Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled[.]

Hebrews 12:12-17

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled[.] Hebrews 12:14-15

I continue my study of Hebrews, and in the text today - Hebrews 12:12-17 - the author, based on how he exhorts believers to see discipline as training from God, and good, issues a call to action for believers to press on with the mission to share the gospel and to support other believers in their journey so that they not "shrink back."  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Vv12-13: God seeks for us to grow, and this often includes painful periods of discipline as God is using our circumstances to prune and shape us into who He seeks for us to serve His purpose. V14: God knows that believers must be a light if His Great Commission is to gather and sustain any momentum. V15-16: Unity in the church is critical as one "defiled" person may defile many - therefore He wants us to support and encourage other believers.      
• What do we learn from the text about people?: My previous post highlighted text where discipline is sometimes viewed as painful - temporarily.  While this may be true it also inevitably makes us stronger and resilient as our spiritual muscles tear, heal, and grow back stronger - this is vv12-13.  While persecution and other interpersonal clashes may cause us to lash out to others in response, v14 encourages us to "strive for peace with everyone," because if we don't demonstrate being a light (holy and set apart), we risk apostasy and eternal damnation.  Vv15-17 concludes with the author seeking for believers to encourage and support other believers such that we avoid a "root of bitterness" among us that again may lead to disunity in the church and apostasy of believers. The example of Esau is used as he "despised" his birthright (Genesis 25:29-34), allowing this "root of bitterness" to drag Esau away from holiness.  
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid discouragement and a root of bitterness to fester and drag you away from God and into sin.  Claim the promise that God disciplines those He loves and see your circumstances through what God is causing or allowing in your life for good and His glory.  Encourage and support other believers to press on with the Great Commission.  

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You Jesus for how You provide support and encouragement from other believers.  I am not deserving of how You love, save, and bless.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

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.

Hebrews 3:7-19

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. Hebrews 3:12-13

I continue my study of Hebrews, and in the text today - Hebrews 3:7-19 - the author (speaking to Jewish believers who well understood the Old Testament and its biblical heroes such as Moses) seeks for readers to not suffer the same fate as the first generation of Israelites who were rescued by God and escaped Egypt, but were not able to enter the promise land (God's rest) due to their rebelliousness.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V7 shares how scripture is God-breathed and divinely authored - see also 2 Timothy 3:16.  This verse (and v15) refer to Psalm 95:7-11, where David also warns (see also Hebrews 3:8, 12-13) believers not to miss God's hand and to avoid hardening of hearts and putting God to the test.  We also see God as a living God (v12) - not a distant, unseeing, unaware and uncaring God - if we abide in Him, He lives and works in our hearts (John 15:1-10).  God makes a promise (vv11, 19) - one that we don't to see - that if we don't believe, we cannot enter God's rest - and if you don't this is eternal damnation.   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: When we wander and go astray from God - which we are prone to do - we fail to recognize and see His hand in our lives and then we experience hardness of heart, leading to falling away.  God wired us to live not just in fellowship with Him, but also with other believers and we are encouraged to "exhort one another every day" (v13) to stay close to Him with our spiritual disciplines (study of Word, prayer, etc.). 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid straying from fellowship with Him lest you develop a hardened heart. Claim the promise that God lives in your heart if you abide in Him and He never stops working for good.  Follow the example of Joshua and Caleb who maintained steadfast faith and saw God's hand and were able to enter God's rest. Hold confidence in Him firm until the end.

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  I am not deserving of how You love, save, and bless through Your Word, the Holy Spirit, the church, and my brothers and sisters in Christ. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?["]

