Archive for month: December, 2023

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 13:1-9. Let’s go!

Hebrews 13:1-9 (NIV)
1  Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.
2  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
3  Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
4  Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

On verses 1-9:  While the book of Hebrews contains more doctrine than most other New Testament books, it also contains some of the most important teaching on how to practically live out your life as a Christian.  In these verses, the writer of Hebrews gives us 7 actions he wants his readers to take in light of all that Jesus has done for us:

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage, Hebrews 12:12-29, is full of many powerful lessons, so much so that you may want to read my GAME sharing today in parts (read a bit in the morning, another bit in the midday, and finish the rest at night!).  Let’s go!

Hebrews 12:12-13 (NIV) 
12  Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 
13  “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

On verses 12-13:  Continuing with the theme that God is our personal trainer who allows pain and pressure to make us stronger, the writer of Hebrews tells his readers to “strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees” (v12).  When you allow pressure and pain to make you stronger, you “make level paths for your feet”, says the writer of Hebrews quoting Proverbs 4:26.  Even more, God can use you to help others “so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” (v13)

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 12:1-11.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
 
On verse 1:  What “great cloud of witnesses” is the writer of Hebrews talking about?  He’s referring to every one of the heroes of faith he mentioned in Hebrews 11 and all of heaven as well, the greatest crowd ever assembled.  Here the writer of Hebrews evokes the image of the Olympic games where people are watching in the stands while the runners run.  I believe that while we are running our race on earth, heaven is watching and cheering us on, encouraging us to keep on going and not give up.  When I know that heaven is watching and cheering me on, it gives me extra fuel to keep on running.
 

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 11:30-40.  Let’s go!

As we complete our look at Hebrews 11, notice how the phrase that gets repeated far more than any other in Hebrews 11 is “by faith”.  Over and over the writer of Hebrews describes instances when someone “by faith” did something.  What does it mean to do something “by faith”?  It means that faith is the fuel behind your actions or decisions.  God wants us to live by faith every day.   In the verses that follow, we see more examples of what living by faith can do.

Hebrews 11:30 (NIV) 
30  By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

On verse 30:  After talking about Moses and how he led the Israelites out of Egypt, the writer of Hebrews moves on to Joshua.  He mentions how Joshua led the Israelites to break through and conquer the city of Jericho by obeying the Lord’s command to march around the city for seven days (Joshua 5-6).  What can we learn from this?  Faith in the Lord is the key to experiencing breakthrough and victory.