Abraham provides an example of what it means to be available to God. Twice in Genesis 22, God called out to Abraham, and Abraham replied, “Here I am.” They had conversations because of their relationship. James 2: 23 Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called …
Letting faith overcome fear is an experience that every believer wrestles with as God continually stretches our faith. Fear clouds judgment and erodes trust in God, fueling doubt and serving as a weapon of the devil. Although fear may obscure our judgment, trusting in the Lord’s strength equips us to conquer our anxieties. As we follow …
God speaks of the significance of blood in His instructions to Noah. Genesis 9: 4 But you must never eat any meat that still has the lifeblood in it. 5 “And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders …
The importance of gratitude is so significant that it can change our entire mental framework and affect our inner well-being. A famous English Bible scholar named Matthew Henry was once attacked by thieves and robbed. He wrote these words in his diary: “Let me be thankful. First, no one ever robbed me before. Second, although …
John the Baptist is the only person to call Jesus the lamb of God as he prepared the way for the ministry of the Messiah. This God-given discernment about the identity of the Messiah must have stirred his heart for what the Lord was unfolding. John 1:35 The following day John was again standing with two …
Shedding of blood and forgiveness is why Jesus came to this earth. Hebrews 9:22 In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. [1] Some people said that the death of Jesus on the cross proved he was not who He …
The Old Covenant was temporary until Jesus established the New Covenant or agreement with humanity. Hebrews 8:13 When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear. [1] Many people confuse the terms Old Covenant and Old Testament. The Old …
As you read through the Old Testament, it points to Jesus, the final sacrifice. In the Old Testament, the sacrificial system required animal sacrifices to provide a temporary covering for sins. This foreshadowed the perfect and complete sacrifice of Jesus. God’s word in Hebrews 9:22 tells us that animal sacrifice was essential because there is …
The writer of Hebrews shows us Christ, the mediator priest. We generally picture a mediator as one who helps solve contract disputes. A mediator occupies a middle position to intervene and bring agreement between two conflicted parties. When we hear the word “priest,” we may think of a Catholic or Episcopalian priest. Perhaps we think …
Christ was made sin for us. This speaks to the Lord’s fantastic sacrifice and love for us that we do not deserve. Our heavenly Father is without sin and perfect in every way and can’t be in a relationship with someone sinful. After Adam and Eve fell into sin, it seemed like humankind had no …