Ayoooo errabody, so I have the job of closing out this awesome series of devos going through Hebrews, and I really just wanted to focus on 3 things in this chapter. Love you guys and miss you guys... I’m praying that each of you sees the Lord in gloriously new ways through this time.

Continue loving with a brotherly love (Hebrews 13:1)

The Greek word “Philadelphia” (yes, like the state) is used here for love, the root of this form is Philia, which means deep friendship and partnership with fellow believers. We are not called to simply be acquaintances with fellow believers, but to be brothers (and sisters...not trynna be sexist here)

Sympathize with those that are “imprisoned”  (Hebrews 13:3)

People are imprisoned by pain and loss. And as believers who have “philia” love, the best way to love them is through the act of serving alongside those who are hurting. Servanthood is the best way to love authentically

Be content (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Contentment only comes through the 100% belief of God’s promise. The reason we are so easily led astray by vanity is because of our forgetfulness of God’s promises and faithfulness. Discontentment comes from thinking our ways are more valid than God’s ways and that our desires are more valuable than Gods provision.

Devotion by Cam Jackson — May 7, 2020

Sup everyone, I hope finals hasn’t killed ya and that this devotion offers a bit of help in your walk. So let’s just go over a few (not all) points made out in this chapter

Verse 1 starts off simple and straight forward telling us to lay aside entangling sin and that we should run the race with endurance because people are watching us run this race. So what that means is that the Christian walk starts from the moment you accept Christ as your savior to the day you die so if you let sin weigh you down you will run out of juice in the tank and not be able to finish the race. So in order to have better endurance we must get rid of unnecessary weight, which is sin. 

Later on in verse 11 it talks about how discipline at first is not joyful, but sorrowful. Yet those who have been trained by it will yield peaceful fruit of righteousness. This verse points out something that we either lack all together or need more of and that is discipline. Ever wonder why every time you try to start doing a daily quiet time and you aren’t like super serious so you miss a few days here and there, and then ultimately you just stop? Well that would be because you aren’t trained by discipline. Discipline is tough at first but once you establish it in your daily life you will reap the fruits of righteousness as the verse says.

The last thing I wanna pull from this chapter is verses 28 and 29. It states that “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which can not be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer God an acceptable service with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.” -> I don’t wanna offer some holier than thou explanation of this... I just want you to read it and remember that our GOD is deserving or our reverence and awe, as he is the creator of everything. And he is a consuming fire... so let him consuming all of you, not just a little bit. 

Good luck durning finals everyone! 

Devotion by Parks Jordan —May 6, 2020

A Little Chat About Faith

Hey guys! I hope that you’re enjoying this devotion series in Hebrews. Today I’m talking about something that may seem relatively simple in terms of topic, but is one of the most important parts of our lives as followers of Christ.

I think it is a little funny, and perhaps perplexing, that after the theologically rich writings of Paul we come to the book of Hebrews. More specifically, I think it’s odd that we come to Hebrews 11, which is where I am primarily going to set up camp for this devotion. We come to this place in the Bible where it almost seems like a rehash of the stories that we are almost all too familiar with: the story of Noah, the story of Cain and Abel, The story of Sarah who was barren. At this point we must give pause and think, “why is this placed here?” It doesn’t necessarily teach us anything new, so why are we reading this after reading books like Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians? The answer is actually a lot simpler than we realize: it follows the path of a maturing christian. As we learn more about Christ and grow closer to God it can be easy to get caught up in theology and almost worship theology more than we worship God himself. Freshman year here, I really wanted to read the book of Romans because my preacher was doing a series on it and I wanted to see what it said for myself. During this time I really started reading into theology and started to lose focus of God, and because I started losing focus on God I started to have serious doubts and it troubled me. Deeply. I started to think that I could juggle every aspect of my life and bear every burden I had on my own. It was during this time that I had to reevaluate what I believed. I had to get back to the basics of what it meant to be a Christian. This is why we see this chapter placed where it is. It serves as a reminder to sometimes take a break from theology and really have faith that God is working out everything for the better, even though it may not align with what we think is best. As Christains we can’t just take matters into our own hands because we think we have a better plan. We can’t bear our own burdens because they are far too heavy and will often crush our spirits. We HAVE to give it to God.    

Like I mentioned in the beginning, this chapter is full of stories that we are very familiar with. But today I really want to look at two of the stories Hebrews alludes to. The first one that I want to look at is the story of Cain and Abel. We know that after Adam and Eve ate the fruit that God commanded them to avoid, they were banished and during this time we know that they had at least two sons: Cain and Abel. And we also know that sometime during their lives, they both presented an offering to God and God preferred Abel’s gift to Cain’s. Because God found favor in Abel’s, Cain became jealous and killed his brother. Yeah, this tale is tragic, but in the midst of it we kinda have to ask ourselves, “why did God choose Abel’s gift in the first place?” Well the answer is spelled out for us in Hebrews 11:4, “By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead” NIV. So we see that the reason God preferred Abel’s gift was because of the faith of Abel. From this verse we can conclude two things and they kind of go hand in hand. 1) God loves when we present offerings as a product of our faith and 2) God hates when we present a gift as a product of our own pride or selfishness. I can think of a handful of times when I was younger where I gave a gift to my mom or dad in hopes of receiving a reward. Here is how it went down: I gifted my mother a cool (I’m using this term very loosely here) rock I found at daycare and hoped and prayed that she would pull over at the gas station and let me get a candy bar. More often than not my plan failed and I received nothing in return. I feel as though that’s how God often views gifts we give when we are hoping for something in return: a rock in exchange for riches. When we give gifts because we believe that God deserves them and we don’t expect anything in return, he loves them so much more and views them as righteous. From this story we are able to surmise that it is our faith that makes us righteous, not anything we can do or give on our own.   

