Some Musings on Hebrews 13 (Part 4)

As I have often mentioned in this blog, my friend Frank and I have an agreement. We read the same chapter in God’s Word each day for a week and then drop each other a short email about what we have learned. We then move to the next chapter the next week. I describe our modest online Bible study here. You might want to try this with a friend or relative.

We are finishing up our reading of the book of Hebrews. And there is much in this final chapter that I just have to go over with you. Let’s look at the next verse:

Choosing to keep our lives free from the love of money and learning to be content with what we have flow from an understanding of God’s abiding presence with us. He has promised never to leave or forsake us!

Taking that perspective on our lives and our possessions should lead us to make a declaration — a confident declaration: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (v. 6).

Great question! What can mere mortals do to me? Well, they can rob me of my stuff, but they can’t steal my joy in Jesus. They can swindle me out of my retirement funds, but they can’t bar me from heaven. They can take away my earthly goods, but they can’t separate me from my heavenly Savior.

Today’s Challenge: The antidote to fear is faith in the Lord, in His help, in His abiding and sustaining presence. Be confident today, my friend, not in yourself or your stuff, but in Your Savior!

 

Some Musings on Hebrews 13 (Part 3)

As I have often mentioned in this blog, my friend Frank and I have an agreement. We read the same chapter in God’s Word each day for a week and then drop each other a short email about what we have learned. We then move to the next chapter the next week. I describe our modest online Bible study here. You might want to try this with a friend or relative.

We are finishing up our reading of the book of Hebrews. And there is much in this final chapter that I just have to go over with you. Let’s look at the next verse:

This is an amazing text! Before we examine it a bit more closely, feel free to click on the play button for 22 seconds of the music group Abba’s perspective!

The verse clearly challenges believers to “keep your lives free from the love of money”! Many people wrongly think that “money is the root of all evil.” That’s not what the Bible says. The passage that is often misquoted is I Timothy 6:10 which says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”  Notice: (1) It is the love of money that is a root of evil. It is not the only root of evil. (2) The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. (3) An eagerness for money has caused some to wander from the faith and to pierce themselves with many griefs!

How about one more audio clip emphasizing the acquiring of money?  This one is from the Beatles in 1963!

We are to “keep our lives free from the love of money”! Why? Because true contentment comes from recognizing God’s abiding presence with us! Money will vanish. Possessions will break or be stolen or get lost. But God’s promise of His never leaving us should be our anchor and assurance. And that’s what we should want!

Today’s Challenge: How do you look at money? Is it a tool to do the will of God and to enjoy the good gifts that He gives? Praise Him for His abiding presence with us — whether we are materially blessed . . . or not!

 

Time for a Great Quote: Philip Yancey on PRAYER

 

Psalms of the Salter: Some Thoughts on Really Living for the Lord (Psalm 54)

Psalm 54^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

¹ Save me, O God, by your name;
    vindicate me by your might.
² Hear my prayer, O God;
    listen to the words of my mouth.

³ Arrogant foes are attacking me;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    people without regard for God.

⁴ Surely God is my help;
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.

⁵ Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness destroy them.

⁶ I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
    I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.
⁷ You have delivered me from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

 

Psalms of My Life (Psalm 84)

Psalm 84
For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.[c]

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.[d]
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.

“Me? A doorkeeper for GOD?!”

8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;

listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield,[e] O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.

10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.