Hebrews – Chapter 12

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering…Hebrews 12:22 – With our verse starting with the word “but,” we then know whatever was said in the previous verses we are making some sort of change from it. So what was spoken about in the verses prior. The writer spoke on how the Israelites had to handle themselves at Mount Sinai. In Exodus we read how the Lord commanded the people of Isreal to not touch the mountain, and if anyone did they would have to die. The whole experience would have been terrifying for the people. The sky darkened and fire blazing from the top of the mountain. Also hearing the thundering voice of the Lord and knowing that if you were to approach Him on the mountain, you’d be killed. That’s where the Israelites were…but…that’s not where we are at today. As our verse says, we have come to a different mountain, Mount Zion. Instead of being commanded to not touch the mountain, we’re invited to come all the way to be with God ourselves. Instead of darkness and fire, it’s the glorious city of God where countless angels are singing the Lord’s praise. Why is there this massive shift then for us? Jesus. Jesus took care of all the sin and all the law. Now instead of being distant from God, we can draw close. Instead of hearing His word from afar, we have His word written on our hearts. Instead of a fiery blaze on a mountaintop, our God is consuming the penalty of sin so we can freely be with Him. What a blessing this is that we have in our life with God, that we no longer have to stay away from the mountain of where He’s at, but we can draw near and dwell with Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3196

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