Hebrews 3:12-15

Yesterday our fridge decided to quit. It made me question how others before us ever survived ice boxes. All of our hoarded freezer and staples perished except for a few minor products. How does so much dirt cling to what is hidden beyond our sight! It is clean now after 15 years of hiding behind those appliances.

Each day has enough problems of its own…thankful that Lowes carried a refrigerator that would fit our space and could be delivered today.  Praise God always!!!

Bob Goff "Everyone is made in the image of God, so every person reflects a part of God's creative expression in this world in one way or another."

Romans 15:11 (ESV) "And again, 'Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him. '"

This is the ultimate plan of God: that people of all types and colors and languages and backgrounds gather together "with one voice" (Romans 15:6) to worship the Lord almighty. Not everyone in the Church will look, act or think like us. And when we're all striving to be like Christ, "being transformed into his image" (2 Corinthians 3:18), that is OK. In fact, that's by design! If we have the same goal of lifting higher the name of our Savior and praising Him forever, then we are family. In Jesus, our differences can be celebrated in light of the purpose we share. 

Father God, thank You for the beautiful, unique, eclectic group of people You call the Church. Forgive me for ever thinking we all somehow need to be exactly the same. Help me to see the differences of others as gifts and expressions of You. And remind us all today that we share a common Savior and a common goal: to lift His name higher! I join with my brothers and sisters around the world in crying out, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God almighty!" In Jesus' name, amen. 

I know, for me, sometimes God's plans feel "hidden in plain sight." It's like I should see them, but somehow I just cannot. It should make sense, but I can't quite seem to grasp it. And if you ever feel this too, then, friends, please hear this truth. We do not have to see or understand them to know that God's plans are good, powerful and unfailing. We can trust that His plan will succeed no matter what. We can have faith that He is working in every situation. We can choose not to lean on our own understanding but instead to be more like our Jesus, saying, "Your will, my Lord, be done." First5 

Living from our heart with empathy, kindness and compassion becomes a luxury when the weight of hurry and the deluge of distraction become our norm. Hurry changes us. And not necessarily for the better. But we already knew that didn’t we? 

Whenever we forget that we belong to one another, we lose our way. And we see only what we want to see. And we live afraid. And whenever we forget that everyone is a child of God, who begins with unique divine DNA (“an imago Dei that begs to be allowed, to be fulfilled, and to show itself,” writes Richard Rohr), we lose sight that we are wired to care. Wired to give a damn. Wired to not let anyone fall through the cracks of distrust or hatred or suspicion.

Sabbath Moments 

We need to walk in the name of love…God’s love given in Christ. Our life becomes HIS story!

Life Church Vineyard

God called David “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22 NIV). One might read David’s story and wonder what God saw in him. The fellow fell as often as he stood, stumbled as often as he conquered. He stared down Goliath, yet he ogled at Bathsheba. A man after God’s own heart? That God saw him as such gives hope to us all.  Max Lucado

Hebrews 3:12-15

12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” The New King James Version

Such a heart is hardened against God and ignores His purposes. Disobedience and testing of God represent symptoms of unbelief. Even though God is merciful and loving, He is the living God who judges the sins of His people. Israel’s history contains a pattern of sin as deception. The author exhorts and encourages his audience to live righteously so that they will avoid hardening by sin and its effects. Because believers share in Christ, they also share His inheritance and participate in His joy. Faithlife Bible.

The original recipients of this letter were probably believers (as indicated by the word brethren) who were in danger of departing from God and forsaking the assembly of believers. The author advises them not to do so but to remain in the assembly, urging each other on in the faith, in love, and in good works. Unbelief is a grave sin because it leads us away from God. In essence, it is a stubborn refusal to trust in the truthfulness of His word. Exhorting each other to continue in the faith is important. Believers must hold their faith firmly to the end of their lives if they are to be partakers of Christ. Believers will be partners with Christ in His future kingdom. The Israelites did not enter God’s rest, the Promised Land, because they did not believe. NKJV Study Bible.

Psalm 95:7 For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice:

Psalm 95:8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness,

Luke 8:13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.