Day 307: Hebrews 5:1-14

“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.” - Hebrews 5:12-13 ESV

Everything of great value takes time. There is no substitute for long hours that are spent in God's word, in prayer, and in making schematics for how to live for Jesus obediently. Yet, if we refuse to take that time in solitude with our Creator, we will never be fit to share what we believe with others. And if we were to attempt it, we would find ourselves faking it and void of passion.

Yet it is a frightening thought to have followed Jesus for decades and never really feasted on the meatiness of God's word, remaining content with being bottle-fed.

C.H. Spurgeon eloquently writes (about this passage) that, "Growth in grace does not run side by side with growth in years."

Sit down with a map of all the time you have available over the next week. What do you see? Work/school, check. Sleeping, check. Eating, check. Time with family and friends, check. Weekly worship/Bible study with Christians, check. Sharing your faith with others, check. Spending time to rest, check.

Now, what time is left? What do you do with your unallotted time? If a considerable amount of time is not etched out each day for passionately seeking Jesus (alone and with others), you will remain unequipped for every good work.

Enjoy time in your Heavenly Father's presence today. Notice the difference it will make in your attitude, resistance to sin, and compassion for others.

“Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to take Him at His word;

Just to rest upon His promise;

Just to know, Thus saith the Lord.”  - Louisa M. R. Stead (1882)

Day 306: Hebrews 4:1-16

“Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:11-12 ESV

In this chapter, we see the writer comparing us to those who wandered in the wilderness for forty years. For them, it was really only an 11-day journey, yet they refused to obey; thus, they forfeited their immediate rest from God in Canaan. Their "bodies fell" in that wilderness, and their children would be the ones to inherit the land.

Obedience to God, though, is no small thing. It is essentially the act of letting God's word do what it does best, which is cutting us to our deepest part. Until we see just how much we need Jesus, we will never seek Him.

Cutting doesn't seem pleasant, and no form of surgery is, but God longs for us to be in heaven with Him for eternity. May we, every day, allow Jesus to show us how much we need His salvation. This will not be comfortable, but we will "find grace to help us in our time of need," both now and for eternity.

"God’s Word is not something you passively hear and then ignore. It actively works in our lives, changes us, and sends us into action for God." - Thomas Lea

Day 305: Hebrews 3:1-19

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” - Hebrews 3:12-14 ESV

Any time that God speaks, we have an important decision to make. Will we harden our hearts, refusing to do this life His way? Or will we refuse to harden our hearts (even if we don't completely understand) and submit to His will?

The key seems to be having other Christians surround and exhort us. What does the word “exhort” mean? It is the Greek word parakaleo, and it can also be translated as encourage or urge. This word is very similar to one of the descriptions that Jesus uses when talking about the Holy Spirit in John 14:16 (Helper, paraklētos).

How important is your encouragement to other Christians? It is vital. Apparently, our faith cannot survive without it.

Be an exhorter/encourager/urger today to as many as you can. In doing so, you have the potential to make an eternal difference.

Donald Guthrie’s comments on this passage are perfect to close us out today:  “It is certainly easier for individuals to be misled in isolation from other Christians than when sharing in fellowship with others. The fact that there was a tendency for the readers to forsake assembling with others (Heb. 10:25) throws light on the present passage. It is impossible to exhort one another unless one is part of a fellowship. In the present case a hardening of heart is linked closely with ‘sin’ and this must have been a tendency in the case of the Hebrews who were tempted to turn away from Christianity.”

Day 304: Hebrews 2:1-18

“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 2:17-18 ESV

We may believe that Jesus is our Lord (the one who calls the shots in our life) and our Savior (the one who delivered/delivers us from darkness), but do we believe that He truly understands what we are going through on a day-to-day basis?

In these verses, we see that Jesus was made like us in every way. He had to eat. He had to sleep. He got sick from time to time. He experienced sorrow and gladness. He enjoyed the blessings of friendship and the torture of betrayal.