The next story I want to talk a little bit about is the story of Noah which can be found in verse 7. We know that God had become furious with the world and was going to send a flood to destroy everything in it, but there was one righteous man who God chose to save. On the surface this story seems quite simple: God is extending his mercy to someone so that they might not die. Most of us think that if God was trying to save our lives we would follow exactly what he told us to do. Here’s the kicker though, the means by which God was going to destroy the world had never been seen. Imagine God telling you to build a safe house because he was going to send a flock of toucans to destroy the Earth. Not only would everyone around you think that you were insane, but at some point you might think that you had gone off the deep end. That’s the reality of Noah’s story. Nobody had heard of or seen rain because they got their water from springs in the ground, so whenever this strange man came along and proclaimed that water would fall from the sky and kill everything, it was no surprise that more than a couple of eyebrows were raised. But instead of listening to the world Noah said, “No. I serve a God who is true. I serve a God that can make the impossible possible. I will remain faithful to Him because he is good.” And because he was faithful, everyone now on earth is a descendant of him and his family. Imagine if Noah refused to build the arc. We wouldn’t be here. There would be no animals to roam the Earth. The Earth would be empty. But through faith, we are alive. Noah’s faith was so great even though he was laughed at, mocked, and probably written off as a lunatic and because he remained strong, God blessed him and his family after the flood. Because of his faith the Earth is full.

Hebrews 11 is an awesome reminder to remain faithful through every situation. Right now we are facing uncertain times and it is only through God that we even have a hope of getting out of our situation. My prayer for us all is that we turn to God with all of our sufferings and that when we feel the burden is just too great for us to handle, that we go to God because we have faith that he is good and wants the best for us. I pray that we remain faithful to God when everyone around us laughs and tells us that what God says is false, and I pray that when God is inevitably right, we give thanks to him like Abel did. I hope everyone stays safe during this season and I look forward to seeing you all in August! God bless.

Devotion by Drew Estes — May 4, 2020

A comforting promise, A call to action, and A warning

Hebrews is considered by many to be one of the greatest recorded sermons ever. Throughout our study of the book, we have seen the author constantly elevate Jesus as superior to anything or anyone, challenge the reader to remain faithful to Jesus through persecution, and warn the reader not to turn away from a life with Jesus. Let us take a look at how chapter 10 follows this same structure…

 A comforting promise (v. 1-18)

The way the author identifies Jesus as superior to anything or anyone in chapter 10 is by identifying Jesus’ sacrifice as all-sufficient for all sin for all time, as well as the only sacrifice that can cover sin. The author states, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin” (v. 4) and then states, “For by one sacrifice, He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (v. 14). What does this mean for us as Christians? This is a comforting promise that we have been covered and we are justified forever by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. All we have to do to access this promise is commit to the sanctification that comes with God’s gift of salvation.

 A call to action (v. 19-25)

The author then uses the basis of Jesus’ all-sufficient sacrifice to give a challenge to his audience. Because of this promise, the author challenges his audience to “draw near to God” (v. 22), to “hold fast to the hope we profess” (v. 23), and to draw near to each other (v. 24-25). What does this mean for the Christian walk? This means that, because of Jesus’ all-sufficient sacrifice, we are to daily live in communion with God, we are to hold unswervingly to our faith no matter the circumstances, and we are to grow closer to our Christian brothers and sisters because of this faith. Walk with God, hold fast to your faith, and grow one another!

 A warning (v. 26-39)

Finally, now that the author has shown his audience what a Christian walk looks like, he warns his readers not to turn away from Jesus. He says that “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of truth, no sacrifice for sins is left” (v. 26). The author is warning against making a conscious decision to take our eyes off Jesus and put them on the world when he references God’s voice saying, “I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back” (v. 38). As Christians, we have the knowledge of truth, therefore “we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved” (v. 39). Don’t shrink back from the abundant life God has called you to through obedience to him!

 Be comforted by the promise that His sacrifice is all-sufficient. Respond to the call to walk with God, hold fast to your faith, and grow one another. Heed the warning not to shrink back from the abundant life He has to offer. 

Devotion by Jackson Couch —May 1, 2020

“Perfectly Imperfect”

If you had to sacrifice an animal for every time you made a mistake, how many animals would you have sacrificed by now? Haha, I think that just counting all the animals I’d have to sacrifice throughout my lifetime, a lot of perfect creatures would be close to extinction. These past couple of days, I’ve realized that no matter how hard I try, as long as I live in this flesh, I will never reach perfection on earth. Why? Because I’m not God! If I were perfect, then I wouldn’t need God because I would believe that I’m self-sufficient. However, Hebrews 9 talks about a precious temple, instruments of worship found in it, the beautiful presence of God in the Most Holy Place. You know what Jesus did? He gave us complete access to the most holy things by giving His life on the cross. God was completely aware of our imperfections. Before Jesus appeared on earth, perfect animals had to be sacrificed so that the blood of the animal could make atonement for our sins. But with the things Jesus has done for me in the past, and the things he continues to do for me today, I know that in eyes of my Savior, I will always be perfectly imperfect.

