For the believer and non-believer, confession is a powerful tool. For the believer especially, it is particularly effective in spiritual matters. Now I am not talking about confession as addressing sin. In the Greek, the word for confession means simply, "to say the same as." We confess Jesus as Lord. We confess the Lord as victorious. Yes, we also confess our sins to Him. But we can confess the w...

There are many times in my past where I have been called to action on something. Whether it be that I was lazy, didn't actually care, or simply didn't know how to begin, I found a trend in my heart. I would wait for something to take place in me before I started to move on something. Instead of letting the change be in my action, I delayed in prayer. For subjects like "Believers Believe" I would p...

Not very long ago, I taught a message at my old church in Gilbert, Evident Life Church. While I was there, I taught what has served to be one of the most instrumental teachings I have ever given. The title of it was "Believers Believe". What a concept! My text that I came out of was Hebrews 3:7-4:10. So I will confess my own personal bias toward this lesson as I sit and reflect on this truth. Beli...

There are many instances throughout Scripture where the audience in instructed in consideration. The challenge is a simple one that causes somebody to step back and analyze what is before them. If we consider what consideration is, we instinctively are brought to a place of deeper meditation on the subject. It is so easy to simply go through life without thinking about what we are doing. The instr...

One of the most important words in all of Scripture is therefore. The reason I am so emphatic of its importance is because it serves as a continual reminder that the text we are dealing with is not isolated. As good as we may pride ourselves on being good contextual readers, it is a learned skill to hold all of the study from the previous weeks with what we are going through now. We can often forg...

We begin in Hebrews 3 with a therefore. This is one of the most powerful contextual words. It means everything that is following is directly tied to what has just been taught. Out of Jesus being the Captain of our salvation, we are are instructed to consider Him, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. In this consideration, we are given a direction to consider as well. He was faithful to t...

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He wh...

One of the more terrifying prayers that I have prayed is one that I will encourage for you to join in. "Lord, would you help me to suffer well." This is incredibly difficult to pray, for it ensures you will endure trial. You will not shrink back nor flee, for the Lord is faithful to such humble prayers. He will show you how to suffer by bringing you through suffering and giving you the endurance t...

Scripture spends a lot of words discussing the believer's mindset around suffering. In fact, we are specifically instructed to have a mind that joins in suffering. There are some serious promises that come along with those who embrace the mindset of suffering that Jesus did as well. I will confess, as I know I am in good company, that I am not that eager for suffering. But I ought not seek to avoi...

6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.-1 John 2:6 To understand that Jesus is the Captain of our salvation is to recognize that He is the one we must follow. Most of us find that to be a suitable reality. After all, we have signed up for following Jesus. I have grown in the impression that we don't always realize what that means. Most believers I talk with bel...

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.-Hebrews 2:14-15 Having already discussed once again the situation that the original audience was facing, I will no...

So far the text in Hebrews has drawn a continuous conclusion of the greatness of Christ. There has been given proof and evidence of the excellence of Christ, as well as warnings for neglecting so great a salvation. The message of the greatness of God and the fear of drifting away have been clearly presented. There has been a continuous elevation of Jesus and it continues here. Not only is this the...

What we have in this week's section of Scripture is one of the most humbling realities of the Christian faith. We are presented with who Jesus is, what He did, why He did it, and how He views us in light of it. There are such deep concepts that I still have such a difficult time grabbing a hold of because of how deeply profound they are. Let us look at the Captain of our salvation and see what Heb...

10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying:“I will declare Your name to My brethren;In the midst of the assembly...

I will make this as simple as I can because I want you to remember the instructions. My first instruction will have you turn off your phone so you won't be able to come back to it while I have you doing this.Turn off your phone and put it in a different room.Get away from everyone. (Go to your car, a closet, the bathroom, etc.)Sit in silence and consider the works of the Lord.Wait.It is a simple 4...