The writer of Hebrews says this was essential for him to showcase his mercy (deep compassion) and faithfulness (dependability).

A great physician is not just one who has read about the sickness you're dealing with. The doctor that we want is someone who has experienced that weakness personally. This is why Jesus is the ultimate advocate for us. He actually does know what it feels like to deal with what we are all facing today, and He has the power to carry us through it. What do you need to surrender to Him today?

C.H. Spurgeon masterfully wrote the following about our reading today:  “Christ is not like those doctors who come and say they are sorry for you, whereas in their hearts they are glad you are ill, for if you and others were not ill, there would be no work for them. Or else they look down upon you, and pity you, but not half as much as if they themselves had your complaint, and felt all the pains that you are feeling. But suppose that the doctor had all your pains himself—suppose you had the headache, and that he looked down on you, and had your headache. Suppose, when you had palpitation of the heart, he had palpitation of the heart, too. Why, he would be very quick to cure you. Certainly, he would not let you lie there a moment longer than was necessary, because he himself would be suffering with you.”  Spurgeon, C. (2014). Spurgeon Commentary: Hebrews (E. Ritzema & J. Strong, Eds.; p. 51). Lexham Press.

Day 303: Hebrews 1:1-14

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” - Hebrews 1:3 ESV

Who was Jesus of Nazareth, the man who lived in northern Israel at the beginning of the first century? Was He a mere philanthropist with insightful teaching that was ahead of its time? Was He not really human but just appeared to be? Was He merely (as Islam and Judaism claim today) a renowned prophet?

People have been trying to answer these questions ever since Jesus died thirty-three years into his earthly life. He literally marked time with his birth, and his teachings have led to more social reform than we can mention here.

Yet the writer of Hebrews comes at it from a different angle. He uses words like radiance (ἀπαύγασμα, beaming from) and exact imprint (χᾰρακτήρ, engraver, one who mints coins) when he describes who Jesus was (and is).

Jesus was begotten, not made, of God. Jesus was not a creation of God; He came from God Himself.

C.S. Lewis says it a lot better than I can when he wrote, "We don't use the words begetting or begotten much in modern English, but everyone still knows what they mean. To beget is to become the father of: to create is to make. And the difference is this. When you beget, you beget something of the same kind as yourself. A man begets human babies, a beaver begets little beavers and a bird begets eggs which turn into little birds. A bird makes a nest, a beaver builds a dam, a man makes a wireless set--or he may make something more like himself than a wireless set: say, a statue." (Mere Christianity, pg 157)

This is all still hard to grasp, but it helps us think more rightly about who Jesus was (and still is today).

Jesus is worthy of our worship and trust because, by Him, God made everything (1:2), and He now sustains it all by the word of His power (1:3).

Day 302: Philemon 1:1-25

“He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.” - Philemon‬ ‭1:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“He is more” is the phrase that really spoke to me this morning. At this time in the first century, it was unheard of for a slave (or a woman) to be considered equal to all other men. Though institutional slavery would continue for centuries after Paul wrote this letter, the groundwork was being laid for the abolition of all those who were owned.

It is actually hard for us to appreciate this, but the vital change has to start in our homes in order for it to reach the top (legislation). It is our job as Christians to set the tone for morality with our faithfulness, day in and day out.

In our previous readings, we saw verses like Galatians 3:28 and Colossians 3:11. In these bold statements, all classification based on “cultural value” goes away.

Unfortunately, our world still has a long way to go, but it starts with how we treat people today, especially in our homes.

“I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.” - Psalm 101:2b NLT

"Paul wants his letters to be a means of grace—that is why he writes—and he intends them to result in peace, the rich harmony of human beings with God and with one another. This can come about only if God himself gives these Christ-shaped gifts to his people." - N.T. Wright

Day 301: Titus 3:1-15

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” - Titus 3:3-6 ESV

William Barclay wrote this about our passage today:  "The point is that when we accept Christ as Saviour and Lord, life begins all over again."

