MORNING MEDITATION

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2

Look: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

When we think of a god or a king, we often think of one who cannot understand the plight and poverty of common man. But Jehovah God is not a god made by human hands, nor a mere human king who lives in luxury. Our God is the Creator, the One, true, and living God, who understands us perfectly because He lived on earth as a man and "was tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin." Jesus was tempted in all things so that He could help us, and He is willing and able to give us what we need. Jesus is a compassionate high priest who patiently bears with our weakness and can help us in the depths of helplessness and despair. "Why so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God" (Psalm 42:5).

Our reading in Hebrews 4:14-5:9, begins with the words, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest..." Jesus came down to earth to bring us near to God, and now we have a high priest in heaven whom we can trust to help us and provide all that we need. His eternal work in heaven is to be our High Priest and Mediator, and He delights in leading us into the life and love found in fellowship with the Father. May we see our Savior as He is before the throne, a compassionate and kind high priest, who knows the cost and suffering involved in conquering the sin and temptation that prevented our access to the Father, and the weakness and helplessness of man unable to do it on his own. Let us offer up a prayer of praise expressing our confidence and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ as the one who utterly understands our suffering and sympathizes with our struggles here in this world. Let us claim His life in heaven as our own, holding fast to Him and following Him into the presence of God.

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest
who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold firmly to the faith we profess."
(Hebrews 4:14)

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

Solid Food for the Mature

"But solid food is for the mature,
who by constant use have trained themselves
to distinguish good from evil."
~ Hebrews 5:14

We've come to the end of our first week in our journey to enter the holiest of all and experience the rest of God in His sanctuary. In the first few chapters of Hebrews we have seen God in His humanity, taking on our human flesh and revealing Himself as a God of compassion, sympathy, and kindness; learning obedience through His suffering. And in His divinity, with His ascension to the throne of heaven as the crowning revelation of who His is and what He has done for us; removing the hindrances out of our way so He can lead us into perfect fellowship and loving communion with the Father. These first few steps of our journey lay an important foundation that will lead us on to higher teaching and the deeper truths of God's Word as revealed in the Book of Hebrews, and the rich spiritual blessings available to those who desire to progress in their Christian walk and go on to the perfection made available to us in the inner sanctuary.

Today, more than ever, it is vital for the believer to understand and experience what it means to live the surrendered life of rest in God, and to take authority in prayer; fervent, effectual prayer that lays hold of the wisdom and power of God and wars victoriously in the heavenly realms. We must be better prepared and equipped to take our stand against the forces of evil in this world (Ephesians 6:10-18). The invisible battle for the heart, mind and soul of mankind wages on internally, while visible warfare from external threats like Islam and the post-modern culture, which seeks to eliminate all traces of God from society, is relentless in its attacks, and directed at hindering the true pilgrim from advancing along the path towards perfection. We must not settle for the lower stages of the Christian life, nor stagnate in our progress towards the heavenly life. If we truly desire to experience the fullness of the abundant life found in Christ, and long to see the purposes of God accomplished and His kingdom advanced in this world, then we must be more intentional in our pursuit of the knowledge of the heavenly priesthood of Jesus Christ and the heavenly life He brings into our hearts. As we read and meditate on the words of Hebrews 5:11-14 today, may we find, in these first 21-days of the New Year, our hearts awakened to hunger for the deeper truths of God's Word and to thirst for more fellowship and communion with the the Lord. May it be our aim this year to advance on to maturity, to a life of obedience and holiness, with a heart sensitive to sin, and a will yielded to the purposes of God. "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me...I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12, 14). He is worthy!

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2

Look: "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment." (Hebrews 6:1-2)

Our Sanctuary journey is leading us to understand what true spiritual rest is. It is not a rest from work that leads to inactivity and neglect of duty and responsibility. Rather it is the experience of power for higher activity found in ceasing from human works and self-effort to yield oneself fully to enter into the rest of God, allowing Him to work and live in us. The believer's rest is found in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and His ascension to the throne in heaven. Our whole duty now consists of pressing on to the perfection provided in Christ.

