Do not wait to Believe!
Hebrews 3:7-19
A Rest for the People of God
"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, "They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways." As I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter my rest."' Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.' For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief."
How many Awesome things did the Children of Israel see while being lead out of Egypt?
1. They walked through the Red Sea as God parted it.
2. God Himself was a Pillar of Dust in the Day and a Pillar of Fire at Night.
3. He provided them with Mana (What is it?....that's what it means!)
4. He gave them quail
5. How about the scene on Mt. Sinai
6. For 40 years their cloths didn't wear out!
I am sure that I missed a bunch, but take a look at these 6 things, why would anyone doubt a God who would do all of this?
Sin, that would be the simple answer!
It puts a barrier between God and us. 100% Complete separation!
Once we are separated from God it is so much easier for us to continue sinning, because we have separated ourselves. (This is why it is best to confess sins as soon as we are aware of them.) God reaches to us through this barrier through Christ, but we must believe!
The Children of Israel didn't believe and a whole generation didn't get to see the promised land. We must not be like them! Christ came to die for the world, but much more than that, He came for each and everyone of us as individuals! Grab a hold of Him, Cling to Him! HE is the Light, He is the Truth, He is the Way!
John 10:7-18
"So Jesus again said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.'"
In Vs. 10 Jesus says, 'The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.' This is Satan, and that is all that he wants to do with our lives, destroy them, and make us as miserable as possible. Yes, sin can bring momentary pleasure, but it only lasts for a moment, then comes guilt and pain and sadness.
In Vs. 10-11 Jesus says, 'I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.' Jesus never promised us an easy life, only an abundant life, a full life. I believe that that means in this current life as well as in eternal life with God in Heaven!
Sin blocks us from the Truth, but God has reached out to us through this barrier. Let us continually tighten our Grip on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Hebrews 12:1-2
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which cling so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
In Christ,
David
A Rest for the People of God
"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, "They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways." As I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter my rest."' Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.' For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief."
How many Awesome things did the Children of Israel see while being lead out of Egypt?
1. They walked through the Red Sea as God parted it.
2. God Himself was a Pillar of Dust in the Day and a Pillar of Fire at Night.
3. He provided them with Mana (What is it?....that's what it means!)
4. He gave them quail
5. How about the scene on Mt. Sinai
6. For 40 years their cloths didn't wear out!
I am sure that I missed a bunch, but take a look at these 6 things, why would anyone doubt a God who would do all of this?
Sin, that would be the simple answer!
It puts a barrier between God and us. 100% Complete separation!
Once we are separated from God it is so much easier for us to continue sinning, because we have separated ourselves. (This is why it is best to confess sins as soon as we are aware of them.) God reaches to us through this barrier through Christ, but we must believe!
The Children of Israel didn't believe and a whole generation didn't get to see the promised land. We must not be like them! Christ came to die for the world, but much more than that, He came for each and everyone of us as individuals! Grab a hold of Him, Cling to Him! HE is the Light, He is the Truth, He is the Way!
John 10:7-18
"So Jesus again said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.'"
In Vs. 10 Jesus says, 'The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.' This is Satan, and that is all that he wants to do with our lives, destroy them, and make us as miserable as possible. Yes, sin can bring momentary pleasure, but it only lasts for a moment, then comes guilt and pain and sadness.
In Vs. 10-11 Jesus says, 'I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.' Jesus never promised us an easy life, only an abundant life, a full life. I believe that that means in this current life as well as in eternal life with God in Heaven!
Sin blocks us from the Truth, but God has reached out to us through this barrier. Let us continually tighten our Grip on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Hebrews 12:1-2
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which cling so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
In Christ,
David
posted by Mark 1:17 at 7:15 AM
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