TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:25-27
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Charles Spurgeon wisely observed, “Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows but only empties today of its strength.” Worry plagues many of us. We may wonder if our jobs are secure or if health problems will develop. Parents may become anxious about the choices their son or daughter will make in the future. Worry stems from the frustration of trying to control aspects of our lives that are beyond our reach. Jesus offered a correction to this perspective when He commanded His disciples not to worry (v. 25).

Jesus acknowledged that our worries often focus on the basic necessities of life. The things a person eats, drinks, or wears are usually not luxuries. They are necessities. But as important as these things are, they’re not most important when we account for the whole person. Jesus’ command should prompt us to ask whether the well-being of our souls–the spiritual side of our nature–is receiving the same degree of attention as our physical side.

While we cannot ignore the physical necessities of life, some things that cause us anxiety may actually be luxuries. One humorist has defined a necessity as “Almost any luxury you see in the house of your neighbor.” Most of us would probably expand the list of necessities that Jesus identifies in today’s passage. For instance, He doesn’t say anything about a house, a car, or a telephone! Jesus’ list, of course, isn’t meant to be exhaustive. It’s only intended to cover the basics. This also reminds us that God’s value system and ours don’t always coincide.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What are you worried about today? Is it a concern over which you have no real control? As you pray about your concerns today, look at them through the lens of reality and the lens of God’s care.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:28-30
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. - Psalm 37:25
TODAY IN THE WORD
During a dinner party, Nancy Astor, the first woman to take a seat in the British House of Commons, commented to her dinner partner that she believed men were more conceited than women. To prove her point she raised her voice and said, “It’s a pity that the most intelligent and learned men attach least importance to the way they dress. Why, right at this table the most cultivated man is wearing the most clumsily knotted tie!” Every man in the room immediately reached up to straighten his tie.

While clothing can certainly reflect personal vanity, it is also a basic necessity. We don’t need to dress well, but we all need to dress. That’s why Jesus focused on the temptation to be concerned about clothing when He taught about worry. It should be noted that those who originally heard His command probably had a very different wardrobe than we do today. The average person did not have a closet full of clothing from which to choose each day. Many of the poor had only one cloak. For them the question “What to wear?” didn’t reflect personal vanity but rather an understandable concern for a fundamental need of life.

As proof of God’s interest in such matters, Jesus pointed to the testimony of creation. In particular, He pointed to the example of the “lilies of the field,” probably a reference to wildflowers (v. 28). Their beauty offered evidence that God is able to richly provide all that we need.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
While there is nothing wrong with having nice clothes, our wardrobe should not be the focus of our life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:31-34
Why are you downcast, O my soul? . . . Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. -
TODAY IN THE WORD
A comedian once said, “The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win you’re still a rat.” According to Jesus, the problem is even deeper--it’s a pagan contest. While admitting the importance of earthly necessities, Jesus urged His disciples to make spiritual concerns their first priority. As citizens of the kingdom of heaven, our first concern should be Christ’s kingdom and righteousness. While the pagans “run after” food, drink, and clothing, those who belong to Christ are to pursue Christ’s interests (v. 32).

Acknowledging God’s loving concern for our basic needs can help us avoid the rat race. Knowing Christ does not make us immune from the demands of daily life. We must take the same pains as everyone else to find food, clothing, and shelter. Jesus’ command does not mean that matters of food, drink, and clothing are unimportant. Indeed, their very importance makes them a potential distraction.

Nor should we think that working for such things is “unspiritual.” God’s Word legitimizes work (2 Thess. 3:10). It is God’s normal way of providing for our daily needs and also the means He uses for us to win the respect of people who don’t know Christ (1 Thess. 4:11–12).

