The Thanksgiving of the Rich in Faith

I will give You thanks with all my heart; I will sing Your praise before the heavenly beings. I will bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your constant love and faithfulness. You have exalted Your name and Your promise above everything else. On the day I called, You answered me; You increased strength within me. (Ps. 138:1-3)(HCSB)

Happy Thanksgiving! I pray that you and your family have had a great Thanksgiving week. During this holiday season, let's be thankful for God's constant love and faithfulness just as David was when he penned the above scripture. Let's remember that it is with thanksgiving in our hearts that we can enter His gates. It is with praise that we enter His courts where we can truly worship Him in His presence. (Ps. 100:4) 


Let us be thankful for God's Word and the examples of faith we have to encourage us to put our faith in God as well. Here is another devotional from "Beside the Still Waters" by Dr. Douglas B. MacCorkle:


"The heirs with him of the same promise" (Heb. 11:9b)(ASV)


The Thanksgiving of the Rich in Faith


In this thanksgiving season our minds should be on more than turkey and its "fixings." The spiritual provisions of the Lord make rich and add no sorrow. How rich and full are our lives if we have lived by faith, like Abel, Enoch, Noah and Abraham, not to mention the others in the hall of faith. Meditate upon the privileges of these believers as the brief outline-suggestions unfold.


Abel worshipping God (Heb. 11:4). Worship is not atmosphere but activity of the soul. Abel's worship was: (1) done in a potent way--by faith; (2) done in a prescribed way--in God's way; (3) done in a propitious way--satisfying God by sacrifice of a substitute.


Enoch walking with God (Heb. 11:5). Walking with God is a tremendous thing. Enoch's walk was: (1) pleasing to God--so much so that God would not let it be interrupted; (2) preserved by God--so that Enoch should not see death (compare John 11:25,26). Life from God issues in a walk with God--a walk all the way into glory.


Noah working with God (Heb. 11:7). Working with God involves eternal details. Noah's work was: (1) invited by God--in the midst of great apostasy; (2) identified with the grace of God--in view of faith-righteousness; (3) inheriting the riches of God--in spite of a disobedient world.


Abraham waiting for God (Heb. 11:8-12, 17-19). Not just waiting, but waiting for God's big moments--God's perfect timing. Abraham, and let's not forget his princess of the faith, Sarah, waited for God because: (1) a promise had been given; (2) a pilgrimage had been started; (3) a prospect had been made vivid. God is never late. He comes through every time He makes a promise to His own-- and always on time (4:16). Like many of us, they were heirs together of the Grace of life in Christ.


Singing His Praises,
Joey Culpepper

Power, Permanence and Perfection

The power of an endless life...his priesthood unchangeable...perfected forevermore...(Hebrews 7:16b, 24b, 28b)(ASV)


Here's another devotional by Dr. Douglas B. MacCorkle from the book, Beside the Still Waters. Dr. MacCorkle speaks of the power, permanence and perfection of the ultimate High Priest, Jesus.


Power, Permanence and Perfection


These are factors which cannot be found even in the only God-given religion of Israel: (1) the power of an endless life, (2) the permanence of an unchangeable priesthood, (3) the perfection of an unequaled priest.


The power of an endless life (Heb. 7:1-17). This is the subject to which the author of Hebrews has been continually desiring to address himself (see 5:11). It is set forth here against the background of two Old Testament orders of priesthood: (1) Melchizedek (7:1-10), (2) Aaronic (7:11-28). The Aaronic priesthood naturally loomed largest to the Hebrew. Fifteen hundred years under Aaron eclipsed any knowledge of the other priesthood. During these years Israelites saw that their many Aaronic priests failed to live long. The situation cried for one who had the power that derives from an endless life. Men need a priest who will not be interrupted by death (see 7:23).


The permanence of an unchangeable priesthood. The Aaronic priesthood was not the first priesthood. It was a temporary arrangement at best. Because (7:24) Jesus had the power of an endless life, His priesthood will not and need not be changed. Thus (7:25) He is able to save to the full consummation all who draw near to God through Him. This means also that He performs a sustaining priestly ministry to believers, called "intercession", while we are walking here below.


The perfection of an unequaled priest (7:28). We have seen the importance of the endless life which He has, and the unchangeable priesthood which He holds. Now we are asked to note that He stands as the perfect or complete priest. There has never been another like Him. This is the kind of high priest that fits our need (7:26). No wonder that He is the surety (7:22) of a better convenant (i.e., better than the Mosaic covenant). This is especially wonderful when we recognize that this power, permanence and perfection are for our profit.


Singing His Praises,
Joey Culpepper

The Irresistible Word of God

The word of God is living, and active...(Hebrews 4:12a)(ASV)

Here is another devotional from Dr. Douglas B. MacCorkle from Hebrews which speaks about the nature of the living Word of God:

The Irresistible Word of God

Faith gives the believer a tremendous advantage. Think of the wide expanse you have in God's Word. The exercise of your faith on this Word will bring you great profit (see 4:1,2 in contrast).

