Alive, Forgiven, Resting

‎Monday, ‎November ‎7, ‎2022

Good Morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Memory verse: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Today's reading: JEREMIAH 40-42 HEBREWS 4

Resting, Alive, Forgiven

Our hope is that everyone can get back to life after this election. Remember, it is next to impossible to get good rest with hate and anger in your hearts. Hate gets all the way down to the middle of our bones but we have a cure for that. The cure is God's mercy.

The cure is God's mercy for today in God's rest. That is the message in Hebrews 3 and 4 from yesterday and today.

**It is clear that God wants us to be obedient.

Hebrews 3

10 That is why I was angry with that generation;

I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,

and they have not known my ways.’

11 So I declared on oath in my anger,

‘They shall never enter my rest.’

**But God wants us to know His rest in obedience-and He wants us to know it today-right now.

Hebrews 3 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

Hebrews 4

6 So the opportunity is still there for some to enter and enjoy God’s rest. But those who first heard the good news about it did not enter, because they did not obey. 7 So God planned another special day. It is called “today.” He spoke about that day through David a long time later using the words we quoted before:

“If you hear God’s voice today,

don’t be stubborn.

Obedience is easy when we let go of our stubborn, controlling , human nature. Letting go of control is the key. We just cannot control it all. We have to let Him control it in obedience.

Obedience to God, yes but how do we do it? That is written also:

Matthew 22:37-40 New International Version (NIV)

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

It all comes down to the same things. God's word is alive and gets down to the center of our bones to remove the sin.

Hebrews 4:12 God’s word is alive and working. It is sharper than the sharpest sword and cuts all the way into us. It cuts deep to the place where the soul and the spirit are joined. God’s word cuts to the center of our joints and our bones. It judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. 13 Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. He can clearly see all things. Everything is open before him. And to him we must explain the way we have lived.

**God wants us to obey and enjoy His rest. So He gave us a way to make it happen-Jesus.

Hebrews 4 16 With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.

If we obey, we can rest in Christ, alive and forgiven.

What a gracious God we serve!

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

I let go of my control and my stubborn streak. I confess.

Fill me with the real life of Your word and remove all the pain my attitude has caused. Today, I am alive!

Gracious God and loving Father,

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen