Hebrews 11:1-3; 39-40, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
2 For by it the men of old gained approval (???????? martureo, bore witness).
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word (???? rhema, spoken word) of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”
39 And all these, having gained approval (borne witness) through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
Hebrews 11 is called the “faith chapter,” simply because it emphasizes people who lived by faith. I counted 16. How many do you count? Oh, you will have to use your Bible to find all of them.
I could go through this list of people and point out sins in most of their lives as well as the faith which the Scriptures assign to them. In other words, they were, for the most part, just ordinary people; but they believed God and followed His instructions. I should also point out that Joseph was the purest in the list; he was more like Jesus than anyone in the Old Testament Scriptures.
Yet, with all that God promised them and with all the Apostle’s praise of them, we have been promised something better. Are you living by faith? I’m honestly endeavoring to do so. I know I don’t come up to the standard of the men in Hebrews 11, but I’m honestly trying to live by faith. I hope you are, too.
Recently, I watch some Track and Field sports on television. I noticed the runners. They kept looking straight ahead. Other runners would edge up on the leader, but they kept looking ahead. Wherever they were in the race, they would not allow themselves to be distracted by other runners or anything outside of the race. Each one focused on the prize. What was it? It was being acclaimed the winner!
One day, Jesus will announce the winners in Life’s Race. If you’re going to win, you have to keep your eyes looking ahead, your mind focused on the prize! We’re all in training now, even as we’re racing. Keep the faith! Don’t give up! Stay focused! Stay in God’s Word and in prayer. The finish line is not far away. You can do it! The LORD is always available to help!
Hebrews 6:4-6, “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.”
The understanding of what the Apostle Paul is saying in the verses above rests upon our recollection that this letter is written to the Hebrews, not to the Gentiles. Some Hebrews were called “Judaizers” because they believed that one had to become a true Jew and receive circumcision (a sign of acceptance of the Old Testament Law), before he could become a Christian. The Judaizers were mingling the Old Testament Law with New Testament grace.
Now, in the verses above, Paul is addressing religious Jews, saying that those have truly understood the Gospel and come to the place where they should turn from the Old Testament Law, and fully accept the Jesus Christ as the Father’s once-for-all Sacrifice for their sins, but still not accept Him, they are lost and can never be saved.
The Passover and the LORD’s Supper, which Jesus celebrated with His disciples prior to His arrest and crucifixion, symbolized the transition from the Old Testament Law (Passover) to the New Testament Grace (the Supper). Note, too, that Judas Iscariot did not partake of the LORD’s Supper (Jn. 13:30). In fact, Judas Iscariot typified the Jews, who did not accept Jesus as his LORD and Savior!
All of this is to demonstrate how very important it is for people to be saved, and how vital it is that we, who are saved, share the Gospel with them! Are you sharing the Gospel? You might start by sharing this Letter with someone you know. Humm, now that’s an idea, isn’t it?
I’m praying for you, and trust you are praying for me, as well.
Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
I once had a secretary who was really puzzled by this verse. I think she understood most of it, but that last part that said that the Word of God was “able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” – that part, she just could not fathom. How can the Bible judge our thoughts and intentions?
As I studied and thought about this verse, it occurred to me that people don’t read the Bible because it challenges their thinking and their motives.
As a pastor, I encountered a lot of people who didn’t attend church. They often said, “Why, preacher, if I entered church (they meant the building), the ceiling would fall in.” Why didn’t they attend? They knew that the preaching of the Word would convict them of sin. Same reason people don’t read the Bible.
When we read the Bible –not just rushing through it, but reading it carefully—we learn quickly of the things we’re doing that we ought not to do, and of the things we’re not doing that we ought to be doing. It’s called conviction! Yes, as you read the Bible, the Bible reads you! It’s powerful, and it awakens the conscience. And as a two-edged sword can penetrate deeply, so can the Word of God. It brings out the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.
But what about this “soul and spirit” thing? We know we have bodies. The Word tells us that we also have a soul and a spirit (not to be confused with the Holy spirit). See the attachment to this letter, and it will explain it more fully. The overall teaching here is that we learn about ourselves from the Bible, just as we learn about God and Jesus from the Bible. The comparison of ourselves with Jesus shows how far off the mark we are. Yet, the Bible shows us how to become what we ought to become by trusting Him.
So, read, read, read the Bible! You will be amazed at how it teaches His Truth to you. Oh, and be in church tomorrow! Don’t worry about the ceiling.
