Jesus, [is] the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Jesus, [is] the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 11:16

I continue my study of Hebrews, and in the text today - Hebrews 12:1-2 - the author builds on the previous chapter by encouraging believers to endure with faith until the end, just as Jesus did.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Jesus is seen as not just God but as a coach for those running the race of faith to the end.  This is not a sprint but an endurance race and we know we will experience tribulation as God tells us that we will (John 16:33) but he also tells us that we will overcome because He has overcome.  This encouragement comes on the heels of the encouragement from the previous chapter where the author of Hebrews shares that believers have a better promise - an eternal one - than the one from those mentioned in the "Hall of Faith."  We can endure because of the greater promise of Jesus and the inheritance we will share with Him. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Believers are "surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses" - v1 - implies that God wants the light of our faith and love of God to cut through the cloud so that people can clearly see who the light is and be drawn to the light - which is of course Jesus!  V1 also describes how we do this - by enduring whatever is thrown at us and by focusing on Jesus - His Word, the Holy Spirit, church, spiritual disciplines, 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 the weight of sin which clings so closely and weighs us down as we endure with faith.  Claim the promise that God is saving a place for us in Heaven. Follow the examples of the many explicitly and otherwise mentioned in the "Hall of Faith" from Hebrews 11 who labored for a promise they did not see and did so in faith that they would receive the promise.  Focus on Jesus by making Him the most important relationship in your life - He will help you endure to the end!

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves You, who provides a better promise that allows us to endure until the end where our reward will be that God is saving a place for us in Heaven!  How awesome - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  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 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.

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 11

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:16

I continue my study of Hebrews, and in the text today - Hebrews 11 - we see the widely read "Hall of Faith" where many of the Biblical heroes are described as enduring through fear, suffering, etc. and looking beyond their current circumstances to what God had in store for them - all based on their faith. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V3 describes God as Creator, and His Word as the basis for all of creation.  Also, while God's Word is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12), it is not seen as creation as seen.  Throughout the text God is seen as faithful to those described. In v16 God is described is unashamed by those who seek Him in faith as He is "preparing for them a city."
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Those mentioned explicitly and even those not not mentioned - vv33-38 - are described with their various attributes of faithfulness.  This faithfulness is described in vv13-16 as feeling more at home in God's kingdom (the eternal one) than in any earthly kingdom - "a better country...a heavenly one."   
• 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 growing comfortable in an earthly body - becoming a friend of the world.  Claim the promise that God is preparing a place for us in New Jerusalem. Follow the many examples detailed here that lived obediently to God's will through faith.  Trust and follow God. 

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who is faithful in all things and You are saving place for me in New Jerusalem.  How awesome!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  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.

Christ…will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.

Hebrews 9

Christ…will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him. Hebrews 9:28

I continue my study of Hebrews, and in the text today - Hebrews 9  - the author of Hebrews builds on the theme of Jesus is better from previous chapters by describing how Jesus’ sacrifice ended the need for annual ritual washings and sacrifices for atonement of sin.    Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?:  V14: God saves as He is able to “purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”  V15: Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant of His shed blood, and this new covenant gives believers an eternal inheritance, providing victory over both sin and death. Jesus had to die to give us this inheritance because the inheritance only passes to the children (believers) upon instructions given in the will, and the will of the Father was for the Son to die such that we could receive the inheritance – vv16-17.  The animal blood sacrifices from the Old Testament were needed but only “copies of the heavenly things to be purified” and the death of Jesus represented the heavenly things by offering a better sacrifice (a spotless and final one) – vv18-23.  In contrast to the human high priest an man-made tabernacle, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place - heaven, through His final and perfect sacrifice – vv24-25.  With Jesus, it was no longer necessary for the human high priest to offer annual animal sacrifices – v26. Christ “will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him” – v28.
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Vv8-9: The acts of man to save himself are empty as “gifts and sacrifices [that] are offered…cannot perfect the conscience of the worship.”  The tent erected by man during the Old Testament is also lesser than the temple of Jesus’ body – vv11-12.  We need a savior.  
• 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 trying to save yourself as there is nothing you can do to achieve salvation.  Claim the promise that the victory over sin and death is assured as an inheritance for believers and that at the end of times He will save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.  Follow the example of Christ who submitted to the will of the Father to receive the rich inheritance of Christ.  Confess your sin and surrender to Christ as Lord and Savior.  

