Hebrews 3

Hebrews 3

English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Greater Than Moses

3 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more 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 house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.


7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,


“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your fathers put me to the test
and saw my works for forty years.
10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;
they have not known my ways.’
11 As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest.’”

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 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. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

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Hello Friends,

This morning I am reading in Hebrews 3 which speaks of how Jesus is greater than Moses and urges us to hold firm in our confidence until the end. The History Channel has been doing a series on "The Bible" which started last Sunday and I find it so applicable to have watched that and now be reading this. 

Moses, as we see in the old testament, was  one of Gods most faithful servants. He trusted God no matter the situation. Moses was faithful, but we know that Jesus was more faithful. The Hebrews writer tells us to "consider Jesus" and it's something I have been trying to do more and more, moment by moment. I think it's a process of giving your life over to Christ, a surrender of your time, your talents, your desires, your fears, and while I would like to say I just handed them all over in one big swoop, the reality is some things I held on to, some things I gave Him and then took back, and some things He pried out of my hands. I'd like to tell you I have now mastered the surrender to God but if I said that I would be lying. So to be honest, some days I am better at it than others, but my heart is that I would be able to give God all I can, and that I would be a faithful servant to Him. 

I love verse 4:  For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. I love the truth there. God is the builder of everything. The giver of every good and perfect gift and the giver of the very life and breathe we have. How beautiful and wonderful. I am so thankful for my gifts, and I wonder if I find this verse particularly fitting since I am focused on thankfulness this year. How important for us to remember- He is the builder of all things. All the good in me was put there by God, it's not of myself. 

Finally this passage encourages us to stand firm in our pursuit of the Lord, to encourage each other each and every day and to share the hope that we have.  The evince of a Christian truly partaking of Christ's salvation involves endurance to the end. Definitely a push to examine ourselves that we are remaining steadfast and not having our hearts become hard. I pray friends that your hearts are open that you are pursuing the Lord. 

Today I'm trusting that as God led His people out of slavery by Moses, that He will lead me today through this world to the places He wants me. I'm praying for wisdom and discernment and trusting He will give it and I am above all thankful for Him and His faithfulness. 

<3

New Lessons through Marriage

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us, oh,
Oh, how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us, oh,
Oh, how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves.

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don't have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about the way...

He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves.

This song- How He loves by David Crowder Band is one that I have heart in several churches. Its a beautiful song, but one that for a long time I had a hard time grasping. How could God be jealous for me? Isn't jealousy bad? These were the sorts of questions I had. 

My husband has been teaching me a lot about righteous anger and the type of jealousy this song talks about. He has been showing me what a heart that is completely full of love for me looks like and has shown me what sinking in grace might look like. Does he loves me as much as God? No. not possible. But he loves me more than anyone ever has and that love, that picture he draws for me each day, is one that continues to help me understand that if my husband can love me as much as he does, and that times a billion or more is how much God loves me and I have to say its that picture that has really grown me. We have been married a little over 6 months now and I'm amazed at what a picture marriage is and I am so thankful for God providing such an amazing man for me to see just a glimpse of His love for me. 

It's that love that I feel in His presence and its that love i'm pursuing. 

<3

Anita

Hebrews 2:1-4

1Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

-Hebrews 2:1-4

The idea of thinking about drifting away is something that at this point in my life seems incomprehensible and yet I know that even Paul the apostle wrote that He hoped to finish the race well. If the guy who wrote more of the new testament than anyone else was hoping to finish well then I definitely need to keep reminding myself that salvation is not a one time deal. I'm saved, and being saved. God sent the message through the angels, spoke it Himself, sent testaments, bore signs and wonders and miracles, and used the Holy Spirit to show us that Christ is Lord through Him comes salvation. It says the message proclaimed by angels has held true. God knew that we would need more than just "because I said so" so He continues to say things that remind us of his faithful consistent message.

The gospel message is one to remember each day, one to recommit to, not one to be taken and then just forgotten. We are to pick up our crosses daily, surrender to God, and pursue Him and His will. How often to I miss days? more than I would like to admit. I get "busy" or complacent, and if we call it what it really is I get selfish with my time thinking that it is my time which is really a gross falsehood. It's God's time- all of it. 

So on day 2 I'm remember that. I'm remember to pursue Him and His presence alone. 

He is an amazing God worthy to be praised. 

<3

Anita

40 days

For 40 days a group of some of the most amazing women I know and I are going to pursue after God and His presence. We aren't going to be seeking out of curiosity, we aren't going to be seeking comfort or finances or gifts or anything else but just His presence. I know God will bless us in these others ways in this time, but my hope and heart is that each one of us would find a new appreciate for just moments with our savior.

There are some days where my heart just breaks for our world and today was one of them. It is so hard to hear people have so much hate and anger toward God and His word. While I can be praying, it still saddens me that they might never know Gods love and comfort and reminds me how many times I take it for granted precious moments that I could be spending growing and learning more about my savior and His word.

I'm guilty. 

I'm a sinner. 

I go to God for comfort, for answers to my growing list of questions, for help. None of this is sinful but what I hope to seek is just His presence. Just Him. 

I found myself today calling on God many times. For patience as I saw patients. For help to see them as He sees them, for comfort as my heart was breaking, for understanding, for answers, for help. But not once did I ask "God what would you have me say" "God what would you have me do." Each time I went to Him was with an agenda of what I wanted, and I hope to develop a heart of thankfulness that says "Lord whatever you want." 

There are so many places in my life right now where that is a question. 

--In my work as I am a new rotation in an urgent care center with new clients, new people I'm working with, and with new challenges. The hours are longer than my other rotations. 

--In my church, or lack there of. The last year or so of church has been one that has left me both with questions and convictions. I thought we had found it until two sundays ago some things the pastor said really made it clear it wasn't the church for us. 

-In my future job that I will have

-timing for things like puppies, babies, moving, act

-where we are going to live after August. 

A lot of unknowns. 

But I need to obey in the known first. What's known is that I need to spend more time with God, and in His word. What's known is I need to write more and what's known is that I need to really put that first. What's known is that the only way I'm going grow is going to be to surrender to God, and to let Him lead the way. 

So for the next 40 days that's what I'm doing. 

Starting today and ending on easter. I hope to keep you all updated. Please feel free to join in if you would like and keep me updated as to how you are going to commit over these 40 days. 

Keep me in your prayers please and let me know how I can pray for you. 

<3

Anita