Devotion by Angelica Marquez —April 30, 2020

Springtime is a favorite season for a lot of people, and it’s easy to understand why. It represents a time of rebirth, both in the sense of nature coming back into bloom after its Winter slumber and that this is when we celebrate Easter Sunday and the resurrection Jesus Christ and our subsequent redemption from the sin we were once dead to. I get an odd look once in a while when I tell people that my favorite season is fall. Why favor a season where things wither and die instead of spring back to life? Besides the easy answer that it’s the one mild temp season that doesn’t give me allergies, there is something to be said about the promise that something will be made new out of the fall of something old. This is the primary focus of Hebrews chapter 8. The beginning of the chapter piggybacks off of where chapter 7 left off, talking about how Jesus’ priesthood will continue forever as opposed to the former priests of old whose ministry was limited by their mortality. Now we are told that if Jesus exists as the perfection version of priesthood, the need also exists for a perfect tabernacle. Verse 2 tells us that Jesus is “a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord has pitched, not man.” According to verse 5, the old priests had to, “serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle,” but when Jesus conquered sin and death, we have now been promised a perfect tabernacle in a perfect kingdom instead of just a shadow of that perfection. Not only did Jesus’ victory grant us a new tabernacle, but He has made for us a new covenant as well. We hear in verse 7, “For if the that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.” It’s true that as far back as the book of Jeremiah, God had informed His people that the original covenant was not perfect, but just as the withering of fall promises us a new, stronger growth in the coming spring, God promised a better covenant that would render the first one obsolete. If the sacrifice of Jesus can make new the old priesthood, the old tabernacle, and the old covenant, don’t you believe that he can make something new out of the old you too? My hope and prayer coming out of this time in Hebrews 8 is that you and I both would ask God to take whatever is withering and dying in us, and continue to make us a new creation every day in our walk with Him.

Devotion by Andrew Malphurs —April 29, 2020

The topic of Hebrews 7 is the perfection and power of Christ’s priesthood. The writer of Hebrews begins this chapter with a history lesson about Melchizedek. Melchizedek (Mel) was probably one of the most amazing and powerful people in the Old Testament. Verse 1 says that Mel was, “King of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, v 2, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything; first his name means king of righteousness.” So, Mel was kind of a big deal. He was blessed by the father of the Jewish people, he was a king, a defeater of kings, and a high priest. The author knew that Mel was considered great and powerful in the eyes of the Jewish people. However, in verse 22 the author challenges Mel’s greatness by introducing Jesus Christ. He writes, “So Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant” and verse 24 continues onto say, “because He remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. V 25, Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for us.” The writer of Hebrews gives the reader a great message of hope here and a wonderful display of the gospel.  

The Jewish people knew that Melchizedek was an amazing historical figure, but the writer of Hebrews wanted them to know that there was one greater than Mel, Jesus Christ.  The author illustrated Christ’s greatness in verse 27 “He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices everyday, as high priests do, He did this once for all when He offered Himself.” Mel may have been considered the perpetual high priest, but to provide atonement for sin, Mel would have to sacrifice an animal according to specific laws and practices. One person’s sin would equal one sacrificed animal according to the Old covenant. But because Jesus is, “holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens” (v26), He only had to offer His own life as the final sacrifice for all our sins. Jesus permanently ended the laws of the old covenant and brought in the start of the New covenant. The New Covenant promised that believers could have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the greatest figure in all human history. In addition to that, not only did Christ offer himself as the ultimate sacrifice, but he rose again three days later. The Jewish readers of this book would be greatly impacted by Christ’s power over Mel and over death.

However, sometimes we need to be reminded of Christ’s greatness. We may not know who Melchizedek is, but we are familiar with the power that other worldly things have over our lives. Things like the Corona Virus, anxiety, depression, grief, and loss seem very powerful and impactful to our lives. Sometimes we feel like there is no hope for us in what we are dealing with, but let this chapter be a reminder that Jesus Christ IS the most powerful being that has ever been and will ever be. Christ is the one true hope for your situation.

Devotion by Maddie Phillip —April 28, 2020

DON’T remain childish in your faith (Hebrews 6:1-3)

In the beginning of the chapter 6 Paul communicates the importance of growing in our relationship and knowledge of Christ. He writes “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity” (verse 1). This reminds me of my year at college. Before the move, I already knew how to complete basic house-keeping chores and cook simple meals but living on my own was whole new level of understanding that I needed in order to survive on my own. Just as I had to grow in my knowledge in order to live on my own, we also must grow and mature in our walk with God in order to endure what God has in store for us. 

DON’T fall away (Hebrews 6:4-8)

Paul warns us of the dangers of falling away from God. He writes how difficult it will be for one who has “tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age” (verse 5) to be brought back to repentance. I am currently a colligate track athlete, and I have no doubt tasted the sweet rush of a win. I have felt what it feels like to be in the best shape possible, and I am aware how healthy and great of a lifestyle it is to be fit. However, bad life circumstances have set in, my emotions have gotten all jumbled up, I have doubted myself and my abilities, I have wondered what is it like to be a ‘regular’ college student being able to stay up late every night and eat and drink whatever they please, and I have, in the past, given in to temptation and fallen away from my duties as an athlete and a teammate. Falling away is dangerous because every day lost counts. The world and its pleasures are enticing but they are NEVER worth it. I regretted every minute I spent slacking off at practice and neglecting my responsibilities. It is extremely challenging if not impossible to make it back. Falling away from our relationship with God is dangerous all the same. 

DON’T be lazy  (Hebrews 6:9-12) 

As a kid my siblings and I would always want to hurry through the tasks/chores we were given to complete. We would get sloppy get sluggish, not giving the task our 100 percent effort. My dad would eventually come behind us saying “to the bitter end. We will work until the better end.” Similarly, God is telling us not to become lazy but instead to “show diligence until the very end” (verse 11). He wants us to be patient, holding on to what He has promised.

