20 JULY 2024 devotional

"12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." (Hebrews 3:12)

The writer of the book to the dispersed Hebrews around the known world wrote these words of encouragement, and I would like to pass them on to you.

Anyone who reads the headlines nowadays is prone to fear. We fear our governement, we fear for our health, we fear foreign entities, we fear each other. Fear sells.

Unfortunately, fear opens the door for other spirits - for fear is a spirit. It opens the door for unbelief, it opens the door for doubt, it opens the door for weakness, it opens the door for apostacy. Fear is a powerful spirit.

One thing I have learned over the years is there is no "cure" for fear. For centuries we thought we could out-educate fear. We could learn enough that we could logically outrun the ignorance of fear. We even accepted this idea in church! Just look at how many services rush through the worship period to get to the Word - thinking God is sitting in heaven waiting to hear what our interpretation of what He said is. He already knows what He said, He is waiting for our response - our worship!

Since I was a child listening to preachers talk about the end times I have heard how bad they are going to get. Evil is pronounced good, good is pronounced evil, believers are going to suffer at the hands of the heathen, God will be excluded from any public displays, etc, etc. And so it is today. I truly believe, based upon scriptural evidence, that we are in the last days.

So much more the reason we need to pull together. We need each other. We need each others' support, we need each others' encouragement, we need each others' prayers, and I believe there will come a time when we will need each others' provisions and supplies. I might have something you need but can't purchase and vice-versa. You might be a trained medical professional and I might be well-versed a growing vegetables. Back to the old days. Even if I'm wrong about that, we need each other for moral support, wisdom, and guidance.

This verse reminds us that it is possible for us to weaken in our faith. It is possible for us to walk away from God and seek help in other places. Without going too far out on this limb, it is common for us to seek a doctor's advice about our diabetes or high blood pressure, rather than allowing God to heal us from those (and other) diseases. I speak this to my own shame - even as a minister.

The author of Hebrews (commonly believed to be Paul) warns us to not allow ourselves to grow cold or to walk away from the God of our salvation. He Who has begun a good work in us will see it through to completion. We have to believe He hasn't brought us this far to leave us now. The One Who has walked with us through the flood and the fire will walk with us through this situation. He (God) sent His prophets to warn us ahead of time about these things coming to pass that we might be ready.

I encourage you (as I have from the beginning) to find a church - a local body of like-minded believers) - where you can be accepted, built up, wrapped in the mantle of Jesus' love, and strengthened in your faith. Find that place and never leave it. Sure you will have times of discouragement. You might even have disagreements with the shepherd of that flock - that is ommon and very normal - but you stick it out. Not for the pastor, but for yourself. Don't become disheartened, don't become disgusted with God, and don't allow silly arguments or differences to keep you out of the kingdom. For they will. And Satan will make sure of it. Press in, become one with the others, and allow God to bring you deeper into Him in that place. For it will be only there He will save your soul from the days coming. If you allow yourself to become separated (I don't have to go to church to be saved), you will be eaten alive. Especially in these last days.

As I write these words it is Saturday. Pray for God's direction if you don't have a church home yet. Allow Him and His Holy Spirit to guide you into a place you can align with and become a part of. Allow yourself to become enfolded, let yourself be yielded to service within that group, and let Jesus touch others through you. And SUBMIT to your leadership! He (or she) is given the call of God to oversee your development and salvation under their teaching. If there is a question about something, respectfully speak with them about it in private and allow them to show you how they arrived at that teaching or statement. Yield yourself as an instrument of God's grace and service.

Be blessed.

"12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." (Hebrews 3:12)

The writer of the book to the dispersed Hebrews around the known world wrote these words of encouragement, and I would like to pass them on to you.

Anyone who reads the headlines nowadays is prone to fear. We fear our governement, we fear for our health, we fear foreign entities, we fear each other. Fear sells.

Unfortunately, fear opens the door for other spirits - for fear is a spirit. It opens the door for unbelief, it opens the door for doubt, it opens the door for weakness, it opens the door for apostacy. Fear is a powerful spirit.

One thing I have learned over the years is there is no "cure" for fear. For centuries we thought we could out-educate fear. We could learn enough that we could logically outrun the ignorance of fear. We even accepted this idea in church! Just look at how many services rush through the worship period to get to the Word - thinking God is sitting in heaven waiting to hear what our interpretation of what He said is. He already knows what He said, He is waiting for our response - our worship!

Since I was a child listening to preachers talk about the end times I have heard how bad they are going to get. Evil is pronounced good, good is pronounced evil, believers are going to suffer at the hands of the heathen, God will be excluded from any public displays, etc, etc. And so it is today. I truly believe, based upon scriptural evidence, that we are in the last days.

So much more the reason we need to pull together. We need each other. We need each others' support, we need each others' encouragement, we need each others' prayers, and I believe there will come a time when we will need each others' provisions and supplies. I might have something you need but can't purchase and vice-versa. You might be a trained medical professional and I might be well-versed a growing vegetables. Back to the old days. Even if I'm wrong about that, we need each other for moral support, wisdom, and guidance.

This verse reminds us that it is possible for us to weaken in our faith. It is possible for us to walk away from God and seek help in other places. Without going too far out on this limb, it is common for us to seek a doctor's advice about our diabetes or high blood pressure, rather than allowing God to heal us from those (and other) diseases. I speak this to my own shame - even as a minister.