Christ promises that our Heavenly Father already knows what we need; this means that we can attend to the daily necessities of life without getting entangled in them. These things are important to Him because they are important to us. In His Word He has promised to “meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Look around the room where you are sitting. How many of the things that you can see are proof of God’s ability to provide all that you need?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:1-5
You, then, why do you judge your brother? . . . For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. - Romans 14:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Writing in the Christian Reader, Kathy Plate told of the time Andrew, her five-year-old neighbor, showed her his class picture. As he pointed to each of his classmates, he described their behavior. “This is Robert; he hits everyone,” he said. “This is Stephen. He never listens to the teacher. This is Mark. He chases us and is very noisy.” Finally, Andrew came to his own picture. He pointed at it and declared, “And this is me. I’m just sitting here minding my own business.”

Andrew isn’t alone. Most of us find that it is easier to recognize the faults of others than to see our own failings. This limited vision makes us prone to judge others unfairly. Jesus commands us not to rush to judgment, warning that the same standard we use to judge others will eventually be used against us.

This command does not prohibit all forms of judgment. Elsewhere in Scripture Christians are commanded to judge. In 1 Corinthians 5:12, for example, the apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian church of its responsibility to “judge” other believers when exercising church discipline. It’s understandable to desire to remove the “speck” from another’s eye. Under the right circumstances it can be an act of mercy. But if we attempt it while our own vision is obstructed, we are liable to do more damage than good.

The kind of judging Jesus condemns employs a double standard. It criticizes others for something that is also present in us. We must deal with our own sin before attempting to correct someone else.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Is the “speck” in someone else’s eye actually God’s mirror revealing a log that should be removed from your own? Think of someone whose faults have been bothering you, then draw a “mirror” on a piece of paper. Inside the mirror write a word that describes each of the faults that you have identified. When you are finished, spend time in prayerful reflection, asking God to show you whether any of these faults reveals an area where the Holy Spirit wants to work in your own life. Ask Him to help you remove the “log” from your eye and thank God for the one whose “speck” has helped you to see it.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:6
Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. - Philippians 3:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
The story is told of a drunk man who got on a bus late one night. He staggered up the aisle and sat next to a woman holding a Bible. She looked at the man disapprovingly and said, “I’ve got news for you, mister. You’re going straight to hell!” The man jumped up and shouted, “Oh, man, I’m on the wrong bus again!”

Although an effective evangelist might question such an approach, anyone who has regularly shared the gospel can identify with having their words taken lightly. Jesus frequently had this experience and warned His disciples to exercise discernment when sharing God’s truth with others. His saying, “Don’t cast your pearls before swine” is still commonly used today, although many do not realize its origin. Jesus commanded His disciples not to give what is holy to dogs and not to throw their pearls to pigs (v. 6).

In Scripture, dogs and pigs are metaphors to refer to the ungodly. The psalmist referred to the evil men who surrounded him as “dogs” (Ps. 22:16). He complained about wicked traitors who prowled about the city like dogs (Ps. 59:6). Swine were listed among the unclean animals that the Israelites were forbidden to eat (cf. Lev. 11:7; Deut. 14:. Those whom Jesus classified as dogs or pigs would have been those who were ungodly or spiritually defiled.

At first glance Jesus’ command seems surprising. When criticized for spending time with sinners, Jesus replied that He had not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (Matt. 9:13). But Jesus didn’t treat those who were self-righteous the same as those who were aware of their sin. When the religious leaders asked Him questions, He often gave a veiled reply and sometimes refused to answer (see Matt. 21:24–27; 27:12; Luke 23:9). Yet when the woman of Samaria asked Jesus sincere questions, His answers were frank and revealing (John 4:4–26).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The primary focus of Jesus’ command is on our responsibility toward God’s truth. Those who know Christ have been made stewards of “what is sacred.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:7-11
Without faith it is impossible to please God . . . anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and . . . rewards those who earnestly seek him. - Hebrews 11:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
When Marge Townsend moved from the plains of western Canada to Windsor, Ontario, in the 1930s, she dreamed of becoming a newspaper reporter. But when she walked into the Windsor Star and applied for a job, the editor just laughed at her. In those days reporting was considered men’s work. Marge was undeterred. The next day she returned to the office and applied for the job again. She did the same the next day and the day after that. She returned every day until it became clear to the editor that she wasn’t going to give up until he gave her a job. Finally he relented and gave her a position.

