THE DANGER OF FALLING AWAY

 

As we meditate our scripture today from Hebrews 6 - we have read a warning to all Christians — not just Christians but to those who have served, enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift and experienced the power of God and have worked with the Holy Spirit — these are the Christians who have impressive experience working with the Lord — but fell away from the Lord.

It says it is impossible to go back to the Lord and be saved — this is BIG! 

(v4-5)  4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

We may have received gifts and used by the Lord in His works, we may have done things for the Lord like :

 Energetically evangelized (Matthew 23:15).

· Impressively prayed (Matthew 23:14).

· Made rigorous religious commitments (Matthew 23:16).

· Strictly and carefully tithed (Matthew 23:23).

· Practiced fasting regularly (Luke 18:12).

· Yet Jesus called them sons of Hell (Matthew 23:15).

Let us take a look at the example of Demas:

· Demas is called a fellow worker with Paul (Philemon 24).

· Yet Paul condemned Demas, at least hinting at apostasy (2 Timothy 4:10).

Judas is also a perfect example.

WHY IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO GO BACK? 

as explained in v6 it is now our choice to crucify Him again and to put Him to an open shame. So it will be hard for us to seek TRUE REPENTANCE.

(v6) 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

How do we know we are falling away?

V7-8 showed that we receive the same rain from heaven (same blessings/teachings) but what do we bear? do we bear WHEAT OR WEEDS?

7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

Let us reflect...

- God may have used us mightily, spoke to us and allowed us to experience is might and power — but where are we now? do we bear wheat or weeds now?

BUT GOD IS TRUE TO HIS PROMISE. He is a just God who will not forget all our works —  we only need to hold on to our faith and diligently continue on with Jesus — 

10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 

*** FOR HOW MANY TIMES I whined and told God I am tired and I want to stop serving Him —BUT I STILL KEEP ON SHOWING UP!

We are allowed to get tired and complain to the Lord but we need to keep on showing up and diligently obey with TRUE REPENTANCE. 

Let us keep on holding on to our faith remnants!

Amen.

SPIRITUAL MATURITY

 

In our reading today - we are warned of the danger of spiritual immaturity.  We are all have a tendency to become spiritually immature especially when we come to the point that we feel we don’t need to read the scripture anymore or we don’t need to learn anymore because we know everything already. 

In verses 13-14 it showed us the difference between the immature and the mature. 

“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Hebrews 5:13-14

Paul in 1 corinthian 3 called the corinthian church babes because of their behaviour. 

They are gifted, they know the scriptures and always in the church but Paul called them immature because they stir up envy and strife and division to the church. 

We may be gifted but if we use it to glorify ourselves we are still immature. 

We may memorize the scripture but if we do not practice them we are immature. 

We may always be present in the church but if no one can rebuke or you don’t listen to corrections or if u do listen you dont change nor obey, still you are immature. 

Let us reflect: 

- what do I bring to my brethren and to the church? Is it peace or division? 

- i know the words but do i follow them? 

- do i allow my leaders to correct me and am i willing to learn?

- i have been in the ministry for a long time, am I a good example to my brethren or i still honor myself and what i want. 

Let us always be aware of how behave and how we obey the words of God. We cannot be judged by our heart but we can always be judged by our words and actions. Because out of the abundance of the heart our mouth speaks and our body acts.

Let us all strive to be spiritually mature. Help us o Holy spirit daily. 

Amen

THE GREAT SALVATION

 

As we reflect and meditate our daily scripture today, in Hebrews 2, we read a warning for the believers not to neglect the salvation that we have received from the Lord. 

This chapter was written for the believers / Christians who accepted Jesus as their Lord and savior. 

1 “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”

 Verse 1 exhorted us to earnestly heed the things that we heard - we must truly understand the words of God and do it. Hearing and doing means earnestly heeding the word. Because if we don’t do what we have heard we might drift away from our faith. 

In Verse 2, the warning was given that we will be judge according to our transgression and disobedience. 

2 “For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,”

If we consider our salvation as God’s way of rescuing us from hell, we will hold on unto it and treat it as the greatest gift of God for us. Anything that of great value is taken cared of and valued for life.

