They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. Romans 2:15
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. (Matt 5:8) “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. Matthew 6:22
So if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, you will be radiant, as though a lamp were shining on you.” Luke 11:36
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105
Yesterday, I was enjoying Release Yourself From Resentment - Best of Bill Johnson Sermons | Bethel Church. He highlights the life of Joseph, mistreated, a life of trials, abuse and imprisonment because of family dynamics and trauma. He then becomes the most powerful person in Egypt and uses his power and influence to save the world, including and especially his family. We remember this famous verse.
- Genesis 50:20, where Joseph tells his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives"
Joseph trusted in God and embraced heavenly wisdom instead of worldly wisdom (James 3:13-18, which contrasts true wisdom from above with earthly, unspiritual, and demonic wisdom. 1 Corinthians 3:19 also states that the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God.)
- Nature of Worldly Wisdom: This wisdom is characterized by envy, selfish ambition, and a desire for worldly gain. It often prioritizes pleasure, power, and status over righteousness and spiritual well-being. It says, you were wronged/injured and they deserve payback/punishment.
- True Wisdom: The contrast is with "wisdom from above," which is described as pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy, and without partiality or hypocrisy. This wisdom is rooted in God's character and brings about a harvest of righteousness.
- Implications: This view suggests that pursuing worldly wisdom can lead to a life that is disconnected from God and focused on self-interest, ultimately leading to confusion and evil.
What's interesting is that when the new testament remembers Joseph it says, "It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left." Hebrews 11:22
He's dream went from being about himself (Genesis 37:5-7) to being about his people who would live in freedom in the promised land (Hebrews 11:22).
We now see this in our lives as Christians
- Romans 8:28, And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
And this is what happened to Jesus on the Cross
- Acts 2:23-24, He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. / But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip.
Hebrews 12-13 brings our life of trials in view of Jesus and our heavenly Father's discipline leads to decisive love for God and others.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,
“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.
You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.
Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.
Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.
Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”
So we can say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”
Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.
We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat. Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.
Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.
Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do. And especially pray that I will be able to come back to you soon.
Now may the God of peace—
who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
may he equip you with all you need
for doing his will.
May he produce in you,
through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.
I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation.
I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released from jail. If he comes here soon, I will bring him with me to see you.
Greet all your leaders and all the believers there. The believers from Italy send you their greetings.
May God’s grace be with you all. (Hebrews 12-13)
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