Bible Reading Reflection from Hebrews 1-13

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

HEBREWS 1

The message of Hebrews: Christianity is better than anything. So, don’t ever think of de-conversion. 😉

 

HEBREWS 2:1-3

"Therefore we must give the more EARNEST HEED to the things we have HEARD, lest we DRIFT AWAY. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we ESCAPE if we NEGLECT so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him"

I was listening to Jonathan Osteen, son of Joel Osteen this morning. I couldn't bear it. Osteen God is not the God of the Bible. I was so saddened to see thousands of professing Christians commenting, "It blesses my heart so much, I need to hear this, thank you pastor Osteen, may God continue to use you."

Salvation comes from hearing the Gospel. Gospel (good news) presumes that there has been bad news.

Our world today does not know the bad news, that we are under the wrath of God, so good news is not good news unless we are gripped by the bad news!

Let's stand firm and continue to profess that we were and are still wretched sinners always needing the grace of God lest we drift away.

 

HEBREWS 3:6

"but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose HOUSE we are IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm TO THE END."

Scripture has compared us [church] to many things, body, field, and here, house.

While some people are busy building the physical church building, let's be busy building the spiritual house of God too, which is helping one another grow in faith, truth, grace, love, and godliness!

And it includes if-clause, "if we hold fast . . . to the end." Not to give up! 🙏

 

HEBREWS 4

Rest (v1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11)

What's Rest? Contextually, it means Salvation — peace with God, acceptable before God, pleasing to God, no hard labor to please God (v10).

A true Christian is saved by God, and has entered the rest of God. God is pleased with Him, no matter what!

In Manipur, a primary school teacher (council Oja) is a legitimate teacher and draws a regular salary, but many of them never teach any student.

Legitimately (legally, positionally) we have entered the rest of God, and unlike the council Oja, practically, we must strive to enter that rest (to please God with fear and trembling) (v11).

What an assurance! What a motivation!

 

HEBREWS 5:8-9

"Though He was a Son, yet He LEARNED OBEDIENCE by the things which he suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation TO ALL WHO OBEY HIM"

One single act of disobedience has plunged humanity into the damnation of God. How many times have I disobeyed God??

Thanks be to Jesus; His obedience was to substitute my disobedience! Now, God sees me as an obedient child of God in Christ.

However, practically, I must seek and strive to obey Him as affirmed in verse 9.

 

HEBREWS 6:19

"This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil"

We used to say ‘hope’ and ‘hopefully’ for things we aren't sure about. Like, "Hopefully, I get a job within 2 years!" Or "I hope you are doing well!"

The biblical hope is totally the opposite. It is a sure thing. It will never fail. Not only sure, but it is also steadfast. It never wavers. It is firm. It keeps hoping even when time goes by. Actually, it becomes more hopeful as time goes by.

That's true! I am more sure of my faith and love for Christ than before. I am more sure of my Savior’s love for me than before. I am more sure of the Sovereignty of God than before!

All because of God because He is a sure and unfailing God. Blessed be Your name, O my God! 🙏

 

HEBREWS 7

I love Hebrews 7

The writer of Hebrews did a wonderful, infallible, inspired exposition on Ps.110:4 to present Jesus as the perfect priest.

While a prophet is somebody telling us about God, a priest is somebody telling (pleading) God about us. Jesus is both a prophet and a priest. He tells us about God, and He also pleads with God on our behalf. If and since Jesus is my priest, I shall in all situations win the case against the accusations of the devil.

I remember a story about a police constable who went for Election Duty. He was a staunch supporter of former Deputy CM of Manipur, Gaikhangam. When he heard the news that Gaikhangam had won the election again, he fled from his duty and went home. His superior warned him of suspension for indiscipline. He replied, "You can take me out (suspend) hundred times, and my MLA will put me back hundred times. So, I am gona celebrate his victory" and went away.

While that guy's action is not commendable, his faith in his MLA is commendable. Jesus is powerful and better than Gaikhangam, and He will win all the cases the devil brought in the court of a holy God.

 

HEBREWS 8:4

"For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law"

Isn't it great that Jesus has left us behind and went to heaven? 😇🙏

Romans 8:34: "Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."

 

HEBREWS 9

I always love v22, 27, 13-14.

I love how the writer of Hebrews describes the religiosity of non-believers, dead works.

Reading Hebrews 9 reminds me what a holy God we serve! Forget about heaven, even on earth, only one person [High Priest] was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place. That is also only once a year. He must enter with fear and trembling, confessing his own sins and the sins of all. That’s why, it is said that the High Priest went in with a rope tight on his waist that in case he dropped dead in the presence of a holy God, the congregation can drag him out without entering that place.

And many professing Christians think God tolerates our sins! 🙏😰😰

 

HEBREWS 10:19-25

Assurance of Salvation is the birthright of every Christian.

I am assured because of what Christ has done (past) (1-18) and because of what He is doing now (present) (Romans 8:34).

