You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/2738614173092311/
Something that will help us all stay connected - keep up the discussion – on the Live Stream. Like, follow, and share these morning devotions. And don’t forget to check in @ Richland Church of the Nazarene. If you think about it, you should comment in the video – whenever you watch this video – and let us know where you’ve seen God lately. I’m looking for you to be looking for what I call God sightings… Put it in the comments.
Within our quest to change there will be times we become discouraged somewhere along the way. Remember it takes diligence and planning and like any plans, it is doubtful they will always go smoothly. We will sleep in some morning and miss spending time with God. We will skip exercising for some reason, or we will eat something we shouldn’t have. We might even make an impulsive buy or miss our small group after a long day.
I want you to be encouraged and take heart because it happens to the best of us. And we cannot let the seeds of disappointment and frustration take root and grow in our hearts. As we seek to change we will need encouragement from God, and from others around us, and the people around you are going to need encouragement from you someday. We were not created to do this alone. Humanity was created in the beginning and thusly so many years after the initial creation, we are created to do this in communion – community. Its going to take all of us to do this task.
Hebrews 10:19–25 (NIV) Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Remember, the writer of Hebrews was writing to a specific audience of those converted from Judaism to Christianity. And there are some definite pieces to this particular passage that are Jewish in understanding.
First it looks to me as if we need to have a firm grip on the Temple and sacrifices to grasp the breadth of information the writer wanted their readers to understand.
Remember it was only the high priest who would dare to enter the holy of holies, And only under prescribed occasions with definite ceremony would they enter. And don’t forget bells on his cloak and wrapped and tied around his waist A large, long rope – just in case he went in to offer the sacrifice and didn’t purge himself of sin prior to entering…oops – I’d hat to be that priest, right…?!
All of that to say, that the writer Hebrews went to great lengths to remind readers that Jesus being the first of the resurrection, opened a way through the curtain of the Holy of Holies to gain entrance into the very presence of God. Just as much as Jesus has given humanity the ability to enter in, we also have a responsibility to help each other.
In the Pixar movie – Cars (1), Lightning McQueen wins all the races as a rookie, except that he got a little huffed up and know everything, so he races too long on a set of tires so he can win. He does all of that to have flat tires at the end, only to tie with two other cars for the coveted Piston Cup.
So the three cars race for the Piston Cup ensues. And Lightning gets a bit lost along the way to the next raceway. Now this whole time Lightning is wanting to be at the raceway so he can get a new sponsor – Dynaco. Even though that didn’t happen, Lightning McQueen is still going to race for the Piston Cup, but during the race, he’s a bit lonely, discouraged and dismayed. Until his team from Radiator Springs show up just in time for the last lap. Lightning quickly emerges to lead the final lap and it looks like he will win. But at the last minute Chick, refusing to lose to The King again, sideswipes and sends The King sending him into a hurling, dangerous crash. Just as Lightning is about to cross the finish line he looks to the jumbotron and sees the wreck. Recalling Doc Hudson's fate, Lightning stops just short of the finish line allowing Chick to win. He drives back to push The King over the finish line, to help him finish his last race.
As brothers and sisters in Christ, we play a powerful role in helping one another. We need people in our lives who will encourage and help us on in our journey. This is especially critical when we are seeking to implement some change in our lives.