We Must Finish The Race Continued from 11-26-12

Hebrews 12 ISV Continued from 11-26-12

12Therefore, strengthen your tired arms and your weak knees, 13and straighten the paths of your life, so that your lameness may not become worse, but instead may be healed.

·         We are commanded and responsible for strengthening our tired arms and weak knees and straightening the paths of our lives!!!

·         God is concerned with our spiritual lameness and that it not become worse!

14Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. 

·         We are commanded to pursue peace with everyone!

·         We are commanded to pursue holiness!

·         Without holiness we will not see the Lord!!

·         We are responsible for what the scriptures tell us to do!!!

15See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up and causes you trouble, or many of you will become defiled. 16No one should be immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17For you know that afterwards, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he could not find any opportunity to repent, even though he begged to repent with tears.

·         We are warned not to fail to obtain the grace of God or to let a bitter root grow up and cause us trouble or many will become defiled..

·         We are not to be immoral or godless like Esau who sold his birthright and was rejected later where he could not find any opportunity to repent, even though he begged to repent with tears.

18You have not come to something that can be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, to gloom, 19to a trumpet’s blast, or to a voice that made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. 20For they could not endure the command that was given: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21Indeed, the sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” 

22Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to tens of thousands of angels joyfully gathered together, 23to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to a judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of righteous people who have been made perfect, 24to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than Abel’s.

25See to it that you do not ignore the one who is speaking. For if the hearers did not escape when they ignored the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we turn away from the one who is from heaven! 

·         We are warned not to ignore God as many who were with Moses did and died.

·         We are warned that those who do ignore God and turn away from him will not escape.

26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven.” 27The expression “once more” signifies the removal of what can be shaken, that is, what he has made, so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 

28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and worship God in reverence and fear in a way that pleases him. 29For “our God is an all-consuming fire.”

·         True believers are given many wonderful promises, but over and over those promises are followed by warnings.

·         Reject the false teachers of today who just tickle the ears. They may even tell truths, but refuse the whole counsel of God, thereby, tickling the ears.

·         Understand that the Harlot church and her daughters are apostatizing. This has been going on a long time and will reach a climax for judgment.

·         Get into your bibles and read them slowly and carefully. Do not listen to teachers who are silent about and/or explain the warnings of God away.   

·         Your soul is to precious!!