Just as a parent expects their child to leave the infant stage and learn to walk and use all their limbs and faculties to move on to maturity, our heavenly Father expects His children to progress in their spiritual life. The beauty of the spiritual life is that the length of time that is required for growth and maturity in human nature is not necessarily the same for our spiritual growth. Higher levels of spiritual progress are available to the heart that desires it and willingly yields to the work of the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Sadly, however, many believers remain in the infancy stage of the Christian life, dependent upon the "elementary" teachings of God, and never go on to experience the higher life of perfection. We become like a plant that is withering, rather than a blossoming tree that bears much fruit. Instead of seeing the house built, furnished, and occupied by the Master, we remain at the foundation and never begin the construction. As a result, many believers miss out on becoming a true habitation for the Holy Spirit, and all the blessings of the life and power that brings. As we read and meditate on the words of Hebrews 6:1-12, let us ask our High Priest to take us behind the veil to experience His perfection and the fullness of the heavenly life He has prepared for us. Let us surrender to the work of the Master Builder to complete the work He has begun in us (Philippians 1:6).

"For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child,
I reasoned like a child. When I became a man,
I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror;
then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known."
(1 Corinthians 13:9-12)

_______________________________

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2

Look: "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged." (Hebrews 6:17-18)

Most people begin the New Year with a list of resolutions and a renewed determination to do better in all areas of life, particularly in the areas of health and fitness, however, for the Christian, there is nothing more important than the care and attention that is given to the inner life. As partakers of the new birth, ours is a spiritual life, and it is essential that we listen to the exhortations and warnings written in the letter to the Hebrews, calling believers to press on to maturity through daily diligence and perseverance. This message is as important in the age we are living in as it was to the early church, for the threats of falling away are as real now as they were back then. "Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on our guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen" (2 Peter 3:17-18).

Much of this earthly life serves to unfit the believer for the heavenly life, but God has promised through His Son to work in us all that He has promised. It is His plan and purpose to bless us and to make our lives a channel of blessing for others, if we will trust in His faithfulness to complete the work He began in us. As we read Hebrews 6:13-7:10, let us look to the unchanging nature of God and His purposes, and rest in the One who cannot lie to us, to do what only He can do. Let us praise Him for the promise of blessing given to Abraham, of which we are heirs, and open our hearts in deeper faith to honor Him with our willingness to wait for the fulfillment of all that He wants to accomplish in our lives.

"God is not a man, that He should lie,
nor a son of man, that He should change His mind.
Does He speak and then not act?
Does He promise and not fulfill?"
(Numbers 23:19)

_______________________________

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2

Look: "For when there is a change of priesthood, there must also be a change of law...And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life." (Hebrews 7:12, 15-16)

The Levitical priesthood was set up as a shadow of the work our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, would come to do on earth. The work of sacrifice and blood-shedding was repeated over and over in the life of Israel. Atonement and acceptance were achieved by constant and continuous effort, and only temporarily; for the work had to be repeated. The New Covenant, provided in Christ, would rewrite the law and put an end to the powerless, imperfect system. The culture of death would become a culture of life with the sacrificial death of the spotless Lamb of God when He ascended to heaven to sit upon the throne and become our living Priest-King.

Jesus provides for us the power of an indestructible ("endless" NKJV) life. The weakness of our flesh and the past system of law, with its helplessness to produce perfection, has been replaced with pardon and power. As we read and meditate on the beautiful words of Hebrews 7:11-28, let us lift our hearts in praise and worship to our Priest-King, who has opened the way for us who believe to experience the fullness of His resurrection and ascension power in our lives. Let us take time to be still in His presence and bask in His perfection. As we learn to rest in this posture of surrender, we will experience the blessings of His life flowing through us and the joy of delighting in His presence. Let us draw nearer to God. The closer we are to Him, the further we will be from this world. Let us seek greater separation from the world this year - and all the weakness associated with it - and go on to the life of power and perfection waiting for us in the throne room of heaven.

