Hos. 13-14; Ps 100,102; Heb. 5

Jesus – Rabbi – Priest – “Teacher”,

We see here in Hebrews 5 that it was His destiny and calling, given directly from the Father. “So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:

“ You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”

As He also says in another place:

“ You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek”;

who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” (Hebrews 5:5-10)

While we realize Jesus had to freely except what was coming to Him at great cost, perhaps we often forget that cost when we go about our lives with no drive or zeal for the Word. We can tend to go through our lives always expecting others to feed us and push us when in reality the Word clearly calls us to step it up and dig and learn for ourselves. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14) Perhaps in a day and age where maturity is loosely assumed by society with landmarks like 18 years old or 21 years of age, we ought to instead gauge our maturity by a different scale. Let’s seek the Lord in prayer and ask Him to show us how to move from milk to STEAK (solid food) in our maturity with Him, and with that will come maturity and wisdom in life as well.



Blessings,
Pastor Jason

Next Reading: Mic. 1-4; Heb. 6

2 Kings 11,12; 2 Chronicles 24; 1 Timothy 6

I Timothy 6 shares with us an outlook that may seem at first glance foreign to us. While Slavery is not prevalent today, as it was in the 1600-1900, here in the US or in biblical days over in the Middle East, the principles talked about are obvious: Respect the boss. Ephesians 6:5-8 says we should sincerely obey, respect, and serve a boss as if he were Christ Himself. The part that is so hard for us (our flesh) is scripture doesn’t say our boss must first act like Christ before being given that respect. It would be so much easier to serve if all leaders/bosses were gracious but that just isn’t how things always work out. Later, in Timothy, we see that there truly is something wonderful about taking our eyes off this world and its “THINGS” and setting our eyes and hearts on things of eternal life. Being rich whether monetarily or in power (as the boss) means nothing when compared to the riches of heaven. “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

So, as believers, we should serve with twice the diligence and cheerfulness, because of our faith in Christ, and as partakers of His free salvation.



Blessings,
Pastor Jason

Next Reading: Joel 1-3; 2 Tim. 1

Prov 4-6; Romans 8

 As we read through Proverbs 4 there is a main theme we can see here and this is that the condition of our heart will effect everything else in our lives. Things like putting other people before ourselves, living in wisdom & staying focused on the Lord are all sighted here in these scriptures. The condition of our heart and the choices we make will all culminate in the direct outcome of our spiritual lives.. "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

Take a look at our world; I would say many of us have car alarms (most cars come with them built in these days)  yet a car alarm only works if we respond to the sound of the alarm. Sometimes those things will go on for hours without anybody even turning a head. How about our spiritual alarms? Shouldn't we be even more sensitive to the alarms that go off inside us? That still small voice. Isn't there more importance in these eternal matters than the physical property we have? Having all the wisdom of Solomon doesn't help if we don't listen to the alarms going off. What comes to mind here is; "discernment" - the ability to determine and choose the good from the bad, the right from the wrong.

While as infants we lack discernment, as we grow up we develop this trait. Sometimes as adults even though we have developed discernment and can clearly speak to friends about the choices they should make we still have a hard time "discerning" what is good for our hearts.

Consider this... If you have alarms going off, maybe even some that have faded to the background because you have ignored them for so long, consider listening a little more carefully. Take the triggers of those alarms and present them to God. Bring forth a repentant and broken heart. Let's ask Him to create in us a "new heart". Let's place our hearts at the foot of the cross  and experience the forgiveness God purchased for us there. Then, let's watch over our hearts with all diligence; because from it flow the issues of life.


Blessings my Friends,
Pastor Jason

Next Reading: Prov 7-9; Romans 9

1 Kings 10,11; 2 Chronicles 9; Romans 6

^"The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, besides that from the traveling merchants, from the income of traders, from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the country." 1 Kings 10;14-15

Wow "666" Talents of gold! I think that alone should have been a warning that this wasn't going to end well!  Seriously friends, Solomon may have amassed a huge wealth and loved the Lord, and he even showed great wisdom that drew the attention of people like Queen Sheba. Unfortunately in the end his desire got the best of him as he didn't follow the Lords instruction. "But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, "You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love." 1 Kings 11:1-2 Unfortunately Solomon took his eyes off the mark and his heart grew cold to the Lord. "Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant." 1 Kings 11:11

There is a spiritual excellence in heavenly things, and in walking a good life before Christ. Remember when we offer up things to the Lord whether it be our time, our resources, our worship or anything given with a right heart, it isn't because Jesus needs them, instead He allows us to give these things to express our gratitude. Take some time today and ask yourself where does your focus on other things pull you away from God. Is there anywhere in our lives that we can/should consider handing over at the altar?

When it was all said and done King Solomon died leaving all the treasure he amassed here on earth, and all the wives that his desire drove him to didn't help him in the end.

Lord help us all daily see the areas we need more of you and less of us....AMEN!

Blessings Friends,
Pastor Jason

Next Reading: 1 Kings 10,11; 2 Chronicles 9; Romans 6

I Kings 3; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 78; 2 Thessalonians 2

"And the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son, who lives, and your son is the dead one’; and the other says, ‘No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’  Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other.” Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!”
But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.” So the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother.”" 1st Kings 3:23 -27

As I read this passage I am reminded of how in life the challenges we confront can cloud our vision. What the mother of the dead child was going through surely had to be horrible for her to consider taking someone else's child, but just as the mother of the living baby showed true compassion for her child so does the Lord show compassion on us as His children. Remember last Sunday Pastor Rick was talking about the mental picture of a large projection screen playing back all of our sins of life for everyone to watch? Scary picture for all of us. (Smile) Thankfully the great thing is we aren't called to live life fixed on our past but instead we are to look forward to the harvest, realizing our names have already been written in the book of life. I encourage you all to look forward to the incredible journey God has for us, realizing his grace in your life and to look for opportunities to daily share your faith with others.

One last thing... Remember the wisdom we saw in King Solomon to solve the situation with the two mothers? Well, the word tells us we can also ask the Lord for His wisdom.



Be blessed today and lets live with an expectancy waiting to hear the Lord say, "Well done my good and faithful servant" some day.

Blessings,
Pastor Jason

Next Reading: I Kings 4,5; 2 Chronicles 2; Psalm 101; 2 Th. 3