Chapter 1
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” Hebrews 1:1-2 – God isn’t trying to be a sneaky God hiding Himself from you so you can’t get to know who He really is. If you want to know God, Study the life of Jesus. We see here that it’s through Jesus we can get a better understanding of who God is, how He loves, and what He wants. If Jesus was loving, so is God the Father. If Jesus was serious about something, so is God the Father. They are one. Grow your knowledge and understanding of God the Father through learning about Jesus. God isn’t secretive about who His is, in fact He desires that you really know Him and His heart, and we can through Christ. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 565
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. Hebrews1:3-4 – As we begin studying Hebrews know the heart behind why it was written. It was directed at the Hebrews of the day to help them believe Jesus was who He said He was, the Messiah and God. Here in our passage we see the writer highlighting the supremacy, the ultimate authority and power, of Jesus. By Jesus’ word the universe is held up. He made us pure from our sins and He sits down at the right hand of God the Father. If all this was to begin to shift the view of who Jesus was for the Hebrews how does the change anything for you? Does Jesus hold such high of power in your mind or is He merely just a friend that comes along with you in your story? While Jesus certainly does want that caring, intimate relationship with us, we must keep in mind He holds the exact imprint of God’s nature because He is our God. Let’s draw close to Jesus like He is a loving father and worship Him like He upholds universe. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1597
Chapter 2
How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? Hebrews 2:3a – That’s a great question. Knowing the punishment of sin, even just one, is death. Knowing our lives and our pasts. Knowing the perfectness of God and the imperfect mess we are without God…how can we escape this punishment if we push away what Jesus is offering to us? We can’t escape. There is nothing we can ever do or say on our own to somehow make us good enough to escape the punishment of our sin. Only accepting the salvation that comes from trusting in Jesus to save you will. Stop seeking within yourself to save you and stop seeking something in the world to do it either. The only way to find life is in Jesus through the grace that He gives. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. Hebrews 2:1 – What would this drift away look like? Feeling weak spiritually and emotionally. Feeling lost. Feeling alone. Feeling purposeless. Feeling unloved. Here’s where we begin seeing the damages of not listening to what scripture says. Scripture show us our purpose, it repeatedly says we are not alone, it says we have strength in Him, it’s says we are loved beyond our understanding. Yet, if we don’t pay attention to what scripture says, it’s power can’t have the impact we need it to have in our story. Therefore, let’s listen and take in what God is telling us throughout His Word. Let’s not allow this drift to take place in our story. He gave you His Word for you to take in, not to leave out of your life. Allow God to pull you in close to Him through His Word, rather than experience the drift away that comes by not listening to it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews2:18 – Jesus understands your struggle and can help. Often our worldly supports fail somehow because they really can’t relate with what you’re going through or are just unable to actually help the situation you’re in change. Know that’s not how Jesus is. He fully understands and can relate because He’s struggled and been tempted like you have and He also has all the power to change your situation. So continue to lean on and seek help from Christian family, but set you hope in your struggle on Jesus. Remember, Jesus really can help you right now, turn to Him and let Him show you just how He can help. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac- Daily DEVO 566
…how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? Hebrews 2:3a – Imagine you’re locked in a cell when suddenly rescue comes and offers to unlock your cell door. They have the one key in existence that can open your door and after they leave they aren’t coming back. Yet when asked you tell them you’ll wait for the next guy to come along with a key or you’ll figure it out yourself eventually. We would think someone who did that was crazy, yet this is the situation for those who don’t accept the rescue Jesus is giving. Sin has us locked up, Jesus has the one and only key to let us out, do we let Him open our door? If we refuse Him, then as the verse says, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? If you haven’t fully placed your faith in Jesus yet know while you may be trapped in your sin Jesus holds the key to your escape. He is ready, willing, and longing to be your salvation. Please don’t neglect the rescue that is right here for you. While you may not see how dangerous a life is without Jesus currently, know without Him your hope for rescue from anywhere where is as high as the guy in my example who refused his door to be opened. If you want to know more about Jesus and what He can do for you, reach out. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1598
Chapter 3