Now the Word of God is by nature good news. It is on a Divine mission. It will accomplish its mission (Isa. 55:11). It is irresistible. Here's why:

It is living. The Word of God is saturated in reality. It is not only an account composed of facts, but also a full quota of truth on the point of which it speaks. You can put your finger on the pulse of this Word and feel it throbbing with life. It is throbbing with a life which is not corruptible (1 Pet. 1:23).

It produces and promotes life wherever it is mixed with faith (4:1-2). This Word is not dead or dying; neither is it dull. Many are dead who have heard the Word, but the Word still lives actively. In this Word is all the wisdom of eternity. This Word spells out the will of God so that you may do the work of God in God's way.

It works best in the heart of man. Like a seed it germinates in the soil of the heart (Matt. 13:3-9; 18-23). Because it is a living seed, the Word of God goes to work in a directed way (the term "active" means "in-work").

The Word of God is keener (sharper) at getting to its objective than even a two-edged sword. It penetrates even through the soul and spirit (the joints and marrow of the inner man). Thus, it is able to judge or discern (discriminate) the inner feelings and thinking process of the heart. In giving us God's Word (account of things), it demands of us and accounting (4:13c). Later, before Him with Whom we have to do, we must give our account of the work of the Word of God in our heart.

Singing His Praises,

Joey Culpepper

Seriousness About Salvation

For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding, and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? (Hebrews 2: 2-3a)(HCSB)


Here's a devotional by Dr. Douglas B. MacCorkle from the daily devotional book Beside the Still Waters. It speaks of warnings about salvation and how we can successfully heed one of those warnings.


Seriousness About Salvation


There are seven large and serious warnings about salvation in the epistle to the Hebrews (2:14; 3:7-19; 4:11-13; 5:11-6:20; 10:26-31; 12:25-29; 13:9-15). Our text of the day is central to the first warning. This is a warning against being drifted past the steadfast word which Christ came all the way from heaven to plant in our hearts.


There are two excellent ways to heed this warning successfully.


1.  Let the Word of Christ dominate your thinking process. It will give you permanent stability. Tie your mind tightly (consider) to the Word of Christ. Read it. Memorize it. Study it. Recite it. Review it. Constantly pass it on to others. Only by use will you come to know its real value. We must all be Bible students. Then, 2:2 speaks negatively to the same point--do not take life lightly in view of the Word of Christ. The word of Moses, the Mosaic Law, was severe on the transgressor. The Word of Grace contains far more advantages for the believer and far more severity for the one who takes it lightly.


2.   Let the wealth of Christ delight your thinking process. The greatness of this salvation dawns as we add up the assets and advantages found in this salvation. While we must respect and avoid the severity-side of this salvation, we must see how attractive and great is its value. This means that we are delighted to get into the treasure house of this salvation and explore it for our own spiritual profit. God's salvation intends that we grow in Grace (2 Peter 3:18).

We only see a little of the ocean,

a few miles distance from the rocky shore;

But, oh, out there beyond the eye's horizon,

There's more---there's more!

----Author Unknown

Singing His Praises,
Joey Culpepper

Aaron

No one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He has to be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. (Heb. 5:4)(NLT)

The following is a worship profile of Aaron from the Praise and Worship Study Bible published by Tyndale House Publishers. I highly recommend this study bible for anyone who wishes to learn more about worship.

Aaron

Some people have greatness thrusted upon them, as William Shakespeare once reminded us. This might have been the case with Aaron, Moses' older brother. When we consider the responsibility that was placed upon Aaron, it is easy to imagine that he felt singled out for a task that was beyond his abilities. God chose Aaron to address Pharoah, since Moses felt incapable of speaking publicly. Despite the difficulty of the task, however, Aaron obeyed God. After the Israelites left Egypt, God chose Aaron again for the immense responsibility of mediator and worship leader of the Israelite community. Aaron fulfilled this role faithfully until his death.

Aaron the Worshiper

Aaron's divine calling did not prevent him from committing serious errors. He led Israel in its first act of idolatry, making a gold calf for the Israelites to worship. Later he joined his sister, Miriam, in a serious challenge to Moses' authority. Eventually Aaron recognized his sin, however, and repented, and God showed him forgiveness.

Once each year on the Day of Atonement, Aaron was appointed to enter the Most Holy Place--into the very presence of God--and make atonement for the sins of all the people. He represented the Israelites in a sacred meeting with God.

Learning from Aaron

Worship that is done according to the Lord's design is pleasing to him. Regarding the sacrifices offered by Aaron and the priests, there are at least seventeen instances in the book of Leviticus where an offering is described as  "pleasing to the Lord." In the same way, our acts of obedience and service today are acceptable sacrifices to God (Phillipians 4:18).

As mediator between God and his people, Aaron was the forerunner of a greater High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus, our High Priest and Mediator, is the perfect representative of humanity in the presence of God. We may now come before God because of Christ's atoning work.

Following the Example

When we worship, we should recognize, as Aaron did, that we do not come before God on our own merits, for we are completely unworthy to do so. Yet at the same time we should worship with complete confidence that God has called us to be there and that he has made us holy by the blood of his Son, Jesus Christ. Since God has so graciously made it possible for us to come before him, we should consciously strive to offer worship that is pleasing to God.

Singing His Praises,

Joey Culpepper