 Exodus 7:8-11:10

So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?["] Exodus 10:3

I pause my study of John and focus on preparation for leading small group time as we unpack Exodus 7:8-11:10 as Moses and Aaron are sent by God to confront Pharaoh to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: The Lord worked through Moses and Aaron, doing what He said He would do - giving them the words to say and working miracles through them.  The Lord also shared in advance (7:3-4) that despite God's miracles, Pharaoh's heart would remain hardened - God is faithful. God also works through Pharaoh's magicians (7:22, 8:7) to produce the same miracles - God has providence over false gods and evil influences - including Satan. God responds to prayers (8:30, 9:27-33).  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Moses and Aaron did as God directed them - obedience.  Miracles are not enough for some to believe in God and to put their faith in Him - their own desires and needs are put above those of God.  This is so even after plague 3 (gnats) where even Pharaoh's magicians share that "this is the finger of God" (8:19). Even after allowing the Israelites to go into the wilderness (not far) to sacrifice to God (as he recognizes some role of God in these miracles at this point) and the flies (fourth plague) are removed after Moses prayer, Pharaoh's heart is still hardened.  This pattern repeats through the first nine plagues.  Hardness of heart grows progressively worse for those who resist Him.  Often it takes a significant humbling experience to bring someone to their knees to acknowledge and believe in God.      
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid hardness of heart and take the time to know God through study of His Word and prayer.  Claim the promise that God reigns over all - including Satan -  and still cares and loves each one of us individually and seeks to save us.  Follow the example of Moses and Aaron and their obedience and service to God.  Humble yourself before the Lord (10:3). 

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that loves and saves!  Thank You for softening my heart and saving me.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she does not draw near to her God.

Zephaniah 3:1-8

Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she does not draw near to her God. Zephaniah 3:1-2

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zephaniah 3:1-8, which is the text for the second division of the commentary's chapter covering Zephaniah 2:4-3:8.  The commentary further breaks down this second division into eight subdivisions, and today I review the first four that explore 3:1-3.

1. God’s chosen people are defiled because of their rebellion (3:1): "We have now come full circle. As in chapter 1, Zephaniah again turns his prophecy toward the people of Judah. In similar tone and focused on similar targets, Zephaniah levels devastating judgment from God, to His own people, after clearly bringing justice to those who were His enemies. As Zephaniah leveled the charges against Judah’s enemies, I can only imagine that Judah stood by and listened with pleasure, only to find that pleasure withering under the return of God’s scrutiny....They knew God’s word and had been warned against their disobedience. In spite of that, they continue to revel in their pride and self-confidence, functionally rejecting God and serving themselves instead. This was not unique to this generation of God’s chosen people. No, this is a refrain that we hear repeatedly throughout Scripture."  See also Psalms 106:43.  "The truth is that this constant rebellion, met with constant grace, is our story too. Like the people of Judah, we constantly turn away from God, are consistent in our disobedience, and are critically in need of grace."  See also Romans 7:5. "Apart from the grace of God, we are relentlessly bent toward sin. After coming into contact with God’s grace, we are transformed into adopted children of God, but we still retain our sin nature and find ourselves drawn, at times, back into sin. Thankfully, the grace of God makes it possible to be free from sin, but until Jesus returns to make things right, we will probably never be free from the temptation to sin. The people of Judah were susceptible to that same temptation, only they had succumbed to it and were now buried in it....God expects holiness, and they were unholy (defiled)....They were desperately in need of salvation. See also Romans 3:23. " 
   
2. God’s discipline has not compelled His people to obey (3:2): "[Judah has] been disobedient, they have ignored God’s discipline, they have failed to trust God, and they have not drawn near to God." 
   
3. The disobedience of God’s people is due to their lack of trust (3:2): "[W]hat makes this judgment more troubling is not simply that they were rebellious, but that when they were confronted with the Lord’s discipline, they remained hard-hearted toward Him." See also Romans 1:21-24. 
   
4. The political leaders are ruthless and are devouring the people (3:3): "Not only would they thoroughly reject Him, but they have become so completely rebellious that their leadership is devoid of spiritual life in any sense....The leaders were living for themselves to the degree that they were gladly fleecing their own people, people who had been entrusted to them as a stewardship, and they were now using the people for their own gain." 
   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: God You are great and You offer grace for those whose heart is soft enough to receive it...and You are the one that hardens and softens hearts.  Thank You Jesus for softening my heart and making me one of Your elect.  I am not deserving.  My sin continues...and it is great.  Help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me stay near to You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where, in contrast to posts over the past few days that focus on gratitude, John Piper looks at why someone might not have gratitude towards God.  He writes: "[W]hen gratitude does not spring up in our hearts at God’s great goodness to us, it probably means that we don’t want to pay him a compliment; we don’t want to magnify him as our benefactor. And there is a very good reason that human beings by nature do not want to magnify God with thanksgiving or glorify him as their benefactor. The reason is that it detracts from our own glory, and all people by nature love their own glory more than the glory of God." In other words, unbelievers value self-sufficiency and self-glory over that of God.  Of course, believers know they need a Savior and Jesus Christ is that Savior. Piper points us to Mark 2:17 Jesus emphasizes how He says "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - giving me my salvation, Your Word, the Holy Spirit, and SO much more - all out of grace as I am undeserving.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I know I am undeserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Isaiah 28-29, 22 and 33  

