SDCCM Blog

Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

There is one human who never changes, Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior. The Word of God manifested in the Word made flesh. That Word dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. That Word is now seated at the right hand of the majesty on high. From the very beginning, God purposed the Word to be made flesh. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1-2). “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14-15).

In all the Scriptures, there is nothing more profound than “the Word was made flesh.” Because God’s Word is forever settled, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In Jesus’ earthly ministry, He expected God’s covenant people, the Jews, to receive His word because it is the word of the Father. Jesus came in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy. The Jews had been given the responsibility of the oracles of God. “They were entrusted with the oracles of God. What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?” (Romans 3:2-4).

The Jews were the carriers of God’s Word for all of mankind. Some did not believe. This was especially true during the ministry of Jesus. Their unbelief did not hinder God’s faithfulness. The whole Jewish nation might have rejected Jesus, but God would still be faithful to His Word. All that we read in the Scriptures concerning Jesus is true today as well. He still ministers in truth and grace through the power of the Holy Spirit. The promises which Jesus fulfilled in His earthly ministry are available to us because “He is the same”. God’s people are to be a people of “hope” because the Lord has given us a sure expectation of our future.

God’s Word never changes. God’s Son is always the same. All truth is eternal. God the Father and God the Son are full of truth and grace ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit. God has done all that He said He would do. Jesus utterly fulfilled the Father’s will. As sons and daughters of God, we are called not only to believe, but to live out the word of God in our daily lives. We too, are called to be faithful carriers of God’s promises. We are called to demonstrate the settled word of God by the conduct of our lives. Not all will believe, but some will glorify God for what they experience in us. All will give an account to God for what is demonstrated as we walk in righteousness and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Father, I thank You for Your settled word. I firmly put my faith in Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Help me demonstrate Your truth and grace through how I choose to live my life in the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Hebrews 12:25 – See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.

An individual may consider himself a Christian for numerous reasons. One can have a thorough knowledge of the Scripture and be true in their beliefs of what the Scripture teaches. The directive of the writer of Hebrews, as stated in verse 25, is the real issue. “See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking.”

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world” (Hebrews 1:1-3). The study of the “Gospels” is vital to our growth and development. Jesus represented His Father in heaven perfectly. He never spoke from His own initiative, only what He heard His Father saying. It is important for every believer to evaluate their viewpoints and their actions against what Jesus taught and did.

The Holy Spirit has been given to every believer as “the Helper” of their “new life” in Christ. He is not given to help us develop our own ideas and lifestyle. He is given to lead us to the death of self and into the resurrected life of Christ. Our life in Christ is completely in the “Spirit,” lived out through our everyday natural life.

Simply stated, do we hear through our natural ears or through a spiritual ear? One can listen to a sermon and process with their natural mind, accepting or rejecting what was taught. On the other hand, the spiritual person will listen through the ear of their spirit in order to have the mind of Christ.  “He who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16).

Our thought for today is: “See to it that you do not refuse He who is speaking.” Jesus spoke in His earthly ministry and gave us “the word of the Father.” He has given each believer the Holy Spirit who is commissioned to reveal God’s Word to us. We must choose to hear through the spirit rather than through our natural reasoning.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:18-19). Paul’s concern for believers was that they would “know”. We can only truly know if we chose not to “refuse” the one speaking from heaven.

Father, I choose today, to hear Your Son who came from heaven and spoke. I know, that He then returned to heaven and continues to speak through Your life-giving Spirit. Give me ears to hear what the Spirit is saying today so I can obey.

Hebrews 12:22-24 – You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

In these passages, we can identify seven privileges believers enjoy through our relationship with the Father and the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We have come unto Mount Zion, (God’s Hill) His permanent resting place in heaven where God reigns as KING of Kings and LORD of Lords.
We have come into God’s city for which Abraham searched. In fact, Galatians 4:26 indicates that Jerusalem above is the place of our new birth. All who have been “born again” can say, “I was born in Mount Zion,” Jerusalem, the city of my God.”
We have come unto an innumerable company of angels. The Scriptures indicate that we are surrounded by angels looking into what God has done. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). “It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven — things into which angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12).
We have come to the General Assembly and Church of the First Born which are written in heaven. Presently, the name of every believer is written together with all the names of those who are members of His church. It is important to be reminded we are not alone. Those who have gone before us are present before the Throne of God and the saints on earth are present through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
We have come to God the judge of all. The blessing for the true believer is that judgment has already taken place as Jesus became God’s sacrifice for our sins. God’s judgments come through the Lord Jesus Christ. As a believer we receive what Christ has done for us. The unbeliever will have to answer for their sins before God because they did not trust Christ who took their judgment upon Himself.
We have come to the spirits of just men made perfect. In the spiritual realm, we have been joined with all those who have died and fully entered into His rest. I believe they are cheering for us to finish our course. In the natural, this is hard to understand, but by faith we receive the insights that God’s Word reveals.
We have come to Jesus, the mediator of the “new covenant.” We have legal rights in heaven to receive salvation. Everything Jesus did on our behalf would hold up in a court of law. By the “Law of Sacrifice,” that is, “the innocent dying for the guilty,” Jesus destroyed what Satan held over us and the judgment which the Law of God brought, declaring all guilty before God.
Father, I thank You for Your Throne of Grace. I rejoice in the place of Your rest. I pray for the continual help of the Holy Spirit in my daily life to abide in the place of rest where all the spirits of just men reside for eternity. I receive by faith all the privileges of a child of God.