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, you are an awesome God who stands alone as able to save.  I am not deserving of such a gift of my salvation - the greatest gift of all time. 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. 

So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.

Mark 13:24-37

So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Mark 13:29

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 13:24-37.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of three) division (vv28-31):

• The title of the second division per the commentary is "Jesus Will Come Again, and the Time Is Near." 
• "Jesus drops an interpretive bomb in verse 30: “I assure you: This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place.” The question is, Who is “this generation”? The answer is not a simple one, and how you understand and interpret other parts of Mark 13 will influence how you answer the question."  
• The commentary offers four prevailing views on this question: "(1) The contemporary generation of Jesus’ day who would see the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. (2) The eschatological generation that will be alive at the end of history who will see all these things because they occur in close proximity to one another. (3) The Jewish people, with the word “generation” being understood to mean “race”—a particular race of people. (4) The generation of Jesus’ day who would see the coming of the kingdom."   
• View (2) is what is presented as the most biblically supported. "This generation refers to those who will see all these things occur in rapid-fire succession just before Jesus comes again. I believe the future tribulation (v. 24) will be a period of seven years." See also Daniel 9:27, Revelation 7:14, 11:3, 12:4, 6, and 13:5.   
• Per v31, the end of times promises finality for all things of this world that many hold dear and all that will remain will be God, His elect, and what He has created for God's elect - the New Jerusalem. We can take comfort from God's words.  "Nothing is so true, stable, permanent, and abiding as the word of our Lord. Here is a firm foundation on which we can stand forever. No wonder the prophet Isaiah was inspired to write, “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever” (Isaiah 40:8; cf. 51:6)."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who saves, who is eternal and whose Word is eternal.  Thank You Jesus for Your Word that offers not just salvation, but also great comfort and encouragement in how it gives us confidence - Your Promises always come to pass so You are faithful in what You tell us will happen.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor how You comfort with Your Word.  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. 

Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.

Isaiah 25

Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. Isaiah 25:3

Today, I pause once again my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books to use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, where today John Piper seeks to encourage those who may be feeling as though their work in service to God may be in vain - for whatever the reason.  Piper uses Isaiah 25:3 where Isaiah prophecies final days (Revelation 21) where we see the New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem - where all of God's people are with God forever in perfect harmony.  Believers should all know that this victory over sin and death is already won - through Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection - but these final days represent the fullness of this victory.  We should have confidence that this victory is already won and that we will be with God as Isaiah prophecies because God keeps His promises (see post yesterday). John Piper concludes the devotion by encouragement for those feeling as though they are working in vain: "[n]ot one life spent in the cause of world evangelization is spent in vain. Not one prayer or one dollar or one sermon or one letter of encouragement or one little light shining in some dark place — nothing in the cause of this advancing kingdom is in vain."  Press on - continue running the race with endurance!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, Yes - You have already defeated sin and death and we can be confident of our salvation and being with You in Heaven for eternity.  What a glorious thing this will be!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation - the greatest gift of all time.  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.

[H]e has prepared for them a city.

 Hebrews 11

[H]e has prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:16c

As I continue to ponder what to study next, my Bible study this morning once again leans on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at the city, Heaven, God has prepared for those who believe and have been saved by Him.  There is certainly much in the present world to be sad about and John Piper describes some of this.  Yet, in the present, God is with those who believe and have been saved by Him. God provides the Holy Spirit, the Word, the church, my brothers and sisters in Christ, etc. to give me comfort and to help continue to run the race when God calls me home or Christ returns.  The city God prepares for us is indeed perfect and it is described in Revelation 21.  Piper describes this city: "[t]he city of God will be perfect, because God will be in it. He will walk in it and talk in it and manifest himself in every part of it. All that is good and beautiful and holy and peaceful and true and happy will be there, because God will be there.  Perfect justice will be there and recompense a thousandfold for every pain suffered in obedience to Christ in this world. And it will never deteriorate. In fact, it will shine brighter and brighter as eternity stretches out into unending ages of increasing joy." Piper seeks for believers to desire this city "above everything else on the earth." This brings glory to God who is also the builder of this new city.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of compassion, saving a place for me in the New Jerusalem which will be awesome!  Thank You Jesus for securing my salvation.  I am not deserving of the greatest gift of all time.  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.