"The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless
(for the law made nothing perfect),
and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God."
(Hebrews 7:18-19)

__________________________

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2

Look: "Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant." (Hebrews 9:1-4)

The earthly tabernacle ("the sanctuary of this world" NKJV), in its design, revealed what separation exists between sinful man and holy God, and, in its activity, foreshadowed the work that would be done for man to gain entrance into the presence of God. The tabernacle was divided into two spaces: the Holy Place and the Most holy Place. The priesthood ministered in the Holy Place. In this outer chamber of the sanctuary man was able to worship and serve God, but a veil kept him from entering in and enjoying fellowship with God. Man was kept at a distance from God. In the Most Holy Place, the Holiest of All, was God's dwelling place and man was forbidden to enter, except for once a year, on the Day of Atonement, when the high priest was allowed to enter into the presence of God. In the fullness of time, Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, came to open the way for man to enter into the presence of God, into the Holiest of All, the presence of God. It is here, in the inner chamber, that the Lord desires for His people to enter in and dwell today.

The Minister of the sanctuary of heaven wants His people to experience all the power and joy that is available to us behind the veil; sadly, however, many believers still serve at a distance and have not entered in to experience a life of fellowship and communion with holy God. As we read and meditate on Hebrews 9:1-10, may our hearts be awakened to intense desire for the presence of God above all else this year. May we understand the access we have been given through the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and there is an open heaven available to us when we pray. May we seek to spend time in the presence of God every single day, and not just once a week when we enter the earthly sanctuary of our church. May our lives become a holy and heavenly sanctuary for His presence to dwell.

"When everything had been arranged like this,
the priests entered regularly into the outer room
to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest
entered the inner room, and that only once a year,
and never without blood, which he offered for himself
and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance."
(Hebrews 9:6-7)

____________________________

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2

Look: "When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, He went through the greater more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption." (Hebrews 9:11-12)


In his service to the Lord in the Most Holy Place the high priest only entered the inner chamber of the Most Holy Place once a year, but not without blood (Hebrews 9:7). This he did as an offering, not only for himself, but also for the sins of the people. The Levitical priesthood was established as a ministry to honor and worship God and to bless others. The power to serve both God and man was utterly dependent upon the blood. "For the life of a creature is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11). Without the cleansing power of the blood the work of the priest had no effect. Let us look, with grateful hearts, upon the One who entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, for us. He gave up His life that we might live - and not for ourselves, but in loving service toward God and others.

As we read and meditate on Hebrews 9:11-28 today, may we receive, with humility and gratitude, this glorious reminder of the power of our Savior's perfect sacrifice and precious blood which opened the way to the heavenly Sanctuary, into the Holiest of All - the presence of God. How apt we are to turn the focus on ourselves and the work we must do, rather than rest in the finished work of our Redeemer and Mediator, who has obtained for us eternal redemption by His blood. Let us bask in the spiritual light that no longer hides behind the veil, but shines brilliantly in our hearts through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, cleansing and enabling us to serve the living God. Let us lay aside all desire to work in our own strength, and trust in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ which saves, cleanses, perfects, sanctifies and fit us for fellowship with holy God. "Would you do service for Jesus your King? There's power in the blood, power in the blood; Would you live daily His praises to sing? There's wonderful power in the blood." (Lewis Ellis Jones, 1865-1936, Would You Be Free From Your Burden of Sin).

"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God,
cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,
so that we may serve the living God!"
(Hebrews 9:14)

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[Godbetheglory]

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
'May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.'
For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say 'Peace be within you.'
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your prosperity."
~ Psalm 122:6-9

Israel had a special covenant relationship with Jehovah God. He delivered His people out of slavery in Egypt to lead them into the Promise Land of freedom and blessing. All along the way He purposed to bring them into His perfect peace and rest, but they struggled, grumbled, complained, and failed to believe God's promise, and tragically an entire generation was denied access into the promised land. At Mount Sinai the Lord entered into a covenant relationship with Israel, and the people joyfully accepted His offer, "Everything the LORD has said we will do" (Exodus 24:3b). Their intentions were admirable, but their commitment was short-lived. The stones were barely hot off the presses when the people revolted. "They have been quick to turn away from what I have commanded them and have made themselves an idol..." (Exodus 32:8a). The people began well, but lacked the power in themselves to continue.

