2 Corinthians 5 "A Time of Reflection"

“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (v.17)

Beginning a new year is always a time of reflection. Looking back over the past and resolving to make changes in the future. Generally those changes center around something we would like to improve upon or a habit we would like to change. People often take stock of their lives and vow to; become a better person, stop drinking or doing drugs, become a better husband or wife, loose weight.

These are all good and noble resolutions. The problem is, most of us just can’t break our old habits or nature, in our own power. We are a product of thousands of decisions, made in our own free will over time. Each decision, has strengthen us into the person we are and has hardened us into our current state. We need help - We need to be freed up - We need, forgiveness.

The Apostle Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthians, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Paul also tells us in Ephesians 5:17-24 that being a new creation, we should, “no longer desire to involve ourselves in the former conduct but, to be renewed in the spirit of our minds.”

Meaning, no matter what we have done, no matter how bad we have messed up, God will forgive us. We can then move forward into a new beginning in Christ, through His Word and guided by His Spirit, renewed, putting on the "new man"and saying goodbye to the old. Happy New Year!

The Truth
“For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light.” (Ephesians 5:8)

Hebrews 7 "King of Peace"

“For this Melchizedek, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.” (v.2)

After Abram valiantly rescued Lot, he was greeted by Melchizedek, “a leader without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest forever” (v.3). Melchizedek was both king and priest, and he was a righteous and obedient servant of God. We aren’t provided with many details about Melchizedek, but clearly he is important for us to understand the nature of Jesus’ priesthood, His title and our faith.

Some may be tempted to think that all faith in the history of creation springs from Abraham, but they would be sorely mistaken. Abraham is a spiritual father, to be sure. But he is not the author of our faith. In fact, Abraham recognized the authority of Melchizedek above his own and paid a tithe to him accordingly (v.4). Melchizedek provides evidence against anyone who would object to Christ’s qualifications as high priest on the basis of His tribal lineage. While Jesus is not his physical descendant, He is a priest of that order or of that nature, independent of (and, the author argued, even superior to) the Levitical line from which Hebrew priests were selected (v. 9). And unlike those priests, Jesus is able to intercede continuously for those who come to God through Him.

In today’s text we took a closer look at his (Melchizedek's) name and title meaning, king of righteousness and king of peace (v. 2). How fitting that such an affiliation would be bestowed on Jesus Christ, the source of our righteousness and the Prince of Peace (Isa.9:6). And, Two thousand years later, we are still enjoying the full benefits of Christ's death and the assurance of eternal life that His resurrection brings us. Halellujah! 

The Truth

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Hebrews 6 "Anchor of Hope"

 "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (vv. 19-20)

Every boat owner knows that an anchor prevents drift. Here in chapter 6, the author wants us to see that our soul needs an anchor, because it also is inclined to drift. This ‘hope anchor’ is ‘both sure and steadfast.’ It is sure because it will not break, it’s steadfast because it is unmovable, and will not slip, because it is found in Jesus Christ.

Therefore, when circumstances get out of control and pressures threaten to overwhelm us, we know that Jesus died for us, is working in us, and will never leave us. We can hold fast to God's promises and patiently endure. The "anchor of hope" will hold us firm.

The Truth

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

Hebrews 5 "A Priest Forever"

"You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (v.6)

Here in our text the writer of Hebrews (thought by many to be Paul) quotes from Psalm 110 (a Psalm of David) where David referred to The Lord as, the Messiah who was to come, a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Melchizedek appears in Genesis 14, seemingly coming out of nowhere, ministering bread and wine to Abram. His name means “king of righteousness” and his position was king of Salem meaning “peace.” Abram, realizing he was in the presence of no ordinary man, worshiped and paid tithes to him, and partook of the elements in anticipation of Jesus – just as we now partake in looking back to Christ’s death for us on the cross. Consequently, we no longer need a priest to offer sacrifices for sin as Jesus paid it all.  Hallelujah !

