WHO NEEDS ENCOURAGING?

"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Hebrews 3:12-13

Hang on! Keep believing! God is faithful and he will do what he has promised to do. The enemy wants to discourage you and make you turn away from faith in Christ. There will be trials and you may not be able to make any sense of what is going on in your life at this time. But, keep on turning to Christ. He will complete what he has started!

Now, I have a challenge for you. Can you think of one, maybe two people who might need encouraging? I challenge you to encourage them in some way today. Who is God putting on your heart as you read this? I can think of one person in particular. Maybe the Spirit will put someone in my path today. 

Who will you encourage today?

TELL ME ABOUT GOD'S UNFAILING LOVE

"Have mercy on me, O God, 
     according to your unfailing love;
 according to your great compassion
     blot out my transgressions. 
 Wash away all my iniquity
     and cleanse me from my sin."
 Psalm 51:1-2 

I can not tell you how many times I have been unable to see the end from the beginning and felt that I was at a complete loss. Yet, when I remembered that the truth is that God has unfailing love for me, and that even if I could not imagine how God was going to work things out, God always knows what he is doing, then peace would come. Sometimes it is a knock-down, drag 'em out battle within myself to not stay focused on only what I can see at the moment. Frankly, I am just working my way through one of those "precious moments". But, I know God is Sovereign Lord and he does have unfailing love for me. I have seen him bring me through every battle. So, I trust him now. 

What about you, can you remember how God's unfailing love has faithfully brought you through? If so, please share with us what God has done in your life.

TELL ME ABOUT GOD'S MERCY

"Have mercy on me, O God,
     according to your unfailing love;
 according to your great compassion
     blot out my transgressions.
 Wash away all my iniquity 
     and cleanse me from my sin."
 Psalm 51:1-2

I am far from perfect. I need God's mercy. This last year, I almost got bumped from my present work location which is about five minutes from my house if I hit most of the lights on the way, to who knows where. But, mercifully, it worked out that I am still close to home, working with a group of people I enjoy working with. 

What I would love to hear is how God has been merciful to you in your life. Please tell us.  

BOASTFUL HOPE

"But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast." Hebrews 3:6

Think of Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with you." And I Corinthians 3:16 says, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" Theses verses teach us the truth that we, as believers, have a special relationship with God where his very Presence becomes a part of our lives.

Christ, God's son, is faithful as the builder. He will do what he set out to do. He came to save us from sin, to make us children of God. Our job is courageously hold on to the hope we have in Christ's faithfulness. To some our hope may seem a bit bold, maybe even absurd. But, we are not hoping in our own strength. Our hope is in Christ Jesus who died and rose again. That same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that God is working in our lives to conform us into the image of Christ Jesus, his son. He is faithful and he will do it!

Father, help us to hold on courageously and confidently to the hope we have in you. Open our eyes to see you in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

GOD THE BUILDER

"For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." Hebrews 3:4

Before I began my career as an educator, one of the first jobs I had was in construction. So, when I enter a house I notice things like how the molding was finished in the corners or if the walls are plumb. I can't help it. My dad was a general contractor and he had some brothers who did his framing for a while. They were very good. Once when I came home from college my parents had moved into a new home built by his framers. I looked at the fireplace and asked him why it was off-center. Dad told my mom, "I told you he would notice!"  Normally a house built by that crew was pretty good. You could tell that a house built by them in comparison to someone whose motto was "close enough".

God is the builder of our lives. He knows how to put things together and how to fix things that are not right. Philippians 1:6 reminds us that, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Sometimes we forget that God is eternal and his plan for us is from eternity. Before we were born, before the world was created God knew what he would do with us. He knew he would send Jesus to die for our sins. 

The truth is that God is building my life and your life with expert craftsmanship, making us into the image of Christ Jesus. He is faithful, he will do it. 

Thank you Father, for building my life. Help me to abide in you as you abide in me, building my life. Praise be to you in us today!

FALLING FORWARD

"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess." Hebrews 3:1

Remember the the story of Peter walking on the water toward Jesus (Matthew 14)? I think that is a great reminder and encouragement to me to fix my eyes on Jesus. He's walking toward Jesus, looking at Jesus but gets distracted by the wind! Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught Peter! 

Do you ever do that? Take a step of faith then realize you took a step of faith and begin to falter?  Of course, we all do.  Don't be discouraged, take Jesus's hand and let him lift you up.

To me one of Peter's strengths was that he always seemed to fall forward, toward Christ. Even when he denied Christ, he had followed him into the garden when everyone else took off. He fell forward, toward Christ. That is why I find Peter so encouraging. He fell. We all fall. But, I want to fall forward with my eyes fixed on Christ so that even when I stumble I will look up for Jesus's hand and he will be there to lift me up.

Father, help us to fix our eyes upon Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest whom we confess. Thank you for being there to lift us up when we fall. Praise be to you in us today!

THE CALL FROM HEAVEN

"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess." Hebrews 3:1

Last week I attended a three day training along with several other teachers. There was a little common bond we developed over just those three days.  Now, back at work I know a each of the people in my group a little more than I did before. 

As Christians, we share in the heavenly calling. I am struck by the term "heavenly calling". In part, it is because of that calling that my relationship with Jesus has meaning. I think it is because we are supposed to focus on the eternal, not the temporal. From the throne of heaven itself we receive our calling to follow Jesus and live a life of faith. 

That calling is not alone. It is a shared calling. Shared with other believers the world over and the world next door. Shared with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Father, thank you for calling me to share in the heavenly calling to follow Jesus. Help me to walk in faith with my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Help me follow in faith and to fix my eyes upon my Lord. Praise be to you in us today!