Therefore, if we neglect something, we probably do not consider it great. Yet our salvation is great, because:

· We are saved by a great Savior.

· We are saved at a great cost.

· We are saved from a great penalty.

The reason many neglect their salvation is because they never see it as salvation. They see it merely as receiving something, not as being rescued from something.

Verse 4 mentioned that God confirms our great salvation through signs and wonders and gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

“God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”

Hebrews 2:4 

Let us reflect: 

- How do we value our salvation given to us by Jesus?

- how do we earnestly heed His Words and His Commandments? 

May the Holy Spirit lead us always to be grateful for our salvation not neglecting His words but doing it. 

Amen.

OVERCOMING UNBELIEF

 

As we meditate His Words today in Hebrews 3 — 

It is very clear that the book of Hebrews is written for us - believers. So let' us take heed. 

On the first part v1-6 shows the supremacy of Jesus over Moses - it made it clear that we only have one Jesus who dwells in Us and that there is no reason for unbelief. 

On the Last verses we were warned of the danger of unbelief — because it:

1. HARDENS our hearts (v12) — we tend not to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirt — God's commands and His instructions. 

2. HINDERS God's blessings (10-19) - we have no peace and we can never enter God's rest just like the Israelites who stayed in the wilderness for 40 years.

3. HALTS God's power (Mat 13:57-58) - unbelief stops us in doing God's works, therefore it stops us from witnessing miracles and wonders of the Lord. 

BUT we can always ask Jesus to HELP US WITH OUR UNBELIEF just like what the Father of the sick child did in Mark 9:24.

Also in this chapter we were given HELP  TO OVERCOME UNBELIEF:

1. Do not harden your heart (v8) LISTEN to the voice of the Holy SPirit and obey.

2. Know His ways (v10) MEDITATE HIS WORDS DAY AND NIGHT. Only in His words that we get to know Him well. 

3. Be partakers of Christ (V13-14) KEEP HIS WORKS - we must exhort each other daily and find the lost. 

LET US REFLECT:

- Do you experience the signs of unbelief? ( missed church activity, missed reading the words and missed fellowship)

- Is your heart not in the right place? is it in the world (flesh-family and work) or with Jesus?

*** It's not about how we start our faith  it's about enduring the battle.. finishing the task ... we will be judged according to HOW WE FINISH NOT HOW WE START. 

So kneel down and ask Jesus to help us with our unbelief just like the father of the sick child.

Amen.

‘Philippians 4 - ’LET IT BE KNOWN TO GOD’’

 

We are to REJOICE (Paul said it twice) and be GENTLE. The presence of these two is the absence of worry and vice versa. 

If we know that God is real and alive, why are we still worrying?

We are living in a world full of worries and anxiousness.

We are not exempted to this. Christians are the target of Satan

because they are not his. He is always giving reasons and lies

or deceitful words to have clouded minds and unstable hearts.

But the WORDS of the LORD said,

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness [gentleness in other versions]

be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;

When the spirit of worry attacks, what should we do?

Let it be known to God 

A second of worry should be lifted up to God right away. 

Pray, pray, pray but with thanksgiving. The word of God says,

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

The moment that worry attacks for any reason, we should respond in the name of Jesus. 

Absolutely, we do pray but is it with thanksgiving? When we

finish praying, why do we still worry? Do we pray with thanksgiving?

A prayer of thanksgiving removes all the worries away. It is

replacing worries and anxiousness with the joy of knowing that

God is working. It is recognizing His power. 

What happens when we pray with thanksgiving?

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The worries will be replaced with peace, that inner peace in God

which even ourselves couldn’t explain. The peace that worries

couldn't penetrate because it guards our hearts and minds through

the power of the name of Jesus. 

Let us reflect:

4 WH's

• What are your worries right now?

• What does God mean when He said, not to worry?

• What do you do in times of worries?

• What will happen if we pray with thanksgiving?

THE TRUE INTERCESSORS

 

THE TRUE INTERCESSORS

TRUE CHRISTIANS pray for one another. It is our unwritten covenant with the Lord to intercede for all who needs intercession. One way of sharing in Jesus’ works is to intercede for the lost, for the churches, leaders etc.