The Truth
“Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:8-10)

Hebrews 4 "Rest in the LORD"

"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his."( Hebrews 4:9-10)

Rest! Wonderful rest! Relief, release, no longer worrying, fretting, straining, for you are resting upon One who is wholly adequate to do through you everything that needs to be done. He works through our thinking, our feeling and our reasoning, but our dependence must be upon him. Let Him carry your burdens in life and lead you along His path for you.

The Truth
 "Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28) 

God's Gift to All

Jesus came to this earth, by Gods' plan and design.
The place of His birth, marked by a heavenly sign.
A new star above, showed the place where He lay.
The Fathers' gift, sound asleep on the hay.

So innocent and pure, this gift to man.
Would later receive, Roman nails in His hands.
Born to die, His life He gave.
So all might live, and their souls be saved.

One day all will answer, for what they have done.
With Gods' gift to the world, His only son.
So accept His gift, and your soul you will save.
From the wages of sin, and the death of the grave.

Merry Christmas
Chris Kinder 10'

The Truth
"For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is a "gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)

Hebrews 3 "Do Not Harden Your Heart"

“Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, and saw My works for forty years.” (v.8-9)

These verses are part of an ongoing series of warnings directed at a group of people who were wavering in their commitment to Christ. The author reminds the Hebrews that the generation of Israelites that came out of Egypt under Moses, never reached God's promised rest in Canaan, although it was waiting to be claimed. Their hardness of heart led them to test God, to doubt His provision, and to rebel against His will for them. These Israelites provoked God to anger, and He "declared on oath" (v.11) that their bones would bleach in the desert until the entire generation died out (v.17)

We also need to take this warning to heart. If we ignore it, sin will harden our spirits as surely as cement hardens once it has been poured. God honors faith, but unbelief invites His judgment. The solution against a "hardened heart" is found in verse thirteen, “encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

I pray that God will lead you to someone who needs encouragement and to be built up in Him. Merry Christmas.

The Truth

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” 

(1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Hebrews 2 “Caution Against Drifting"

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” (v.1)

The danger this verse implies is obvious. We need to pay attention to the course of our lives, so that we do not unconsciously drift from the anchorage of our faith. Time changes us all; and there are many professing Christians who have unconsciously drifted away from an earlier better self. Oh, they keep up appearances, but the years of deception have carried them down current and drifting away from their original anchorage.

Therefore, ‘Let us give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard’ - that is, the honest occupation of mind and heart with the truths of the gospel. These truths will steady our course through life and keep us from drifting with the current of the world. May you not neglect so great a salvation by thinking, "I do not need to be rescued." Like the riptides that can pull a swimmer slowly out to sea, so a Christian can be pulled unconsciously away from his anchorage of faith if neglected.

Brothers and sisters, keep your eyes on Jesus and you will not drift away. 

The Truth

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” (Psalm 32:8)

Hebrews 1 "The Final Word"

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.” (v.1)

Moody Bible Institute president, Dr. Joseph Stowell, has written concerning today's text: "God has always had spokesmen ready to speak for Him. When He wanted to announce the birth of His Son, He sent an angel with a message (Luke 2:9-14), too significant to trust to a human being. The same was true for the news of Christ's resurrection (Luke 24:4-6). But God's greatest spokesman was neither a patriarch, nor a prophet, nor an angel. According to the author of Hebrews, when God wanted to reveal Himself fully, He spoke "by his Son".

There's a very good reason that God spoke fully, and finally, through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only Person of whom it can be said, "He is exactly like God." That's because Jesus is God--He is therefore both perfect and superior to anyone who has come before or since. Additionally God the Father gave us His definitive word concerning Jesus when He spoke from heaven at Jesus' transfiguration: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" (Matthew 17:5).

God began speaking to His people in the Garden of Eden, then continued through the spiritual forefathers, the patriarchs, the prophets, the priests, and after 400 years of silence, to us through His Son, Jesus. The command to listen to Jesus (Matthew 15:5) has never been canceled, and never will be. Therefore, open your heart, particularly this time of year, and here what He has to say to you. Merry Christmas!

The Truth

“I (God) will raise up for them a Prophet like you (Moses) from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it (Judgment) of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18)