 

HEBREWS 11

—Reflection—

Hmm! Faith is not only the power that saves us from the judgment to come. It is also the strength to go through all sufferings.

Faith is also well demonstrated in times of adversity, suffering, and persecution!

Also, Hebrews11's faith is not the thing of this world. In fact, we lose here and (to) gain in that prepared city!

Oh! Faithfulness! What a journey! What a battle! What a loss! But how beautiful in the sight of the God of that eternal city!

 

HEBREWS 12

God will discipline us when a Christian sins because He loves us.

Disciplining is hard and painful (v11). If we enjoy sin, and if we see no chastisement of God in our life, we must pray that God makes us fearful.

But all of us are sinners even as Christian. So, we must learn to discern what the chastening of God is. It might be unanswered prayer, inconveniences, troubles from inside and outside, etc.

And God has ordained confession, repentance, perseverance in faith, importune in prayer to be the means to go through chastisement, sins, and all the walks of our life.

God will discipline us but will never forsake us. God will discipline us but will never crush us. Because He disciplines us for holy living, He doesn't punish us, unleashing His wrath upon us. Jesus has borne that wrath already.

What a comfort! Lord, may I take joy in Your correction!

Btw, sin is not just murder, immorality. Even worrying is a sin.

 

HEBREWS 13

Reflection on Church Leaders:

Three times, the writer of Hebrews points his readers to the leaders of the church:

v7. Remember those who rule over you...., and imitate them

v17. Obey those who rule over you....,

v24. Greet all those who rule over you,

The book of Timothy, Titus, and even Peter have instructions on how a pastor should behave, but Hebrews 13 reminds us how church members should think of their pastors! Interesting balance!

Bible Reading Reflection from Philemon

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

PHILEMON 1:14

"But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary."

Paul, being an Apostle and many others else, did not need to consult anything with Philemon. He did not need to request anything, rather he could have commanded him what to do. Yet he did the opposite. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" was not true for him. He modelled our honesty, equity, and modesty.

Being a leader, it's tempting to do what I think is right without consulting others on the line of "What did he/she know? What right did they have?"

It's imperative to consider the right, consent, (and even the wisdom of others) in a decision-making process, as modelled by the Apostle Paul!

Bible Reading Reflection from Titus 1-3

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (DG) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

𝕋𝕀𝕋𝕌𝕊 𝟙:𝟚

"In the hope of eternal life, which the God who cannot lie promised from all eternity"

God never tells lies. His promises, therefore, are sure. Equally, His warnings are sure too.

There's really a heaven and hell too. In doubt, let's make ourselves liars/incompetent/puny, and trust God!

Jesus claims to be the Truth. And He says the devil is the Liar!

 

𝕋𝕀𝕋𝕌𝕊 𝟚:𝟞

"Likewise urge the younger men to be sensible."

Sensible. Young people are stupid, of course. They have to be sensible.

How can we be sensible? Of course, we have to be thinking people.

How can we be thinking people? Of course, we need to have some resources to think about. Maybe books, especially the Bible, and we have to take things seriously. Not to be carefree.

 

𝕋𝕀𝕋𝕌𝕊 𝟛:𝟙

"Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, 𝕋𝕠 𝔹𝕖 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕪 𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝔼𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝔾𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕜,"

Hmmm! Not some, but “every”. Can't afford to be choosy. And definitely, never to be lazy.

Let's not be slow to do good work. Let's volunteer to do good work!

Bible Reading Reflection from 2 Timothy 1-4

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (DG) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

𝕀𝕀 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝕆𝕋ℍ𝕐 𝟙:𝟙𝟚

"For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day."

What assurance Paul has had in Jesus Christ. And we all can say like him with full of joy in our hearts because assurance is the birthright of every Christian. There's even a hymn taken out from this verse! “I know whom I have believed.”

 

𝕀𝕀 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝕆𝕋ℍ𝕐 𝟚:𝟚𝟘-𝟚𝟙

"Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of clay, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, having been prepared for every good work."

We love to be great. We love to be great even in the kingdom of God. We love to be greatly used by God.

Those desires aren't evil, they are great! And these 2 verses reveal to us how we can be greatly used by God: To sanctify our body daily.

God hates sin. Sin disturbs our communion with God. Sin and God cannot work together. To be used greatly by God is to depart from sin. To be great is to be holy.

 

𝕀𝕀 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝕆𝕋ℍ𝕐 3:𝟙𝟚

"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."

If I am living comfortably in this world; if I am at peace with this world, my surrounding; if the world and people around me are okay with my lifestyle, then most probably I am not godly at all!

Following Christ is through the narrow gate. Not only the gate is narrow, but the way is narrow too. And only a few find it.

Can't live like the world. Can't mingle with the world!

 

𝕀𝕀 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝕆𝕋ℍ𝕐 𝟜:𝟙𝟞

"At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them."

Christ was forgiving. Stephen was forgiving. Paul was forgiving.

They all prayed for those who had wronged them.

That's moving one step farther than forgiveness!

Job also prayed for his bitter friends to be forgiven!