The certainty of God’s Promise  (Hebrews 6:13-20)

In the Old Testament God made a promise to Abraham saying “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” After waiting patiently, Abraham received what God had promised. God’s faithfulness in keeping his word has yet to fail, and for this reason we can always trust him. We can have hope and be encouraged by the fact that God’s word will prevail. Verse 19 says “we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”

Devotion by Abigail Kirkland —April 27, 2020

Sometimes the things God calls us to do can seem extremely big and impossible. Have you ever experienced anything like it? Maybe even just a job promotion, like being a manager. Hebrews chapter 5 touches on the Old Testament story in the Book of Exodus of Aaron, Moses’ brother, and his two sons being promoted. God specifically called Aaron and his sons to become priests. For those who do not know, priests have the high responsibility to serve God by representing and reflecting the Holiness of God, and to be the mediator between man and God. Mediator means they are reliable for the sins of people and their relationship with God. Sound like a position you would want to take? As a priest, they had to consecrate themselves, which means to purify or to cleanse, so they can be made Holy in the sight of God. This comes to show that they too are weak and are sinners of the flesh. The priests had to present their offerings and the offerings the congregation brought, to God every year for their sins to be forgiven. Some of the things they had to present to God were calves, bulls, and rams, and the priest would have to slaughter them to obtain their blood - definitely not a job I could take. Did you catch that though? They had to do this every year. This allowed people to be reconciled with God and cover sinners with righteousness temporarily.

The reason why we are no longer required to do these things is because God, by His great love, grace and mercy, sent Jesus to take the position as the PERFECT high priest. Jesus, too, was called, just as God had called the other priests, but this time, Jesus is the perfect mediator and He is the perfect sacrifice. The priests brought temporary salvation, but Jesus gives us the permanent salvation, saving people from death. “He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” Hebrews 5:9.

How grateful should we be for the priests then, and now, Jesus, for taking upon the calling God had for them? Each calling God has for us has a greater purpose, even when we may not see it. Even if it seems big and impossible, God will be with us every step of the way. What is your specific calling and are you going to be obedient? We all have a calling as believers. 1 Peter 2:9 says “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,”. We too, are apart of the priesthood because of Jesus. Are you going to step into the call to proclaim Him as well? 

Devotion by Amy Ho - April 24, 2020

Chapter 3 of Hebrews ends with the warning that unbelief kept the people of Israel from entering into the promise land and the rest that God had promised once they got there. Hebrews 4:1 says “Therefore, God's promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.” So, the conclusion from the fact that Israel was not able to enter God’s rest because of unbelief should be fear. But what should they fear? They should fear that they will never experience the rest of God. Verse 2 goes onto say that this is good news because the same rest that was provided to them is provided to us. However, it ends with the warning of their example, saying, “But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. (Verse 3) For only those who believe can enter His rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘they will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.” 

God made rest for us. From the beginning of the creation of the world even God rested. On the seventh day God rested from all this work. Verse 6 says, “God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God.” This goes back to Israel not being able to enter the promise land to find God’s rest. Which once again leads into verse 7. “So, God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today.” God’s rest is just as available to us today as the Israelites had access to it. This special peace and rest that is made for God’s people gives us comfort in the most difficult times. It’s a place for Christians who believe in God and His word to sit in the presence of God. 

The last part of Hebrews chapter 4 talks about God being alive today. Nothing can hide from him and he sees everything. His. Verse 12 says he is alive. His spirit is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit. Our God is alive, and he is moving through this virus. Our God is alive and when we believe in him, we can rest in a place of comfort that is surrounded by God’s spirit. 

Devotion by Bethany Gable - April 23, 2020

So we have heard of Moses in the Old Testament. A man who killed another man and also disagreed that God could use him to do miraculous things. This is the same man who brought his people, God's people out of Egypt. This man is nothing short of amazing, however when we talk about people in the Bible, there is none better than Jesus. In Hebrews 3 we see that Jesus is greater than Moses because Jesus is the living Son of God. As it says in verse 5, " Moses was certainly faithful in God's house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God's entire house. And we are God's house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ." As we go forth we can know that we as believers are part of God's house. So during this time, do not lose hope. Just as the Israelites lost their hope in Moses and turned their backs on God, we should never turn our backs on the God of all creation. Let us encourage one another to support and love each other. Be brothers and sisters in Christ, love one another, and never lose hope because He is the one in control. 

Devotion by Josh—April 22, 2020

Nothing that God has ever touched has went the wrong way. Hebrews 2 lays out the fact that Jesus was brought down from glory and absolute perfection to dwell in the form of a man, a human. So, was it a mistake that somehow God ended up down here on earth in the form of a human but still fully God? No! Absolutely not. You know the story. We recently celebrated the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Jesus came “so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). Christ became a man, in every way, to destroy Satan’s power of death and sin which plagued man. During Christ’s journey here on earth He felt the same emotions that you and I feel daily. Jesus was manifested in the flesh so that he could show the world that He alone was not like any other prophet or those who claimed to be prophets. Hebrews 2 emphasizes this very point that Jesus became flesh to show His superiority over everything. There is nothing that God cannot handle. God’s timing and plans are always perfect, just as it was when Jesus came to earth. So, if your life seems to be going sideways and every plan is getting thrown out the window, just remember that God is already here with us. Cling to Him. Cling to the One who has already conquered it all. 

Devotion by Davey Arrowood —April 21, 2020

What is the nature of God’s Son?

