Leaving Hebrews…Did we learn to get out of the way and on the Way…of Jesus Christ?

It’s hard to leave Hebrews and move on but we must. The writer encouraged and challenged the Hebrews and us at the same time. God’s Word does that. God loves and encourages and then, for our own good and growth, He whips us into the shape He planned for us before our birth. He knows us. He saves us. He grows us. 

He never leaves us where we are…He takes us farther down the road of pleasing Him and bringing Him glory…with the hope that others may join us on a similar journey with Him. It’s hard to say goodbye to Hebrews. We leave with this statement imprinted on our hearts and minds, “Friends, please take what I’ve written most seriously.” (Hebrews 13, Msg)

“Let’s aspire to let God have his Word back into our lives, so to speak. We need to let him—and only him—define what we are responsible for in our lives.

Jesus isn’t life enhancement. He’s life. He alone is the way life works. You can’t take someone else’s Jesus home with you. You can’t take your pastor’s Jesus home with you. Only your own walk with Jesus goes home with you. A relationship with Jesus is not automatic because you walk into a building with a pretty steeple or religious symbols. Buildings don’t change your life.

When we surrender to Christ, the spirit inside of us—the real person within the bag of bones we call a body—is renewed. Our brains are still flesh and blood that have recorded everything we’ve ever done. Our spirit is new, but we still have lost minds. Our brains become a battleground.

Sooner or later, we have to realize that Jesus is more than church. It requires consistent study of God’s Word and consistent prayer to help us thrive by deepening our roots and redefining erroneous thinking.” (From Casting Crowns website.) 

The above quote is a good ending for today as we move on…to James! See you tomorrow! 

Dear Heavenly Father, Your Word gives life to our tired souls and challenges us to be, just be with You. Then as Your living and giving Holy Spirit refreshes us, we leap to our feet, ready and encouraged to go “outside”, where the action of Jesus is, to keep living and growing, falling and getting back up again, and leaning heavily on Your grace. Oh, Lord, Your amazing, wonderful grace…thank you. Just thank you. In Jesus Name, Amen