The author of Hebrews (commonly believed to be Paul) warns us to not allow ourselves to grow cold or to walk away from the God of our salvation. He Who has begun a good work in us will see it through to completion. We have to believe He hasn't brought us this far to leave us now. The One Who has walked with us through the flood and the fire will walk with us through this situation. He (God) sent His prophets to warn us ahead of time about these things coming to pass that we might be ready.

I encourage you (as I have from the beginning) to find a church - a local body of like-minded believers) - where you can be accepted, built up, wrapped in the mantle of Jesus' love, and strengthened in your faith. Find that place and never leave it. Sure you will have times of discouragement. You might even have disagreements with the shepherd of that flock - that is ommon and very normal - but you stick it out. Not for the pastor, but for yourself. Don't become disheartened, don't become disgusted with God, and don't allow silly arguments or differences to keep you out of the kingdom. For they will. And Satan will make sure of it. Press in, become one with the others, and allow God to bring you deeper into Him in that place. For it will be only there He will save your soul from the days coming. If you allow yourself to become separated (I don't have to go to church to be saved), you will be eaten alive. Especially in these last days.

As I write these words it is Saturday. Pray for God's direction if you don't have a church home yet. Allow Him and His Holy Spirit to guide you into a place you can align with and become a part of. Allow yourself to become enfolded, let yourself be yielded to service within that group, and let Jesus touch others through you. And SUBMIT to your leadership! He (or she) is given the call of God to oversee your development and salvation under their teaching. If there is a question about something, respectfully speak with them about it in private and allow them to show you how they arrived at that teaching or statement. Yield yourself as an instrument of God's grace and service.

Be blessed.

"12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." (Hebrews 3:12)

The writer of the book to the dispersed Hebrews around the known world wrote these words of encouragement, and I would like to pass them on to you.

Anyone who reads the headlines nowadays is prone to fear. We fear our governement, we fear for our health, we fear foreign entities, we fear each other. Fear sells.

Unfortunately, fear opens the door for other spirits - for fear is a spirit. It opens the door for unbelief, it opens the door for doubt, it opens the door for weakness, it opens the door for apostacy. Fear is a powerful spirit.

One thing I have learned over the years is there is no "cure" for fear. For centuries we thought we could out-educate fear. We could learn enough that we could logically outrun the ignorance of fear. We even accepted this idea in church! Just look at how many services rush through the worship period to get to the Word - thinking God is sitting in heaven waiting to hear what our interpretation of what He said is. He already knows what He said, He is waiting for our response - our worship!

Since I was a child listening to preachers talk about the end times I have heard how bad they are going to get. Evil is pronounced good, good is pronounced evil, believers are going to suffer at the hands of the heathen, God will be excluded from any public displays, etc, etc. And so it is today. I truly believe, based upon scriptural evidence, that we are in the last days.

So much more the reason we need to pull together. We need each other. We need each others' support, we need each others' encouragement, we need each others' prayers, and I believe there will come a time when we will need each others' provisions and supplies. I might have something you need but can't purchase and vice-versa. You might be a trained medical professional and I might be well-versed a growing vegetables. Back to the old days. Even if I'm wrong about that, we need each other for moral support, wisdom, and guidance.

This verse reminds us that it is possible for us to weaken in our faith. It is possible for us to walk away from God and seek help in other places. Without going too far out on this limb, it is common for us to seek a doctor's advice about our diabetes or high blood pressure, rather than allowing God to heal us from those (and other) diseases. I speak this to my own shame - even as a minister.

The author of Hebrews (commonly believed to be Paul) warns us to not allow ourselves to grow cold or to walk away from the God of our salvation. He Who has begun a good work in us will see it through to completion. We have to believe He hasn't brought us this far to leave us now. The One Who has walked with us through the flood and the fire will walk with us through this situation. He (God) sent His prophets to warn us ahead of time about these things coming to pass that we might be ready.

I encourage you (as I have from the beginning) to find a church - a local body of like-minded believers) - where you can be accepted, built up, wrapped in the mantle of Jesus' love, and strengthened in your faith. Find that place and never leave it. Sure you will have times of discouragement. You might even have disagreements with the shepherd of that flock - that is ommon and very normal - but you stick it out. Not for the pastor, but for yourself. Don't become disheartened, don't become disgusted with God, and don't allow silly arguments or differences to keep you out of the kingdom. For they will. And Satan will make sure of it. Press in, become one with the others, and allow God to bring you deeper into Him in that place. For it will be only there He will save your soul from the days coming. If you allow yourself to become separated (I don't have to go to church to be saved), you will be eaten alive. Especially in these last days.

As I write these words it is Saturday. Pray for God's direction if you don't have a church home yet. Allow Him and His Holy Spirit to guide you into a place you can align with and become a part of. Allow yourself to become enfolded, let yourself be yielded to service within that group, and let Jesus touch others through you. And SUBMIT to your leadership! He (or she) is given the call of God to oversee your development and salvation under their teaching. If there is a question about something, respectfully speak with them about it in private and allow them to show you how they arrived at that teaching or statement. Yield yourself as an instrument of God's grace and service.

Be blessed.