The book of Hebrews was written to explain to the Jewish believers at that time what it meant for Jesus to be their savior.  The author is trying to explain who Jesus is.  This is such a hard concept today to understand how God can be three persons father, son, and Holy Spirit.  The author of Hebrews is trying to explain who Jesus is and why He is important to us as believers.  Although this was written long ago the message is still important to us today! At the time Hebrews was written many people thought that Jesus was equal to angels.  Although that might not still be a struggle in today’s times there are many things people place as equal to or higher than Christ.  When you read this chapter today replace the word angels with whatever that idol is that we place of equal or higher value.  This book was written as if God is sharing with the Jewish believers at this time the nature of His own son. This chapter starts with, God.  There is no mention of the author; only God which goes to further prove that this book was inspired by the Holy Spirit.  The first reason this chapter was written was to tell the believers how God speaks to us, previously through the prophets and now through his son.  The author then goes on to explain the nature of Christ which is the second reason why this chapter was written. Differentiating his power and authority over that of angels, the author makes clear that Jesus is equal to God.  Psalm 2:7  “You are my son; today I have become your father.” and 2 Samuel 7:14 “ I will be his father, and he will be my son…” can further confirm that Jesus is the SON of God and not an angel, like some believe.  The writer continues to show Jesus’ power over angels and his authority through equality with God in verses 8-14.  Jesus is not worshipping God like the angels but He is being worshipped! Why should we worship Jesus Christ?  Because v.2-4 tell us that 1) He is the heir of ALL things 2) the creator of the world 3) Jesus is the brightness of the Father’s glory 4) Christ EXACTLY represents God 5) He is upholding all things 6) He died for our sins and 7) now sits at the right hand of God.  This Jesus who is heir, creator, revealer, sustainer, redeemer, ruler, and supreme speaks directly to us and intercedes for us!  Us, being all mankind, who sin against Him daily.  How could we not worship Him if we truly believe each of those seven things about Christ’s nature?  v.4 “...He has inherited a more excellent name than they.” Jesus’ name is not just a title that shows his superiority, it is a description of who He is.  Why does the author care to write about these things?  Because these two concepts, that Christ is who God now speaks through and that Christ is superior to all beings being proven in the seven characteristics of His nature, sets the framework for the rest of Hebrews explaining the superiority of faith in Christ.  Hebrews was written to challenge, encourage and empower us as believers.  I hope each of us can use those three words to define the next three weeks of our life as we continue to grow closer to Christ while walking through Hebrews.

Devotion by Emily Perdue—April 20, 2020

Let me be Your Sacrifice 

Recently I have been doing a personal bible study on sacrifice. I looked up every mention of sacrifice in the bible and I have been reading through each one and meditating on them to see what God could show me. I’ve learned many things about Sacrifice in the Old testament. I learned for Jacob in Genesis 31:54 he gave a sacrifice to God after he made an agreement with Laban. In Leviticus there are exact instructions that describe how the Israelites should Sacrifice to God. Everything had to be done a specific way. A priest must follow God’s instruction perfectly or there would be terrible consequences. Numbers 15 shows that sacrifices had to be made with the right animals. Deuteronomy 12 says that we cannot sacrifice wherever seems right in our eyes because it must follow God’s command.  

Now I know that today under the new covenant we do not have to follow these rules to worship God or repay our sins because Jesus died and was resurrected as the ultimate sacrifice. But If God in the old covenant gave countless commands and rules for sacrifices made to Him, and Jesus’s last sacrifice had to be done so intentionally and specifically, why in the world do we often try and sacrifice to Jesus however we want to? For example, as many of you know, I LOVE international missions. So, for Send Me Now this year I asked to serve on a trip to the Philippines and South Korea. I was SO excited when I found out! It was a dream come true! I was excited to serve God in these countries, and I was looking forward to making myself a living sacrifice to God while I was there. But if you have looked at the news lately you know that I am definitely not going to Asia this summer. I was so upset that God had taken away my opportunity to serve Him this summer. He had taken away my sacrifice to Hm. I was so mad and disappointed. Let’s think about that for a second, I wanted to tell God how I was going to present a sacrifice to Him. In the Old Testament that was reason to be struck dead.  

Romans 12:1 says, “I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and PLEASING TO GOD: this is your spiritual worship.” This verse doesn’t say “pleasing to me.” It says pleasing to God. He has the authority to decide what our personal sacrifices look like. So, for me, I wanted to present a sacrifice to God in the form of teaching English in Asia, but that was not necessarily what God wanted. For some of you, you wanted to sacrifice your time and serve your campus for the rest of the semester. And you feel like you are hopelessly trapped in your houses. God didn’t do that because He doesn’t want us to serve or worship Him. He did that because he wanted those things done His way and not ours. Let's try to remember that next time we feel robbed of a sacrifice.  

Devotion by Maddie Phillips —April 15, 2020

What does it mean to rejoice in the Lord?

Philippians 4:4-6 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say rejoice!  Let your spirit be known to all men.  The Lord is near.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

First off isn’t it crazy how something written thousands of years ago is still true today!! Anyways I know you might be reading that first verse and think I’m crazy for even trying to tell you to rejoice in a time like this.  A lot of us might be thinking what else could go wrong at this point.  Well let me tell you the bible is not just a suggestion for us to follow it’s a command.  And if God is anything like my mom when she is commanding me to do something, if there is an exclamation point at the end, I better be doing it right away. We as Christians should be radiating the joy of the Lord in everything we do.  What does it look like to rejoice in the Lord?  This means to express your confidence in Him.  When you are expressing your confidence in the Lord there is nothing in this world that can steal our joy or shake your trust in HIm. Paul is telling us here that we can go to God at any time, about anything and be brutally honest with him. We don’t just come to God with our needs but also with thankfulness and expressing the good things that happen in life. And when we come before God and rest in him indescribable peace will cover us.  How awesome is that?! Rejoicing in the Lord during times like this can be hard but let me challenge you to look for little God moments throughout the day and thank Him for those.  But also know that your feelings during this time are very valid.  Bring those before the Lord and lay them at His feet.  Don’t continue to carry those burdens of worry, anxiety, stress, fear, complacency, etc. Find your hope during these hard and frustrating times in the fact that we as Christians know an end is coming and eternity in Heaven will be without pain and suffering.  If you are not a Christian or have questions about this please, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me personally at 678-523-6434 or dm us and we will answer your questions!

Devotion by Emily Perdue —April 14, 2020

Some of leadership has seen part of this before, but I will be expanding on the topic because of its importance for this time and it’s what God put on my heart. I chose to type it instead of recording myself (not a fan), because I like to look at the words on the page (I’m a visual learner).

“I just wanted to share what God has been teaching me the past week and a half. I have been stressing about the start of school. I have no clue why, because I have nothing to worry about. First, God has been telling me to go and pray and be where He has placed me for this time (1 Samuel 3:9). 