Can you remember what your life was like before God's goodness and kindness burst upon you?

Paul paints a vivid picture of being bound by destructive lifestyles, allowing whatever we feel to reign supreme. Do I feel like hating someone or sinning sexually? What's holding me back? Will legislation or law enforcement be enough to keep us from sin? Usually, our flesh will find a way around them.

The moment of God saving us is a moment of re-creation and, thus, a reorientation of our entire lives.

Though we may still live in the same house or work the same job or attend the same classes, all of them are done in light of a deep renewal that took place when we believed and were baptized (see Mark 16:16, Acts 8:12). Living life with the renewing work of the indwelling Holy Spirit is the only way for us to be saved and to experience holiness day-to-day.

Jesus didn't just save us from our past; He also called us into a brighter future.

Day 300: Titus 2:1-15

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” - Titus 2:11-12 ESV

In the fifteen verses of this chapter, Paul uses the same-ish word (sophron X2, sophroneo, sophronos) four times. Whenever we see this kind of repetition in scripture, we need to lean in a little closer to see why. In each instance, the words are translated as self-controlled in the ESV. 

These words are not anywhere close to Paul's word choice for self-control (enktrateia) in the fruit of the Spirit list (Galatians 5:22).

So why this word here? What's the purpose of Paul’s repetition as he talks through the different ages of church members in Crete for Titus?

The word Paul uses for self-controlled here in Titus 2 communicates being sensible or of sound mind. It's almost like he's saying, "May they use the minds God's given them in the right way."

In Mark 5:15, we see the same word used when describing the demon-possessed man Jesus had healed: "And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had the legion, sitting there, clothed and IN HIS RIGHT MIND, and they were afraid."

For these Christians in Crete to stand out, they were going to need to have new minds. Gaining control of our bodies will always begin with God renewing our minds. The Creator of our mind knows its best use.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:2 NIV

Day 299: Titus 1:1-16

"To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted." - Titus 1:15 NIV

During Jesus' earthly ministry, He showed us what it looks like to see things and people as sacred, not as mere products to use for our own purposes.

The word the NIV translates as corrupted here is μιαίνω miainō. The ESV uses the word defiled. It is a word that is primarily used to describe something that has been stained or dyed. This isn't a surface-level issue that will somehow work itself out on its own. Instead, this is a problem that has seeped deep into the fabric of their hearts.

This verse comes after Paul describes those from Crete as liars, brutes, and gluttons. For these people, all that was around them was for their consumption, selfish purposes, and desires.

One of our main reasons for existing as Christians is to redeem the culture around us. Jesus hasn't just placed us in this world to blend into the cultural norms.

These elders Titus is being commissioned to appoint were going to be on the front lines of showing those in Crete a brand new way to live. This is the charge for us today as well.

Day 298: 2 Timothy 4:1-22

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” - 2 Timothy 4:1-2 ESV

Have you watched any videos or listened to any podcasts from The Bible Project? If not, you might find their content helpful. Something they often say that I think is profound is that "God will give us what we want." If we want to be close to Him, doing things His way, He will give us abundant life. If we want to go the way of the crowd, refusing to do things His way, He will let us do that.

Paul is encouraging Timothy to be ready, at all times, to share the word of God. The reason? Many need to be saved from eternal death, and others need to grow into a more mature faith in Jesus.

We can do this by 1) patiently correcting, 2) rebuking, and 3) encouraging.

Telling people the truth is the best gift we could ever give them. Yet the majority will not appreciate this, though they desperately need it.

Polycarp, one of our early Christian Church Fathers (AD 65 to AD 155), encouraged himself and those in Philippi to "let us leave behind the worthless speculation of the crowd."

May we make the intentional move from speculation to concrete truth from Jesus.

One last thing to note is that we never need to divorce kindness from the delivery of truth. It is so important for those with whom we are sharing the truth to know how much we love them.

Mutual respect and care go such a long way.