Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Encouraging Words
We, the followers of Christ, can hold fast onto our confession of faith, knowing that Jesus is our High Priest who represents us before God in all aspects. He, being fully God, became human, giving up His presence in Heaven in order to pave the way for us to follow Him there. He also experienced life here on earth in a way that makes it possible for Him to sympathize with everyone of us and understand the issues of life that we are facing. That is the ultimate expression of love, mercy, and grace. Glory be to God!
And from the belly of the sea creature, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God, and said: “I cried out in my affliction to the Lord, my God, And He heard my voice; Out of the belly of Hades, You heard the cry of my voice.”
Personal Challenge
In the story about Jonah, he ends up in the belly of a great sea creature because of his choices. He chose to disobey God and go his own way. We all do this, sometimes more often than others, and almost always end up with consequences that are uncomfortable and that separate us from God. These are always the consequences of our choices. Just as Jonah cried out to God in the midst of the affliction that he brought upon himself, we too can cry out to God for restoration of our relationship with Him and He will hear our voice, subsequently restoring us. Glory be to God!
And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Personal Challenge
It is very important for every person that proclaims to be doing what they do in the name of Jesus Christ, that there will be a day when they will stand before His judgment seat and be held to account for their behavior. Jesus told us what He would be looking for. In Matthew 23: 34-46, He said…
“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
There will be no excuse for wrong behavior toward our neighbor. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Between the porch and the altar, the priests of the altar, ministering to the Lord, will each be weeping and will say, “O Lord, spare Your people; do not give Your inheritance to reproach, that the Gentiles should rule over them, lest they should say among the Gentiles, ‘Where is their God?’ ”
But the Lord was zealous for His land and spared His people.
Personal Challenge
Through the history of God’s people, whether it be the Jewish nation in the Old Testament or the Christians in the New Testament, there is repeatedly the cycle of submitting to God, forgetting God, and being disciplined by God to return to Him. God has made it very clear to His followers what He wants from them. He wants us to love Him and to love one another. What so often happens is that we end up loving ourselves and hating the other. We are there again. So many in the name of their imagined god, are despising one another, taking a way their rights, their livelihood, and even their lives. God forbid that they say that they are doing this for God. As Joel reminds us, this is when the non-belivers, the Gentiles, say, “Where is their God? ” It is not God who has abandoned us but we who have abandoned Him, and done it proclaiming that it is in His name. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Encouraging Words
God’s living Word, Jesus Christ, is living and powerful. He is sharper than any two-edged sword and will pierce into the depths of our soul and spirit to discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Being godly and Christ-like is not about posting the 10 commandments on the walls of our schools or forcing Bible classes on our children. We cannot move forward with hatred, bigotry, lies, and cheating in our actions and then proclaiming that we follow Christ. God’s living Word drives us to love God and love our neighbor with our entire being. If we are not doing that then we are not following Him. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lond, have mercy!
Now says the Lord your God, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting and wailing and with mourning; rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate. He is longsuffering and plenteous in mercy and repents of evils.
Personal Challenge
Some people believe, erroneously, that God wants us to militantly force those around us to belive in Him the way that we do and to practice worshipping Him the way that we do. That is not what God wants from His true followers, which is why Joel tells us to rend our heart and not our garments. God knows that our outward actions, or inactions, are what show the true nature of our heart. He wants our heart to be focused on Him and filled with love for our neighbor, a love that drives us to give food to the hungry, to clothe the naked, to shelter the alien amongst us, and to support those will do this as well. God’s expectations are almost always 180 degrees opposite of what the world’s are. Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me ,the sinner and forgive me of taking my eyes, and heart off of you!
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
Encouraging Words
Life is that period of time in our lives for work and activities. We are given a period of time in which we can grow in our understanding of God and the ways of the world. At some point, we will all enter into that final rest where our labors will end and we will follow Christ into the place of eternal rest that he established for us. This is encouraging for we know that our earthly labor is not in vain. This is why those of us who choose to be followers of Christ also choose to strive to do His labors by loving our neighbor and living to show them God’s love. Glory be to God!
Who is a God like You, removing wrongdoings and passing over the ungodliness of the remnant of His inheritance? He does not keep His anger as a witness, for He delights in mercy.
Encouraging Words
Our God is so loving and merciful. It is such a shame that so many people misunderstand Him and that so many who proclaim to know Him do things that He is so against. God is love. He is mercy. He desires, actually expects, that if we are to be His followers, then we must show love and mercy to our neighbor. It grieves Him when people who proclaim to be His followers show contempt for those who are in need or who are different than they are. If we truly love Him, then we will love others. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Verse of the Day 