Tag: High Priest

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Boldly Approaching God

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The Importance of Prayer, w1d2

Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 4:14-16; SOAP: Hebrews 4:16

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Today’s Observation:

There are many key words in these verses. We are SOAPing verse 16 but verses 14 and 15 have some words that help make sense of verse 16, such as, “high priest” (Jesus), “weaknesses (tendency to sin),” and “without sin” (sinless) . In a nutshell, this verse is a reminder that Jesus, who was without sin, is our Great High Priest who understands our weaknesses. He understands them because He has “faced all of the same testings we do – with one big difference – He never sinned. How do these truths affect our boldness? Because, we will not pray to or draw near to God if we do not have confidence in Jesus, we will certainly not approach God’s throne with boldness, if we do not know and trust the sinless character of our Great High Priest. Again, simply put, we will not request something we don’t deserve [grace] or ask that a punishment, that we do deserve, be withheld [mercy] when we do not understand God’s character, which is full of mercy, abundant in grace, and abounding in love. Boldness typically comes from confidence and confidence comes with trust and trust is built through relationship and established over time . However, when we know the God who sits on the throne and Jesus, the Great High Priest, and when we know our weaknesses, compared to His sinless life – His desire, hope, and invitation is that we will boldly, draw near to Him and find, as promised, His mercy and grace.

Today’s Application: Making it Personal

Have you ever had one of those moments when you drive a very familiar path to a very familiar destination – such as home to work or work to home – but when you arrive you wonder how? Like you don’t really remember anything from point A to point B. You safely went through the routine drive but you can’t remember seeing the river that you love to look at or if there was a beautifully painted sky along the way. I have done it often, and as I began journaling some thoughts of application on today’s passage- I was prodded to question if I am guilty of this in prayer. For instance, “when I pray do I even consider Jesus, the one who bridges the gap? Am I consciously aware of Him who made it possible for me to even approach God in prayer or am I just going through the routine of praying? I don’t want to deflect from the message of coming boldly before God’s throne, which is the writer’s point, but it made me wonder just how often I begin praying – approaching God’s throne, without even considering Jesus – not that I don’t consider Him within the context of the prayer – and close the prayer in His name – but it struck me in reading these verses today, that the only way to truly approach God with such boldness is to be consciously aware of Jesus from beginning to end. To remember how He taught us [His disciples] to pray … “Our Father, in Heaven, hallowed be Your name”, is a reminder that we are coming before a holy God. and can only do so through Jesus, our Redeemer, who sits at the Father’s right hand pleading for us, (Romans 8:34). This conviction/question/realization that came to mind isn’t necessarily that I need to change the words that I pray and certainly not that I need to pray the same words every time, but that when I pray – it should never be just a routine prayer, instead it should flow out of a conscious awareness of being in conversation with God. It should never be just an awareness of my needs and requests but of God’s (Father, Son, and Spirit) presence, His promises, His Word, His provisions, His teachings, His guidance, His will, His perfection, His goodness … holiness … trustworthiness … and all that we know Him to be. Without such an awareness I wonder if we will ever have the bold confidence that Hebrew’s teaches.

So how about you? When you pray, do you pray boldly? Do you trust Jesus, your High Priest, to intercede on your behalf according to His understanding of who you are. weaknesses and all? Do you draw near to God with boldness, believing that Jesus was tempted in every way like you have been but remained sinless and having offered Himself up on your behalf is there interceding for you now? If not, ask yourself what’s holding you back. Ask God to give you a fuller understanding of these truths and to help you hold firmly to what you believe.

Today’s Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, thank You for the reminder of why I can come boldly before Your throne. How often do I just run into Your presence without thought to the privilege and the reason I can stand before You! Help me to not aimlessly nor without thought enter into Your presence. For surely, when I am purposeful to consider Your gift of Christ -I will come boldly as You have invited. Thank You for Your promise of grace and mercy – and for the confidence such knowledge gives me!

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Shame Breaker, Week 2-Friday The Shame of Brokenness

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Today’s Scripture – 2 Samuel 9; Hebrews 4:15-16 (S.O.A.P. 2 Samuel 9:7-8; Hebrews 4:15-16)

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.

“Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied. 3 The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.” Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.” 4 “Where is he?” the king asked. “In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.”

5 So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. 6 His name was Mephibosheth[a]; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.”

Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.”

“Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!” Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” Read the rest of the story

Hebrews 4:15-16

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

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Jesus Our Everything: Week 3, Day 5

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Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 8:1-6: Colossians 1:15-20 (S.O.A.P Hebrews 8:6; Colossians. 1:17-18)

The High Priest of a Better Covenant

Now the main point of what we are saying is this:[a] We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,[b] 2 a minister in the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. So this one too had to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer[c] the gifts prescribed by the law. 5 The place where they serve is[d] a sketch[e] and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, just as Moses was warned by God as he was about to complete the tabernacle. For He says, “See that you make everything according to the design[f] shown to you on the mountain.”[g] 6 But[h] now Jesus[i] has obtained a superior ministry, since[j] the covenant that He mediates is also better and is enacted[k] on better promises.[l]

The Supremacy of Christ

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn[b] over all creation,[c]
16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created in Him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions,[d] whether principalities or powers—all things were created through Him and for Him.
17 He Himself is before all things and all things are held together[e] in Him.
18 He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn[f] from the dead, so that he Himself may become first in all things.[g]
19 For God[h] was pleased to have all His[i] fullness dwell[j] in the Son[k]
20 and through Him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through Him,[l] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

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Jesus Our Everything: Week 3, Day 2

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Question of the Day: What or Who is the anchor for our soul?

Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 6:13-20 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 6:19-20)

God’s Promises Bring Hope

For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:

14 “I will certainly bless you,
    and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.”[a]

15 Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

16 Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. 17 God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. 18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

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Jesus Our Everything: Week 2, Day 4

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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!”