Category: First Things First Devotional

He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day as high priests do – first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all when He offered Himself. Hebrews 7:27

One day long ago I went to the store with one of my young children. We walked through the store, picked up what we needed, and paid for it. When we got home, I realized that my daughter had picked up some candy that we had not paid for. It would have been easy to think, “It’s just a candy bar and I can pay for it the next time I am there.” But it was an opportunity to teach my daughter the importance of paying for whatever we get at the store. So we headed back to the store. I asked her to go in and tell the store clerk what she had done and then we paid for the candy bar.

There is a price to be paid for our sins. God provided the perfect sacrifice and paid the penalty for our sins. We deserved the punishment, but Jesus paid the price for us by offering Himself. He was crucified on the Cross and died in our place so that we could live.

Challenge: Realize that there is a high cost for your sins that Jesus has already paid so you can be forgiven and receive eternal life. It is a free gift to you, but it cost Jesus His very life. It cost God His Son. Thank God for paying the price for your sins.

For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. Hebrews 7:26

Matthew’s gospel records,, “The next day John (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” (Matthew 1:29). Under the Old Testament rules and regulations, a spotless lamb, meaning without defect, was to be brought as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. Jesus was the perfect “Lamb of God” and the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

The writer of Hebrews provided a fivefold description of the character of the perfect, eternal High Priest. No Levitical priest could measure up to these standards. Only Christ has all of these characteristics. Christ is holy, meaning He is free from sin. Christ is innocent, meaning He is free from evil. Christ is undefiled, meaning He is without blemish. Christ is separated from sinners, meaning that He faced temptation but never yielded to sin. Christ is exalted above the heavens, meaning that He has ascended into heaven and has assumed His place of honor, majesty, and authority in heaven.

Challenge: Christ is the perfect Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Thank God for sending Jesus to earth to die for your sins.

Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25 HCSB

It is time for the championship games of the baseball season. In most games when one team is ahead, they will bring in a pitcher from the bullpen to “save” the game. The St. Louis Cardinals are playing the San Francisco Giants for the National League Championship. They were up by one run, so they brought in a pitcher to “save” the game. All that was needed was three outs to win the game, but after walking two batters the pitcher then threw a wild pitch which allowed the San Francisco Giants to score and tie the game score. The pitcher did not “save” the game.

This Scripture tells us that Jesus is always able to “save” those who accept Him as Lord. He always intercedes for those who believe in Him. His salvation, however, is more than saving a baseball game. He is able to forgive past, present, and future sins and to save a person from the judgment of God. This does not give believers the right to continue to willfully sin, knowing that their sins will be forgiven. It does give confidence that God will always “save” the game for us. We do not have to worry about losing our salvation.

Challenge: If you are a believer, praise God for saving you and giving you eternal life. If you are not a believer, pray and ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life and to save you.

Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. But because He remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. Hebrews 7:23-24 HCSB

I have recently shopped at a salvage grocery story that sells items that have expired or have sustained damage to the packaging. When shopping there I always check the expiration date because I prefer to purchase items that have not yet expired. The expiration date is stamped on products as a way of helping consumers to purchase items that are fresh. Recently I took some crackers out of the pantry and could tell after one bite they did not taste good. Upon checking the expiration date, I found the date had expired several months prior. Being useless, I proceeded to throw the box of crackers in the trash.

We all want something that is useful and not expired. In this Scripture, the way of atoning for the sins of the people through Levitical priests had expired. It was no longer the method to insure forgiveness and being right standing with God. Jesus had become the permanent replacement. It is only through Jesus that our sins can be forgiven. He alone is our high priest. Jesus will live forever and will eternally intercede for us before His Heavenly Father.

Challenge: Thank God that Jesus is your high priest who will forever, permanently intercede for you.

For ground that has drunk the rain that has often fallen on it and that produces vegetation useful to those it is cultivated for receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and will be burned at the end. Hebrews 6:7-8 HCSB

This spring my wife and I decided to put a small garden in the corner of our backyard. I borrowed a rototiller and prepared the soil for planting. We purchased some plants that were already started and carefully planted them in the fertile soil. Next we watered and cultivated the plants to keep the weeds at bay. Because of our work and God’s provision of rain and sun, we have enjoyed delicious, fresh vegetables this summer. As a result of our labor, we received the blessing of enjoying home grown vegetables and even had an abundance to share with neighbors and friends.

These verses in Hebrews uses the analogy of a garden to describe the importance of each believer growing and becoming more like Jesus. If we spend time in God’s Word drinking up the spiritual principles that are found there and then work diligently to cultivate them into our daily lives, we will receive a great blessing from God. If we don’t follow God’s plan for our lives, we will produce thorns and thistles and be worthless to the kingdom of God.

Challenge: Are you drinking in the wonderful rain of God’s Word into your life? Are you spending time cultivating God’s principles into every facet of your life? God wants you to grow and produce fruit. As you produce fruit and help others, you will be a blessing to them. The greatest blessing you can receive is when you know you have helped someone else. Pray that God will provide an opportunity for you to help someone in your realm of influence.