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Day 186 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with my study of Isaiah's prophecies.  My commentary* remarks that although Hezekiah has led a spiritual revival, Isaiah warns against a relapse and a turn away from God: "...knowing already that they will indeed fail, Isaiah tells them again of Jerusalem’s fall, the foreign exile in captivity, the day of restoration, and the punishment of their oppressors. The message is always the same, but the hardness of their hearts keeps them from hearing it".

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

I am struck this morning how it is God alone who both provides and obscures faith (hardens hearts) - see John Piper on this.  See also another perspective from a DesiringGod.com contributor.

The Lord has brought over you a deep sleep: He has sealed your eyes (the prophets); he has covered your heads (the seers). For you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I can’t; it is sealed.” Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I don’t know how to read.” Isaiah 29:10-12

I am thankful that God has given me the gift of faith and salvation.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has given me faith and salvation - the greatest gift of all time!  Thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such a gift.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Joshua 9-12

For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.  Joshua 11:20

Day 69 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on the general conquest by the Israelites of the promised land - 31 kings and their people.  My commentary* refers to this is as a general conquest as leaders subsequent to Joshua still have battles to win and land to conquer - but for now the "land [is at] rest from war" (Joshua 11:23).

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

Of note during this period of conquest:
- Joshua and the Israelites made a treaty under oath with the Gibeonites without inquiring of the Lord (Joshua 9:14-15)
- God performs several miracles, including sending great hailstorms that killed more men than by swords (Joshua 10:11) and stopping the sun from setting to allow the Israelites complete victory over the five Amorite kings (Joshua 10:12-14)
- We see complete obedience by Joshua (Joshua 11:15)
- God hardens hearts of Israel's enemies, thus providing cause for total destruction "without mercy" (Joshua 11:20)

This morning my focus is how God hardens and softens hearts - we are completely at His mercy for both our faith and salvation and any condemnation we face.  

All believers know others with hardness of heart and it pains us - yet John Piper gives us hope that God can and does soften hearts.  We should continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus, share the Good News of Jesus Christ, and pray for softened hearts.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has softened my heart to ask for salvation, forgiveness and for a softened heart - at Your great mercy, You provided!  Thank You Jesus - I am not deserving.  I continue to sin...daily.  Please forgive me and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

Exodus 5-8

But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go. Exodus 8:32

Day 23 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on Moses and Aaron's confrontation with Pharaoh over a request from Moses that he take the Israelites into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to God.

During this time, Pharaoh's heart is hardened five times - despite it becoming clear to readers that God is working in the plagues demonstrated in Egypt and even Pharaoh's magicians indicated that “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19).  

All of us may have experienced hardness of heart towards God at one time or another or we know others in our lives who have.  We need hope that God can soften hardened hearts.

For a perspective on this - check out John Piper's post "Does God Ever Soften a Heart He Has Hardened?".  See also this post for thoughts on how a hunger and thirst for righteousness ignites a "greater and greater flame of passion for God in our hearts".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has softened my heart towards Yourself and towards others - thank You Jesus!  I am grateful.  Yet I am undeserving of Your mercy.  I am often harsh with others.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10

The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. v8-9

Paul is writing about Israel and how Christ revealed Himself to the Jews and how "they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness" (v3).  He was the Messiah expected by the Jews but they did not see Him as such.

Therefore, since The Word is near us - in the form of scripture, the church, the Holy Spirit, and those who share these with us - we should take the time to know Him as He is revealed in all of these things.  We are all seeking something, something that is real and who will fill our lives with the Fruits of the Spirit.  With Jesus, we get all of this and more, but we must simply believe and profess our faith. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the One True God - the One who created and is in all things - and also our Savior. Thank You Jesus for adopting us as Your children and giving us fruits of the Spirit and everlasting life!  We are undeserving of such love and blessings.  I know for myself that I worry.  Please forgive me Father and help me turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.