For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19 NLT
John possessed
a spotless reputation at work.
He was a
diligent worker with integrity to match—until a worker in a neighboring office
brought false accusations against him. His serene day was interrupted by a call
to the boss’s office where the accuser, her boss, and several other co-workers
sat. They questioned him about a comment he had made, but the accusation
associated with it had been taken out of context. He explained his meaning and
expressed surprise at the co-worker who accused him of something he would never
do.
When the
meeting ended, John was surprised to know that even though the matter had been
settled, the accusation would be placed in his permanent file. He was angry
that his good name would be soiled, but hope soon surfaced. His employer
accompanied him to the personnel director and pleaded on his behalf. Then
another co-worker helped him expunge the record. John’s hope was renewed
through the intercession of two friends.
Life was
frustrating in Old Testament Israel, and hope was dim. A constant threat of
punishment for sins hung over every person. Sacrifices were plentiful, and so
were the priests who offered them in the worshiper’s behalf. The priesthood
seemed to function well, but no worshiper ever felt the assurance of
forgiveness. They needed a better hope.
I’ve been in
John’s predicament a time or two. The woods are full of people who’d love to
ruin our reputations, jump ahead of us when a work promotion presents itself,
cheat from our paper, gossip about our family, steal our hard-earned
possessions, and harm us or our family members.
We need an
intercessor like John had, and fortunately, we have one in Jesus Christ. He
stands by our side when no one else will. He is powerful enough to turn around
bleak situations and protect us from those who would try to spoil our
reputation and harm us physically or emotionally. He is our better hope and
only a prayer away.
Are you
looking to Christ for hope?
Prayer: Father,
may our hope in You remain steadfast through the trials of life.
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So if the priesthood of Levi, on which the law was based, could have achieved the perfection God intended, why did God need to establish a different priesthood. Hebrews 7:11 NLT
Day after
day, I stood in the same place doing the same thing.
Some of the
people were the same, but many were new to the ceremony. They came from as
close as a mile and as far as 100 miles. Those who traveled great distances
often came with money instead of animals. The Temple court was always filled
with merchants eager to exchange their foreign currency and sell them animals—all
for exorbitant prices. These practices were helpful, but the merchants took
every opportunity to make a little money in the process.
As each
worshiper delivered their sacrifice, I—along with the other priests—performed the
duty we so much despised. Blood flowed wildly, and the stench was almost
overbearing. The abhorrent scenery of my work eventually lost its disgusting
nature as I slit the throats of hundreds of animals each day. Prayers to God
became nothing more than a ritual of repeating the same words as I assured the
worshiper of God’s forgiveness. I had repeated the words so many times I no
longer even thought about their meaning. When would it all end? I knew the
prophecies of the scriptures by heart. God would send a Messiah. One who would
provide the ultimate sacrifice. But when?
Then the news
came. Messiah had come. The religious leaders opposed him, but the common
people hounded his steps and marveled at his miracles. Could he be the one? I
was almost ready to believe when the religious authorities had him crucified.
As I watched him hang on the cross—bloodied, bruised, and in agony—I wondered
how he could be the one. But as he breathed his last, a strange event materialized.
The curtain in the temple that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies
ripped from top to bottom. It finally dawned on me. Jesus was the better
priest. His sacrifice actually took away sins, not just covered them as the
animal sacrifices had. All that remained was for me to believe and accept this
different priest.
What have you
done with Jesus?
Prayer: Father,
thank You for providing the ultimate and final sacrifice for our sins.
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Wishing all our supporters a very Merry Christmas.
Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. 1 John 2:6 NLT“We won’t see anyone here we know,” I remarked to my wife.
Not that I wanted to do anything that would shame me. It’s just that
everywhere my wife and I go, we seem to run into someone we know. But we were
now in Savannah, Georgia. Two friends of ours had taken us on an overnight
trip, all expenses paid. My wife had not visited Savannah since she was three
years old, and I had not paid a visit in seventeen years.
After spending the night on nearby Tybee Island, eating breakfast there
the next morning, and visiting a local lighthouse, we made our way to Savannah.
We visited Bonaventure Cemetery and then made our way to River Street where we
planned to walk the Factor Walk.
No sooner had we started, than we saw a couple waving at us. Sure
enough, we knew them. They were friends from a previous church where we had
once attended.
“What’s the chance of that happening?” I asked my wife after our brief
conversation with them.
Then I texted Mom and told her. Her response? “Always be on your best
behavior.” I guess a child never gets too old to receive good advice from a
parent.
The same holds true when the advice comes from God. Through John, the
oldest living apostle, God reminds us we should always live our lives as Jesus
did.
Jesus always followed the plan of His heavenly Father, never wavering
even a little bit. He imitated the Father, telling others He always did what
the Father did and that He always spoke as the Father spoke.
Being our best also entails monitoring our physical and spiritual
health. Our bodies are temples of God’s Spirit, so it matters what we put in them.
God has plans for His children and a time frame for them to accomplish them in.
Ruining our physical health with addictive substances or with too much of any
good thing—play toys and busyness included—can shortcut God’s plan. Forgetting
to engage in spiritual disciplines—or just doing them on a sporadic basis—makes
us spiritually unhealthy and prevents us from being our best.
When we’re on our best behavior, we’ll handle God’s truth correctly.
When we do, we’ll live it out daily in our thoughts, emotions, actions, and
words. And even if we don’t run into anyone we know, God will be pleased.
Wherever you are, be on your best spiritual behavior.
Prayer: Father, help us to be on our best behavior, wherever we are.
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Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle and gave it to Melchizedek. Hebrews 7:2 NLT
If I had all the money I wanted, I suppose I
would still be financially strapped.
I love to give, and over the years, I have given
away many things that were precious to me. But the one gift I most wanted to
give I couldn’t. My grandfather never owned a new car in his lifetime. I often
dreamed of being able to buy him a brand-new vehicle, park it in his driveway,
and watch his reaction. I kept this dream until his health grew feeble, and he
could no longer drive. Giving him this gift would have been a present from my
heart for all he and my grandmother did for me. Gracing him with a new car
would have been my way of showing him my appreciation. Although the dream never
became reality, I believe God honored the desires of my heart.
Long before God established the priesthood in the
nation of Israel, Melchizedek served as priest of Salem (Jerusalem). Since
there is no record of his birth or death, he is referred to as a priest
forever. Abraham—after fighting a battle against enemy kings and returning home—chose
to give a tenth of all he had won in battle to this priest-king. These gifts
from the heart were Abraham’s way of showing his appreciation to God for
protecting him in battle.
When we give from the heart, it will be voluntary
as Abraham’s was and not forced. We won’t care who knows what we give or even
that we give, for it is an expression of our gratitude to God, not a show to
receive others’ praise or to make an impression. If we give only because we
feel forced or because we experience guilt, we’ll give from the wrong motives
every time. In the end, the attitude with which we give is much more important
than the amount—although the amount does express the heart of our giving.
Is your giving a heart-felt present?
Prayer: Father, may our giving be an expression
of our love for You.
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Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:20 NLT
Following high
school graduation, I avoided college like a plague and looked for work to
support myself.
Attempting to
escape plant work, I chose a local exterminating company. Things went well
initially, but then a shuffling around of employees occurred, and I found
myself working under houses. One can find many things under houses: snakes,
busted septic lines, spiders, discarded toys. One of my trainers was an older
gentleman who hated flashlights. I, on the other hand, preferred looking around
before I lunged under a house. While in training, I followed his
lead—frightened and in the dark. Surprisingly, he always took me to the area
where we needed to go and without incident.
Jesus is a
better leader. Prior to his arrival, people were forced to approach a priest,
confess their sins, and allow him to go before God in their behalf. God,
however, wanted unhindered access as had originally been the case with Adam and
Eve. In his perfect timing, he sent his Son to blaze the path back to him. Now
all who follow his lead can come boldly into God’s presence without fear of
rejection or condemnation.
As followers
of Christ, we’ve been charged with leading. In what direction we lead others
and with what qualities are important considerations. By our actions, words,
and attitudes, we should direct those in our circles of influence in a
particular direction.
We’re leaders
whether we desire the position or not, but where will others end up if they
follow us? When our lifestyle reflects Jesus’, we’ll lead them to understand
who Jesus was and is and what he was sent to earth to accomplish. By watching us,
they’ll comprehend the exchanged life—living for Christ instead of ourselves.
Those who choose to follow our lead will stroll successfully through the
mountains and valleys of life on their way to an eternal Promise Land.
Who’s
following your lead, and where are you taking them?
Prayer: Father,
help us lead others to an abundant relationship with You.
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For more than a decade, sleep has escaped
me.
I always slept soundly until I hit fifty.
Then, for some unknown reason, I began waking up every few hours. No medical
issue caused it. The doctor offered to put me on meds to help me sleep, but I
didn’t want to add another pill to my already growing list. I tried over-the-counter
sleep helps. Nothing worked.
One day, Essential Oils made their way
into my life through my daughter. She mixed a concoction, gave it to me in a
roll-top bottle, and told me to apply it to the bottom of my feet before I went
to bed. I was a skeptic…but it worked. Now, I wake up fewer times and sleep
better.
Insomnia is the most common sleep
disorder, affecting six to ten percent of adults, and is twice as common in
women as in men. Untreated, it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease,
diabetes, and other health problems. But if a person experiences none of these
side effects, they may just be a short sleeper—which I think I am.
King Xerxes also had trouble sleeping, so
he ordered the court records brought in and read to him. Surprisingly, he
discovered that Mordecai had foiled a plot to assassinate the king, but had
never received a reward. The king ordered his right-hand man, Haman, to reward
Mordecai properly. Unknowing to him, the king also spoiled Haman’s plot to
destroy the Jews.
When sleep won’t come, I choose to be
productive without getting out of bed. One thing I do is recite Bible verses. I
have my favorites memorized. Often, when I recite them, I fall asleep, killing
two birds with one stone.
I also plan for the next day while awake.
Since I teach, I always need to remember or to think about something. After a
few minutes of planning with my eyes closed, I normally fall asleep.
One of my favorite things to do if I’m awake—and
shouldn’t be—is plan what I’ll write the next morning. Morning is my time to do
weekly writing. Thoughts come to me during the night when I’m awake. I’ve even
been known to keep a pad by my bed so I can write them down, lest I forget when
I awake in the morning.
I don’t enjoy waking up at night, but I
figure why waste time if I’m awake. If you have trouble sleeping, make sure no
medical issue causes your insomnia. If not, perhaps you are a short sleeper. If
so, get a little something done during those periods when you’re awake.
When sleep won’t come, don’t waste the
opportunity.
Prayer: Father, help us to lie down in
peace and sleep, knowing You will watch over us.
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Quick and Easy Christmas Punch
My two dogs love to dig in the backyard.
In spite of dedicated attempts to deter the behavior and gentle scolding when I’ve caught them in the act, the habit persists.
One rainy day, they both entered the
house with mud-caked faces, chests, legs, and paws. I attempted to clean them
before they maneuvered throughout the house, but hundreds of muddy paw prints
soon covered the kitchen and living room floors, requiring a thorough mopping.
I was furious.
Losing my temper, I screamed while scrubbing the floors for the third time that week. “Can’t you two just obey for once? How many times do I have to tell you not to dig!?” Continuing to grumble while I scrubbed the muddy floors, God convicted me. I had not only lost my temper but also harbored an attitude of impatience, bitterness, and resentment.
I remembered how often I had been muddy myself. Like my sweet pups, I repeat the same mistakes. Yet, regardless of how many times I sin and muddy my heart, God never turns me away when I turn to Him in repentance. He always accepts me back and forgives me, washing away my sin so I can live clean. As the psalmist says, He is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” God’s grace meets me in my muck and washes me clean.
Although I often fail to extend God’s grace and patience to others, I trust His good work in me that continually shapes me to be more like Him.
Repenting of my anger and impatience that rainy afternoon as I continued to scrub my soiled floors, God’s grace cleansed my muddied heart. As I cuddled up with my now clean pups and enjoyed my clean floors and clean heart, I thanked God once again for His patience and grace.
Does your heart feel muddied? Come to God with a repentant heart and invite the deep cleansing only His grace can provide.
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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. Hebrews 6:18 NLT
He spread the
cell phone bill before her on the table.
Earlier, he
had perused the calls. He had his suspicions, and as he looked over the calls,
his misgivings were confirmed. Now came the unpleasant duty of confronting her.
On one day, an out-of-town location appeared. He remembered the day. She had
left early, telling him and the kids she was going to work. They believed her,
even though they had reason to doubt her. Sure enough, she had lied once again.
It had become her pattern. When questioned, she said, “I was at work.” He
produced the bill. She held her course. Only after an hour of lawyer-type
interrogation did she finally admit what he and the children already knew.
God won’t do
what the unfaithful wife did. He made a promise to Abraham and sealed it with
an oath. He would bless and prosper him and give him many descendants. Since
God can’t lie, the promise was as sure as the sun rising the next morning.
Abraham lived to see a portion of the promise fulfilled, and I’m witnessing
another portion of it presently.
God’s
promises can be trusted because they are unchanging and trustworthy. They must
be because they reflect his nature. He doesn’t change—although it may appear he
does—and he never goes back on his word. What he says, he will do.
God promises
forgiveness and salvation to all who ask. Since he’s allowed his Son to pay for
humanity’s sins, all that remains is for us to reach out for it. When we ask, our
sins are removed as far as the east is from the west. They’re cast into the
bottom of the sea…into God’s forgetfulness. He promises abundant life in the
present—a quality of life we could never experience otherwise. And even better
is the promise of eternal life in heaven. A place that is indescribably
beautiful and fulfilling. A place where ultimate healing in all areas of life
will be experienced.
Have you
taken God at his word?
Prayer: Thank
You, Father, that we can depend on Your promises.
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No matter the battle, he never gave up.
When he was just a young boy, my middle
brother developed asthma. Although the doctor put him on medicine, some of my
brother’s attacks were so dramatic that Mom or Dad had to make trips to the
hospital with him where doctors and nurses placed him under an oxygen tent
until the attack passed. The doctor once told Mom he should have died, but he
fought instead.
Eventually, he somewhat outgrew the asthma,
but he couldn’t outgrow what came later. A couple of years before he turned
forty, one of his thumbs began twitching, and he started dragging one of his
feet. The testing seemed to go on forever, but at forty, they finally diagnosed
him with Parkinson’s.
His was more aggressive than normal. Doctors
suggested a surgery designed to give him more dopamine and slow the tremors.
The first surgery went well…until infection set in, and the doctor had to
remove what he had implanted in my brother’s body.
One year later, after his body had healed
of all infection, the doctor told my brother they could try again. Things
seemed to go well this time until my brother had a wreck on the way to work. He
lay in the vehicle all night, not able to move due to injuries to his spinal
cord. The cause of the wreck? Infection again. Another surgery. And a greater
battle. Now, he had to learn to walk again.
My brother has faced many life battles.
But nothing has led him to lose heart. He’s a fighter who never gives up.
My brother mimicked Paul who also never
gave up. After meeting the risen Lord and accepting His commission to take the
gospel to unbelievers, Paul faced persecution and misunderstanding. Attacks
came from all sides. But he never lost heart. He kept going until Roman
officials removed his head.
Life is never fair. Sin has altered the
good world God originally created. Nor does God plan for us to live a totally
carefree and pain-free life. All good—with no bad and no challenges—makes us
weak, not strong.
Through the ups and downs of life, God
never leaves us. Our job is to trust and keep moving. We may not know the why
of our situation, but God does, and He is perfectly capable of getting us to
the other side of whatever we face. When we live by faith…as we must do…the
trials of life won’t get us down for very long.
Don’t let the troubled times cause you to
lose heart.
Prayer: Father, give us courage so we
never lose heart when the times are tough.
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Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised. Hebrews 6:15 NLT
I’m the king
of impatient.
While growing
up, one of my parents’ and grandparents’ favorite sayings to me was, “That
money is burning a hole in your pocket.” They were right. What little money I
earned from allowance, I quickly spent. Interestingly, my wants usually
occurred somewhere near my birthday or Christmas. I was cautioned about buying
things so close to these special days. “Wait and see if you get it for
Christmas or your birthday,” they would say. Rarely did I. As I proudly
displayed my new purchase, I often witnessed a sigh. Now they would have to
think of something else to get me…or even take back what they had already
purchased.
God promised Abraham
a son through whom millions of descendants would come. Twenty-five years passed
from God’s initial promise to the son’s birth. Abraham’s patience was
interrupted by his wife’s impatience. She suggested they hurry God along. She
gave her servant in marriage to Abraham as a surrogate mother. God wasn’t
pleased, but kept his promise.
People say not
to pray for patience because I probably won’t like the methods God uses to
develop it in me. Nowadays, I rarely do, but I’ve discovered God uses the
methods they were referencing anyway. God manufactures patience in me through
life experiences that teach me to wait even though the money still burns my
leg.
Though we
don’t always appreciate the methods God uses to test and develop our patience,
the fact that we allow him to use them demonstrates our trust level. His
methods are varied, sometimes illogical, and may seem unending, but he sees end
results we can’t. Through his mercy-driven tests, we learn to take things in
stride without getting angry, upset, or running ahead of him. And to top it
off, he produces spiritual growth and maturity so we can be a spiritual guide
to those who follow in our footsteps.
How are you
responding to God’s efforts to produce patience in your life?
Prayer: Dear
Father, give us the patience needed to allow You to accomplish Your plan in our
life.
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