For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit, tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away, because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt. Hebrews 6:4-6 HCSB

When I was in seminary, I used the Navigator Scripture Memory System to memorize over 100 Scriptures. It was an excellent system with small cards that included the “address,” where the Scripture is found, the “title,” describing the subject matter of the verse, and then the actual Scripture. It was followed by the “address” again. I still remember many of the verses I memorized, but I have forgotten more than I remember because I failed to use them or quote them often enough. Unfortunately I have “fallen away” and no longer work as diligently at Scripture memorization, a spiritual discipline that I most certainly need to renew.

The same is true of our spiritual lives; if we do not work at becoming more like Jesus, we will inevitably become stale and not produce any fruit. Too many people have lost their enthusiasm for growing and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. They have fallen away from God’s plan for their lives and although they are saved, they are not living the abundant life God desires for them.

Challenge: What are you doing to grow and become more like Jesus? Have you fallen away because of your lack of interest? What are you going to do today to draw closer to Jesus and to grow as His disciple?

For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit, tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away, because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt. Hebrews 6:4-6 HCSB

There is a family in our church that is in the process of adopting four children. Once the adoption is finalized, the children will take on the last name of the adopting family and become part of their forever family. Nothing they say or do can ever cause them to stop being a member of this loving family.

Many people use these verses to teach that people can lose their salvation. Others teach that one cannot lose salvation. Salvation is not dependent upon what we do or do not do; it is dependent upon what God does. We must believe in Jesus Christ, but it is God who must save us. We can never be good enough to save ourselves. When we choose Jesus as Lord, God chooses us as one of His children and we are adopted into His forever family.

There are many Scriptures that affirm the security of the believer; meaning that once a person is genuinely saved, he cannot lose his salvation. Once God has accepted you as one of His children, you are part of His family and you can be assured that nothing will cause you to lose that position in His family (see John 10:27-29 and Romans 8:28-39). The Greek term for “have fallen away” can be translated “have turned aside” or “have wandered away” or “have deviated from the right path”. Since these verses follow verses about growing and becoming mature, it is more likely that the writer is talking about someone who is a believer but refuses to do what is needed to grow and become more like Jesus or possibly those who have never given any evidence in their behavior that there was a genuine conversion.

Challenge: Thank God that you can be assured without a doubt that as a believer, you have eternal life and will someday live in heaven with Jesus. Be assured you can never lose your salvation.

Therefore, leaving the elementary message about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Hebrews 6:1-2 HCSB

About a year ago our church discovered that the walls in one of the buildings had been built without any steel rebar nor any concrete. The structural engineer said that the walls were standing up by the grace of God. Any building needs a strong foundation and reinforcement to stand against winds, earthquakes, and general shifting of the soil.

Christians are pressured on all sides and tempted by Satan. If they have not built a strong foundation of faith, it is possible that the “winds and earthquakes” of sin and temptation will cause them to spiritually collapse. After encouraging the readers of Hebrews to move on and grow to maturity in Christ, the writer listed six foundational Christian truths. 1. One must repent from his dead works and sins. 2. Accept Jesus as Lord by faith in God. 3. Ritual washing relates to baptism much like the purification process the Jews used. 4. Laying on of hands was a sign of blessing, commissioning, healing, and affirming of spiritual gifts. 5. The resurrection of the dead indicated the belief that those who believe in Christ will rise from the dead and live forever in heaven. 6. Eternal judgment was the belief that everyone will someday face the judgment of God. Unbelievers will face eternal punishment while believers will enjoy eternal life with God in heaven.

Challenge: Build a strong foundation so you can stand strong against any adversity that life throws at you. Satan will do everything in his power to shake your life and cause you to fall. Build your faith on these six foundations so you can grow in maturity and resist the temptations of Satan. Pray consistently and fervently for strength.

Therefore, leaving the elementary message about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Hebrews 6:1-2 HCSB

It has been exciting to watch our grandchildren grow. They first had to crawl and now they are walking. First they received only milk for nourishment, but now they are eating solid foods. At first they could not say anything that made any sense, but now they are beginning to use words. I look forward to watching them grow up, go to school, graduate from school, and someday get married.

Our Heavenly Father likes to watch His children grow. Every believer should be growing up to become more like Jesus Christ. Tragically, many Christians are still drinking milk and crawling when they should be eating meat and running. Too often people think they mature as Christians by right actions such as attending Bible study, listening to a sermon, or even going on a mission trip. The reality is that Christians grow by learning to trust Jesus to make a way for them to become righteous. The more they trust and follow Jesus’ teachings, the more they grow to become like Him.

Challenge: What age are you spiritually? Are you still an infant? Are you eating meat and running? How mature would Jesus say that you are? Ask God to help you grow up and become more like Jesus in everything you do.

He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he is also subject to weakness. Hebrews 5:2 HCSB

When our granddaughter, Ella Grace, comes to visit she enjoys petting our cocker spaniel. Ella Grace will soon be two and is still learning how to be gentle with the dog. She can sometimes grab or pet too hard, so we have to remind her, “Be gentle.”

This verse is referring back to verse one and refers to the high priest being gentle and forgiving with those who have sinned. The high priest is human, just like the person who is coming to repent of his sins. He is subject to weaknesses and makes mistakes. Because he is human, he faces the same temptations that others face. Therefore, because he understands, he is gentle with the person and is more sympathetic. The word “ignorant” refers to someone who does not know right from wrong and has gone astray.

Challenge: Are you gentle with those who have done wrong? Are you willing to forgive those who have hurt you in some way? Because God has forgiven you, in turn you should be gentle and forgive others.