Luke 18:22 – Sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.

When Jesus walked this earth, he admonished folks to lay down their possessions and follow Him. The rich young ruler asked how he could receive salvation. When Jesus told him to go and sell everything and give it to the poor and follow Him, the young man decided that the price was far too high.  He did not realize the price Jesus would pay for his sin.

I am bought with a price, Jesus’ blood. I am covered thoroughly with the robe of righteousness which the Father has placed upon me. Jesus lives in me through His Spirit. What joy to know my heavenly Father loves me, and gives me a relationship with Him through Christ Jesus. When the Father looks at me, He sees not what I used to be, but He sees the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing I possess compares to the price which was paid for my salvation.

It is important for the child of God to walk the tightrope between possessions and our treasures in heaven. Possessions, in and of themselves, are not evil or wrong. In the case of the rich young ruler, Jesus was challenging his heart. He was attached more firmly to his possessions than what was healthy. It cost him eternity. The Lord might have chosen to return all or more than what he would have given to the poor. He needed to be free from the bondage to his possessions.

Jesus told the church at Laodicea, “Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16). The issue with the members of the church in Laodicea was not eternal life; it was their commitment to the Lord’s purpose and His ability to use them. They felt content in their prosperity and became “lukewarm” in their commitment to Christ and His kingdom purpose.

We must examine our hearts to see if we too are “lukewarm” because of materialism. As a Christian, there must be a tension between wealth and our commitment to a Christ-like lifestyle. While on earth, Jesus had all He ever needed, but was not wealthy by the world’s standards. Paul, the apostle said he suffered the loss of all things for Christ (Philippians 3:8). Yet he always paid his own way. He paid for the care of his team members; he used the school of Tyrannus in Ephesus, no doubt renting its use for two years, and he paid for his own rented house in Rome (Acts 28:30). The issue for the rich young ruler and the church at Laodicea was a “heart issue.” It is an issue for many in the Lord’s church today.

Father, help me search my heart to know if I am in bondage to possessions. Give me grace to be free from any bondage which prevents me from totally being committed to You and Your kingdom. Grace me to follow Jesus by giving away everything to which my heart is attached, knowing You will give me all I need to fulfill Your purposes and plan in my life.

2 Corinthians 3:18 – We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

While we are to accept each other as we are, we do not remain as we are. The Spirit of God is at work bringing change as Scripture reveals. The change into Christ’s image is an expression of God’s love to the world. You are sent to others as a love letter from God. The Father accepts us just as we are, but He is also at work to change us to be like Him. The change happens in the context of family and as we interact with those who are yet unreached for God’s kingdom.

Acceptance does not promote sin. Acceptance empowers people to risk facing and confessing their sin and moves us toward wholeness. It is important to realize that each person has the right to become who God intended them to be. At the same time, we must guard against selfishness, always putting the interest of family before the interests of individuals. Acceptance and opportunity to grow is what each of us needs most in life.

Our understanding of God’s will for the body of Christ is not centered around buildings or religious activities, but family relationships and environment—a relationship with God as Father, Jesus as our elder brother, and the Holy Spirit as the one who nurtures us by revealing the Father and Son in greater depths. Our commitment in Christ is to other believers to whom we have been joined. They are to be seen as our brothers and sisters in His family. As members of His family, we extend His love and power to the world. Our life in a church family is expressed in multi-dimensional relationships.

The writer of Hebrews gives clear instruction concerning our relationships within the body of Christ. “Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all men, and sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble” (Hebrews 12:12-15). What wonderful counsel for each member of the family of God.

Father, I ask for the Holy Spirit to work in my life that I never come short of the grace of God in any of my relationships. Give to me a love for family as You love family, both natural and spiritual family. Help me to nurture each relationship that You have given me and use others to bring change in my life for Your glory.

Romans 15:7 – Accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

While we accept each other as we are, we do not remain as we are. As each one comes to Christ, forgiveness and acceptance are given by the Father. We then become part of one another on the very common ground of His power of love to forgive and accept each one as we are. For each believer, this is the starting point in Christ Jesus.

From this starting point, we grow together in an atmosphere of love, hope, and encouragement, no matter what difficulty or devastation we face. Of course, people enter the kingdom of God and are baptized into the body having come from many backgrounds. Our life together in the body begins a process of healing and growth which can take a very long time. An atmosphere of love, forgiveness, and acceptance is necessary to help in assisting people to receive, what in many cases has never before been communicated or experienced.

In the body of Christ, we esteem the covenant of marriage, we honor singleness, and we support the single parent. Marriage is under attack as perhaps it has never been before. The marriage covenant is the sure foundation we must build upon. If the marriage foundation is destroyed, the whole culture will collapse. We must first learn how to love, forgive, and accept in our homes before we will be successful in our relationships within the church.

We must reach out to singles, who many times feel displaced from family. The single person can more fully give themselves to the cause of Christ because of less time constraints. Many singles would love to be used within the family of God, both in church activities and within families belonging to a congregation.

It is important for the church body to give support to those who have found themselves single again through divorce or death. Many times, we form groups of people with similar life experiences, but their deeper need is family. They need to know the love of fathers and mothers within the body of Christ.

We must treasure and affirm children, including them in our worship, in our ministry moments, and social events. They are our future! The Lord has always been focused on the generations. Our children will carry the torch in the future. Now is the time of their training.

In the body of Christ we will always find diversity of personality and lifestyles, each adding something valuable to the whole. I suggest including each group I have mentioned in your prayers.