friendly connection

When you wake up tomorrow, and the world starts anew, pause and say to the Lord, “Today, I want you to draw me closer to Yourself. I wish to experience a level of intimacy with You that I haven’t yet attained. Lord, I have tasks I need to accomplish today.  

I want You to be so real to me that, while I’m engaged in these, I remain aware of Your presence. Awaken that hunger within me. Instill a deeper thirst for You in my heart. Lord, if I’m attracted to something that could pull me away from You, pull me back. Keep me from straying. Create such a longing for You within my life that it completely influences my conversations, actions, and motives all day long.” Do you think He won’t respond to this prayer? He certainly will.

Key points

1. Do we truly grasp hunger and thirst?  In the West, we may not fully appreciate these concepts as much as those who originally heard Jesus speak these words. If we feel hungry or thirsty, we go to the refrigerator, but in biblical times, people worked for a full day’s pay to have enough to eat.

2. Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness: We discussed righteousness as ultimately being a hunger for God, as God is at the heart of righteousness.  

Main Text 

Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)

Staying on the right spiritual path is essential. God’s training can heal weaknesses, like physical therapy, helping believers grow spiritually together (Hebrews 10:25). 

Main Text: Hebrews 12:12-14 (ESV)

The author of Hebrews emphasizes that experiencing difficult times doesn't mean God is punishing us or has forsaken us. Sometimes, God uses hardships to guide us away from sin (Hebrews 6:7-8). At other times, we are given opportunities to grow and strengthen our faith; this is like the relationship between a parent and child—that is why the author of Hebrews uses the word “trained.” The Greek word means “vigorous exercise.” God’s discipline may be uncomfortable, but it is like an athlete’s training. The athlete feels pain during the workout but later benefits from the growth that results. Similarly, our faith matures as we go through God’s discipline, leading us to produce “fruit of righteousness.”

Main Text: Hebrews 12:10-11 (ESV)

The text explained that the Christians addressed in this letter had not suffered as much as those before them (Hebrews 12:4). In summary, saved individuals should expect to experience God’s discipline; this may include feeling a sense of conviction when they sin. Those who claim faith in Christ but do not feel any discipline, especially a sense of conviction, may be showing signs of being “illegitimate children.”

Main Text: Hebrews 12:7-9 (ESV)

The idea is that a caring father would “discipline” his child, which is also present in Scripture. The reference here is from Proverbs 3:11-12. In this passage, we see that a wise father intentionally guides his children’s growth. He corrects their mistakes while also teaching them to follow a specific path (Proverbs 22:6). By including references to Jesus, the writer suggests that the struggles we face on earth are evidence of God’s love for us and His active role in shaping our spirits for His purposes (Ephesians 6:4).

Main Text: Hebrews 12:4-6 (ESV)

The correct response for a Christian, given the “witnesses” of godly faith and their achievements despite their trials, and considering God’s loving patience, is to intentionally “cast off” sins and selfishness and “hold fast.”

Main Text: Hebrews 12:1-3 (ESV)

When you wake up tomorrow, and the world starts anew, pause and say to the Lord, “Today, I want you to draw me closer to Yourself. I wish to experience a level of intimacy with You that I haven’t yet attained. Lord, I have tasks I need to accomplish today.  

I want You to be so real to me that, while I’m engaged in these, I remain aware of Your presence. Awaken that hunger within me. Instill a deeper thirst for You in my heart. Lord, if I’m attracted to something that could pull me away from You, pull me back. Keep me from straying. Create such a longing for You within my life that it completely influences my conversations, actions, and motives all day long.” Do you think He won’t respond to this prayer? He certainly will.

Key points

1. Do we truly grasp hunger and thirst?  In the West, we may not fully appreciate these concepts as much as those who originally heard Jesus speak these words. If we feel hungry or thirsty, we go to the refrigerator, but in biblical times, people worked for a full day’s pay to have enough to eat.

2. Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness: We discussed righteousness as ultimately being a hunger for God, as God is at the heart of righteousness.  

Main Text 

Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)

Verses 39 and 40 culminate brilliantly in supporting the writer’s main argument. This conclusion is fully realized in the first two verses of the subsequent chapter. The earlier sections of this letter thoroughly articulated the reasons for having utmost confidence in the new covenant established through Jesus Christ.

Main Text: Hebrews 11:39-40 (ESV)

This letter, written initially to persecuted Jewish-Christians, highlights the severe hardships endured by some believers to evoke conviction in those facing less dire struggles. While others have faced torture and imprisonment for their faith, we should reflect on whether our challenges are truly insurmountable. Instead of despairing, we should be inspired to “hold fast” due to their examples. It’s also humbling to consider that these believers are still awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promises, as He is extending the opportunity for salvation to us today, delaying their rewards for our sake (Hebrews 11:40).

Main Text: Hebrews 11:35-38 (ESV)

The main idea in this section of Hebrews is the importance of faith. Specifically, true faith is not simply “belief,” nor is it only “obedience.” Instead, biblical faith represents a reliance on God, informed by our understanding of Him and despite the uncertainties of the future (Hebrews 11:1–3)

Main Text: Hebrews 11:29-34 (ESV)