The House You're Building

[19] Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, [20] by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, [25] 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. [26] For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, [27] but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. [28] Anyone who has set asi...

I had a blog post all ready for this month as we trek through Hebrews, but woke up this morning with another message on my heart.  Dear reader, I don’t know when you will read my blog post, most likely not today, as I’m actually typing this on Christmas morning.  As I post this, many people will be getting kids out of pajamas and heading off to something or another with friends and family and more food before we all start ourselves in January.  It’s a different Christmas for me, as my 21 year old is still asleep in bed and my daughter is hours away.  It’s the first year we can’t all be together, which may be making me a little maudlin but I’m a mom so I get to get to be a little sappy.  I’m here with tea, the dim glow of the tree and time to reflect.  This year my husband and I are not exchanging gifts.  I guess that we’ve reached that point in our life’s where we have everything we need and what we value has changed a bit.  Don’t worry-we’ve stil...

  [12] Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. [13] 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. [14] For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. [15] As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” [16] For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? [17] And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? [18] And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? [19] So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:12 –19, ESV) One of my favorite things to do when getting to know a new friend who is a Christian is le...