Tag: Hebrews 3:12-14
Holding our confidence and hope
Scripture reading for February 18th: Leviticus 4-7, Hebrews 3
Hebrews 3: 1-6 “Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to Him Who appointed Him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 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. (For every house is built by someone, but the Builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken about later, 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.”
When we receive Jesus Christ as God’s Son and His sacrifice for the atonement for our sins, we become members of the band of heaven-bound brothers and sisters. The writer to these Jewish believers sought to reassure them of their heavenly calling and to the faithfulness of Jesus Christ and His superiority to Moses. Moses was truly a man of God and a prophet of God, but Moses was a servant in God’s Old Covenant house. Moses faithfully spoke God’s laws to God’s people. But Jesus was God’s Son and the architect and builder of God’s New Covenant house–the Church. Christ was faithful even unto death on a cross and in spite of the rejection of the Jewish leadership of His Messianic revelation. His example calls all men to confidence and hope and to stand firm in faith. Beware of falling away!
Hebrews 3:12-14 “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 have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Jesus Christ, the Son of God Who was faithful to You and completely obeyed Your Word and will. I want to be part of His eternal House–the Church. Give me grace to stand firm and guard my heart against unbelief and falling away in my relationship with Jesus Christ. Keep me from unintentional sins and willful sins that will harden my heart.
Leviticus 5:14-16 “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “If anyone commits a breach of faith and sins unintentionally in any of the holy things of the Lord, he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation, a ram without blemish out of the flock, valued in silver shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering. He shall also make restitution for what he has done amiss in the holy thing and shall add a fifth to it and give it to the priest.”
“Today” is the day for faith!
Scripture reading for February 19th: Leviticus 4-7, Hebrews 3
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 3:12-14 “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 be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”
Unbelief is a deadly sin and God sees it as evil. It always leads people away from God and into greater darkness. It hardens the heart and deceives our minds. Believers are to exhort one another to keep the faith and hold fast our confidence in Jesus Christ as our Savior from sin. “Today” is the only day we have to live by faith. Tomorrow may be too late! We will stand before God and answer.
Faith Confession and prayer: I hold on to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the only way of salvation. Lord help me to be watchful over my life and others, exhorting myself and them to hold fast to faith in God’s promise through Jesus.
Leviticus 6:27-30 “If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering. And the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar. . .”
Holding firm our confidence!
Scripture reading for October 16th: Hebrews 3, Psalm 57, Proverbs 22
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 3:12-14 “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 have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”
This letter contains a warning against unbelief and falling away from the living God. It is possible to let go of our confidence in Christ Jesus and again be overcome by the sin of unbelief. We are charged by God’s Word to exhort one another to stand firm and watch over each other and our own hearts for hardening through the deception of sin. Today is the day to be watchful!
Faith Confession: I am watchful today for sin’s deception in my life. I do not want to be hardened by the sin of unbelief and fall away from the faith. Help me to watch over my own heart and others in my life who believe and exhort them today.
Psalm 57:1 “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in You my soul takes refuge, in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.”
Take care of your soul!
Scripture reading for October 16th: Isaiah 53-56, Hebrews 3
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 3:12-14 “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 have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”
The writer of Hebrews gave a pastoral warning to the members of the church. The sin of unbelief can take us away from Christ and cause eternal loss. Unbelief is deceitful and subtle. We must watch over our own soul and one another. Confidence in Christ must be maintained.
Isaiah 55:10-11 “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your great mercy and for Your pastoral care for my soul and Your church. Help me to be careful and watchful, maintaining confidence in Christ’s sacrifice for me. Amen.
Daily encouragement needed!
Scripture reading for October 17th: Hebrews 3
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Hebrews 3:12-14 “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.”
The pressures of sin, our flesh and fallen angels can sometimes drag believers back into the world and away from trusting in Christ. Our heart is the ground that must be defended and kept soft to receive truth and encouragement. Believers need to be careful of sin’s deceitfulness and a hardening of our hearts and turning away from God. Encouragement by other believers should be occurring on a daily basis. One day Jesus Christ will appear and only those who are standing firm will be ready to go with Him!
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers watch over each other and encourage each other to stand firm and confident in their faith. “Above all else, guard you heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)