Jesus’ teaching reveals that we need the same kind of persistence when it comes to prayer, but for a very different reason. Marge was tenacious because the editor was unwilling to grant her request. The believer’s persistence is fueled by the confidence that God is eager to respond. Yet the fact that we need to keep asking, seeking, and knocking implies that God’s answer to our prayers may be a long time coming. If God is as eager to grant our requests as Jesus says, why does He sometimes seem to be unwilling?

One reason for the delay may be our own growth in faith. True faith is more than the certainty that God will grant us what we desire when we pray. Ultimately, it’s confidence in God Himself. Those who pray in faith do so because they believe that God has the best knowledge of what is needed.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Small children are fearless when it comes to asking their parents for things. No request is too small and few are too large. But as children learn the limits of a parent’s patience and resources, their boldness becomes tempered. We need to learn the opposite lesson. The underlying assumption behind Jesus’ words about our prayers is that we have a tendency to underestimate God’s willingness and capacity to answer. God knows our true needs! But He wants us, like children, to come to Him for answers. Is there some heavy burden on your heart? Come to your Heavenly Father today and boldly ask Him for help in your time of need.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:12
The commandments . . . are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” - Romans 13:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
A few years ago it was popular to wear wristbands with the initials WWJD imprinted on them. The initials stood for the question, “What would Jesus do?” These wristbands were intended to help the wearer formulate a Christlike response in everyday situations. Some complained that the slogan was trite. Others suggested that it ought to ask, “What would Jesus have me do?” More recently some Christians who, for environmental reasons, opposed the use of sport utility vehicles amended the slogan to say, “What would Jesus drive?” In the ensuing controversy conservative columnist George Will wryly observed that Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on a donkey: “a fuel-guzzling and high-pollution conveyance.”

While people debate these two questions, we see in our passage today that Jesus taught His disciples that their daily behavior ought to be guided by a different question. He urged them to ask: “What would I want the other person to do to me?” (v. 12). According to Jesus, this simple question summed up the essence of the Law and the Prophets. In saying this Jesus reveals an important truth about the nature of holiness. Holiness is not merely how we relate to God–it’s also how we treat other people. To be holy, we simply need to ask, “How would I want to be treated in this situation?” The standard is simple; the implementation is difficult. Only those who have already experienced the transforming power of the gospel can apply this “golden rule” to their behavior. Only God can enable us to live by this standard.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In his book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis observed that every person has an innate sense of God’s law. He called this the “Rule of Fair Play” and observed it most often when people say things like, “How would you like it if someone did the same to you?”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:13-14
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
In his book Waiting, Ben Patterson tells of the time he climbed Mount Lyell, the highest peak in Yosemite National Park, with three of his friends. When Patterson noticed that his friends were making better progress in their ascent, he began to search for shortcuts in an effort to beat them. After choosing one that his more experienced friends seemed to have overlooked, a few minutes later Patterson found that he was trapped in a cul-de-sac of rock. One false step and he would tumble to his death on the valley floor below. Thank-fully, after about an hour his friends noticed his absence and were able to rescue him.

Sometimes choosing the right path can make all the difference in the world. Patterson learned that there are times when it can literally mean the difference between life and death. This is also true in the spiritual realm. According to Jesus, choosing the right “gate” will determine whether or not the road we are on will lead to life or destruction (v. 13).

The kind of gate with which most of us are familiar is attached to a fence surrounding someone’s yard. The image that came to mind for Jesus’ listeners would have been the gates that surround the city of Jerusalem. Some opened into a square large enough to accommodate a large number of people. It was at such a wide gate that the crowd gathered to do business. The city’s leaders often sat in the gate so that they could witness business transactions and discuss legal matters. The wide gate would have been a place of prestige.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The “gate” and the “path” are both metaphors that speak of Jesus Himself. Jesus is the gate. His word is the path. Which gate have you chosen? Which path are you on? There is no way to find eternal life other than through Christ. No good deed, church, or other religious practice can open the way. Only Jesus can. Those who wish to find the path of life must take Him at His word. If you have never received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, why not do so today? Enter through the narrow gate by admitting your sin and asking God to forgive you through His Son.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:15-20
Test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. - 1 John 4:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
William Grimshaw, a contemporary of John Wesley, spoke with a woman who told him how much she admired a certain preacher. The man had plenty of talent as a speaker but little evidence of God’s grace in his life. “Madam,” Grimshaw told the woman, “I am glad you never saw the devil. He has greater talents than all the ministers in the world. I fear, if you saw him, you would fall in love with him, as you have so high a regard for talents without sanctity. Pray do not be led away with the sound of talents.”

