least wonder, even for a fleeting second, if God is really good then why did this happen? When it does, we must be careful and quick to remember – when “we do not see God’s hand we can trust His heart”*. If we do not act quickly with the truths that we know – the enemy will gain a foothold and we will find ourselves tempted with bitterness, anger, ungodly responses, and all sorts of other sin. Satan’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy and there’s no greater destruction he would take pleasure in than to make us doubt or turn away from our God. Peter called the devil an adversary and told the Jewish Christians of his day that if they would “resist” the devil he would flee from them. Just in case we think this warning was only for the Jewish Christians of Peter’s day, we must remember that God gave us His word and said it “is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness”. When doubts come we must be prepared to use our knowledge from God’s Word to stand firm. To be prepared we must put into practice the words Paul wrote to Timothy and train for godliness.
Physical training is good but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 (NLT)
To train for godliness we must first and foremost know God’s Word so that we can put our training into practice. For instance -when we know that His Word says He is our provider we must learn to trust Him to provide in our time of need. The same is true of the proclamation that He is our deliverer, when faced with trying situations we must trust that He will deliver us. Trusting God to be faithful as His Word declares may not always be easy but it is always beneficial, developing an enduring faith. When we practice trusting, despite the inevitable times when He doesn’t deliver or provide exactly as we requested or hoped, we will no doubt, in time, experience Him to be a faithful provider and deliverer and so much more. These experiences will foster a personal relationship with God. They will also develop a confidence that is built up over time through the implementation of trusting, waiting, and reciprocal faithfulness to Him. For an example of such confidence, consider David’s words to Saul when Saul challenged his ability to face the giant, Goliath.
The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:37
Again, when threatened by the giant himself, David recalls the faithfulness He has seen from God and declares his full confidence to be in Him – even in this difficult and life-threatening situation. From these experiences with His God came his confident reply to Goliath’s threat:
You come against me with a dagger, spear, and sword, but I come against you in the name of Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel’s armies – You have defied Him. Today, the LORD will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, cut your head off and give the corpses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God, and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the LORD saves, for the battle is the LORD’S. He will hand you over to us. 1 Samuel 17:45-47
Ah, and there is the answer. We don’t just see His goodness when life is problem free – we see it in the realization that the battles of this life, the temptations of this fallen world we live in, or the full on attacks of our enemy, the devil – belong to the LORD. His goodness shines when we remember Who He is and what He has done on our behalf already. It is known when we know Whose we are and what it means to belong to Him. We experience it when it becomes evident that He has equipped us not just with armor and weapons for the battle but with everything we need for life and godliness. The answer lies in walking by faith and not by sight and keeping our eyes on the author and the perfecter of our faith. It is in knowing that He has promised a way of escape when we are tempted, looking for that way and taking it; and yes, it is in humbling ourselves before our God, resisting the devil – and believing he will flee. God’s Word is TRUTH and I believe His TRUTH sets us free not only from the law of sin and death but from the attacks, the fears, the battles, and the assault of the enemy. If we aren’t trained and ready with the TRUTH – when the doubts come – we will be shaken; but, if we set the LORD always before us, and know that He is at our right hand we will, like David, stand in the face of our problems or the adversary and proclaim “I come against you in the name of the LORD, my God!”
*On a personal note: Like David, I have learned that God can be trusted. I have tasted and seen His goodness in all of the difficult situations listed in the opening paragraph. So, when the days come where the disappointments, and hurts, or life’s challenges threaten to overshadow the goodness of God I practice David’s example of recalling what the LORD has done. I write it, or speak it out loud, or whisper it in a prayer, and I proclaim – Father I cannot see or understand what You’re doing or allowing, but I know You are Good and I will trust You. When doubts arise, I have learned to practice recalling His goodness and trusting His heart. I have those in my life that will come along side of me and remind me of the truth and I have often had to play that role in the lives of others. I am continually learning to walk by His Spirit, who lives in me and was given to teach me and remind me of everything Christ said (John 14:26). If you do not know God I would love to introduce Him to you, or if you are struggling to trust Him through a present battle I would be happy to pray for you – please just leave a reply that says I want to know Him – or pray for me.
Question of the Day: What does it mean that the Word of God is Living and Active?
Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 4:1-13 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 4: 12-13)
Therefore we must be wary[a] that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in[b] with those who heard it in faith.[c] 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’”[d] And yet God’s works[e] were accomplished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”[f] 5 but to repeat the text cited earlier:[g] “They will never enter my rest!” 6 Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience. 7 So God[h] again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David[i] after so long a time, as in the words quoted before,[j] “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks![k] Do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God[l] would not have spoken afterward about another day. 9 Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. 10 For the one who enters God’s[m] rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works. 11 Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from God,[n] but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.
Question of the Day: Why should we encourage one another daily?
Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 3:7-19 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 3: 12-14)
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,[a]
“Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks![b]
8 “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness.
9 “There your fathers tested me and tried me,[c] and they saw my works for forty years.
10 “Therefore, I became provoked at that generation and said, ‘Their hearts are always wandering[d] and they have not known my ways.’
11 “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’”[e]
12 See to it,[f] brothers and sisters,[g] that none of you has[h] an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes[i] the living God.[j] 13 But exhort one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened by sin’s deception. 14 For we have become partners with Christ, if in fact we hold our initial confidence[k] firm until the end. 15 As it says,[l] “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks![m] Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”[n] 16 For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership?[o] 17 And against whom was God[p] provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?[q] 18 And to whom did he swear they would never enter into his rest, except those who were disobedient? 19 So[r] we see that they could not enter because of unbelief.
Question of the Day: What was the purpose of Christ’s suffering? (Hebrews 2:10-12)
Scripture of the Day: Hebrews 3:1-6 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 3:3-4)
Therefore, holy brothers and sisters,[a] partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess,[b] 2 who is faithful to the one who appointed Him, as Moses was also in God’s[c] house.[d] 3 For He has come to deserve greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves greater honor than the house itself! 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s[e] house[f] as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken. 6 But Christ[g] is faithful as a son over God’s[h] house. We are of His house,[i] if in fact we hold firmly[j] to our confidence and the hope we take pride in.[k]
