2023/08/21 - Hebrews 4: Promised Rest & Great High Priest
Jerry Starling
Online Activity Today
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There will be no Tuesday Evening Book Club Tomorrow.
Reading: Hebrews 4: Promised Rest & Our Great High Priest
Verses for Today: (Hebrews 4:8-9) If Joshua had given them rest God would not speak later about another day. So then, a sabbath rest remains for the people of God.
Daily Devo
There was a rest promised for the people of God, and God keeps His promises. He had sworn, though, that those who were disobedient in the wilderness never enter that rest because of their unbelief.
They had seen God’s great works in bringing them out of slavery in Egypt, but they still would not trust God. Not trusting God’s promise was unbelief and disobedience.
The gospel came to us just as it came to them. The message they heard, though, did them no good, because it was not mixed with faith in those who heard it. The gospel must be believed before it gives its benefits.
In one place it says, “God rested on the seventh day from all His works.” In the Scripture quoted in Chapter Three, God said, “They shall not enter my rest” (3:11).
Since the promise is still open for some to enter it, and those who formerly had this good news failed to enter because of their disobedience, God set another day – today – saying through David much later, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.”
If Josuah had given Israel rest, God would not later have spoken about another day. So then, a sabbath rest remains for the people of God. Those who enter this rest cease from their labors as God did from His. We must make every effort to enter that rest so no one will fall through disobedience as theirs.
God’s Word is powerful, living, and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword. It pierces even to divide the soul from spirit, joints from marrow and can judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Nothing is hidden from His view. All are naked and open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give an account.
Jesus Our Great High Priest:
We have a great high priest, eternal in the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God. Let us, then, hold tight to our confession. Our high priest can empathize with our weaknesses. He has been tested in every respect as we are but without sin.
Now we can approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our times of need.
Jesus, our Great High Priest, is the mediator of a better covenant built on better promises.
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Pray for Your Self:
Father, I am amazed that you still want a sinful human being like me to be your child. You give me grace and mercy when I deserve death. I sin, but you love me anyway. Help me, my Father, to learn your ways so I can serve You more faithfully. This is my prayer, in His precious name, AMEN!
My Prayer for You (and for me)
Father, I offer this prayer for all who read these words. I pray that each of us will seek the grace of humility and the grace of patience as we wait for our Savior’s promised coming. This is my prayer, in His precious, holy name, AMEN!
Updates for Central
Our Next Potluck Fellowship will be August 27. Bring a dish to share, invite your family, friends, neighbors, and have good fellowship, food, and camaraderie.
Son Quest is September 1-3. If you are going, start thinking about what to take and what to leave home. Who will your roommates be? Get ready for three days of fun mixed with some great Bible teaching. Come back fired up for Jesus!
The Wednesday morning Ladies’ Class will resume at 10:00 am on September 6. All ladies are invited to participate.
Our Eastern European Mission “Million Dollar Sunday” contribution will be on September 24. Our entire contribution that day will go to EEM to provide Bibles for the former Soviet bloc nations. Last year, EEM distributed almost two million Bibles, up 24% from 2021. They expect to have more this year. Ukraine also received $2 Million in benevolent help due to the war.
PRAYER NEEDS
Joan Berry, Joanna Turner’s Mother, needs our prayers.
Belinda Pate is at home and doing much better.
Carol Grandey, Brenda Schmidt’s sister, is home following surgery. Now, we need to pray for her pneumonia.
Jesse Matthews, Sr. Ruth said on Saturday that he is in rehab. Their daughter is also still recuperating from a broken ankle. She needs prayers as much as Jesse does.
Kristi Holder was well enough to be at mid-week study on the 16th. Jerry said she improves daily – bit by bit.
Joy Bland found she has a broken bone in her foot that requires a boot to help it heal. She will have it for about six weeks, with an MRI (hopefully) coming soon. She recently told me she really needs our prayers to help her through.
Gale Harnish is home, but not well. Keep her in your prayers.
Susan Allen’s sister Debi is not well at all. Please remember her in your prayers.
Please let us know when you have events to publicize, are in the hospital, or are sick and need prayers. If you request prayer for someone, let us know when to take them off the prayer list. You can contact me by text or phone at 407-453-5392.