Saturday, March 10-guest post by Pamela

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 35-36

Today's scripture focus is Hebrews 12:28-29

NIV

²⁸ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our “God is a consuming fire.”^[a]

^{and the Grade 1 teacher in me also loves this version:}

Message

^28-29Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

We are heirs to God, the Lord of everything. As unworthy and undeserving as we are, we are the recipients of an incredible gift. How do we respond to this gift? How can we possibly "worship God acceptably"? I love the Message version that says we need to be "brimming with worship" and it makes me remember this kid's song...

running over,

running over,

my cup is full and running over

since the Lord saved me,

I'm as happy as can be,

my cup is full and running over.

Are we truly full? Full of thankfulness? Full of awe? Full of reverence? Full of worship? God knows our heart. He is the One we will be accountable to.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Hebrews 13:1-3

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Deut 1-2

Friday, March 9th

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 33-34

Today's scripture focus is Hebrews 12:25-27

²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? ²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” ²⁷ The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Those wavering at the edge of belief and apostasy were being pressure away from making that full commitment by neglect (they just kept putting it off), unbelief, impatience (expecting more than God was showing them), tradition and now fear of persecution.

The writer first indicated that they shouldn't be afraid of persecution or other struggles, because it is a sign of God's love and of their sonship.

He then urged them not to be afraid because they were not coming to Sinai (the law, judgment, fear, wrath) but to Zion (grace, forgiveness, joy).

Sinai is man becoming aware of his terrible sinfulness in the face of the holiness of God almighty.
That is Sinai, guilty, vile sinner trembling at the foot of a mighty, awesome, terrifying God. (MarcArthur)

In stark contrast, we have Mount Zion.  How did it "start"?  King David brought the ark of God to Zion and it became known as the dwelling place of God - where people could bring their offerings and God would forgive on the basis of their faith demonstrated through their offering.  Zion represents grace.

So, to come to Christ is to come to Zion, which is to come to grace. It's to come to the living city of Jerusalem, which is to come to peace and safety. It's to come and join with angels in celebration, which is to come to worship. It is to come to join the church of the firstborn (all Christians are firstborns because they are heirs in Christ), which is fellowship.
And you can come into the presence of God, the judge of all men, because Jesus is your advocate.  You also come and join the saints that have gone before and have now been made perfect (Moses, Elijah, Samuel, David) and you are considered one with them.  You come to Jesus our mediator, and you come to the blood of Jesus that was sprinkled perfectly for your sin and was accepted (like Abel's was).

Our choice is Sinai or Zion.  Because we will be judged.  We will be judged either on the basis of our works (of which every single one of us will fail disastrously, as only absolute perfection is acceptable) or we will be judged through Jesus, our advocate of grace.  How do we want to come to God?  Through Sinai or through Zion?  The choice should be obvious!

And that's what our passage today is about.  What will you choose?  What will you do about it?

When God spoke from Mount Sinai, and they refused God - every single one of them died in the wilderness.  It will be even worse for those who refuse God who speaks through Jesus Christ.  Even worse.  God shook the world at Sinai, but He's going to shake the entire universe when He comes in judgement.  Everything in the universe will be destroyed except that which is eternal.

So choose.  Get over your neglect, your unbelief, your impatience, your traditions and your fear.  Recognize that two choices lay before you - Sinai and Zion.

Choose Zion!

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Hebrews 12:28-29

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Numbers 35-36

Thursday, March 8 ~ Miriam

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 31-32.

Today's scripture focus is  Hebrews 12:22-24.

²² But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, ²³ to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, ²⁴ to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

What a message of hope!  Can you see the grandeur?  Hear the joy?  Feel the awe?  What we imagine here and now can only be a faint shadow of the reality to come, but even so, what wonderful things we have to look forward to!

Tomorrow's scripture focus:  Hebrews 12:25-27.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage:   Numbers 33-34 .

March 7 - Kathryn

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 28-30

Today's scripture focus is Hebrews 12:18-21

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Hebrews 12:22-24

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Numbers 31-32

¹⁸ You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; ¹⁹ to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, ²⁰ because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”^[a] 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”


Interesting.  This scripture reminds me of the passage that states that we can come boldly into the throne room of God.  The children of Israel did not have such a privilege.  Rather, they had to wait till once a year to approach the Lord and then it was one man and he had to be properly prepared or he would die.  


While I believe we have a great blessing in being able to approach the Lord whenever, where-ever and however we please, I think we have lost a lot, in that, we have forgotten just who it is we are talking to.  We forget that God killed people on the spot for approaching Him in the wrong way.  While we have been granted great blessing through Jesus Christ in being able to approach the Father, we still need to remember He placed great restrictions in the Old Testament about how to approach Him.  He is the great and awesome God.  He is holy, He cannot tolerate sin or evil.  We'd do well to examine ourselves before we approach Him.  Remembering that while He is our Father, He is still holy God who dwells in unapproachable light.  