As we read and meditate on the words of Hebrews 8:7-13, we are reminded of the faultiness of the first covenant spoken of in the previous chapter. "The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless" (Hebrews 7:18). The old covenant made no provision to empower the people to live a life of faithfulness and obedience to God's holy law. Hebrews records Jeremiah's prophetic announcement that a better provision would come (Jeremiah 31:31-34). "For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering" (Romans 8:3). The people did not have the power within that was necessary to continue in the ways of God. The old covenant was written on tablets of stone; hard, temporary, breakable, and external. No matter how many times Moses went up the mountain into the presence of God, he could not achieve for the people what Jesus Christ, the great Mediator of the covenant, did when He ascended on high and "entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood" and "sat down at the right hand of the Majesty of heaven" (Hebrews 9:12b;1:3b). Our great Minister and Mediator entered the heavenly sanctuary once, and opened the way for sinful man to have fellowship with holy God. The external law, powerless in its effect on the interior life, would now, because of the superiority of the new covenant, be written on the soft, pliable tablet of the heart of man; and, because it is founded on better promises, would bring the necessary transformation to the inner nature to make it responsive to the will of God; causing the nature to act the way it was created before sin polluted God's sanctuary. Truly we can experience all the peace and rest of the heavenly life when we open our hearts to trust God and let Him have full possession of our lives.

As we pray for Israel today, let us lift our hearts and voices in praise to our great Mediator and Minister of the Sanctuary for bringing all the life and power of the true sanctuary of heaven into our hearts, and for the indwelling presence of the Holy spirit who enables us to continually abide in God's presence and enjoy fellowship with Him. May God's covenant people, Israel, come to "know the Lord" and experience His peace and rest, without work or effort, but entirely based on His infinite mercy.

"I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest,
and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise of the earth."
(Isaiah 62:6-7)

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2



Look: "Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am - it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God." (Hebrews 10:5-7)

The sanctuary was opened up and cleansed so that sinful man could enter into the presence of holy God through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. The blood of our Savior is infinite in its power and ability to save. The law was only a shadow, not the substance, of the living reality that was to come in Christ Jesus. The law was ineffective in its ability to remove sin, because the body of an animal could not provide an adequate substitute for the body of man who was made in the image of God. "But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (Hebrews 10:3-4).

The sacrifices of animals that were presented year after year on the altar were given to symbolize the act of substitution; it reminded the people that someone had to die in their place. When God prepared the body of Christ to be the final substitute on the altar of sacrifice for mankind, a new and living way was opened up. The body of a perfect man, made in the image of God, was sacrificed, and full access into the Holiest of All became a spiritual reality. The body of Christ achieved what the body of animals never could, and demonstrated that the pathway out of the bondage of sin and into the presence of God could only be achieved by offering the body up as a sacrifice to God. Jesus offered up the body God prepared for Him lovingly, willingly and obediently to God and for mankind. Today as we read and meditate on the words of Hebrews 10:1-18, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to our Savior for His great sacrifice. May we not just offer lip service, but be willing to follow His example wholeheartedly by giving up our bodies entirely as an offering to God. "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing" (John 6:63a). We were created in the image of God to be in fellowship with Him, may we go on to experience the blessings of the heavenly life which Christ has provided, by allowing Him to take full possession of our bodies to be made into His glorified image. Let us remove the obstacle that stands in our way, once and for all, and love God with our whole being. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37).

"He sets aside the first to establish the second.
And by that will, we have been made holy
through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
(Hebrews 9b, 10)

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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2



Look: "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:19-23)

Access to God's presence has been provided in Christ Jesus, and now we are exhorted to enter in and appropriate the salvation we have received by living and abiding in the fellowship of God. We, like the Israelites of old, have been called to leave the old life behind and enter into the promise land of rest in God. The inner chamber into the heart of God has been opened to us through the blood of Jesus, and all the riches of the heavenly life and love of the Father are available to us, if we will honor His sacrifice and the infinite worth of His blood by coming boldly and with confidence into the Holiest of All. "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith..." (v.22).

