When some people hear the command in Hebrews 13:17 to "obey your leaders" they may tend to bristle, but the writer of Hebrews appeals to the fact that the leaders are put over you for your advantage. Biblical leaders are not there to hinder you but to help you and so the benefit in submitting to your leaders is your own.

It would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it would be for someone to pass through to heaven with a shred of self-righteousness upon them.

What do you want more than anything else: Money? Fame? A godly spouse? Or to just walk and commune with the Lord at your side?

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. - Hebrews 13:15-16

After thirteen chapters here is what the author of Hebrews wants to leave us with: God is a God of peace who raised Christ from the dead. He is a great Shepherd to His people and has brought us into an eternal covenant in which the Lord equips us with everything necessary to do His will.

Regeneration is an act of God in which He changes all Christians, so that they begin to hate sin and pursue righteousness. The thrust of these sermons is to show that this doctrine, although lost by much of modern Christianity, is presented abundantly and clearly in the Old and New Testaments, especially and most vividly in the New.

From Granted Ministries

Regeneration is a new birth (Jn 3:1-8, 1 Jn 3:9); the receiving of a new nature (Matt 7:15-20; 12:33); and a crucifixion of the old self and a resurrection of the new self (Ro 6:1-11, 13; 8:13; Gal 2:20). Knowing these glorious truths is vital and then we must go and live in light of them.

Regeneration is a transfer from the realm of the flesh into the realm of the Spirit (Rom 7:5-6; 8:5-9; Gal 5:16-25); a transfer from the earthly sphere into the heavenly sphere (Col 2:20-22; 3:1-10; Jn 17:14, 16; Php 3:19-20; Eph 1:3; 2:4-6); and becoming a slave of righteousness, no longer a slave of sin (Rom 6:16-22).

The apostle John came along and dogmatically asserted things. The world just wants us to say, "We are searching for truth." but the Christian is not searching any longer. We have found the Truth and John says he has seen it, touched it, and looked upon Christ with his own eyes and must proclaim Him.

Do the sudden trials that cause you to suffer make you bitter or better? With the Lord's help we must not let our sufferings destroy us but rather build us up spiritually to be more like Jesus Christ.