Tuesday, March 6th

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 26-27

Today's scripture focus is Hebrews 12:14-17

¹⁴ Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. ¹⁶ See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. ¹⁷ Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.

v14 is not talking about being holy in order to be saved.  Here the writer is speaking to those who are saved, and is challenging them to live out their faith so that others can see Christ in us.  We are to love men (peace with all men, if it is possible, as far as it depends on you) and to love God (be holy).  When we do that, others can see Christ in us.  But if we fail to that, they cannot.  And so we need to be diligent - not to earn our salvation, but to reveal Christ in us to those around us.  You may be the only Jesus Christ that some people will ever see.  That`s incredible responsibility right there.

See to it that no one misses the grace of God
We need to vigilant about looking out for those around us.  If you questions the salvation of someone in your church, you need to find out.  Wow.  This is a tough one for us.  But MacArthur puts it bluntly and puts it well....
Listen, you owe that to the purity of this church and the purity of the body, but, most of all, you owe it to that guy to confront him with the claims of Jesus Christ on a personal basis. There are...there are gonna be a lotta people spend forever in hell who spent their life in the church. That's sad. Now, he says, "You oughta take the oversight, No. 1, lest any man fail of the grace of God." The word fail means to come too late. It means to fall back when you add the term apato the front of it, and, literally, will just say that, "Lest anybody be falling back.".....
Now he says, "Hey, people, take the oversight. Don't let that happen. Don't let that guy go." You say, "Well, I don't wanna say anything. I...I...I." That's the stupidest remark you could ever make. Ridiculous you don't wanna say anything. "Don't wanna offend." Offend, offend, go offend...Wow, the cross itself is an offense. I mean let's do a little offending, and if a guy's gonna go to hell just because we're afraid to offend him, that's...that's the worst offense imaginable.

and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many
MacArthur explains this as a person who has superficially identified with Christianity - he knows the truth but he turns and walks away from it into apostasy.  And that root of bitterness will affect and corrupt those around him.

v16 and 17 use Esau as an example of an apostate.  He knew the truth.  He sold the birthright (the blessing of God, the Messianic line, the promise of God) for some stew.  He rejected the truth.  And later he wanted it back but he couldn`t, even though he cried, because he couldn`t come back to repentence.

And this is a warning to us, that there are people among us who are on the verge of becoming "Esau".  

Beloved, what is he saying to us? He's saying, "Hey, look around, look around. There may be somebody who is on the edge who may make a rejection like Esau, and it'll be permanent. Don't let it happen. Christian...get your second wind. I urge you to continuance, diligence, vigilance, because somebody's watching. Maybe somebody who's at the crucial point of decision....Be the example that brings 'em to Christ, not the stumbling block that turns them away.

I want to be the example that brings people to Christ, not the stumbling block that turns them away.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Hebrews 12:18-21

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Numbers 28-30

Monday, March 5th

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 23-25

Today's scripture focus is Hebrews 12:12-13

¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³ “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

V12 starts out with "therefore".
MacArthur sums it up so well.....
 on the basis of all the sound doctrine, on the basis of the fact that you oughta get in the race and run, and you shouldn't quit, but run with endurance; on the basis of the fact that all the trouble you have is only the disciplining hand of a loving Father; on the basis that everything in your life is being done under the control of God to bring about the best for you, he says, "Here's three things I want out of you: continuance, diligence, and vigilance." Those three.

Our passage, v12 & 13, deals with continuance.

When a runner gets tired, their arms begin to drop and their knees begin to wobble.

Isaiah 35:3 says Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;

Why?  Because Messiah is going to come and there`s victory ahead.  So, don`t give up - continue on the race!
In the NASB translation it says Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble
"the" not "your" which implies that we are to encourage each other, lift each other up.  When your friend is weak, you help him.  When you are weak, he helps you.  Lift each other up!

Make level paths for your feet
Run in your own lane, run a straight race.  Don`t be distracted by the world.  Others are following in your footsteps.  You`re leaving a path behind you, a track for those coming after you to follow.  Run the race well!

so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
That could refer to a weaker Christian - whom you will cause to stumble if you ran poorly.  But it may also refer to those who haven`t yet made the decision to come to Christ all the way - and this may just cause them to pack it up and turn away.

