By faith — obedience!

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 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 11:8–16)

Yesterday I spent most of my time asking God to show me what to say to the person who is standing at the edge of making a trust decision; her way or the will of God. He did give me words, simple words pointing to Jesus. And when this morning brought a positive response, I was surprised at her, but also at God. How like Him to keep His promises and how like us mere humans to wonder if He will.

Abraham is His example. Note, this man obeyed God when God called him — without a clue what would happen next. The obedience was not one of those “I’ll do what You say hoping You will do what I ask” kind of bargains. He trusted God and did what He asked because He believed God knew what He was doing. Same thing when asked to sacrifice his son. He did it without any questions or doubts.

When the Lord kept prompting me to say what I said, it seemed useless, yet I knew what and when — not because it made sense to me or seemed helpful, but He knows.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. (Hebrews 11:1–2)

Hebrews 11 has been called the Hall of Faith, describing the OT people who trusted God even though they never got to see the answers, at least not immediately or even in their lifetime. A dear friend reminds me that we may not see the fruit of our obedience in this life, yet God will use it after we die. She quotes:

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” (Revelation 14:13)

A week ago, I found a box of thank you cards. Some of them were about my labors and I’d forgotten most. It gave me the sensation that when God is obeyed, He uses those deeds even if the doer is oblivious to His actions. In my old age, I often wonder if my life mattered, but God tells me just enough to keep on listening and doing what He says — in faith. How wonderful!

Jesus, at times I must admit that walking by sight is much easier than walking by faith, but You know that. You give me just enough faith to encourage me in those tight spots where I’ve no idea that I can obey and no idea what will happen. How challenging to just do what You say and trust You without seeing the results. How encouraging to do what You say and be given just a small glimpse of what You did with it. You are such a joy-giver and how I love You for being my Lord and Savior. 

 

That Day is about…

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:19–25)

When reading this line about the Day drawing near, I’ve always thought it was about the day that Jesus returns. However, two things change my mind. One is that my Bible cross-references this to:

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. (1 Corinthians 3:11–13)

This passage says the Day is an event called the Bema or judgement seat of Christ where the things done in life will be evaluated. Only that done as a result of trusting in Christ and by His power will survive that test and be rewarded. 

In other words, this Day is after death, and so is the Day drawing near in the above verses. It could read as directions for growing older and not neglecting to meet with other believers for encouragement.

This makes sense. At my age, there is a temptation to be alone. But not only that, I just received a message from someone I dearly love. She is very aware that her life could end soon because of mental illness and physical problems. I cannot think about much else because this person does not have saving faith in Christ. She knows the gospel and her need to believe though, and many are praying for her salvation along with me.

Faith in Jesus gives confidence to enter into holy places, plus full assurance, plus a cleansed conscience, plus a desire to encourage others to live for Him… as we see that Day — that judgement Day — draw nearer. I didn’t think much about my death until hitting those higher birthday numbers. As I age, my peers are dying or close to it, and now someone much younger than I am is told she has a shorter life expectancy than most people and could die before me.

The news is filled with the horror of parents losing children and young people dying from accidents, even murders and suicides. Those news reports bother me more than death announcements for the elderly. We are all terminal, but not all get to live a full life. This makes me very sad. However, the only answer to death is the One who conquered it. 

We who believe are given great assurance, first with: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) and then with passages like this:

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. (Hebrews 10:35–39)

Jesus, only You can answer when that Day knocks at my door. I want that for all who hear and fear the threat, but who also think about their life and how it matters to You. Grant me wisdom and the words and actions that point others to You — at the right time and in harmony with the way Your Spirit is speaking, both to them and to me. I am trusting You.

Forever Grateful…

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:13–22)

Yesterday we met with our son at two banks and took action to include him in our accounts, not just to make life easier if we become unable to manage them ourselves, but to make easy his eventual task of dealing with our estate when we have died.

Just as the benefit of inheritance requires death before our will goes into effect, so Jesus had to die before He could bear and pay the debt we owed for our sin. I read this passage and the next one with great gratitude in my heart…

Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:23–28)

Explanations seem unnecessary. My sin required death. Jesus died to pay it. Had He not died, I would not be able to inherit the eternal life He willed to me. When He comes again, it will be to take home all those who have trusted Him and accepted what He has done to save us.

