But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
TO PONDER
The book of Hebrews is written for too religious Christians. Can you be too religious? You bet. As religion can sometimes be defined as a set of rules to live by, you can certainly become too religious.
And we often do. There are people I know who will not attend worship when the music is not what they prefer. Their religiosity has become their God. They have ignored the message that might be preached, believing that the style of worship is more important.
We sometimes want Jesus – and something else. Jesus, plus an add-on. Jesus by himself isn’t enough for much of society. In this current life it might be Jesus- and-politics. Or Jesus-and-Education. Or Jesus-and-Buddha.
The book of Hebrews is about faith, and it deletes all hyphens. By faith, given to us, it’s all about Jesus. Nothing else. Nothing more to be concerned about.
We can’t get too much God. We can’t get too much faith. But our well-intentioned efforts of getting closer to God by our works, will get in the way of realising what he has done for us. When things get in the way, we forget we are meant to be on the Way.
When we know what he went through for us, we will, in faith, respond…with our good works.
PRAYER: Jesus, when we stray from the Way, bring us back to you. When we let non-saving things get in the way, shove us back on the track. When religion becomes our God, help us to push it where it belongs – which is behind you and your message. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
TO PONDER
Did you get up early today to attend an ANZAC day service? If not, did you watch the live coverage of marches and services on TV?
Some might say that we in Australia, are freely reading these devotions because we’ve been saved. And it’s true - we are free. We are free to enjoy life, and worship, and live life to the full. God wants us to have a full and fulfilling life. The freedom of a Christian is not an oxymoron. Jesus began his ministry at a wedding and made sure the party continued. If people tell you that your faith holds them back, or that Christianity controls you, remind them that Jesus is a party-starter, not a party-pooper.
Grace is about being free – free from the law which condemns and holds us back. Hopefully you know that your faith, is not about rules and religiosity and suppression of life. Jesus’ life and teaching and ministry overflowed with the fullness of life.
So we are free…to live, and party, and love, and share, and connect with those who don’t have what you have.
PRAYER : Heavenly Father, thank you for life – the life that you won for us on the cross, enabling us to live life to the fullest. Thanks for giving us the freedom to party in your name and help us to do just that – especially with those who don’t your name. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
TO PONDER
Abram was down. He was despondent. He had no children, therefore no offspring to carry on the name. He even questioned God about the usefulness of the blessings he had received, because there was no family to share them with.
God listened (like he does always) and stepped in. In a vision, God told Abram that he would have some descendants, so stop worrying, and not fear, and stop being scared. ‘How many descendants’, you might be thinking? In this vision, God revealed that he would have lots of descendants. God told Abram to look at the night sky and set him an impossible task of counting the stars, because that’s how many descendants he’ll end up having.
And as we know, there’s no end to space. It goes on forever. And so does God’s protection and love. And because Abram believed, he was set right with God. Being ‘set right with God’ is a way to define ‘righteousness’. It is an attribute that belongs to God, the Lawgiver. We know we can’t save ourselves, so righteousness is a wonderful gift from God to us through His love: it is the God-given quality assigned to humans upon believing in the Son of God.
So we are righteous. Saved. Loved. Forgiven. Let’s thank God for all of that.
PRAYER: There’s so much to thank you for God, we don’t know where to start. So thank you for being the Lord of our lives, for being in charge, for always being there, and for everything you give us. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
TO PONDER
Do you recall the Charlie Brown cartoons? Charlie Brown was a regular series of cartoons, with characters such as Snoopy, Linus, Schroeder, Lucy, and Pig-Pen, amongst others.
Charlie Brown’s dog Snoopy, needed encouragement one day. Read on…
Useless! Not really encouraging at all. Not practical or helpful or strengthening for Snoopy in the slightest – no wonder he looks perplexed!
We are people of faith. And people of faith are encouraged to encourage others. It’s a little like iron sharpening iron. When we encourage our fellow faithful, and connect with them, we will gain strength. Strength for this sometimes-tough journey we call life. Strength to get us through to the next chapter. Strength to carry on, and hopefully share our faith with others.
PRAYER:Faithful God, you know we lack strength in ourselves, so we thank you for being our strength. Help us to reach out for your strength in those times of need we all have. In Jesus name we pray. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
TO PONDER
Do you have faith in anyone’s name? A person’s reputation – if honourable, relies on their good name. If a job is to be completed, we’ll often ask someone who we can depend on to complete that task, meaning that we have faith in their name. We trust their work ethic and believe the assignment will be finished well. The same things occurs when we seek someone’s opinion. We’ll often ask someone who’s name we value.
Peter is the author of today’s text. While Jesus was walking the earth for those three years, Peter was a head-strong impulsive bull-at-a-gate type of follower. But after Jesus had left earth and sent his Holy Spirit to assist the church planters, Peter came to the fore, and was then full of confidence – especially when preaching to a bunch of people like he was here. He was telling them that the healing that had just witnessed, was done by faith. Even though the listeners saw this miraculous restoration of health at the hands of Peter and John, they are being told that it is faith in the name of Jesus that did it.
Do you have faith in the name of Jesus? Is he your default when things go awry? Often, we’ll try and fix something ourselves when God is wanting us to ask him. So go ahead. Ask away. He’s waiting.
PRAYER: Father, help us to rely on you for everything. Help us to call your name when we’re doing it tough, and praise your name when things are going well! Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
TO PONDER
If you’ve been following the current preaching series, you’ll know that Galatians is a letter from Paul to the new churches in Galatia – which is in current day Türkiye, telling them off, because they’d reintroduced some of the old ways again – ways which had nothing to do with salvation. The old habits can be very helpful, but if they get in the way of the saving message of Jesus, they ought to be disregarded.
We still do that. We still tend to add human tradition to God’s Law. We could even be accused of letting tradition interfere with hospitality.
But God is good. Our text reminds us that we are redeemed. We are saved. We are given another shot at it…time and time again. And God continues to bless us, as he’s been doing for a while – and our text tells us he’s been doing it at least 4000 years, and he doesn’t plan on stopping soon. We just need to believe it. We just need to have faith. Sure, easy to say, but sometimes hard to do, because there’s plenty of distractions around that want our attention.
So when the world is bombarding you with their version of the truth, try and ignore it, and check out what God has to say to you in scripture. Oh, and faith sometimes begins by stuffing your ears with cotton wool!
PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for all your gifts you’ve given us, for all the blessings you’ve sent our way, and for the faith you’ve gifted us. We confess we are not so good at thanking you for all of that, so please forgive us. And help us listen to your Word most of all, and to shut-out the unnecessary and unhelpful noise of the world. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.
TO PONDER
Whatever happens outside us is temporary. Our faith in Christ is something that lasts throughout life. It goes with a person everywhere. It is with us in trials. It forms our plans; regulates our temper; suggests our words; prompts our actions. It lives with us in all our external changes and goes with us through the dark valley of death, and accompanies us up to the bar of God. Remember that the people of faith all have a share of Christ, his righteousness and his salvation.
PRAYER: Lord God, please bless us and keep us ever holding the confidence of our faith in your son Jesus until the very end. By this, shall it be proved beyond question that we are partakers of Christ. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
TO PONDER
To be transformed, we have to become spiritually alive. But what does this mean and how does it happen? Does it mean living in the presence of Christ every minute of the day, about being completely separated unto the work of God, about being free of all selfishness and impurity. To be spiritual, just be Jesus. The key to transformation is Christ living in us. God is not just far above us in heaven. He came to live among us in Christ, and now his Spirit comes to live in us, to teach and guide and transform us to be like Jesus. We are new creatures in Christ.
PRAYER: Lord of glory, may we base our lives each day on the truth that Christ does indeed live within us through the Holy Spirit. May your grace and power transform me completely. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit
TO PONDER
God has paid the ransom for you and bought you back from the powers of sin, death and the devil. And He went one step further, He put on you His seal of ownership, the promised Holy Spirit. God has sealed you. You are His; You belong to God. You have got the seal of God upon your life, His Holy Spirit which He has given to you is God's seal of ownership and his presence with you, so that wherever you go, you will not be alone. So that whatever life may bring you will have God with you to remind you he bought you with a price, that you are His, and that nothing can snatch you out of His hand.
PRAYER: God, may I learn to walk in step with the Holy Spirit. Please help me to know and to trust the work of the Holy Spirit in my life so that I might have confidence that you are always with me. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping