Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Real Religion: Verse for Today - Hebrews 9:27-28 "EAGERLY WAITIN...

Real Religion: Verse for Today - Hebrews 9:27-28 "EAGERLY WAITIN...: "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To tho...

Verse for Today - Hebrews 9:27-28 "EAGERLY WAITING FOR HIM?"


"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation."
Biblegateway.com Hebrews 9:27-28
Biblegateway.com Hebrews chapter 9

This is an important verse.  For a long time I have understood it as primarily focusing on the fact that men live and die once... And that after this living-and-dying-once it is too late to change one's spiritual state or future.

As I reflect on this passage today... it does teach what I always thought, but there's two additional points to be made by what follows.

1. Christ's atoning death is a once and done event.  It was and is a wholly sufficient payment for all the sins of His people (those who hope in and receive God's grace).

2. His people are then described as "those who eagerly wait for Him."

I guess this is the part that intrigued me... Do we eagerly wait for Him? What does, or what should, that look like?  As Chapter 9 concludes and Chapter 10begins, it is clear that we should trust in Christ's perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.  

Verses 19-25 are worth a careful reading.  Look for the words: "faith," "hope," and "love."
Then notice his final exhortation.  "...not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some..."  Wonder why?  Short answer: God says so and we can trust He knows what we need.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Verse for Today - Psalm 18:1 How We Ought to Think of God


"I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Read all of Psalm 18

Psalm 18 begins with this preface... which is part of the inspired text: 
"To the Chief Musician. Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:...."

In other words the Psalm is a memorial to his escape from his enemies.  Notice he doesn't give himself the credit... his cunning, speed, agility or strength.   Even though he may have had those, he gives credit to God.
He begins with words of affection... even love. "I love you, LORD, my strength."   His words are (as are ours) a reflection of his heart.  He recognizes that God's grace has brought him safe thus far and rightly says so.

This leads into a string of affirmations that further describes David's understand of God.  This is valuable for us to think about, because God doesn't change.  As He was David's God, He has become our God.  Just think... He is our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer.  Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we find protection and a sure place of safety.  Nothing in all creation can loosen His grip upon those who come to Him with sincere faith.  In Christ, the promise has become reality.  

Remember Romans 8:38,39   "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Amen.