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13 – This is why I want to give you these daily devotions here and on YouTube. Exhorting means to strongly encourage someone to do something. We are called to daily encourage each other to walk faithfully so we don’t fall into the lies of sin that are everywhere. I’m so proud of you who are walking strong in Christ today, but don’t use that strength only for yourself. You have brothers and sisters in Christ all around you who need some of your strength that God gave you. They need encouragement because they might not be walking as strong as you. The strength you have was not meant to lift you up, it was so you can help lift up others. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. Hebrews 3:3 – For many of us, reading a verse like this one doesn’t really impact us that deeply, but for the Hebrews who this letter was written it would have been a world shaking line to hear. That Jesus was more worthy than Moses. For us when we are sharing the Gospel, there will be times we have to drop a bomb on people’s life that will be hard for them to handle. That the way they have been living isn’t right, that what they believe about God is off, that they need to change. Be gentle, but don’t back down from sharing the whole truth. Sometimes for the change that needs to take place in their life someone like you will have to be brave enough to let them know their life up to now hasn’t been going in the right direction. Only then can they truly turn to go a new direction. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 567
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.” Hebrews 3:7-9 – The writer of Hebrews knew that this would grab their attention. For the Hebrew people the 40 year walk in the wilderness due to their rebellion was something of shame and a black mark in their history. Here it’s asked of them today to not make that same mistake again. That God has made of way of salvation, don’t close off your heart to Him and His provision just like your fathers once did. The message to us is the same, let us not close our hearts to what God is offering. We have salvation being given to us, open your hearts and take it. Strength, peace, joy, love, guidance, and help are being given too, open your heart to what is being offered to you. No longer close your heart and mind to who God is and what His brings. If we choose, we can walk in our stubbornness that leads to death just like the people in the wilderness or we can accept the help God gives and be free. You have the choice today to either soften your heart to God or harden it. Which is your choice? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1599
Chapter 4
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13 – Throughout this passage it was calling us to obedience. What I see this last verse saying is that God sees everything and through everything. We may be able to put up a mask of obedience and fool some people around us that we are following God when we really aren’t. But God sees through those masks. He sees what we do and knows who we are when no one is around. God is calling us to complete obedience, not just following Him when people are watching. Are you wearing a mask to make people think you’re following God when in reality you’re not? Do you think God is fooled by your mask? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. Hebrews 4:8 – If Joshua, or Moses, or Gideon, or David couldn’t have given them true rest and given them the salvation they needed, there would have been no reason for all the prophets to be pointing to a day in the future where a messiah would come and give them rest. Thing is though, none of those guys could give the people the rest and forgiveness they needed. That’s why our story isn’t about them, it’s about Jesus. Jesus is the only one able to give rest and forgiveness to us. Remind yourself of that as you today are choosing who you’re going to let today be about. Will it be about that crush you have with the hope that a relationship with them will give you the rest you need? Will it about that enemy of yours with the hopes that revenge will give you the rest you need? Or will it be about Jesus and hoping that a togetherness with Him today will overflow your difficulties today with His perfect rest? Who are you going to make your day about today? – I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 568
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. Hebrews 4:1-2 – It’s so hard to understand how the message of the Gospel could not benefit someone. For me it’s security, it’s life, it’s the source of peace in my story, it’s everything. Yet, if the message of the Gospel was given and the person who heard it did nothing with it, then of course it would be of no benefit to them. The Gospel would just be another message. As the first part directs us, let this possibly strike fear in you. Fear that the people you care about will hear the good news yet do nothing with it. Let that fear push you to help them see the Gospel is more than a mere message, it’s the life they are seeking after. Whatever you can do to help them see the true nature of the Gospel and the true ending to their story if they choose to not accept the message of the Gospel, that’s your mission today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1600
Chapter 5
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food. Hebrews 5:12 – Where do you sit in all this? Do you struggle to accept and live in the beginning teachings of God? That Jesus loves and wants you, that you really are forgiven, that you really can talk with God in prayer, that you’re never alone anymore due to God being with you. It’s no surprise that you wouldn’t be helping others learn about that stuff if you aren’t living in it yourself. Before you can move forward in your life with God, there has to be an acceptance, understanding, and practice of this beginning concepts. Really believe and live in these things; take in the milk and grow. Just remember, the reason you are wanting to grow is not just so you can eat the solid food. It’s so once that solid food is in you, you can begin helping others drink their milk and grow too. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
