Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Christianity was built to be spread by example. Where it flourishes in the world and throughout history, you will find men and women who love and serve as Christ did. Where you see it stagnating or dying, you will find leaders who are self-seeking.

Faith, applied correctly, is it’s own proof. While those of us who place our trust in Christ may now may not have seen him face-to-face, we see the result of a life lived for him.

God, help me to seek out your men and women and follow them as they follow after Christ. And help me to be ever mindful that others are watching my steps, wondering if my life will prove to have more hope, joy and grace than a life not devoted to you. Prove your existence through my life. Amen.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe…

I’ve only experienced earthquake tremors once. They were minor, but caused me to dream I was lying in bed on a sleeper train (rather than my friend’s couch) and that the luggage in the rack above my head was jostling about, ready to fall on my head. When I finally woke up fully, I realized it was not luggage shaking above me, but pieces of art barely clinging to their hooks. I jumped into the center of the room and waited for the tremors to roll away.

When the earth shakes, you realize what’s substantial and what’s merely window dressing. You become very dependant on what will not move, no matter how strong the tremors.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that everything in this life, from the seemingly unmovable to the most fragile, will one day slip away. Like the flood that destroyed most of the world once, God will shake the heavens and the earth and only truth and love will remain. Pain, suffering, evil and injustice will smash on the floor like glass and what will be left is a kingdom with no decay, no imperfection and no end.

God, strengthen my feeble arms so that I can cling to your unshakable word and strengthen my weak knees so that I can kneel on the solid ground before the cross, where there is everlasting life. Amen.

This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.  I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Laws are made to teach or remind us what we should or shouldn’t do, for the security and well-being of oursleves and others. Every day we’re keeping (or breaking) dozens, maybe hundreds of them. Traffic laws. Laws of nature. Tax laws. You name it.

But what would it be like if no laws were needed? What would it be like if we were simply like-minded with our ruler, who cared for us and had our best interest in mind? God is just such a king, but we are not such subjects. We fight against His better ways, consciously and unconsciously. It is our nature – and often our pleasure – to rebel. And even though me might enjoy going our way, the result is always the same: disappointment, hurt and dissatisfaction.

What a relief and a joy to know that God has promised us a time when we, His children, will no longer require laws. He will transform our minds and our very nature, and we will see Truth. We will desire to act out of love, and not hatred. We will give instead of taking. We will unite rather than divide.

What a ruler. What a promise.

God, thank you for giving me your good and righteous laws, to remind me, in my weakness, of what is good. Give me strength to follow your commands until the day you transform me completely, and I will be in tune with your will. Your good, pleasing and perfect will. Amen.

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Reading this passage of Hebrews made me consider Jesus’ role in a way I hadn’t before. It’s certainly true that Christ died once, for all. And that His death covers my sin. But His work doesn’t stop there. Because He lives today, He intercedes for me today. And tomorrow. The sin I committed this morning? He was on duty, atoning for it. And he will be every moment of every day of my life until I die. And for you, too, if you acknowledge Him as your Savior. He never takes a break, and never has to atone for His own sins, because He died sinless. He is the perfect priest. My perfect high priest. I am eternally unworthy, and eternally grateful.

Heavenly Father, thank you for making the perfect, never-ending provision for me. Help me to live today like I was just saved today. Because I was. Praise you, Father. Thank you Jesus. Amen.

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself

God’s love for us is truly amazing. Just to assure us of His promise to save us from sin, He swore an oath. The writer of Hebrews points out the irony of this action.

First, who could God make an oath to? We can’t swear with God because we aren’t His peer and can’t hold Him accountable. Not to mention the fact that no man would be around long enough to ensure that God kept His promise to His people throughout time. And, so, God swore to Himself.

Second, God doesn’t need to promise that He’ll keep His promises. He is perfect and does not lie or fail, so keeping His word is a given. He doesn’t need to seal His promise with an oath, but that’s just what He did.

God knows His people. He knows that we doubt and fall short and don’t keep our word. So He gives us the most valuable thing that God (or any man) has to offer – His word. This is what we bank our hope on. God said He would do it, so we know He will.