Bible Reading Reflection from 1 Timothy 1-6

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (DG) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

𝕀 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝕆𝕋ℍ𝕐 𝟙:𝟙𝟠-𝟙𝟡

"This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith."

The Christian life is a battle, it's a war because Satan is roaming around like a roaring lion to devour. It's imperative that we live a life of alertness. We must fight every temptation, battle every sinful inclination. That's a spiritual discipline. Fighting the good fight that we may not fall!

We are to be excellent in whatever is good. We can't be complacent people!

 

𝕀 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝕆𝕋ℍ𝕐 𝟚:𝟛-𝟞

"This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the witness for this proper time."

God wants all to be saved. And He gave Jesus, who is the means of Salvation. Do we want all to be saved? It's to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

What are the reasons and challenges for my hesitation to share the news of Salvation with people? Let's reflect upon this question!

 

𝕀 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝕆𝕋ℍ𝕐 𝟛:𝟙𝟜-𝟙𝟝

"I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you soon but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."

The church is a sacred place, a sacred community, a sacred atmosphere, a sacred service, a sacred gathering, a sacred attendance, a sacred meeting; let's not take it lightly. Therefore, leadership must be of the highest standard.

Let's pray for the sanctity of the church, that we will sanctify our hearts in matters of church, and that our leaders will be approved and pleasing to God in carrying out their duties! 🙏

 

𝕀 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝕆𝕋ℍ𝕐 𝟜:𝟙𝟚

"Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

One of my favorite verses for more than 2 decades of my life.

“ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴀɴ ᴇxᴀᴍᴘʟᴇ”

By God's Grace, many have said that I have been an example for their kids, for my friends, for my juniors, for even my fellow leaders. Praise be to God.

However, this verse is real to me as always. I have to be an example in all things and at all times. There's no holiday. There's no success until we reach heaven's shore.

1. Watch how you speak: profanity, lying, insult, swearing,

2. Watch how you behave: integrity, friendship, fellowship, principles, discipline,

3. Watch what and how you love.

4. Watch your profession: your doctrine, church, Bible,

5. Watch your life: purity and godliness; sin and evil company

 

𝕀 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝕆𝕋ℍ𝕐 𝟝:𝟚𝟘

"Those who continue in sin, reprove in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful."

Sin is dangerous. It's contagious. Therefore, it must be dealt with effectively.

Sin affects the person and infects others too. While coronavirus is infected through direct contact or even if it could be airborne, sin is infected even by sight, hearing, and thinking. It's far, far pandemic.

Therefore, public sin must be dealt with publicly. That it might not infect others, that it might instil the fear of sin. Fear restrains people from sinning.

BTW, Church discipline has not been practiced biblically by many churches. It is a must!

 

𝕀 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝕆𝕋ℍ𝕐 𝟞:𝟙𝟟-𝟙𝟡

"Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Command them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed."

It's okay to be rich. It's good to be rich.

It's not ok to boast of richness. It's not right to look down on the poor. It's not right to run after money.

The rich must be generous because it's God who allows them to be rich. The rich must be rich in good works also.

And now, the question is how much is rich?

Let's realize that if we have food and clothing, it's enough (v8). Therefore, let's also remember that we are richer than many people on earth. And therefore, applies to us too.

Bible Reading Reflection from 2 Thessalonians 1-3

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

2 THESSALONIANS 1:10

"When He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed."

A Messi fan doesn't like to be in the stadium of Ronaldo fans, and vice versa. We enjoy the company of like-minded people. Imagine a world of only like-minded people, how wonderful will it be! Might I suggest more wildly? Think of the coming of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb! Everyone's a Believer. No fighting, no argument, no ill-treatment, no sin, nothing evil!

Everyone will give Jesus the glory He deserves. Everyone will admire Him, and get to receive a crown from Him. I am sure, that's better than Messi or Ronaldo signing an autograph for us. 😉

The world may continue to mock my Lord and our Christian ethics, but one day, mockery will cease, and we will have our reign! I long for that day!

And of course, I long for other non-believers to admire my Lord too from this present life.

 

2 THESSALONIANS 2:10-12

"And with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Is it not wonderful that Satan's deception is only over the non-believers? Satan has no power over us. Our faith, our hope, and our salvation is established by God. Even the deception of Satan is allowed by God so that the wicked people can seal their own destruction.

I don't need to worry whether my faith will fall or not when Anti-Christ comes because the coming of the Anti-Christ is for the deception of unbelievers that they may perish in the coming wrath of God; the coming of Jesus-Christ is for the salvation of believers from the tribulation and coming wrath of God.

 

2 THESSALONIANS 3:15

“Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

How difficult it is to deal with an unrepentant brother without giving in to hatred. I have seen Christian leaders ex-communicating others in the name of biblical disciplines, not in love but in hate. When all efforts fail, it often ends up as an enemy. Hating the person once loved! I can see that tendency even in my own heart.

O Lord, to speak ill of none, to hate nobody, cause my heart to thrive in Your Love, Amen!