For Thought by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food… Hebrews 5:12 – Where would you say you’re at with this message? Are you years into your walk with God yet still drinking milk like a new believer? This is what maturing in your faith means, to settle in the basic truths of God and scripture, know them and trust them, then move onto more. Sadly what often happens is we don’t settle in those basic truth which causes us to never move past them. We struggle accepting the fact that God actually loves us and wants what’s best for us. We refuse to trust He is better at being in control of our lives than us. We don’t take the time see feel the value in our lives of a devotional life. If we keep refusing to grow in the basic truth about our life with God we aren’t going to grow and especially not going to be able to help anyone else grow. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 568.5
Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. Hebrews 5:8 – This passage is speaking of Jesus. What though does it mean He learned obedience? Did Jesus not know it before he suffered? No, what I believe it’s meaning is that as He suffered and still obeyed He gained the experience of choosing to obey when He could have refused to obey, something prior to His physical life on earth wasn’t possible. Here Jesus showed that even in the deepest of sufferings perfect obedience is still possible. Not only did His obedience through suffering make Him a perfect high priest for us but it set an example for us. That we too as children of God can obey faithfully even when experiencing the worst of struggles. If then it’s possible to obey like this why do we sometimes still chose our own way instead? Know we always have the choice to obey God. Yes, your season of life right now may be difficult, is it though more difficult than what Jesus went through? If He could remain faithful in what He went through, so can we. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1601
Chapter 6
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. Hebrews 6:4-6 – As disappointing as it is, there will be people in our life that hear the message of God’s love, seem like they are all in to this Christian life, yet still turn away and not accept it. If you’re anything like me, it’s too easy to get overwhelmed with discouragement when that happens. You spoke life to them and shared your life with them, but they still chose not to accept God’s love for them. My encouragement to you is know you did all you could. You shared God’s love to them, shared your life and story with them, you planted the seed. You though can’t bring life to that seed, only God can. As we continue this journey of sharing God’s love, just know ahead of you will be people who just don’t want to accept it. That’s not on you, but on them. Continue to pray for them, but don’t let that example stop you from sharing God’s love with the next person you meet in your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Hebrews 6:1-2 – Let’s move deeper. That’s what these verses are sharing with us today. Let’s move past the repeated learning of the basic things about our faith where we need our preachers teaching us the same things over and over because we aren’t living them out enough to really have them sink in. You know Jesus saves, you know about eternal life, you know the mission you have been given to share His love. Go deeper now in your faith by living it out rather than just hearing it over and over again. So today, do something with this message you have heard. Take a step deeper in this life you have with God and do something with this life of faith you claim to have. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 569
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:19-20 – Jesus has gone before us. He stepped into the role as our mediator and Savior long before we even knew we needed Him to. We therefore have this truth as a steadfast anchor to hold our life to. That no matter how intense the storms of life get and how battered we may find ourselves by the rain we can stay securely in place because of what Jesus has done for us. Today know you are secure. If you’ve placed your faith in Jesus you are secure and safe. From all this, through all things, for all time. That’s how powerful Jesus is and how good His salvation is. Know today if you haven’t yet placed your faith in Him you for sure still can. Reach out and I’d be happy to chat with you all about it! I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1602
Chapter 7
(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19 – So much is being said here. We see how useless a life of doing all the right things to be perfect on your own is in God’s eyes. We also see that things took a huge shift when Jesus stepped in. It isn’t about the law anymore, its about a hope. Not a list of rules, but a complete expectation that we can rest in. One that says you don’t have to be good enough because Jesus is good enough. We see it’s impossible to draw near to God by our own goodness, but when we latch onto the hope that Jesus is good enough we find ourselves being drawn near to the God that we couldn’t get to by ourselves. It’s all about this hope in Jesus. Rest in knowing while your perfection isn’t ever enough, Jesus’ perfection is and He’s inviting you into it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. Hebrews 7:22 – Let’s talk about what the passage is saying. Remember this letter is being written to the Hebrews, the Jewish people who after Jesus came still didn’t accept Him as their Messiah. So the writer is trying to help them see that the Messiah they are waiting for has already came in Jesus. Up to now their covenant (a deep agreement they have with God) was centered around laws that could never perfect them. Now Jesus has come and has created a new covenant between God and people with Him at the center of it all. What the writer is saying is this new covenant where Jesus is the center and Jesus is the one who saves you is better than the old covenant. Where then do you fall into this story? Don’t fall prey yourself into thinking the covenant you have with God is centered around your obedience to God’s law. The reason we have relationships with God isn’t because of our obedience, but because of Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice. Remember today you’re not holding your relationship with God together, that’s Jesus’ job. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 570
He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! Hebrews 7:3-4 – Imagine someone who you look up to in a certain area of life because of their greatness at it. Possibly a sport or talent or something else. You get the chance to talk with this great person and they point to someone else saying they are the example they are striving to be like because that person is far greater than they are. Wouldn’t we be in awe then of the one that our great person said was far greater than them? Here the writer of Hebrews does this to the extreme. He points to Abraham, the ultimate leader for the Hebrews, and says he paid tribute to one greater than himself, Melchizedek. Then says this Melchizedek is one that resembles something even greater than himself, Jesus, the Son of God. If all that was confusing, it just means Jesus is really, really, really great. Greater than the greatest, one that the greatest can only long to be like. So sure admire the greats of this world, but remember who is far greater than anyone else. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1603
Chapter 8
But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. Hebrews 8:6 – So what are these better promises? What makes this new covenant better than the last? Well have you ever had someone tell you that you were doing something wrong but never tell you how to fix it and do it right? It’s so frustrating because you know you’ve messed up, but you also don’t know how to fix it. That’s what the law does. It identities sin, helps us see the wrong, but the law can’t fix you and make you right. That’s why this new covenant with Jesus is so amazing. It still shows us we are in the wrong with sin, but He shows us a way to fix it all in Him. He doesn’t leave us camping in our shame, knowing we’ve done wrong. He steps right into that campsite and says I’ll take you out of here and fix all this. That’s a better promise. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. Hebrews 8:10-11 – What’s beautiful about these verses is that we see that it’s always been God’s heart for us to come back to Him and be close to Him. Yes this was found written in Hebrews, but it’s a passage pulled from Joshua. Know that from the very beginning all God wanted with you is to be with you, to be your Heavenly Father, and be your God. This new covenant found in Jesus opens the doors for all that to be a reality. God has shown He wants you, so do you want Him? If so show Him that today! I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 571
But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. Hebrews 8:6 – What Christ has and what He offers us is better. It’s better than the old covenant and it’s better than anything this world can offer. This is truly the summation of the book of Hebrews. That the old covenant that God had with His people was good and for the season it was used it worked, but now something new has come. A new way to connect and exist with God. One that far exceeds anything else ever offered to humanity. It’s life everlasting with God all paid for by the blood of Jesus. Today we get to exist in this better never having to live under the old covenant. So for us let’s keep in mind how much better this new life Jesus offers us is over our old life controlled by sin. Sin can never and will never be able to give us anything that comes close to the good that Jesus offers. What God has is better. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1604
Chapter 9
Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:25-26 – To put away sin. What does that mean? Well it means to put away the punishment of sin and remove the stain of sin. For all those who come to Him for their forgiveness, they find a “putting away” of their sin once and for all. As even this passage eluded to, our world has tried to find ways to put away sin on their own, but what we see is only through Christ can that punishment be taken care of and that stain removed. All the more beautiful for us is that this is a forever putting away of sin. Jesus isn’t going to the cross year after year, He was a perfect sacrifice able to cover all sin. We find salvation in Him alone and security of that salvation in Him alone as well. Makes me wonder why we run to so many other things in this life if Jesus offers us so much so freely. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Hebrews 9:24 – Christ has gone into Heaven as the sacrifice of sins, proclaiming forgiveness…all on our behalf. I love that last phrase because it shows you and I that this message is for us. That Jesus died the death that was needed to shed the blood to cover our sin. Now as our priest He is standing between us and our perfect Heavenly Father for all eternity saying we are clean, forgiven, and acceptable for a relationship with God now. Jesus did all this for you. All on your behalf. Keep this in mind when the enemy tries to discourage your worth and value. This passage is saying you alone are worth all that Jesus did on the cross. And even though He doesn’t have to do it again (as we see in this chapter) He would on your behalf because He loves you that much and you’re worth that much to Him. See yourself like Jesus sees you, I bet that will change a lot of how you live today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 572
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15 – Since a death has occurred. The phrase that someone has died always brings up sadness and breaks hearts. Yet here a death occurred and we celebrate all that it means. It means life has been granted to us. An eternal life full of forgiveness and joy. As we read through this passage today we can sit and celebrate the end results of Jesus’ death because we are existing in it now if we’ve put our faith in Him. My hope is that we remember that this new life, new inheritance, new salvation came because One had to shed His blood for us. Yes, celebrate as hard a you can that you have life now because of Jesus’ sacrifice, but live that life in a way that speaks your gratitude. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1605
Chapter 10
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews10:24-25 – Do you think that you can find personal growth in your walk with God outside of church? I agree with you, you can grow outside of the church, but you have to remember, church isn’t just about YOUR spiritual growth, but about other’s as well. If we skip out on Christian community, how can we encourage one another and stir each other up like this passage is speaking on? It’s a very selfish way to live thinking only about your walk with Christ yet not being concerned about the walk of your brother. Your church family needs you, and not only to show up but to step up. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Hebrews 10:18 – If you have the continual feeling of guilt and shame over the things you’ve done in your past, even recent past, this passage is for you. God will bring conviction to help you know what you’re doing isn’t right, but He isn’t about wearing you out with guilt. He is about forgiveness. What we see here in scripture is that once we are forgiven no longer are we in this struggle to pay for what we’ve done wrong. That’s taken care of within the forgiveness Jesus offers us. So if you are holding onto the guilt, that means you’re really not understanding Jesus’ forgiveness in your story. He’s not asking you to make up for what you’ve done, that something you could never do anyways. What’s He’s looking for is for you to accept the fullness of His forgiveness in your story. Stop holding onto the guilt, that’s not God speaking into you with that. You are forgiven and no longer is there any price to be paid for what you’ve done, it’s already been taken care of. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 – Most likely you already caught on into this, but as we try to live our life for God there will be many things that we have to endure. It might be distractions, it might be persecutions, it might be judgment from others. Yet in this life there are going to be things that we have to endure as we try to follow what God is leading us to do. How can we make sure that we have what we need to endure? We rely on what we have confidence in. This is why it says do not throw away your confidence. Our confidence is in the security that we have a relationship with the God of the universe. Make sure today that you are resting in the confidence that you have a relationship with Jesus if you asked them into your life. Let that confidence you have be what helps you endure. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 573
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews10:24-25 – Last night in my message to the students I spoke on that our next steps today will show Jesus how passionate we truly are about Him. This passage reveals a great way for us to show Jesus just that. First consider, dwell on, think about how you can encourage those around you to keep pressing on with their pursuit of Jesus. That means the second comes into play as well, choose to be with said other people to encourage them like this. When we choose to invest in the faith life of others God is pleased. So who are the people today you will be around? What’s someway you can invest in their walk today? See that their life with Jesus is more full today because you were in their life as well today. Let Jesus see today how passionate you are about Him and others knowing Him better. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1606
Chapter 11
By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. Hebrews 11:24-25 – We learn here that choosing to follow God is going to come with a price tag. A price tag that equals mistreatment and hate coming at you from our world. So why did Moses choose to take that price tag instead of the worldly pleasure at his fingertips? Why should we take that price tag instead of going along with the temptations all around us? Because the pleasures of sin are so temporary and fleeting. They never stay and constantly have you chasing after more, never having enough. As heavy as the price tag is to follow Jesus in this world, it’s nothing compared to the heaviness of the chains that sin wants to put on you when you chase after it. Know the world will mock you because of your choice to follow Jesus, but the pleasures that comes with the choice you’re making far exceeds anything sin can give you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. Hebrews 11:19 – Abraham continued to move forward in the direction God was leading him even though the path would take God doing the impossible for everything to work out. That’s faith. Often God is going to lead you in a direction where unless God does the impossible, things just won’t turn out. Trust though God is able and will do the impossible to help you fulfill what He’s calling you to do. Never turn away from the path that God has set in front of you because it holds something we count as impossible to get over. God sees it like you do and would have never set you on that path if He didn’t expect to handle that impossibility for you. Remember, He is walking your path with you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 574
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Hebrews 11:39-40 – What does it mean they didn’t receive what was promised? Did God fall
short for them? Not at all, the promise just didn’t come through in a time where they could see it unfold. The promise was Jesus and Him becoming the Savior of the world, destroying the hold sin and the enemy had on us. Those saints in the Old Testament lived faithfully giving everything they had for God leaning on the promise that one day the Messiah would come. Yet for them, they never got to see Him and experience the salvation He created on the cross. If they, who never saw Jesus or got to see the promise unfold in their lifetime, were able to live so faithfully, how about us? We have the promise fulfilled and the goodness of God in front of us. How much more should our faith be lived out fully now that we have the promise fulfilled in our story? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1607