The biggest stumbling block in Christianity is Christians so many times. Turned out of the way. That's an interesting thing. That's a medical turn...term, ektreko. It means to be put out of joint. I mean he's already limping. Don't permanently dislocate him. That's what it says. He's already lame, don't permanently put him out of joint...by failing to give him testimony that he needs to see. That's a very vivid picture, beloved. It says, as we live as Christians, true Christians, we should run so straight, so upright that the halting, lame, limping, watching individual may see a clear, straight path, and be encouraged to follow and come to Christ himself. If you wobble around, if your arms are drooping, if you peter out in the middle of the race, if you start getting mad at God, if you start getting ticked off because you've got some troubles, and you start losing your testimony, somebody who's watching is gonna make that a convenient excuse to throw Christianity out...But God doesn't want that. What does He want in verse 13? "But let it rather be...what?...healed." Yeah, I don't want that lame one permanently dislocated. I want that lame one permanently what? Healed. That's what God wants...


 Continue, my friend, not only run like Paul did that you may obtain the prize, but run because somebody else is watching who may be on the knife edge of a decision for Christ; and what you do in your life may be just that thing which brings him to Jesus Christ, or it may be that excuse which they use to turn around and walk away. That's serious. 

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Hebrews 12:14-17

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Numbers 26-27

Sunday, March 4th

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 21-22

Today's scripture focus is Hebrews 12:7-11

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! ¹⁰ Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

For some reason I`ve always struggled with this portion of scripture, and others like it.  For some reason I have twisted this passage a bit - and I feel like it`s condescending, this image of God disciplining us, like we`re five years old or something.

But that`s not the point.

I love my children. And it is in no way condescending for me to train them, to discipline them, to punish them.  It`s not a sign of disrespect.  It is, in fact, the opposite.  It`s love.  Plain and simple.

And God disciplines us, similarly to how we discipline our children.

When bad things comes into our lives, we have to realize that at minimum, God allowed them, at maximum, He directly caused them.  But, whether He caused them, or permitted them - there is always a reason.

MacArthur gives us four reasons (emphasis mine)....

Purpose number one retribution, some discipline that comes into your life, some negative circumstances, some on the surface bad things, trials that come into your life are because you have sinned and need to be punished because God is Holy and wants his children holy. In other words, it is retribution to create an aversion to sin because of its painful consequences. We saw that last time, we saw David as an illustration. David suffered immensely in his life as God was punishing him or chastening him for his sin that he might learn to be holy so that he could honor God and be blessed.

Secondly, God brings suffering into our lives for prevention. We saw that in the case of Paul, God actually thrust a spear as it were through the very heart of Paul, a thorn in the flesh he called it to keep him from being proud. God brings things into our lives to humble us. Some of His discipline is because we would sin and we would harm ourselves and dishonor God if He didn't cause certain things to happen in our lives that restrain us.

Thirdly, God brings suffering into our lives for the purpose of education so that we may in that trial learn something about ourselves and something about the greatness of our God. The illustration of that we use was Job, Job came to a truer understanding of himself through his terrible suffering and a greater understanding of God then he had ever had before. It is in the trials, it is in the pain and sorrow, and the suffering that we discern who our God is more clearly.

Then fourthly, God brings suffering into our life for the purpose of anticipation. Because we need to long for heaven, we need to have a more heavenly perspective, we need to be loosened up from earthly attachments, and we saw John the Apostle as the classic illustration of that. John suffering greatly as an exile suffering broken hearted over the demise of five of the seven churches in Asia Minor. John, in sorrow upon sorrow, because of what he was seeing was given a glimpse of the future, a glimpse of eternal glory and said, "Even so come Lord Jesus." He'd had enough of earth's sorrows.

The way we react to God`s discipline can thwart those purposes.
We can misjudge or despise (take lightly in v5) God`s discipline - whether by hardening ourselves against God, by complaining, or by constantly questioning "Why me?".  We become so focused on the problem itself that we can`t see the purpose behind it.

We can also simply lose heart (also v5) and just give up, because it`s more than they can bear. Our faith fails and we doubt everything about God that we`ve ever known.

The way we can keep from either despising or despairing, is to realize that our suffering is evidence of God`s love for us (v6).  He doesn`t enjoy our suffering, but He knows that it is for our benefit - and He loves us too much to withhold that from us.

Not only is our suffering proof of God`s love, but it is also proof of our sonship/daughtership (v6).
Discipline in the Christian life doesn't come in spite of sonship it comes because of it....


This is something to keep in mind now; the common reaction is to be envious of the person who escapes suffering. The common reaction is be envious of the person who escapes suffering when we really ought to be envious of the person who suffers. Don't envy unbelievers; don't envy the false teachers who show nothing but prosperity and comfort. Verse 8 says; "If you're without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons," don't envy that.


The reason for God`s discipline is that we may have life in the fullest (v9) and for our holiness (v10) and righteousness (v11).