WE ARE ALL INTERCESSORS. WE INTERCEDE IN SILENCE.

Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8), and it is the highest calling for our lives. This is how the world knows we follow Jesus, if we love one another (John 13:25). What a special and specific way to love one another: by remembering each other in our prayers, and lifting one another up to Jesus. 

True intercessors intercede in their secret place – without letting the world know they are interceding. When we intercede, WE DO NOT ANNOUNCE IT!

WHY?

There are a few reasons not to —

-        This can come across as condescending, that you have a special connection with God and they are so blessed that you will be praying for them.

 

-        It’s also wrong if you’re using it to distinguish yourself from, and to diminish, someone whom you know is not a believer.

 

-        When you tell someone ‘I AM YOUR INTERCESSOR” it may not be intentional but you may be sending a message that every answered prayer you have or all your victories are all because of you.

We usually, as a church ask for intercession when we have to do something or the church is asked to intercede for someone. This kind of intercession glorifies the Lord not an individual person.

Abraham changed the mind of the Lord when he interceded for Sodom (Genesis 18:22)

Moses’ intercession for Israel (Exodus 32:9-14)

Sodom and Israel didn’t know that Abraham and Moses interceded for them.

 “Intercession is important for the church because we're called to love each other. And loving each other is laying down our lives., Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.’ (John 15:13 NIV). We lay our lives down in different ways, as we serve God and we serve people. One way we serve is in prayer. 

The most important parts of our bodies are hidden on the inside, such as: our brain, heart, lungs, liver, gut, blood, blood cells, etc. Everything that keeps our body alive and functioning is unseen—beneath the surface.

This is a parallel to the ministry of prayer and intercession. MOST WILL NOT SEE THE PRAYER AND INTERCESSION, yet it is the very thing holding together a healthy body and allowing the body to work and function how it should.

PRAYER WORKS BEHIND THE SCENES, giving life to the members who most need it; calling the lost sheep home, bringing wisdom and understanding, sustaining the weary from giving up, and keeping us connected to the head, which is Christ. Prayer is very important. It is the avenue for God’s blessing and power in the lives of his people. 

BE A TRUE INTERCESSOR WHO WORKS BEHIND THE SCENE.

Man will not see you because you will be out of his sight, beyond the second veil; but in the Kingdom of God your life will count for time and for eternity. 

 

Acts 2 - “WORTH THE WAIT”

 

“WORTH THE WAIT”

As we meditate Acts 2 today, God is teaching us that, 

“It takes a great vessel to receive a great blessing”

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Acts 2:4

How great was it they were waiting?

- The Holy Spirit that came from heaven (verses 2-3)

- The Holy spirit who manifest in power through tongues (of different languages)

- The holy spirit who empowered them and gave them boldness to preach the gospel to people from different nations (verses 5-12)

“And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?”

Acts 2:7-8 ESV

Truly, the greatest Gift of the Lord for us❤️

- Are we worthy to receive this gift?

We are NOT - but HE made us worthy. For whom should this GIFT be given but to man who needs the Holy Spirit. 

How great were the vessels then?

- They, who bore Christ in their hearts

- They who not only believe but love Christ

- They who keep the promise of God and never abandoned their faith in Christ as they wait for the promise.

- They who were not only able to wait but showed the right attitude and posture of waiting. 

- They, who were not but made worthy to receive the greatest gift because of their faith in Christ. 

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”

Acts 2:1-2 ESV

Let us reflect: 

- Do we also have the faith and love for Jesus through serving Him?

- Do we keep His promises through being diligent in reading His words?

- Do we have the right attitude of waiting through earnest prayers or we complain as we wait?

For if God was able to give us the greatest gift - The Holy spirit. Then what else He cannot give? 

So whatever we ask in prayer, 

WAIT. . . . . . WAIT. . . . . . WAIT. . . . . 

“Great things are worth the wait”

and sometimes . . .

God is not making us wait. . . .

Instead, He is waiting for us to receive it with the proper posture and standing of the heart - Humility, so Him only we will praise. 

“It takes a great vessel to carry a great blessing🎁”