Although it was spoken more than two centuries ago, Grimshaw’s warning feels uncomfortably contemporary. In this media-saturated age it is easy for us to have more regard for “talents” than sanctity. Sadly, the last few decades are littered with ruins from the ministries of men and women who had a great following because of their speaking ability or personality but who have failed in the area of holiness.

In today’s passage Jesus warns us to be wary of those who have speaking ability but no godly character. Outwardly they seem to speak for Christ. They appear to be people we should listen to and benefit from. In reality, they are spiritually dangerous. Like wolves disguised as sheep, they are intent only on gratifying themselves at the expense of God’s flock. The scenario Jesus describes poses a practical problem for the believer. Since these false prophets look like sheep, how do we recognize them?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What standard do you use when you evaluate those who claim to speak for God? Are you more interested in style than in content? Are you willing to overlook significant character flaws because you are impressed with their personality or speaking ability? God expects us to test all that we hear. The content validates the message, and character authenticates the messenger. This is also true for us. When our actions fail to reflect the truth of the gospel we preach, a watching world naturally questions the validity of our message.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:21-23
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. - James 1:22
TODAY IN THE WORD
A little boy asked his mother for a cookie. Explaining that it was almost time for lunch and that the cookie would spoil his appetite, the mother refused. Undaunted, the boy took his mother by the arm and pulled her into the kitchen. Once they were standing in front of the refrigerator, he pointed to the Scripture magnet that he had made in Vacation Bible School and read the verse imprinted on it. “If you love me,” he declared triumphantly, “you will obey me.” He got the words right–but not the meaning.

Jesus warned that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” has the right to make such a claim (v. 21). Elsewhere, believers are warned to examine themselves to see whether they are “in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5). We are told to “be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). These warnings indicate we can deceive ourselves into thinking that we belong to Christ when in reality we do not. What makes the difference?

In the example Jesus gives, the people He rejects point to their deeds to justify themselves. They claim to have prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles. What is more, they claim to have done all of this in Jesus’ name! But notice that they appeal to the works they have done in Jesus’ name rather than to the work of Jesus to justify them. The Savior puts their works to His searching test of truth and authenticity. Despite an impressive ministry résumé, He labels them “evildoers” and commands them to depart from Him (Matt. 7:23).

Like the little boy who turned the real meaning of Jesus’ words inside out in an effort to get what he wanted, these false professors of the faith turned the significance of Jesus’ name inside out by claiming that their ability to manipulate it was proof of spiritual power. They may have called Jesus “Lord,” but they treated Him more like a tool or magic formula.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Imagine that Jesus were to ask you the reason for your hope of heaven. What answer would you give? If your assurance is based upon anything other than the blood of Christ shed on the cross, you too may hear Jesus say, “Depart from me.” Don’t put your hope in what you have done for Him, but place your trust in all that He has done for you: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:24-28
God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his.” - 2 Timothy 2:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
When Marc and Karen purchased their dream house, they pulled out all the stops. Young and successful, they both had high-paying jobs in the film industry. They could afford to pay more for their house than most of us make in a lifetime. Their home’s huge windows provided a 360-degree panorama of the San Fernando Valley, their favorite feature and one that made visitors gasp.

All that changed when an earthquake sent their dream house tumbling down the cliff into the valley below while the couple slept. “They never knew what hit them,” Marc’s brother later said. “They loved that house.” Marc’s house was well-built. It was just built on the wrong foundation. Because of that, he and his wife both lost their lives.

