Hebrews and Believing chapters 3-4

Starting in 3

7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
8     do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
    during the time of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested and tried me,
    though for forty years they saw what I did.
10 That is why I was angry with that generation;
    I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
    and they have not known my ways.’
11 So I declared on oath in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 15 As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
    do not harden your hearts
    as you did in the rebellion.”
16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?

-
Highlights from chapter 3
“Today,  do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion,Their hearts are always going astray,
    and they have not known my ways. See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness"
-
Chapter 4

4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.
 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

“So I declared on oath in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”
And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”

6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience,7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
    do not harden your hearts.”

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e](J) just as God did from his.(K) 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.(L)
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Highlights of chapter 4

"since the promise of entering his rest still stands for we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.
 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience"

Now, 3 and 4 together


“Today, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion,Their hearts are always going astray,
    and they have not known my ways. See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness since the promise of entering his rest still stands for we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.

 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience"


In summary.. If you are a believer, you should not be disobedient to the ways of God. If you are a believer, you should be holding to the commands of God any day that you can call today.  If you are a believer, you obey the Sabbath just as God did, when He ceased from his work.

Lies the Devil Tells

19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. - James 2


Calling ones self a believer in Christ does not make one a follower of Christ, as the above scripture points out.


The Devil knows scripture. He preaches. His doctrine is chocked full of bible verses... and its all lies built on the counterfeit in order to set himself up like God.

And we so often believe every word because it is darkness, but brightly lit.

The enemy wants to be Jesus. The enemy has spirits. The enemy can perform works, and signs and wonders...

BUT IT IS STILL A LIE THAT DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE WORDS OF GOD.


Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will command His angels concerning You’;
and

‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

-Matthew 4


4 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron- 1 Tim 4


3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.- 2 thes 2



43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.- John 8

4 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.- Proverbs 1-2


What is the doctrine  of the adversary? Lies and lawlessness.
What is the truth and good doctrine? Faith resulting in obedience.

. Be careful, Just believing in something doesn't make it true

Secret Eating

I'm sitting here with a chicken chalupa in my hand and reflecting on the concept of famine.

I know at least 30 different people off the top of my head who would read that and tell me that what I am eating isn't healthy and it probably isn't really food.

I listened to the intro to a sermon earlier that was starting in 1 Tim 4. The preacher is talking about bad doctrine and how in the latter times, people of faith, people who profess Jesus as their savior with their mouths.. will be lead away by false spirits and demons.

1 Tim 4
4 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; 5 for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer

What stuck out to him as strange, was the part about food.  In this warning about false doctrine, and fake gospel is this note about ...eating?... and Marriage? ....but...eating? 

wut?

I've been thinking about the food thing.

Call it a hunch but I do not think that it is talking about donuts and steak and broccoli.
1) The Spirit of God says that in the later times, some will fall away from the faith.
2) They're teaching things contrary to God, feeling no conviction of sin because their conscience is seared.
3) .... ... ....
4) The things of GOD are good, and nothing OF GOD is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude 

5) it is sanctified by the means of the word of God and prayer.

Okay... Now I know that there are some people who read this and want to say that ... well, just picking an animal here... pig.... is food. They want to say that forbidding the eating of pig means that a person is a liar and a hypocrite because God made pigs

That seems to make perfect sense until you pass it through the filter of God's word and His word says :

Leviticus 11
7 and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. 8 You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.

God did make pigs, yes. The word tells us that they aren't for food.
Isaiah 66

16 For the Lord will execute judgment by fire

And by His sword on all flesh,

And those slain by the Lord will be many.

17 “Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the gardens,

Following one in the center,

Who eat swine’s flesh, detestable things and mice,

Will come to an end altogether,” declares the Lord.

18 “For I know their works and their thoughts; the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory.

The way that is against God, is going their own path, eating the detestable things... swines flesh and mice.
That, sounds like a doctrine of demons.
It is not the actions of someone who believes and holds to the Truth of God

But what is this food that is spoken of.

Acts 10
9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he *saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.


What does this mean?
What is the issue here??? 

Cornelius, a gentile man, wanted desperately to be in the right with God.


17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.”


Why would Peter be perplexed about the meaning if this passage was clearly about eating abominable things that are an affront to God?

Unless, the food was a metaphor for people.... and eating is a picture of taking something into the body...
And peter had an issue with certain gentile people.... and not taking them into the fullness of the body of Christ...

...like Paul did in Galatians

1 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

Gentiles, sanctified by the word.
Is there something to this idea that people can be spiritual food for the greater body of Christ???

John
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” 34 Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”



This is right in the middle of His encounter with the Samaritan woman.The woman who was half Jewish, half Gentile

Later in John Jesus says this:
Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal (John 6:26-27).


Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink (John 6:53-55).






...and I think about famine.
I wonder how many of us are starving to death because we are not eating
We are not each day dying to our self, and our flesh and our mindsets that are carnally opposed to the life of Jesus and the God who saves us from our sin.

We hunger but we are not satisfied.

The devil knows scripture.
The devil makes doctrine that are full of scripture.

Matt 4: 4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will command His angels concerning You’;
and

‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”





.... I want the Manna of God. I want the fruit of belief. Chicken burritos aren't going to even compare to the nourishment and the flavor of the power of God.

We now, at our fingertips, can Eat and be filled of the Word of Christ.