The wondrous work of our great Mediator is to bring us near to God. He has delivered us from the power of sin and has prepared for Himself a sanctuary in heaven and within the hearts of His people. The promise of the new covenant is that God would write His law upon our hearts (v.16). He wants our whole hearts for Himself, and so He calls us to draw near with a sincere heart. The heart, which was created to experience the love and fellowship with God, but turned from its Creator to self because of sin, and which is in great danger of always wandering and becoming worldly, is the place that God has chosen as His dwelling place. Let us heed the exhortations and warnings of Hebrews 10:19-34, and ask the Lord to empty our hearts of all else so that we can live wholly for God this year, and not for ourselves, but for His glory and for the good of others. May the love of the Father, which we experience in the Holiest of All, become the breath of our lives, as we are filled with the Spirit and with the love of Christ, so that we can go out and lead others into His love. May the work of our inner lives be proved in the love we show to others, as we care for needs of the body of Christ, by helping and encouraging each other to leave the other courts and enter into the the Most Holy Place of the presence of God. "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:18).

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds.
Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing,
but let us encourage one another - and all the more
as you see the Day approaching."
(Hebrews 10:24-25)

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2



Look: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Our study of the book of Hebrews has shown us the new and living way that has been opened to us in the Holiest of All, the presence of God, and has revealed the extraordinary love and heart of God in drawing us to Himself. We are called by God to the doorway of the Most Holy Place, not so we can simply stand in wonder and awe of the glory of God, but so we can enter in and experience all the joy and blessing of the abiding life on a daily, renewing basis. The time we spend in the Sanctuary of God's presence each day is meant to awaken in us an earnest desire for the heavenly life and a renewed determination to lay hold of His blessings with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

As we read and meditate on Hebrews 12:1-13, the writer likens the abiding life to a race we run, and then goes on to show us the importance of learning to run well so we can finish the race as victors. We are exhorted first to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." Just as a runner watches what he eats to discard excess weight, and runs the race in clothing that doesn't hinder or restrict his movement, so also, the Christian must lay aside the weights of the world, of sin, of self and of the flesh that hinder spiritual growth and maturity. We cannot expect to run the spiritual race towards holiness and perfection with sin in our lives. Sin will slow us down, trip us up, and cause us to fall, making it impossible to advance on the course set before us. This is why the spiritual discipline of fasting is such an important tool in the believers' spiritual armory; it helps us to learn the self-denial that is necessary to free up the whole heart, life and body to be given fully to the pursuit of holiness. One saint has said, "we are so used to getting but never giving up." Being freed from the entanglements of sin and self enables us to place our focus on the proper person - Jesus Christ. We are to run the race looking to Jesus. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus." He has already run the race for us and marked the path clearly for us, removing the obstacles out of our way, so we can obtain the victors crown. Let us ask our faithful Forerunner to lead us in the path of humility, obedience and self-denial that marked the way for Him to enter into the Holiest of All. And let us run after Him with all our might, so we can experience His presence, peace, power and love every single day.

"Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
(Hebrews 12:3)

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2



Look: "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the LORD." (Hebrews 12:14)

Our beloved Mediator has summoned us into the Holy of Holies, His heavenly Sanctuary, to enter into the presence of God and become partakers of His holiness. It is His highest glory that we be made holy, as He is holy. "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15-16). As Minister of the True Sanctuary, who has opened to us the Holiest of All, it is His work to prepared our interior life to live a life of holiness with Him and in Him. "...I am the LORD, who makes you holy" (Leviticus 20:8b).

To be holy is to be clothed with Christ; to live in such union with Him that His holiness becomes ours, and we become dressed in His likeness. God draws us away from the world and self to bring us near to Himself, so we can have fellowship with Him and share in His holiness. The spirit of this world and of self pulls at us daily, putting us in grave danger of falling short of the grace of God. We are given further warning in our reading of Hebrews 12:14-29, to watch over one another so that "no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many" (v. 15). Let us follow the example of our Lord (and not Esau), as He lived on earth and refused the temptation of even food to do the will of the Father (John 4:34). "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). He is enough!

