Hebrews – Chapter 4

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Hebrews 4:9 – Recently I had the opportunity to share my testimony with my church family. The core of my story was all about perfection equaling acceptance. That if I was “perfect” in my living then I’d be accepted by people, and sadly I felt that same way with the Lord. That my good standing with the Lord was all reliant on my good works. It was an exhausting rollercoaster to be on for even in just a single day I may have done excellent service for the Lord then came home and fell into sin. Rest, like our passage speaks of, was not what I was entering into. Like the people of Israel who never got to enter into God’s promise land, I was not entering into the promised rest that was available to me for I wasn’t accepting an essential truth of scripture. Jesus completed the work for me. Jesus, through His death and resurrection, completed the “perfect” works that I could never do. As the Lord then rested after the completion of the work of creation, now Jesus is inviting all the world to come enter His rest that He has created by finishing His work. Know today the work is done. The work of trying to earn God’s acceptance, favor, and forgiveness is completed. There are not more pieces that you can add to the job’s “doneness,” it is 100% complete and Jesus was the one to finish it. Now the only choice is do you want to enter into the finished work of Christ and enjoy the rest from this constant struggle to earn salvation that He has made available to you. There exists a sabbath rest for God’s people still day and it goes far deeper than just the day of rest the Jewish people had. Our sabbath rest is in Jesus and the finished work He is inviting us into. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3188

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