Chapter 12
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1 – This “cloud of witnesses” are all the people that have gone before us and walked faithfully. Something beautiful that scripture does for us is share the stories of those who came before us. We see the successes, failures, and choices they each had to make and the outcomes as well. Over and over we see how holding onto sin only put brakes on people’s ability to follow God closely. Let’s learn from those before us and let go of those weights of sin so we can run more freely. Let’s also once we drop those weights of sin run far away from them. I think we all know what happens when we camp around sin for too long, eventually we allow it into our tent. Let your story be one that is free of sin and encouraging to those following you. Success or failure, your story is being seen, let’s make it one that inspires others to follow God more closely. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 – Being holy means you are set apart. That when something is holy it is entirely different than anything else around it. This passage tells us to strive for peace and to strive for holiness within our life. Why? Because without being holy, without being set apart and different, no one will see the Lord in our lives. If our lives look just like everyone else’s and sound like every other person on the planet, how is Jesus being shown through our life? Accept the responsibility given to a Christian. Your life is designed to be different from someone who doesn’t know Jesus and its different so people who don’t know Jesus can come to know Jesus. Strive to set you life apart from that of someone who doesn’t know Jesus. I’m not meaning drop using electronics and live in a hut, but drop the worry and live at peace with the people around you. Be different, be set apart, be holy. Then, your difference in your life will open the eyes of people to see Jesus because the difference in your life from their’s is Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 575
…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 – For the joy that was set before Him Jesus endured the pain and death of the cross. What was this joy that was set before Him that drove Him to do all that He did? The joy was you. The joy of you and me and all mankind having access to life and salvation. Us getting to have a chance at being with the Father and having our sins forgiven was such a joy for Jesus that He was willing to go to the utmost extreme for us to make it happen. Know today then when Jesus looks at you enjoying the life He bought for you it brings Him deep, deep joy. Us living joyfully in the salvation won for us and using our breath He bought for us to praise God completes His joy. Use then this wonderful life you’ve been given today to bring all joy to the One who gave it to us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1608
Chapter 13
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Hebrews 13:4 – Such a theme in Hebrews is letting go of the sin that you’ve held onto for so long. How tempting is the sin of lust and the flesh to keep holding onto. What we must remember is that God has His reasons for asking you to let go of and walk away from these sort of things. It’s not at all because He wants to strip your life of fun and joy, in fact it’s the exact opposite. See like with this passage, some may say that waiting for marriage for sex would be a total drain of fun, but God wants you to taste the reward of only sharing that special thing with your person at the right time. His way of doing things is actually so much more filling to us. Don’t see words like this in scripture being a drain to your joy, see them as words of wisdom from someone who knows all things and wants you to experience the best things in life…because that’s exactly what they are. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
Let brotherly love continue. Hebrews 13:1 – “They said some nasty things about me, what should I do about it?”…..let brotherly love continue. “They ruined what I was going for, what should I do about it?”…..let brotherly love continue. “I though they had my back but it sure turns out I was wrong, what should I do about it?”…..let brotherly love continue. Are you catching the message here? God wants us to continue loving people. He doesn’t give “unlesses” or “buts,” He just says to let brotherly love continue. So you are without excuse if you have chosen to response back with anything other than love to someone. Today needs to be the day we choose to always respond back with love because that’s how this world will know we are Christ’s followers. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 576
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Hebrews 13:4 – I want to focus today on the last phrase, for God will judge them. Know in my understanding of scripture God is clear on His expectations and directions concerning sex and intimacy. I believe sex should be only for a wife and a husband, no exception. I believe marriage was designed for one man and one woman, even though that seems to be a hot topic. What captured me today is what my role in all this is. I’m called to follow the commands I’m given about sexual things and to love those who don’t. God will be the judge, not me. Does that mean I’m silent on these things? No, sometimes the most loving thing to do is speak up in someone’s story. But the words come from a heart of love, that’s key. My role isn’t to condemn and to heave more shame on anyone, my role is to love people so hard they turn to Jesus and He rescues them from their sinfulness. Never are we to treat sin as anything less than it is, but we must remember our mission. Never compromise on scripture, but if your understanding of scripture allows you to throw hate at anyone, then you need a new understanding of scripture. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1609
Daily DEVO 