As I have been mentally getting all worked up and worried, I ran across Matthew 14:31 (I forgot how I even got there… wow). That verse hit me like a load of bricks. He was saying to me “Why are you doubting me? Don’t you trust me?” and then I realized that I was trying to take back what I put in God’s hands. He has been telling me to keep praying and seeking Him while He handles the rest (Matthew 9:28-29; Ephesians 6:18; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 1:17; Matthew 7:7).”

God’s been teaching me (and telling me) to slow down and wait. So you know how Noah had to spend more than 40 days and nights stuck inside with his family. Sounds familiar? Well there’s more to that. 

Noah was in the ark 150 days until it came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The date it came to rest was July 17th which has Noah getting in the ark February 18th. (Interesting time table in comparison to our current situation.) By July, the rain had stopped, but Noah had to wait for everything to return to normal. He remained in the ark until January 1 of the following year, but God said to stay and wait. February 27th (58 days later) God told Noah that He had completed His work and to come out onto the Earth. (Genesis 8:3-15)

This brings Noah’s stay to a grand total of 374 days. Over a year of waiting while God cleansed the Earth. God is working in the world right now and doing amazing things with the bad. All He asks us to do is wait.

Single People, this is for you: In the Book of Ruth, Ruth’s first husband had died and she prayed and waited on the Lord for Boaz. God caused Boaz to fall for Ruth and to bless her. She did this not on her own, but by praying and waiting. Boaz was God’s best for Ruth. Our heavenly Father even said “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18) (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) Do not worry for God cares for you; He loves you more than you can imagine. God will make it happen in his timing. Wait.

So whatever has you stressing, school work, your job, someone you like, give it to God and wait. It can be extremely hard to wait, but giving all your worries and problems to God will yield the best results. God will send the right person into your life. God will give you the perfect solution according to His plan. Stop trying to fix and force things yourself. You just look silly.

“Whatever you put in the Father’s hands will be taken care of completely. All He asks is that you trust Him with it. God cares for you and you will be taken care of.” 

Hopefully this helps someone else too!

Devotions by Sam —April 6th, 2020

Easter is just around the corner. I don’t know how you and your family celebrate Easter, and what traditions you have, but I have a feeling Easter is going to be a little different this year. This week I spent time re-reading all four Gospel accounts of what we typically call the “Easter Story.” As I was reading I kept going back to Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane.  I kept focusing on Jesus’ in the garden, in all four Gospel accounts and it felt like I was reading these verses for the first time.  Jesus, the Son of God, God in the flesh teaches us so much about prayer in these few verses.  Here are 4 things I was reminded of about prayer:

1) God saying “no” to our prayer request does not equal a bad outcome. Jesus pleads with the Father 3 times, “Father if you are willing take this cup away from me… (Matthew 26:39, 42, 44; Mark 14:36, 39-41; Luke 22:42)” God did not take the cup away from Jesus. We know that he was arrested, beaten, crucified, and the wrath of God was upon him. BUT, on the other side of that “no”—IS OUR SALVATION! The Father rejected that request of Jesus so that he could say yes to us. When we pray, we must welcome the no just as much as we welcome the yes. God is infinitely good, and we can expect his no to be filled with that same goodness. 

2) God saying “no” to our prayer request does not equal abandonment. Look at Luke’s account in Luke 22:41-42-43, ““Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him...” Even when the answer is no, God is there strengthening us. God promises to never leave us or forsake us; he remains just as present with us in the no as he is in the yes. 

3) Prayer is submission, “Not my will but your will be done (Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42). Prayer is not bringing God in line with our plans, but rather submitting our plans to the Lord’s design. Sometimes we act like our prayers are the same as rubbing a magic lamp and God will just grant us our wishes. We think we know what is best, and we think our plans are great, but we are often wrong. Sometimes what we request is the worst thing that could happen. When we pray, we need to submit to the answer and direction God gives, not try and get him to bend to our plans. 

4) Prayer protects us from temptation (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14: 38; Luke 22:40, 46). Jesus knows what is about to happen to him, he easily could have asked the disciples to pray for him. If we are honest, that is exactly what we would do. But Jesus also knows what the disciples are about to face, they were about to face temptations of various kinds. We are never far from a whisper of a temptation that could lead us astray or even destroy us. We must pray against falling into temptation. Prayer requires effort and self-denial. The disciples where tired, we get tired! But when we fail to pray and submit to the Father’s will, we are letting our flesh have the last word. We must press into the Spirit as we pray.

Sometimes prayer seems like a grocery list of requests, and often times I claim the Lord did not answer a prayer with a no. But the reality is that God did answer my prayer. Just not the way I was expecting Him to do. So, these simple reminders about prayer is powerful and life changing.  As Angus Buchan says, “As men work, they work. But when men pray, God works.” Praying for you!

Devotion by Katie Cargle —April 3, 2020

Vines and Branches

Yesterday I was sanitizing the BCM house, room by room spraying and wiping everything down just to keep our building clean and safe for our residents and for Keith and me. As I was cleaning each room I felt like I was seeing the vine and grape decorations for the first time. If you did not know, the entire BCM center has a theme, and it is John 15:5-9. There are vines and grapes all throughout the house, including a chandelier made of hundreds of grape pieces. I prayed because my hands are busy but not my mind. As I was praying for all of yesterday, this is all I could think of; were the vines and branches.

Read John 15:5-9

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love…”

I know that we are all home, and all of our schedules are now tossed out the window. I don’t know about you but I found myself with more free time in the evenings and weekends than I typically have. I have baked more, gone for more walks, and facetimed more these past two weekends than I have this entire school year combined. Maybe you know all about tigers and the Tiger King now, maybe you have finally caught up on all those shows you have started but never had time to finish, maybe you have beat more levels on your video games, or even gotten more sleep than you could ever need. I don’t know how you have been spending your time, but have you spent it abiding in Christ? Have you spent more time binge watching your shows, than you have spent in the Word and in prayer? I know when we go home, and our schedules are all mixed up the first thing that goes out the window is our quiet time. You have more time now than you had at school, how are you using this time?

