Hebrews 3 - 1.21.25
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 3:12-14 “See to it brothers and sisters, 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 will be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.”
OBSERVATION: The author of this chapter declared to the holy brothers and sisters that Jesus was their apostle and high priest, which meant that Jesus was sent by God to bear witness to what would be spoken by God in the future, and as the great high priest, Jesus became our Sanctifier, and He secured our place in heaven by His sacrificial death on the cross.
APPLICATION: There are so many benefits that come to our life when we believe God, and put our trust in Jesus! Through Jesus, I received forgiveness of my sins, and I gained peace with God. When I invited Jesus to come into my heart, I was granted access to the Father, and I have become a partaker, and I am able to share in all of God’s blessings as a member of His family. And, I have hope for my future of being able to enter into eternal rest with my Heavenly Father when Jesus returns to take me home.
But, for those who harbor unbelief due to the hardness of their heart, they are choosing to miss out on experiencing the joy and peace of knowing God, and the opportunity of entering into eternal rest. It will not be because God doesn’t love them, but because they have rejected Him. We have an example of God’s anger against those who had hardened their hearts and rebelled against Him. It was not a pretty sight! He allowed them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years because of their sinful hearts, and they missed out on what God had planned for them.
PRAYER: God, thank You for loving us so much that You sent Jesus! Every day is another opportunity to share Your love with others. Help me to hear Your voice, and obey it. I pray You will reveal the ones You want me to pray for who have hardened their heart against You. I pray You will give me the burning desire to pray for them, and that they will come to know You, and put their hope in Jesus. I pray You will give them a new heart, and the gift of faith to be able to enter in and enjoy the true peace that only You can provide. And to the ones who have drifted, I pray You will make me an encourager to them! I pray You will use me to guide them back to You so that they won’t have to miss out on experiencing the countless benefits of following closely after You.
- Robin Orefice
Hebrews 2 - 1.20.25
Scripture
Hebrews 2:18 NLT
“Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.”
Observation
In this passage, the author of Hebrews, (who is unknown, but many believe it to be Paul), is writing about the superiority of Jesus Christ over angels, and the importance of listening to Jesus. Jesus, (God in the flesh), humbled himself to become man. He lived a poor life among us. He went through all of the trials and tribulations that we go through today. There is no trial or temptation that we have gone through or will ever go through, that Jesus didn’t experience. Now “here’s the kicker”: Jesus conquered it all! He even conquered death! So, why not listen to Him?
Application
Jesus has the answers to pass every test in life.
Do you remember the days when we were in school and we would have that one teacher who always gave the hardest tests, and you just knew it would be a struggle to pass their class that year? Do you remember the feeling of anxiousness when the class schedule came out and you saw that you had that teacher? What would we do? I know for me, I would ask my older sisters or my friends to see if they ever had that teacher. I wanted to know what to expect. I wanted to know what was on the test. I wanted to know the answers to the test. I wanted to see if they could give me any tips that could help me ace that class that year.
Did you know that we can do the same with Jesus? Jesus has seen it all. And why wouldn’t He? After all, He is the creator of the universe. He has seen the beginning and the end. He literally lived on this earth and has come across every hardship that we face. The beauty of it all is that Jesus has all the answers to “life’s tests”. He passed life with flying colors. So much so that it earned Him a spot at the head of the class-at the right hand of God the Father, sitting at His throne. So why not seek Jesus in everything? He knows exactly what we are going through and how to overcome each situation.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33
Prayer
Thank You Jesus for humbling Yourself and coming into this world. You lived a poor life, died a sinner’s death, and gave up all of Your riches in Heaven for me because You love me that much. You went through all sorts of trials and tribulations, just so You could understand us more. You came out victorious so that we could have the answers to life just by simply seeking You. Forgive me for thinking that I can do it on my own. I clearly can’t. I need You Jesus. May I always seek You in ALL things. May I always remember to come back and give You thanks. May You get all the glory, honor, and praise in my life. In Your Holy and precious name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽
-Moses Gaddi
Titus 3 - 1.17.25
Scripture: Titus 3:1-2
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2:to slander none, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward men.”
Observation
Paul is writing to Titus, who was one of Paul’s Gentile converts. In Titus chapter 1, Paul talks about the Church to be orderly. In chapter 2, he talks about how the church should teach good doctrine, and Chapter 3 is about the Church doing good works.
Our focus here is the beginning of Chapter 3. Why this stood out so much to me is we recently voted to change Presidents from Joe Biden to Donald Trump, and we also had the passing of former President Jimmy Carter. During the fires in Los Angeles, we have seen many different leaders, in different positions, making various decisions. We all have our opinions on these leaders and people in authority. Titus 3 reminds people to be subject to rulers and authorities. In Romans 13:1 Paul wrote. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” The authorities that currently exist have been established by God. We do not need to go against God in this area. We are to be obedient to the leaders, as long as it does not compromise our relationship with God or go against the Bible.
We are to slander no one; we are always to be truthful. Social media and now with A.I. can twist anything we see and say. Be diligent and careful in what you say or post. Be peaceable and considerate of others. Ephesians 4:2 “be completely humble and gentle: to be patient bearing with one another in love.” How do you handle driving when someone cuts in front of you? Show true humility.
Application
We are to serve and respect those in authority or who hold an office. When is the last time we have prayed for our current President, or anyone else in authority that we agree or disagree with? Are they a punch line or a meme in a social media post? Pray, pray, and then pray some more. We are to pay our taxes as Jesus taught us in Matthew 22:21, “Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Monday is Inauguration Day. I believe we need to have a little extra fasting and prayer for our incoming President. We need to do what is good and show everyone we love people.
We have a leader (Pastor) in Church, authorities (Elders, Teachers, Ushers). We should mirror how we treat leaders in our Church to how we treat rulers and political authorities. We need to go further and be subject and obedient to our employers or emergency responders, teachers or anyone else in authority. Pray for all of them.
Prayer
Jesus thank you for teaching us in your Word how we are to be toward those in authority. Help guide my tongue. May my thoughts be aligned with yours. Take any anger, slander or inconsiderate thoughts and actions away. Jesus, give me peace and love and help me always do what is good in your sight, Lord. Let me be an example of a follower of Jesus. Let me love God, love people and let me love those I disagree with. In Jesus name. Amen.
- Robert Oberg