Thank you, God, for giving me Your word, that if I will hope and trust in You and live for You, You will make me your son. Help me to live like a man with great hope, which overcomes doubt, fear and despair. Amen.

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

There are most certainly universal truths to these words, but they ring loudly as words for just me today.

By this time I ought to be a teacher. In fact, I’m trying to be. But I’m having to go back and learn the elementary truths of God’s word because I haven’t been disciplined in my life. I haven’t dived in daily and written His Word on my heart over the years. So now I’m struggling to do so.

It’s time I stop filling up on milk, and start cutting my teeth on solid food. God’s Truth is vast and deep and requires serious attention.

Lord, forgive me for not consistently craving all you have to offer. I’ve been satisfied with scraps in the past, but I want your full bounty. Discipline me in the small things, so that you can teach me all you have to give. Amen.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

God came and lived with His creation, as a created man. He experienced first hand what separation from the presence of God felt like. And just as looked into the garden and saw that it wasn’t good for man to be alone, He determined that it was not good for man to be separated from God.

So He provided the perfect sacrifice for our sins, so that we would never have to look to men again for our access to God. No longer would a high priest have to enter the Holy of Holies with fear and trembling.

Now we can approach God any day, any hour, in any condition, which confidence that He will provide mercy and grace right then when we need it.

What a gift! What a Savior! What a high priest!

Lord, thank you for experiencing my struggles and for suffering for my sin against You. Help me to be your son, and to die to my old self, your enemy. Amen.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

The writer of Hebrews, earlier in this chapter, calls God the homebuilder and us, His home. God knows us from the ground up, and how we’re best maintained.

The major threat to our faith and stability is the deceitfulness of sin. The enemy takes the truth of God and turns it on it’s head. We are prone to believe his lies because sin often makes sense to our human nature.

With the barrage of “elements” that surround us our foundation can grow week. Our selfish desires, lusts, cravings, selfishness, and interaction from an unbelieving culture tempt us to abandon the bedrock on which we stand.

The writer of Hebrews, inspired by the Holy Spirit, offers this preventative care tip for home maintenance: encourage one another daily.

Encouragement seals up the cracks in our faith. It shores us up and plants us on solid ground. It helps us to remember our purpose and our function. It reminds us that we have been built to be occupied by the Father. It commends us for work well done. It strengthens our conviction. And most of all it softens our heart, making us pliable enough to withstand strong winds and pouring rain, but still able to let the light and fresh air of truth inside.

Lord, help me to encourage my brothers and sisters daily. Help me to remind them of Your goodness and truth. And help me to accept the encouragement that You provide to me through Your Word and Your people. Amen.

Imagine that this Sunday, as you sit in your usual seat, your pastor announces a special guest speaker. As the pastor steps off stage, Jesus walks to the podium. He smiles at the audience and speaks lovingly of the example of faithfulness there in your very midst. He turns in your direction and asks you to stand and join Him on stage. As Jesus puts his arm around your shoulder, he introduces you to the audience by name, calling you His brother. Jesus declares you righteous and tells your congregation that He puts His total trust in you.

Impossible to imagine, right?

But that’s exactly what the writer of Hebrews says Jesus will do. Because God has made us holy, Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers. And not just in private, either:

He says,
   ”I will declare your name to my brothers;
      in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.” And again,
   ”I will put my trust in him.” And again he says,
   ”Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

Lord, thank you for saving me. And for not being satisfied to stop there. Thank you for making me a part of your family. Help me to bring glory to the name I have inherited. Amen.

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

The opening of Hebrews is a masterful statement of faith. The writer sums up the core of the Christian belief system in just a few sentences.

• We believe that God made the universe through Jesus.
• We believe that Jesus came to earth in human form, and that God spoke through Him.
• We believe that Jesus was the exact representation of God’s being.
• We believe that Jesus provided purification for sins through His death.
• We believe that Jesus was raised from the dead.
• We believe that Jesus sits at the right hand of God.

These are the statements of faith that set us apart. The rock on which we stand. The hope that we live for. This is why we say Jesus is Lord.

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son, who gave us the ultimate example of obedience to you. Give me the strength to press on daily, and to grow in His likeness, as He was the exact likeness of you. Amen.