Today You, Jesus, remind me of what You have done for me. While it would thrill me if someone paid our credit card bill every month, we do it because You are so generous to us anyway. While it would be lovely to have a person take care of all other burdens in our lives, You do it, often without thanks or even noticing what You have done. The cross reminds me that You shed Your blood not only so I can take all my burdens to You, but so I can live now for You and live forever with You. Today’s reminder helps me to focus on You and give You praise and gratitude every day!

 
 

Close but not there…

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Hebrews 5:7–6:6)

This is a tough passage that has been interpreted several ways. However, if all that the Word of God says about salvation, it can only mean that the writer is warning those that have come to a full knowledge of what Christ has done and what salvation means. However they have become dull of hearing, meaning that they have stopped their spiritual journey.

Just as only a taste does not mean swallowing what was put before them, this means that the gospel must go farther than just a taste. If it was food, the taste does nothing. As for the gospel, it also must enter or the message will not change their lives as it should — from the inside out. 

The gospel is saving faith that is actively and visibly life-changing. It begins with true repentance and continues to work in a believer’s life transforming them to be more and more like Jesus. It is powerful, not imitated or a result of human action. 

Also, this warning is aimed at those who persist in a life of sin while claiming to have faith in Christ. Such people can expect to hear Jesus’ say: “‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23)

Knowledge of the truth leaves them without excuse for their unbelief. Any who witness God’s power and receive His commands, but have not responded in faith and obedience cannot claim saving faith. Such a response actually treats Jesus with contempt. This passage says that they cannot be saved because there is no more information that can be revealed to them. They know it all and have said NO to it all, perhaps even agree that Jesus should have been crucified, but it has nothing to do with them.

These verses cannot refer to losing salvation because many Scripture passages make unmistakably clear that salvation is eternal and those who say otherwise would also have to say that one could never get it back again, whether or not their “repentance” was genuine or a mere sorrow at being caught in their sin. 

For me, obeying God is a genuine evidence of salvation and true obedience cannot be faked. Eventually the reality will be exposed. For this reason, I can only urge those who profess faith in Christ to obey what He says.

Jesus, You say Your commands are not grievous and Your burden is light. I make obedience difficult by hedging or trying to do things my own way without Your input. Each day You give me opportunities to trust You and each day You prove to me that You are worthy as my Savior and Lord. Grant discernment with those who are only tasting,  and the ability to urge them to genuine saving faith rather than fall away to mocking You in their unbelief. 

 

Rest is more than a nap…

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’ ” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:3–11)

I understand what this means about entering a rest from my self directed work to trust God and just relax because He is in control. However, this passage prompts me to think about Him resting. 

A few weeks ago in a discussion about eternity, the thought came up of God existing where all is NOW rather than past, present and future. We live in time but for God, that definition of eternity explains a few things. 

For instance, biblical prophecies are a certainty because in the mind of God, they are now, not future. In the matter of creation, it is done not evolving. As far as the gospel is concerned, in Genesis it was a NOW event even though only God could see it that way. In time, humans had to wait hundreds of years.

So when God created the world, the entire of human history was not only at a beginning, it was eternally finished. And on the cross Jesus died in a moment of time, yet regarding the salvation of mankind He said, “It is finished” and eternally that is true. 

Another way to say it: Eternity becomes “the unity of all time” and “God’s time,”where past, present, and future converge in meaningful wholeness rather than linear succession. Some call it “the eternal now,” past and future unite in present reality, transforming His rest from stagnation into perfect engagement.

I’m thinking and writing this with only a vague understanding. I live in time. I just brushed my hair. I did that yesterday. Does it happen all the time? No, but in eternity God knows each time I brush my hair, even tomorrow and next week. 

In other words, when God started the world and made everything, it was not just the beginning but the whole of existence. We see it as time; He sees it as done and His Word gives us a glimpse — only to help us enter His rest, His understanding that His work is complete and I don’t need to fret about what I cannot see because I’m not as certain as He is about it being done. Rest is ceasing from that stress and realizing that God's will is as certain as His existence. He could rest for He knew all that He planned was fulfilled. We don’t, but we can trust Him.

Lord, I feel like I’m stepping into thin air yet held up because You are holding me. This is way out of my brain-power but at the same time verifies and even increases this incredible rest that You give. I have no idea what even the next minute holds, but I know You hold it. That means I am resting from my labors just as You rest from Yours. You are an awesome God! 

 

Resting even when working…

Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ” (Hebrews 3:6–11)

The opposite of rest is striving, working, trying harder, anxious in heart, anything that has no tranquility or a relaxed and joyful attitude. It can mean doing nothing, but when I am busy yet enjoying what I’m doing, I’m at rest.

That said, the rest spoken of here is the way I feel when I am trusting God and obedient to what He is telling me. It might be a nap or ceasing from work, but it is more than that on the inside. It is trusting that He is in control of every concern and all I need to do is whatever He says. It might be a simple chore as emptying the dishwasher or doing the laundry, but without resentment or wishing I could be doing something else. It might be pulling weeds and sweating but with joy in my heart.

Knowing God's ways is about realizing He wants the best for me, not stressed because I’ve rejected or am annoyed by my circumstances. It is like my mother’s words: “We must need it or we wouldn’t be getting it.” She also stated, “I’ve been through a lot; I can handle this too” yet we knew it was the Lord’s doing that she was so content, so at rest.

Those who stew over life like the Israelites in the wilderness are said to be hard-hearted, which could be translated “made stubborn.” This carries the idea that they knew what God wanted but stubbornly insisted on their own way. Many still live and even pray that way, telling God what they want without any sign of “not my will but thine be done.” However, entering into rest requires that kind of humble submission. 

A huge example is on my other computer screen. It says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (1 Corinthians 12:9) My ego does not want to be weak, yet the power of God eludes me, as does His rest, if I insist on feeling and acting in my own strength. To complicate this, I may feel the weakness but other people see the Lord’s strength. It takes faith to be at rest, not walking by sight.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14–16)

Christ shines in humility and If I am stubborn, I hide the light of Christ. If I welcome weakness, He shines and people give Him the glory. Oh how different His ways are from our ways!

Jesus, this is rest; not stressing about my weaknesses, not boasting or trying to live by any strength I might think I have, but yielding to Your will in all of life, no matter what I want, but resting in Your magnificent will, trusting You with everything, and being at peace.

What about the rest of life…

“I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:12–18)

For about a week, I’ve been obsessed with thoughts of dying and leaving work here undone. I’ve been an information gatherer (trait of the spiritual gift of teaching) and that gathering has included ideas for projects such as “I’d like to paint this scene” or “make this quilt” or “use this recipe.” More than enough for one person, never mind the time left on this earth to do all that.
Satan has used this trait to push me to a fear of death, not that I don’t want to go and be  with Jesus, but that I don’t want to leave things undone, or leave a lot of unused stuff for my kids to deal with. 

This week I discovered how many souls are saved each day by the One who died to give us eternal life. I also found a box of thank you cards that told me how others have viewed my contributions as a Christian serving the Lord. I was not seeing myself that way and deeply moved by reading those cards.

Today thoughts of Jesus approaching death come to mind. Yes, He said “not my will” and sweat blood at the process, but He also said:

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. (John 17:4–5)

With the power of God as a man, Jesus could have done millions more than He did, but He did only what the Father gave Him to do. With that, He was ready to die and go home. He is my example. 

Elisabeth Elliot comes to mind. Many years ago, God put me at a table with her for lunch. Someone asked her how she managed her many responsibilities and accomplishments. She said, “I just do the next thing, and I always know what it is.” I put her name in my search engine and watched the first half of a podcast where she speaks on the fear and old age. Not exactly my topic, but it was such a blessing. (LINK to EE ) So are the words of her advice about having too much to do. Even my hubby says the same thing to me when I fret.

Whatever God wants from me is enough. While I do not see myself as those who wrote in those cards saw me, I know that trusting God with the past, today, and the future is the way to peace and to be able to say, “It is finished” or as one of my much older cousins says, “Being ready to go to the end of the line.”

Jesus, forgive me for letting my thoughts drift away from You and into the unknown territory of the rest of this life. You are so good at directing me to the “next thing” and I’ve no ability to see very far beyond it. You know both the beginning and the end and have taken me through the years so well. I can trust You with the rest of it.