DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 15:
WORD OF WISDOM
I have never been a millionaire, but I have enjoyed a great meal, a
crackling fire, a glorious sunset, a walk with a friend, a hug from a child,
a cup of soup, a kiss behind the ear. There are plenty of life's tiny
delights for all of us.
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DAILY DEVOTION
God Comes to the Common
There's one word that describes the night Jesus came-ordinary. It was an
ordinary night with ordinary sheep and ordinary shepherds. And were it not
for a God who loves to hook an "extra" on the front of the ordinary, the
night would have gone unnoticed. But God dances amidst the common and that
night He did a waltz. And the night was ordinary no more!
The announcement went first to the shepherds. They didn't ask God if He was
sure He knew what He was doing. Theologians would have consulted their
commentaries. The elite would have looked to see if anyone was watching. The
successful would have first looked to their calendars. But the angels went
to the shepherds. Men who didn't know enough to tell God that messiahs
aren't found sleeping in a feed trough. God comes to the common-because His
most powerful tools are the simplest!
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DAILY BIBLE READING
Hebrews 4-6New King James Version (NKJV)
The Promise of Rest
4 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest
any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was
preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not
profit them,[a] not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we
who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:
"So I swore in My wrath,
'They shall not enter My rest,'"[b]
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He
has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God
rested on the seventh day from all His works"; [c] 5 and again in this
place: "They shall not enter My rest."[d]
6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it
was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He
designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time,
as it has been said:
"Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts."[e]
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken
of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10
For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as
God did from His.
The Word Discovers Our Condition
11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall
according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is
living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to
the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no
creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the
eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Our Compassionate High Priest
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we
do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was
in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come
boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to
help in time of need.
Qualifications for High Priesthood
5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things
pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2
He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he
himself is also subject to weakness. 3 Because of this he is required as
for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. 4 And no
man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron
was.
A Priest Forever
5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was
He who said to Him:
"You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You."[f]
6 As He also says in another place:
"You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek";[g]
7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and
supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him
from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son,
yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been
perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
10 called by God as High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek," 11
of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull
of hearing.
Spiritual Immaturity
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to
teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have
come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of
milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But
solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by
reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
The Peril of Not Progressing
6 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ,
let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance
from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of
laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3
And this we will[h] do if God permits.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted
the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have
tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they
fall away,[i] to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again
for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears
herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God;
8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being
cursed, whose end is to be burned.
A Better Estimate
9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes,
things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God
is not unjust to forget your work and labor of[j] love which you have shown
toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full
assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but
imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
God's Infallible Purpose in Christ
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one
greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you,
and multiplying I will multiply you."[k] 15 And so, after he had patiently
endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater,
and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus
God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the
immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two
immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might[l] have
strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set
before us.
19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and
which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has
entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to
the order of Melchizedek.
Footnotes:
a.Hebrews 4:2 NU-Text and M-Text read profit them, since they were not
united by faith with those who heeded it.
b.Hebrews 4:3 Psalm 95:11
c.Hebrews 4:4 Genesis 2:2
d.Hebrews 4:5 Psalm 95:11
e.Hebrews 4:7 Psalm 95:7, 8
f.Hebrews 5:5 Psalm 2:7
g.Hebrews 5:6 Psalm 110:4
h.Hebrews 6:3 M-Text reads let us do.
i.Hebrews 6:6 Or and have fallen away
j.Hebrews 6:10 NU-Text omits labor of.
k.Hebrews 6:14 Genesis 22:17
l.Hebrews 6:18 M-Text omits might.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James VersionR. Copyright C 1982 by Thomas
Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