And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”

Daniel 8

 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” Daniel 8:16

I resume my study of Daniel in conjunction with a disciple/small group study with my church's men's wake up call. This morning my focus is Daniel 8 and my unaided observations of this text. The text today, discussing a vision from Daniel, is interpreted through Gabriel, who is commanded through "a voice" (v16) to help Daniel understand the vision he has.  Gabriel then shares how this vision is about the "time of the end" (v17, see also v19) and how - like Daniel 7 - chaos amidst the world will persist and climax at the end times.  Yet once again, believers should not be appalled as Daniel is of these visions of end times but instead be encouraged because we know how redemptive history will end - with a new Jerusalem and how God is saving a place for us.  I am grateful this morning for God's Word - the entirety of it - His special revelation. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God as You have provided Your Word as a means to understand Yourself and Your Will for my life - to also bring aid in bringing about obedience to You as it works in conjunction with the Holy Spirit in my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You work in my life.  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.

And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

Revelation 21-22

And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. Revelation 21:6

I wrapped my D-Group's study of Revelation for the week - using Stephen Witmer's commentary and study guide. This week's study - week 10 - focused on a vision of Heaven, as John's letter of his vision of end times comes to a close at the end of chapter 22. Revelation 21:6, in particular, is an awesome portrait of God's grace and love as He freely gives salvation to those who are desperate, and panting for Him (thirsty). Other key takeaways, including another hint that describes Heaven as better than Eden is how Heaven has two trees of life (vs one) - one on either side of the river of the water of life (Revelation 22:2). 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for freely giving me salvation, and for giving me the confidence and hope to know that my home is truly in Heaven and that You are saving a place for me.  Incredible - thank You Jesus and I know I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it is 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.

 

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life....No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.

Revelation 21-22

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life....No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. Revelation 21:27, 22:3

I continue my D-Group's study of Revelation - using Stephen Witmer's commentary and study guide - for week 10, we are looking at Revelation 21-22:5 where we see John's vision of the New Heaven and New Earth. As I continue to progress with week 10, a key takeaway is how we must be clear that Heaven is even BETTER than the Garden of Eden from Genesis.  In the Garden, we did see unclean influences as the serpent was present and of course tempted Adam and Eve into sin.  In Heaven, we will have no such uncleanness or sin. 

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, Heaven IS better than the garden of Eden and You are saving a place for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and such a blessing.  My sin continues and it is 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.

Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Revelation 21-22

Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:3-4

I resume my D-Group's study of Revelation - using Stephen Witmer's commentary and study guide - for week 10, we are looking at Revelation 21-22:5 where we see John's vision of the New Heaven and New Earth. Here, as this vision unfolds, we experience perhaps a spectacular portrait of Heaven as believers long to endure through an earthly life that is full of challenges, hurts, pain, suffering, trials, etc.  God is with us and all of these challenges pass away and we are reunited with God in the new garden of Eden in perfect harmony with Him.  No sin, no death, and subsequently none of the consequences of a fallen world where these things exist.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is saving a place for me in Heaven where I will see all of my tears wiped away and I will see You face to face - what a glorious moment this will be!  Thank You Jesus for my salvation.  Of course I am undeserving...my sin is great, it continues, and it is 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.

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:23

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter eleven Future Glory, Present Help, which covers Romans 8:18-30.  My focus today is Romans 8:18-25, which my commentary refers to under the heading Hope for Waiting Saints. Building on my post yesterday, where Paul refers to believers' inheritance "provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him" (8:17), Paul starts off writing how "sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."  Our future glorification, referenced by Paul, is something where believers should place their hope and we should recognize that all of creation will be made new, not just us - think about New Jerusalem as described in Revelation 21. 

My commentary writes that we should in the context of today's verses we should also consider 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Seeing the "forest for the trees" in this way we are promised a fresh and hopeful perspective on our present day sufferings. We are encouraged to "[p]ush through the pain in order to experience the joy of glorious life to come." We must also see the "already, not yet" dimension of adoption (see post yesterday), where we have joy in union with Christ now in our present bodies, we will have much more so at glorification....so press on with hope!

Comment and discuss this post here. 

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I know You have saved a place for me in Heaven - thank You! I also know that Heaven will be a glorious place where I will find myself once again with other saints who have long past and gone Home to be with You. What a day it will be to see You face to face!  I am not deserving of such blessings and salvation.  I have sinned greatly and continue to - worry, etc. 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 Your 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.