I woke up this morning in a good mood.  I usually do I’m a pretty positive person. I began to start my morning routine and see what needed to be done around the house before I left for work.  The first thing I attempted I slammed my finger in a door.  I’m sure you all have experienced this before but something as small as a finger can actually really hurt and change the trajectory of your day.  I was frustrated and went back to finish my task when, I kid you not, I did it again!  Now I was really upset it’s not so much the pain as the indignity of doing the same dumb thing twice.  I was planning to start writing the daily devotionals in the book of James today and I actually began to chuckle out loud.  I knew immediately what verses I would be including today.  Let’s look at them together.

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. 9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Now slamming a door in a finger isn’t quite on the same level as the trials that the early church experienced but what are the things that can derail our day?  What is something that can happen in the midst of a good day and set you on a whole different path?  What are the things that can distract you from spending time with God? Luckily my finger didn’t side track me for long.  Probably had something to do with my chuckle about the James passage.  It is easy sometimes to let “little” things derail us.  Today take James’ encouragement and persevere through those things that threaten to derail us.  Persevere and watch and see the great things that God does in and through your life.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Hello Advent Family,

Yesterday was a pretty good day.  I got up early had a good time of personal worship with God then worshipped with my church family. I went golfing with some good friends, played well, and beat all of them (the last part is just icing on the cake).  The Miami Dolphins won, the Patriots lost, and the Dolphins made the playoffs for the first time in a while.  I was going to cook but ended up going out to a nice dinner with my family and my Father in law picked up the tab.  It was a pretty good day until it wasn’t.  I got a phone call from a good friend with some bad news going on in his family.  My mood changed pretty quickly.  I was feeling down until I remembered the following passage from Nehemiah.  Let’s look at it together today.

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” 12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. 13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month 15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written. 16 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great. 18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.

To understand this passage you need a little context.  Nehemiah has built the wall and now the people of Israel are being read and taught the law.  The people are properly sad because of their sin but they are being reminded that they should actually be experiencing joy because of God’s grace and forgiveness.  No matter what circumstances we are facing in life good or bad, the joy of the Lord is our strength.  I reminded my friend of this truth in our brief conversation and we both found our spirts were lifted.   We prayed and I went back to feeling pretty great.  The next time you find yourself down remember the joy of the Lord.  Remember what great things God has done.  Remember and be glad. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

P.S. I also wanted to mention once more the Dolphins are in the playoffs!

Can you remember getting into trouble as a child?  My memory isn’t as good as it once was but I got into enough trouble that I can remember the concept pretty well.  The thing is our parents discipline us to help us become better people and to protect us from trouble.  Have you ever thought about God, our Father disciplining us in a similar way?  The author of Hebrews talks about this. Let’s look together at Hebrews 12 today

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

When we walk through hardships it might not be God punishing us but He certainly uses it to strengthen us. Perhaps you are walking through a challenging time right now.  How can God use that situation to make you better or stronger or more dependent upon Him? What new direction or path is He leading you to?  What areas of sin in your life is He helping you to overcome?  I know in my own life that difficult times have always led to God leading me to new areas of growth.  He has brought me to places that I wouldn’t have gone on my own.  I pray that we will all be “disciplined” by God well as we walk through the struggles of life.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Have you ever been to a sports or music Hall of Fame?  It is a quite amazing experience.  There are displays of the all time greats from the sport or type of music.  It helps you to relive some of the amazing things that happened over time.  Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the Hall of Faith.  Let’s look at it together today.  (I didn’t include the entire passage but I encourage you to read the whole thing)

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

This list reminds us of some of the greats of faith who have gone before us.  The reality is that we actually have an advantage over these folks.  We have Jesus.  This group had something to place their faith in that had not yet happened. We are people who know of the work that Jesus has done on our behalf.  We put our faith in the work which is already done.  I hope that this list encourages you as it does me.  If God can do and has done such amazing things through this group imagine the great things He wants to do in and through your life as well!

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

I have always been fascinated by the word therefore in the Bible.  It certainly is not a commonly used word but it does occur often in Scripture.  I had a youth Pastor tell me many years ago that when you see a therefore you need to know what it is there for. In Hebrews 10 we have a therefore that refers back to the work of Jesus as our great High Priest.  Defeating sin once for all and offering us access to God forever.  Let’s look at it together today. 

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 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. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 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.

