This week our scriptures draw us to looking at some of the Promises of God. The Bible is full of promises, so many that it is hard to know where to begin. Today we will look at the scriptures. The first is Hebrews 4:12-16.

12 God’s word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts.13 Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have lived. 14 Since we have a great high priest, Jesus the Son of God, who has gone into heaven, let us hold on to the faith we have. 15 For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. 16 Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it.

One of God’s promises is that His Word, the Bible, is a guide to show us right from wrong. We can be sure God knows everything we do and even think. Do we trust God’s Word that says, even though Jesus, our High Priest, knows everything about our sinful thoughts and actions, he still understands and forgives our weaknesses?

A Daily Hope devotion by Rick Warren gave this example: Let’s say I write every single thing I’ve ever done wrong on paper – all my sins, faults, mistakes, all the shameful acts and thoughts and memories and temptations in my life. Then I fold it and put it in a book and close it. You can’t see the paper any more; you can only see the book.

That’s the way God sees us when Jesus as the Holy Spirit is in our lives. When you and I come to Christ and say, “God, here’s my life. Please forgive everything I’ve ever done wrong, every time I’ve ever made a mistake, all those stupid things I’ve done. I want to give my life to you, Jesus.” Jesus wraps you with his love. God looks at us and sees Jesus and knows He is perfect; he doesn’t see your sin. We can relax in God’s grace, but we still need to continue to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling”. (Phil 2:12.)

If we let God’s Word, living and active, cut into us and change our hearts; if we have faith in Jesus enough to draw near to him, confess our sins and receive God’s grace and mercy, how will it affect our day-to-day lives? WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?

At first we may just realize something is different about us. We will have a desire to know more and understand more of Jesus. We want to read God’s Word, the Bible. And it will be different, because the Holy Spirit within us opens our minds to the depth of the words we are reading. We can “be” as a child who is hungry to know more and more and is only satisfied as they keep reading and learning.

Then it will be visible to those around us in small ways at first by the fruit of the Spirit others see in us. The love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23) our lives exhibit may not even be recognized by us, but others will start to ask “What has made the changes I see in him or her? They wouldn’t have done that before!”

Perhaps it could look like helping to bring God’s message to the children in the community through Kid’s Club. Thank you to all who are helping or would consider helping in the future. Perhaps it could look like packing an Operation Christmas Child box, which can impact children’s lives to know the love of Christ, or by going out of the way to help a neighbor in need.

What are some other ways that could mean we have allowed God’s Word to penetrate our hearts? What ways do you see people in our communities showing their faith by reaching out in love to their neighbors?

-Children’s Christmas Shopping Day

-Giving blood

-Prayer Shawl Ministry

-Harvesting a crop for an ill neighbor

What do all of these acts of reaching out with Christ’s love have in common? They all come at a personal cost: time, money, or risk. This is where the Mark 10:17-24, scripture comes in.

Jesus and the Rich Young Man

 17 As Jesus started to leave, a man ran to him and fell on his knees before Jesus. The man asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to have life forever?” 18 Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good. 19 You know the commands: ‘You must not murder anyone. You must not be guilty of adultery. You must not steal. You must not tell lies about your neighbor. You must not cheat. Honor your father and mother.’ “ 20 The man said, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these things since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus, looking at the man, loved him and said, “There is one more thing you need to do. Go and sell everything you have, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.” 22 He was very sad to hear Jesus say this, and he left sorrowfully, because he was rich. 23 Then Jesus looked at his followers and said, “How hard it will be for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The followers were amazed at what Jesus said. But he said again, “My children, it is very hard to enter the kingdom of God!

Jesus’ disciples asked, “Then, who can be saved?”

Jesus replied “For people this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

Are we like the rich young man in this scripture? Do we hold on to what we have as “ours”, because “we earned it”, “we worked hard for it”, we might need it“, “who knows what the future might bring”? WHO KNOWS?

GOD KNOWS!

Matthew 6:20-21 says, “…store up for yourselves treasures in heaven … For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Whatever treasures we store up in heaven will be eternal. We, you and I, need to ask ourselves if we are just trying to hang on to things/money here in this life that we could be putting in God’s hands for his eternal purposes. Do we truly have faith, trusting that God will care for all our needs? I pray that we do, and will find more and more ways to let go of our “me resources” and give them to “God’s glory” actions. Amen.