In His conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used a similar picture to describe a spiritual disaster of even greater proportions. In this case the loss is not of a house and a life, but of a soul.

Jesus used this terrifying picture to describe two possible ways of responding to His teaching. One is to take Jesus at His word and build your life upon it. The other is to ignore what Jesus has said. Those who are building their lives on something other than Christ and His word are setting themselves up for a terrible fall.

Throughout the Sermon on the Mount Jesus emphasizes both grace and obedience. These do not contradict each other. People who have experienced the grace of God in Christ are called to live a life of obedience to His word.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In 2 Timothy 2:19 the apostle Paul describes the foundation upon which the Christian life is built as a solid one with two inscriptions: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” If you were to write an inscription for the foundation stone of your spiritual life, what would it say?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Judges 18:1-31
Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol– a thing detestable to the Lord. - Deuteronomy 27:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
On Palm Sunday in 2002, a pastor in Lafayette, Indiana, stood to deliver the sermon. The message praised the courage, compassion, and love of those that follow the path of heaven. As the sermon continued, however, the one to follow on this path turned out to be both Buddha and Jesus. If such sermons are preached in supposedly Christian churches at the beginning of the Christian holy week, we shouldn't be too surprised to see the toxic mix of God and idol worship in today's passage.

One root problem was that the Danites had never obeyed the command to control the land. This left them surveying the countryside for an easy target (v. 7). Having found one, they discovered a bonus: in addition to setting up a new city, they could set up a new religion (v. 14)!

What's most troubling about this story is the way that the Danites approached God. They didn't see anything at all wrong with asking God for direction and for saying that He was the source of their blessing while at the same time executing a plan to steal a false ephod, false idols, and false priest. The Danites probably appeared quite successful to an outside observer. They had conquered a peaceful, unsuspecting people and taken control of a city. They even gave God the credit (v. 10). But saying “please” and “thank you” to God is not the same thing as true worship. The writer of Judges clearly indicates that outward trappings of success don't equal favor with God.

We aren't told exactly why the Danites wanted Micah's idol collection, but the Levite serving as his priest was all too eager to join his new congregation. We need to remember the context of this story and the theme of deception and self-deception in the previous chapter. The writer is whispering clues to us about God's perspective on the situation. The Levite thought he was making a good career move. He had a bigger group. He could do more “ministry.” But how ridiculous to think that he could be successful apart from serving God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Judges is thoroughly relevant to our contemporary Christian lives, churches, and ministries. Prayerfully ask the Spirit to search your heart with these questions: Do you say “please” and “thank you” to God as a substitute for obedience and service? Do you think that success is measured by opportunities for more power and prestige? We cannot mix the worship of idols or our own advancement with lip service for God. He demands our total surrender to His will, not just a token acknowledgment of His existence.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 1:1-4
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. - Hebrews 1:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
Have you ever looked at yourself in a mirror or photograph and been struck by how much you resemble your parents? One family displayed the baby pictures from three generations–grandfather, father, and son. The three were virtually indistinguishable! A favorite topic of discussion about almost every newborn includes guessing which family member little Tommy or Susie most resembles.

The first few verses of the book of Hebrews tell us that Jesus bears the resemblance of His Father. This doesn’t mean that Jesus looked like God physically. Rather, God the Father revealed Himself to His creation more fully in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus than He ever had before in the past (vv. 1–2). When we look at Jesus, we see the essence and glory of the Father (cf. John 1:14, 18).

Hebrews, though, does not want us simply to see God working through His Son Jesus. This anonymous author makes the point that Jesus, as God’s Son, shares equality with His Father. The author credits Jesus with activities that only God can do, such as creating and sustaining the universe (compare Heb. 1:2–3 with Gen. 1:1; Heb. 2:10, 11:3). As the Son of God and agent of His creation, Jesus is far superior–both in His person and in His revelation of the Father–to any other figure or being through whom God has spoken in the past.

We all experience times in our Christian walk when we wonder why we should stick with Jesus. Hebrews was written to answer this very question. As we spend the next month walking through this rich and wonderful New Testament book, we will be encouraged by this great early Christian theologian not to turn from faith in Jesus.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we embark on this journey through Hebrews, why not take the time to pray that God will use His Word to encourage you in your walk with Christ? Pray that God will teach you and train you to persevere in your commitment to Jesus through His message in the book of Hebrews. Perhaps you are currently experiencing a trial that is leading you to doubt and question God. If so, pray that He will give you a renewed vision of Jesus and the strength to stick with Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 1:5-14
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? - Hebrews 1:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Whether it is stronger trash bags, toasted sandwiches, or bigger automobiles, television advertisements consistently try to persuade us that we should never settle for anything less than what they claim is the best.

In a way, our passage in Hebrews also attempts to persuade us not to settle for second best. Specifically, Hebrews asks us why we would ever worship one of God’s created servants (vv. 7, 14) over His royal Son (vv. 8-9, 13).

In the time of this author, the broader culture regarded angels very highly. Angels were commonly thought of as mediators between God and humanity. In fact, the Hebrew term sons of God sometimes refers to angels, and is even translated into English that way (cf. Job 2:1, 38:7 KJV).

Belief in Jesus as God’s Son may have led some of these Hebrew readers to conclude that Jesus was merely one of God’s angels. As one of God’s most powerful angels, Jesus would be worthy of great reverence and respect–but such a view would mean that He was neither God nor human!

This may explain why the writer uses the Old Testament to argue for the superiority of Jesus to God’s angels. God commands His angels to worship Jesus (Heb. 1:6). As Son, Jesus is addressed in the Psalms as God (v. 8, cf. Ps. 45:6). As Son, Jesus is the eternal Creator who transcends the created order to which the angels belong (vv. 10-12, cf. Ps. 102:25-27).

The author of this letter clearly wanted those to whom he wrote to recognize that Jesus can’t be placed on the same level as other heavenly beings. In Jesus, something much greater than an angel or messenger of God has come into the world. Indeed, as great as angels are, they are ultimately only God’s ministers sent out to serve those whom Jesus is bringing to salvation (v. 14).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Many of us may not be tempted to reduce Jesus to some sort of “super-angel” in our thinking. However, we can at times allow practices into our lives that direct our trust away from Jesus to other spiritual powers. Perhaps you are tempted to base decisions on horoscopes or other “spiritual” guides. Such practices may seem harmless, but they shift our faith from God’s Son to other powers. If you struggle with this, take a moment to pray for forgiveness and then get rid of the temptation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 2:1-4
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. - Hebrews 2:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
Two young boys went on an outing with their parents to the beach. They had recently been given inner tubes and were anxious to try floating on them in the water. Oblivious to all else they charged into the water and began to splash about happily on their inner tubes.

Sometime later they were startled by the distant call of their father. As they turned to look, they were terrified to discover that they had drifted far away from the shore. Distracted with their playing, they found themselves in a potentially dangerous situation.

While Hebrews has much to teach us about how to encourage each other in the faith, we can also learn a great deal about the warning signs in our own life that may signal movement away from Christ. In Hebrews 2:1, the writer informs us that movement away from Jesus doesn’t always occur abruptly. Instead, he compares it to drifting away. We must, he says, “pay more careful attention” to the things we have heard. This implies that, as the two boys discovered, drifting away often begins not with our intentions, but in our failure to pay careful attention.

The writer knows that believers can slowly become weary in their walk with Christ, and he reminds us that the stakes are high. This salvation that we hope in was proclaimed by Jesus Himself and confirmed by the power of God and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (vv. 3-4). Hebrews has already established that Jesus is superior to the angels, who helped mediate the old covenant Law of Moses with its blessings and consequences (v. 2, cf. Acts 7:37-38, Gal. 3:19). It follows, then, that the message of salvation Jesus proclaimed brings even greater blessings if obeyed, and even more disastrous consequences if rejected, than the Law of Moses.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you have been ignoring the gospel, take this opportunity to listen. Jesus is Lord of all. We are all guilty of sinning against God (Rom. 3:23). One day Jesus will come from God’s right hand to judge each one of us, whether living or dead.