We are given several things to do because of that therefore.  We are to hold unswervingly on to our hope.  We are called to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  We are told to not stop gathering together to worship and encourage one another.  These are all crucial parts of our ongoing relationship with God and are all things that help us to become more and more like Him. Jesus, our great High Priest, has left us with work to do.  By His strength may we all do it well.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

For a short while when I lived in Atlanta I had a friend who worked for the Atlanta Hawks.  The Hawks were not very good back then and my friend could get me seats right behind the team’s bench often.  It was so cool to be able to be right there close to the action.  I could often hear what the coach said and even knew what play they were going to try and run after time outs.  I was only able to have that kind of special access because of my friend.  It makes me think of the access we have to God through Jesus.  Let’s look together at Hebrew 9 today.

11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

The Priest would offer a sacrifice so that he then could go and enter the Most Holy Place and speak to God on behalf of the people.  Jesus, however, has given us direct access to God through His once for all time sacrifice on the cross for our sins.  This is the best special access any of us could ever hope for.  We have the opportunity to go directly to God with our praise, our hopes, our hurts, and our thanksgiving.  Jesus has given us the best back stage pass ever.  May we all take advantage of our special and unlimited access to God.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Have you ever finished a job and been very satisfied?  Maybe you took on a difficult project and when you brought it to completion it was very rewarding.  Perhaps you attempted something new and completed it.  It truly is rewarding when you finish something.  Look with me today at Hebrews 7 and let’s talk about what God has finished.

23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

When Jesus uttered the words, “It is finished”  it meant so very many things.  His time with a weak, earthly body was ending.  His walking through life with his disciples and family was at an end.  He was quite literally dying.  He also had accomplished the payment once and for all for sins.  He was the final sacrifice.  He gave us all 365/24/7 access to God.  He reconciled us to Himself once for all time.  If it is satisfying to finish a project imagine the satisfaction in accomplishing all of that at once.  Sure there was a little work to be done with His resurrection and a few final goodbyes but He truly was finished. Today and every day thank Jesus for His finished work and for the fact that He isn’t finished with you.  He will continue to make you more and more like Him until you join Him in Heaven.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

What is there in this world that you can trust or depend on 100%? Even the people very closest to us will occasionally let us down. The author of Hebrews reminds us that there is one and only one who will never let us down.  Let’s look together at Hebrews 6.

13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. 16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

I love the statement that it impossible for God to lie.  When we are little lying is one of our first impulses.  “Who broke the lamp?”  “I don’t know.”  “Did you neat the cake I told you not to touch?” a chocolate covered face responds. “No!”  God, because of who He is, because of His nature and character, is truth.  When He makes us a promise we can depend upon that promise totally and completely.  In a world of uncertainty that is a great truth that we can be certain of!

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Isn’t it comforting to know that someone is praying for you.  The thought that another person is lifting you up in prayer to God is always a blessing.  The people of Israel used to find comfort knowing that the priest was making intercession on their behalf to God.  The author of Hebrews reminds us that we now have a great high priest who does the very same thing in the person of Jesus.  Let’s look together today at Hebrews 5. 

Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. 7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

If we find comfort in knowing another person is praying for us how much more comforting should it be to know that Jesus, Himself, is offering intercession on our behalf.  Jesus lived as a human so He understands our struggles yet knows perfectly how to intercede for us being God.  The next time you feel alone in your struggle know that Jesus is next to God the Father offering prayers on your behalf and know that you are never alone. 

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Have you ever been to the beach and seen the professional sand castle builders there?  I always loved building sand castles.  I have never managed anything much better than a few upside-down buckets of sand packed well surrounded by a deep moat.  The things these professionals can build is truly amazing.  The first time I saw something like that I felt that it had to be fake it was so amazing.  Then I was even more amazed when I saw someone actually making one.  I was fascinated even more by the builder.  The author of Hebrews uses this analogy when Jesus is being compared to Moses.  Let’s look at the analogy together today. 

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

There are certainly many heroes of the faith found throughout the Bible.  Moses is definitely one of them, yet compared to Jesus he is my sand castle compared to one of those amazing ones.  When Hebrews was written many Jewish people esteemed Moses at an incredibly high level and the author is simply trying to let us all know just how amazing Jesus truly is.  He exceeds all of our expectations.  This Christmas watch for Jesus to exceed your expectations as well!

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave