Day 8 - Hebrews 5:6 - 6:2

Hebrews 5:6-6:2 

6 And in another passage God said to him,

“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
7 While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. 9 In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. 10 And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.


6 So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 2 You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Tori's Comments:

"who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong" (vs. 14)



via GIPHY

So apparently we have to train ourselves to know between right and wrong. I didn't know this.

Training? Lemme guess:
Bible Reading
Praying
Talking to people who have experience with life

What am I missing? I figure Bible Reading is a big one, since it basically lays out 'good' and 'bad' for us. Although I suppose asking the living God above for an answer always works wonders, too.

Now Imma go train myself. Christians are lovers AND fighters.

I hope that came out right.

Any other methods of training?


Terrie's Comments:

It shocks me a little that the writer of this letter refuses to go deeper because his readers are spiritually dull and don't seem to listen.  Hmmmm lets just sit there for a minute... 

When you can apply the word of God... take the raw milk of God's word and actually process it and put it into practice that is when you mature.  How many adult's in the faith are still drinking only milk because it is too hard to process what they are reading and don't put it into practice because it is just too hard.  We need to stop throwing toddler temper tantrums and just grow up so we can actually do the work God Himself called us to do.  

Then in the next section of this passage it talks about moving on from elementary teachings...
Repent - change your mind... turn away from evil and decide to be on God's team and do His will.
Trust - Take God at His word... read it ... believe it... stand on it... act on it!
Be baptized - Water baptism when you decide Jesus is Lord (Boss) in your life - 
Baptism of the Holy Spirit - The seal of our eternal salvation and the source of our power here on earth to carry out the will of God and to be guided by him.
Laying on of Hands - for healing and deliverance of others in the Name of Jesus
Resurrection of the dead - Jesus did return from the grave and so did Lazarus ... end of argument
Eternal Judgement - God is Just and at the end of our lives we will all be judged and the verdict will be eternal and unchangeable.  Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me"  If you put your trust in Jesus Christ and believe that He is the son of God and that He died for YOUR sins you will be saved from eternal punishment and will live in the presence of God forever.  The alternative is an eternity that is absent of God (everything good in this world comes from God so minus all that and that is what eternity without God will be like... I don't think we can even imagine how awful it will be)

These are the elementary teachings of our Christian faith... how many Christians are still wrestling with the basics?



Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 7 - Hebrews 4:11 - 5:5

Hebrews 4:11-5:5 

11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

5 Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. 2 And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. 3 That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs.

4 And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. 5 That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him,

“You are my Son.

    Today I have become your Father.”

Terrie's Comments:

If this letter ended at the end of verse 12 we would all be doomed and depressed... I am so glad that it goes on from there and the story is not over yet!!  Jesus is our High Priest who guarantee's that God's MERCY and His GRACE will help us when we need it the most!!  What is mercy and what is grace??? well...

Simple Definition of mercy
: kind or forgiving treatment of someone who could be treated harshly
: kindness or help given to people who are in a very bad or desperate situation

Grace in Christianity is the free and unmerited favor of God as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowing of blessings.  Common Christian teaching is that grace is unmerited mercy (favor) that God gave to humanity by sending his son to die on a cross, thus delivering eternal salvation. God's grace gives us the desire and the power to do his will.

And because Jesus is an eternal High Priest we have obtained eternal Mercy and God's Grace Forever!  I am so thankful that I have Jesus as my High Priest and He provides a pathway for me to come BOLDLY into God's presence with everything because my trust is in Jesus alone!

Tori's Comments:

What does it mean to make an effort to enter that "rest"?  To obey Christ and not fall into sin?  

There's no point hiding like Adam and Eve, I get that.  God sees everything, so I may as well come to Him just as I am.  

When He looks at you, He sees what Jesus made you to be, not your mistakes and regrets.

And that is a beautiful truth I have been resting in- that kind of rest?

There's so much FREEEDDOOMM in God's love!!!!!


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!