August 23 Daily Discovery - Read Hebrews Chapter 4

Scroll down this page to read this passage from the King James Version (ekjv.org).

A Profitable Faith-Mix

Faith is what engages the power of God's promises. Faith or belief results in action. simply hearing the truth does not do you any good. Actually, hearing without following through with obedience makes us fools. it is only when we do based upon what we have heard that we are considered to be wise. To not know God's truth would make us ignorant, which is not a safe place to be. But to hear God's truth and not act upon it is far worse; that makes us fools. Being a fool is worse than being ignorant!

The good news that was proclaimed to the Hebrews under the initial Covenant was the promise that God would go with them and before them and that none of their enemies would be able to stand against them. T hey failed because they did not believe the message from God. When God tells us something and we do not believe Him, we are insulting God -- it's like calling Him a liar or suggesting that He does not have the power to perform what He has said He will do.

Deut. 32:21-31

[21] They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
[22] For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
[23] I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.
[24] They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.
[25] The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.
[26] I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:
[27] Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD hath not done all this.
[28] For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.
[29] O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
[30] How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?
[31] For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.

Joshua 23:1-11

[1] And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.
[2] And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:
[3] And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.
[4] Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.
[5] And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.
[6] Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
[7] That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
[8] But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
[9] For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
[10] One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
[11] Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.

Truth is only Engaged by Belief

Matt. 9:27-30

[27] And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
[28] And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
[29] Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
[30] And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

Mark 6:1-6

[1] And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
[2] And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
[3] Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
[4] But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
[5] And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
[6] And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Luke 7:1-9

[1] Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
[2] And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
[3] And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.
[4] And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
[5] For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
[6] Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
[7] Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
[8] For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
[9] When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Jesus marveled at the people closest to Him because of their unbelief and he marveled at the foreigner for his great faith!

Without faith it is impossible to please God!

Heb. 11:1-6

[1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
[2] For by it the elders obtained a good report.
[3] Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
[4] By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
[5] By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
[6] But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Labor so you can Find Rest

The great Danger of the first century Hebrew Christians was them not accepting the easy terms of the New Covenant that God had created for them. there were many adversaries that Paul had in his work that came from the Jews. they were literally following Paul along as he established churches and then attending those assemblies in teaching them that they had to become circumcised and follow the law of Moses in order to be saved. these early Hebrew Christians were subject to a lot of persecution from the Jews as well as from the Romans. Obviously, some of them were tempted and being tested and considering returning to the Old Covenant sacrificial system as well,-- which would be the most grave of errors, because that would mean utter, absolutely, total rejection of the finished work of Jesus Christ in their behalf in the New Covenant.

The writer of this letter to the Hebrews is telling them they need to work on this. Work so you can rest! It is finished. Rest in it!

Matt. 11:25-30

[25] At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
[26] Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
[27] All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
[28] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
[29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
[30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Boldness by the Blood of Jesus

Under the old Covenant, there was only one man, who one time a year, with great fear and trembling was able to approach the holy of holies where the presence of God on earth dwelt. With the finished sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn into from the top to the bottom. It was not torn by man but by God. That Veil separated the holy place where the priests were allowed to minister from the holy of holies where the high priest could only enter once a year.

In the New Covenant, Jesus is our Great High Priest and there is no veil. Worshipers are allowed to get right into the very presence of God because of the blood of Jesus Christ, and we can do it boldly, which means we can do it without fear!

Let us continually take advantage of our ability to approach the throne of God without fear to bring our requests as well as our praises and thanksgiving to Him.

[1] Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
[2] For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
[3] For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
[4] For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
[5] And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
[6] Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
[7] Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
[8] For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
[9] There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
[10] For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
[11] Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
[12] For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
[13] Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
[14] Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
[15] For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
[16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

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