Philemon 1:1-25, “Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,
2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
5 because I hear of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
6 and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.
7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do that which is proper,
9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you– since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus–
10 I appeal to you for my child, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, Onesimus,
11 who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.
12 And I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart,
13 whom I wished to keep with me, that in your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;
14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, that your goodness should not be as it were by compulsion, but of your own free will.
15 For perhaps he was for this reason parted from you for a while, that you should have him back forever,
16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.
18 But if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account;
19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (lest I should mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).
20 Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.
22 And at the same time also prepare me a lodging; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be given to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
Let me URGE you to read carefully these 25 verses! I’m not going to comment on every verse, but I want to give you the gist of Paul’s clever approach to Philemon.
The name Philemon means “affectionate one.” The name Onesimus means
“useful one.” Philemon owned Onesimus; and for a reason not disclosed, Onesimus ran away and joined Paul, who was imprisoned in Rome. While the letter is basically addressed to Philemon, Paul also mentions Apphia, Archippus, and the whole church. Paul wants everyone to hear and know what he’s going to say.
In verses 4-9, Paul speaks lovingly and graciously to Philemon, while he lays the groundwork for what he is going to ask of him. Then, Paul tells Philemon that while he has the right to order him to do what he’s going to ask, he chooses rather to “appeal” to him as an old man wanting something from one much younger.
In verses 10-18, Paul unpacks the whole ball of wax! “I’m sending him back to you. He wasn’t very useful to you when he was with you, but he sure was useful to me! I wanted to keep him; but it wasn’t right, because he legally belongs to you. If you think of me as a partner in the Gospel, accept Onesimus as you would me. And if he owes you any money, put it on my tab –just remember that you owe me quite a lot –even your life. But, let’s not talk about that. I have every confidence in you, brother. I’m sure you will do even more than I am asking.”
“Oh, by the way, get my room ready because I’m praying about visiting you, if the LORD wills.” Then, in verses 23-24, Paul mentions those who are with him in Rome. He undoubtedly wants Philemon to know all of those who know about what Paul is writing. He then concludes with a prayer in verse 25.
Now, look at the practical aspect of what Paul has written, and how you can utilize the principles in everyday life.
First, you compliment the other person. (Your one fine persons, Zeke.)
Second, you hint at the problem you will later identify. (Of course, no one is
everything he ought to be.)
Third, you come right out and boldly cite your criticism. (Zeke, you simply
got to stop lying about other people.)
Fourth, you identify this criticism with yourself. (I used to lie about
everything. You have no idea!)
Fifth, you compliment the person whom you’ve just criticized. (But, you’re
still one of the finest guys I know.)
The guarantee is that the person you dared to criticize will remember only the First and the Fifth statements. We all want to think the best of ourselves.
By the way, I was taught to never lie! Had I done so, I would not be here today! Whew!
Titus 2:11-14, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”
Scripture is always exciting! You don’t fully realize the excitement until you spend time analyzing it. Take, for instance, the three timeframes in these four verses. Verse 11 addresses the past; verse 12 addresses the present; and verse 13 addresses the future.
Past: God has already brought the opportunity of salvation to all men. The word all (???, pas) speaks of the highest privilege man has ever received from the LORD. It occurred at the Cross, when Jesus died for us, making salvation possible for everyone.
Present: The same grace we discover in verse 11, now instructs us 1) to deny A) ungodliness and B) worldly desires and 2) to live A) sensibly, B) righteously and C) godly in the timeframe He gives us.
Future: The Blessed Hope is the Rapture (snatching up) of the Church as Jesus comes back and draws us to Him in the air. Verse 14 then repeats the matter of redemption, where He forgives our sin and purifies us for Himself. This final phase of redemption will come when He comes again to gather us to and for Himself.
Remember when you were a kid, how you played outside and got dirty? The first thing your mother did when you came in was to clean you up and make you presentable for the meal or for company or whatever. So, it is with the LORD and us. Salvation requires our repentance (being sorry for our sin and asking God’s forgiveness). When we repent, God cleans us up (saves us), making us presentable for Himself. No dirty, old cracked glass vase serves well as the centerpiece of the dinning table. Neither do we serve and honor the LORD well until we are clean. Let’s start cleaning up! Jesus could come for us at any moment!
Heartily in Christ Jesus,
(Dado III)
P. S. Haley writes appreciatively of all of our prayers. All the nurses in
her group in Quito are believers; so they are ministering