 Even at home, in the midst of this pandemic, we are called to be disciples. We are able to abide in Christ, remain in Him, and bear much fruit. How much fruit are you bearing right now?

Devotion by Katie Cargle —April 1st, 2020

Who is God?

What is the single most important thing to our Christian walk? Quiet times? Intimacy of worship? Prayer life? While all these things are necessary for Christian growth, the success of each is completely dependent on how we view the God at which we worship, pray, and read about. We have managed to water God down to manageable terms in daily life, where instead of us revolving around Him, He revolves around us. “So necessary to the church is a lofty concept of God that when that concept in any measure declines, the church with her worship and her moral standards declines along with it” (Tozer).

So, who is God?

- God is infinite: Starting off with a pretty tough one to grasp… no human brain can ever comprehend the majesty of God, He is literally measureless. Meaning all the points following this one fall infinitely short of who God is, because who He truly is, we cannot put into finite words nor can we produce a thought that can adequately describe Him. (Revelation 1:8)

- God is wise: Through His wisdom, He can see the most perfect ends, and achieve those ends by the most perfect means. All of God’s acts are done in perfect wisdom. (Isaiah 55:9)

- God is faithful: We tend to take this one for granted. Only if we have complete assurance that He is faithful may we live in peace and look forward with assurance knowing that our God knows what is best for us. (Hebrews 10:23, 1 John 1:9)

- God is merciful: This one has always interested me because for us to see God’s mercy, it must be in the context of human suffering and guilt. So, if the world was without guilt, pain and suffering, no one would celebrate God’s mercy, because no one would have felt the need for it. And without His mercy, we would all be doomed. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

- God is our Father: To think the God that is infinite, wise, faithful, and merciful (and so so much more that I could not fit in this devo) is the same God that calls us his sons and daughters is the biggest blessing we can have. God is our father, and because of that He loves us and wants the best for us more than anything else in the universe. (1 John 3:1)

So... considering these points, how small is your current struggle compared to who God is? Is this pandemic really something God cannot handle? Is our comfort worth more than what God is constantly doing? God has it all under control, always, with no hiccups, no mistakes, and no faltering. He knows what He is doing, all we can do is abide in that truth and follow Him.

PS: I don’t take credit for any of this, it basically all comes from a book called The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer, give that sucker a read f you haven’t already, it changed my life

Devotion by Cam Jackson —March 30,2020

FOLLOWING YOUR FATHER

Recently while visiting my parents I found myself following my dad through the woods. I know that might seem odd, but we were in the woods because turkey season was going to open in a few days and my dad wanted to scout out where he would be hunting. 

Following my dad like this is second nature. I know how close to follow him so that when he pulls a branch back, I can catch it before it smacks me in the face. And over the years, through trial and error, I’ve learned that the best path to take is exactly where my dad walked, one step right behind him. I’ve learned that no matter how odd it seemed; it was always wise to follow my dad. Because when I chose not to, I found myself trapped and slowed by painful thorns that clung to me and my clothes. 

On this trip, there were a few times when we were walking through the woods and my dad, just ahead of me, would step calf-deep in a hole, and tell me to watch for it. Or he would point out a root, so I didn’t trip over it. I thought about this, and immediately the Lord showed me a lesson about following Him closely. And He reminded me of the blessings and protection that God provides when we are faithful to follow one step behind Him. 

An example of this in the Bible is Psalm 23. Verse 1-3 says, “The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. (2) He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name's sake.” Growing up, I learned that following my dad was always safer and easier. In the same way, As the Lord’s sheep the closer we are to Him, the closer we are to His wisdom, protection, and provision. One step right behind our shepherd is exactly where we should strive to be. If you aren’t familiar with it or haven’t studied it recently, I strongly suggest reading over Psalm 23, especially during times like these. 

Devotion by Maddie Phillips —March 27, 2020 

Condition of Your Heart 

Hey guys! It's Andrew Malphurs here, and I have the pleasure today of writing our next devotion. So yeah, this coronavirus thing sucks. It really really sucks. For someone as extremely extraverted as I am, the devil could not have thought of a worse way to get inside my head. As my depression started getting worse, I turned to scripture to find anything that God had to say about loneliness. I went through a few different passages but the one that really stuck with me was one of David's Psalms. For those who want to read along in your own bible, this is Psalm 25:16-18 and I will be pulling from the NASB.

"(16) Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. (17) The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distress. (18) Look upon my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins."

I really relate to David's cry here. I know that it's the devil attacking my heart and filling it with distress, so I know that the only solution is God. Maybe God wouldn't have been my first thought for help when I still had easy access to my friends. The other piece of this passage that really jumped out at me was when David followed up his cry for help by asking God, "Look upon my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins." It seems like David is acknowledging that his sinful nature is at the root of what is causing his heart so much pain, and through this season of loneliness, God has given him time to reflect on the state of his heart so David has the opportunity to repent. So, after reading this, I have been intentionally spending time meditating on where I need to improve spiritually, and I for sure have found a lot of areas that I need to God to work in. As much as this one hurts, the biggest one of these is that I put all my worth into what people think of me. Am I funny enough? Do I look spiritual enough? Am I serving enough? I need to make sure my love and servitude of others is coming from a place of wanting to be a servant to God and not from the applause of others. If it weren't for this quarantine, I might not have gotten the proper chance to deal with this. Maybe there's something in y'alls lives that God wants y'all to deal with? I'm not saying God caused the Coronavirus to get people to change their hearts, but I do believe our God is a God that has the power to use what the devil intended for evil for His good. I miss all of you guys, and I want to squeeze every single one of you until you can't breathe once we're able to see each other again! Until then, I hope this little tidbit encouraged somebody.