Let the rains of disappointment come if they water the plants of spiritual grace; let the winds of adversity blow if they serve to root more securely the trees that God has planted. Let the sun of prosperity be eclipsed if that brings me closer to the true light of life, so I welcome discipline....


As the bee sucks honey out of the bitter flower, so faith can extract blessing from trouble. It can turn water into wine and make bread out of rock. It hopes and says triumphantly with Job, "Though he slay me yet will I trust Him? And when he has tried me," he said, "I'll come forth like gold." In our pain and not our pleasure we learn the deliverance of God and are made to know life and Holiness.

Remember Mary? Martha's sister, she stood at the empty tomb and she wept at the very thing designed to bring her greatest joy, the resurrection. She had the present view, not the afterward, don't stand in the middle of your trouble and weep at the very thing God has designed to produce ultimately your greatest joy.

It goes against every natural inclination in our body.  But we need to get our focus off the suffering itself, and onto the reason behind the suffering, onto the life and holiness that will be produced as a result, because of God`s love for us, His very children.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Hebrews 12:12-13

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Numbers 23-25

Saturday, March 3rd

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 18-20

Today's scripture focus is Hebrews 12:4-6

⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:

   “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
   and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
⁶ because the Lord disciplines those he loves, 

   and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

In this passage the writer of Hebrews quotes Proverbs 3:11-12 as a reminder that trials and suffering in the Christian life comes from God who uses these experiences to discipline, educate and train us because of His love for us as His children.

An undisciplined child is an unloved child (or at least a child of parents who do not understand that love includes discipline).  Loving parents do not want to raise undisciplined children.  Just as we train our children because we love them, so God trains us because He loves us.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Hebrews 12:7-11

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Numbers 21-22

Friday, March 2nd

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 16-17.

Today's scripture focus is Hebrews 12:1-3.

¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ² Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

The great cloud of witnesses refers to the heroes of the faith from Chapter 11.  Some preachers have taught that they are witnesses to our race, cheering us on.  But most preachers teach that they are not witnesses to our race, but witnesses to the blessings of living by faith - the inspiration to encourage us on our race.  Whether or not believers from heaven can see us on earth is up for debate.  But they certainly wouldn't be preoccupied with us - they would be preoccupied with God.

Their amazing lives of faith, their obedience of faith, their courage of faith, their acts of faith - in the face of death, persecution, hardship, unobtained promises, obtained promises, blessings, all circumstances - is an encourage to us to run the race.

This is a marathon, not a sprint, and we need endurance and we need encouragement to keep on fighting, to keep on running to win.  We are running with a purpose, not just aimlessly on a treadmill.

To do that we need to throw off sin and even things that are not necessarily sinful but that distract us from the race.  Here, the writer was likely talking about the dead weight of Judaism, of legalism.  We need to run by faith and faith alone.  Not faith + ritual.  Not faith + sacrifice.  Not faith + works.  Faith alone.  But it could also apply to anything that distracts us from running with purpose.

We need to persevere through difficulty.  We need endurance, patience, courage, hope, faith.

And the only way we can do that is to focus on Jesus - who endured the worst the world could throw at Him, for the sake of the glory of God His Father. We can't focus on the hurdles themselves.  We need to keep our eyes off our feet, off the ground, off our surroundings - and focus firmly on Jesus Christ.  Because He is the One and Only Perfect Example. He saw through the suffering to the ultimate and eternal victory that was His - and therefore, ours.

We need to remind ourselves that Jesus suffered opposition, that we can expect it ourselves, but that we can, and will, triumph over it!

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Hebrews 12:4-6

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage:  Numbers 18-20

Thursday, March 1 ~ Miriam

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Numbers 14-15; Psalm 90.

Today's scripture focus is  Hebrews 11:39-40.

³⁹ These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. ⁴⁰ God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.


From Matthew Henry's commentary - The apostle tells the Hebrews, that God had provided some better things for them, therefore they might be sure that he expected as good things from them. As our advantages, with the better things God has provided for us, are so much beyond theirs, so should our obedience of faith, patience of hope, and labour of love, be greater. And unless we get true faith as these believers had, they will rise up to condemn us at the last day. Let us then pray continually for the increase of our faith, that we may follow these bright examples, and be, with them, at length made perfect in holiness and happiness, and shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father for evermore.

All the examples of faith from Hebrews 11 were people who lived before the death and resurrection of Christ.  The promised Messiah had not yet come.  God planned something better for us, namely, salvation through the blood of his Son.  "Let us pray continually for the increase of our faith" and that of those who are fellow believers so that we may have the "obedience of faith, patience of hope, and labour of love," eventually being able to "shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father for evermore."

Amen.

Tomorrow's scripture focus:  Hebrews 12:1-3.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage:  Numbers 16-17.