Devotion by Andrew Malphurs —March 25, 2020

BE FILLED

The other day, I went into the kitchen to look for my favorite milk cup. (And yes, I have a very specific cup I like to use for drinking milk; I know it’s weird). I ended up finding it in the dishwasher, where it had just been cleaned from me drinking milk out of it the previous day. Immediately, a thought popped into my head that I’m sure was from the devil. It sneered, “This cup’s only purpose is to be dirtied again and again, just like you.” Wow. Pretty intense for just trying to get a drink of milk, right? But I feel like that’s how a lot of us function in our spiritual walk, or maybe the lack of it if we’re honest. We get so caught up in the fear that we’re going to sin again and taint the forgiveness that the Lord so mercifully has given to us that we allow the enemy to define our purpose. “I keep failing my classes (especially now that they’re online), so I must not be meant for this line of work.” … “I’m not [or have never been] in a relationship, so I’m not lovable… there’s something wrong with me.” … “The mission trip got cancelled, so I must not be equipped for mission work.” We allow the devil to hold so much real estate in our minds, and for what? Rewind back to the cup incident. Those words honestly rattled me for a few days. They made sense; the cup is continually dirtied and washed only to be dirtied again. Was that so different than me? Was my worth like that of a dirty cup? That’s when a still, small voice spoke to me and told me that I’d have to redefine the cup’s [my] purpose through His Word in order to see the truth. Okay, so what does His Word say? “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:31). Like the cup, our purpose is not to be dirtied, but to be filled with the Holy Spirit daily. “Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:10). Like the cup, our purpose is not to be dirtied, but to be held and lead by the hand of God. A lot of times the anxious and self-deprecating thoughts in our heads can be calmed by simply taking a moment to just be in God’s presence and listen to how He has defined us. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7). “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight” (Ephesians 1:4). The same can be said about the situation we’re in right now with COVID-19 and the transition to online school. You can let your loneliness, boredom, and fret of the future define you OR you can turn to the one who holds the future and all that’s in it in His hands and allow Him to define you and these next few months. 

 Devotion by Abby Mnatzaganian— March 23, 2020 

The Changing Power of the Holy Spirit and What it Means for the Body of Christ

(Acts 2:1-28, 36-47)

No matter how we view the spread of COVID-19, whether there is worry or peace, we can all rest in the fact that God is sovereign over this whole situation. He was not surprised, and He is “good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25). 

 During a season of uncertainty, discomfort, or maybe even excitement to not have to physically go to classes, we can all agree that this is a season of change. When I think of change in the Bible, my mind goes straight to Acts 2. In this chapter, we see God send the promised Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit changes lives, and the body of Christ is formed. I encourage you to individually read the entire chapter so that you can fully grasp the magnitude of this event. But, for now, we will look together at the changing power of the Holy Spirit and how this change impacted the body of Christ, the Church. 

 We begin in verses 1-13 when we see the arrival of the Spirit of God, “like the blowing of a violent wind”, among the 12 apostles. Instantly, all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Right from the beginning, at the moment of the arrival of the Holy Spirit, the lives of the apostles were changed, and God brought them an abundance of people to share this change with. So, how did the apostles respond to this change?

 In verses 14-41, we see Peter stand “among his fellow apostles and address the crowd.” The immediate response to the changing power of the Holy Spirit from the apostles was to share the Gospel. After the sharing of this Good News, we see the changing power of the Holy Spirit again as the author states that “three thousand people were added to their number that day” meaning three thousand people repented of their sins and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of their life that day. So, how did these people respond to this change?

 -      They were DEVOTED to each other (v. 42)

-      They were UNITED with each other (v. 44)

-      They SACRIFICED and gave to those in need (v. 45)

-      They PRAISED God (v. 47)

 As the body of Christ, as those who have been changed by the power of the Holy Spirit, it is our responsibility to share this Good News with others. It is our responsibility to be devoted to and united with one another in this task. It is our responsibility to sacrifice for the sake of those in need of this change, and to praise God when he changes those lives. 

 In this season of change, let us not dwell on the changes that the world presses on us, but let us rest in the change that God so graciously gives us through the Holy Spirit. Let us not be bound by any responsibility the world tells us we have but let us embrace the responsibility that we have as those who have been changed.

Devotion by Jackson Couch - March 20, 2020

 UNCHARTED WATERS

“…fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

We are living in uncertain times that surrounds us all with the spread of the Coronavirus.  As you probably read or heard schools, business, and restaurants are closing in effort to stop the spread of the virus. We even had a few events/trips that we had to cancel as well. I know for me, I am hanging onto what Isaiah wrote “fear not, for I am with you…” God is in control and working among us even in this chaos that is around us.  While worshiping at home yesterday, I had the chance to tune in to several different church services and they all sang the song “Waymaker” and this verse was in my head all day:

“Even when I don’t see it, you’re working

Even when I don’t feel it, you’re working

You never stop, you never stop working

You never stop, you never stop working”

Being reminded of that God is still working around us even when we can’t see it or feel it is very comforting. You see, God never promises us that we would just sail through this life without ever going through some hard/challenging times.  But He did promise that he himself, the God of the Universe, Creator, would be right there with us; to strengthen and protect us. Take a few moments and reflect on your own life.

Question(s): 
1. Do you have a personal relationship God? If so your hope and joy are found unconditionally in Him. If not, what is holding you back? A staff person would love to talk about this with you. Please feel free to reach out to Keith or Katie at infoung.bcm@gabaptist.org.

2.How is God working around you in the midst of the chaos? 

3. How can you be the hands and feet of Jesus right now, where you are?

Quote of the Day

A Scared World needs a Fearless Church—AW Tozer 

Date: March 16, 2020