"See to it that no one misses the grace of God
and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau,
who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son."
(Hebrews 12:15-16)

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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty of heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary;
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
- Hebrews 8:1b-2



Look: "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

The door to the Sanctuary of heaven has been opened for us to enter into a life of love; a life that is ours now to receive from God and to share with others. "Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers...Remember those in prison...and those who are mistreated..." (v.1-3). We are called to love our brothers, but warned to not love the world and our possessions. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:10).

As we are learning to abide more continually and deeply in the presence of God in this season in the Sanctuary, may our hearts find in His loving communion and fellowship our greatest treasure, which will help us rise above the world's temptations. A right relationship with holy God will help us to hold loosely to earthly things, and free us from worry and care, so we can experience the riches of His heavenly blessings. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). As we read and meditate on the final exhortations written in Hebrews 13:1-19, let us glean from our life in the heavenly sanctuary and understanding of how we are to live the life of heaven on earth. May we receive all that our Mediator and Minister of the Sanctuary desires to fill our hearts with, so we can live a life of love and joy and power at all times and in all seasons.

"So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"
(Hebrews 13:6)

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[Godbetheglory]

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
'May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.'
For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say 'Peace be within you.'
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your prosperity."
~ Psalm 122:6-9

As we come near the end of our 21-day season in the Sanctuary, we will spend our last two days looking at the key watchword to gaining entrance into the Holiest of All and experiencing the nearness and rest of God. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for" (vv. 1-2). Hebrews chapter 11 provides a list of the heroes of faith who lived the life of faith - they gave all, so they could gain all. The previous chapter ended with the words: "But my righteous one will live by faith" (Hebrews 10:38a). These ancient heroes were not those who shrank back. They lived as pilgrims in this world, and pressed on to lay hold of the promise of God. Take time to read and meditate on their stories - these were written for our benefit, to strengthen our faith. In their lives we find what faith enables us to do: we can step out in obedience and separate from the world without fear, like Abraham; we can see what others cannot see, like Moses (faith gives us eyes to see the invisible); we can please God, like Enoch; we can endure patiently, like the martyrs; we can save others, like Noah; we can walk in the perfect will of God and bring glory to His name, like all these, and many others, who chose to live as aliens and strangers on earth.

It is by faith that we unlock the doors of the inner sanctuary and are able to experience the fullness of life that has been promised to us by our great High Priest, the Minister of the true sanctuary and Mediator of the new covenant. "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible" (v. 3). Faith is the eye with which we see the invisible world around us and the God who is in it all. As we look back on the history of Israel, we find men and women of great faith despite the little light they walked in; the veil was still up and separated them from entrance into the Most Holy Place. They were simply given a promise, and yet they stepped out boldly and fearlessly by faith. "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth" (v.13). We, however, live in the full light of the promise. The veil has been removed, and the light of the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts. While they wait for the fulfillment of their Sabbath-rest in God, may we, who have been given spiritual eyes to see the new and living way opened to us, enter into full possession of the rest of God that Jesus has provided. "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect" (vv. 39-40).

Let us praise our Father in heaven for the example that these heroes of the faith have provided us, and ask the Holy Spirit to plant within us this same intensity of desire to follow after God with all our hearts. Let us pray today for the apple of His eye, Israel, to have their eyes opened and their hearts softened to see and receive the "something better" that has come through Jesus Christ. Let us pray for them to find strength in God, and to have the spirit of their fathers, which moved them to follow God obediently and without fear, in the face of persecution, suffering, and threat of death. "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:9-11).


"I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest,
and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise of the earth."
(Isaiah 62:6-7)

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

The Reward of Faith

"And without faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists
and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
~ Hebrews 11:6

Our time together in the Sanctuary with the Lord these past 21 days was purposed to help us rise above this present world, accepting our position as priests of the Lord, and entering into the Holiest of All, to experience the rest and fullness of life our Great High Priest has provided for us in abiding and continuous fellowship in the presence of the God. Of all the things we may set our hearts and minds on to gain in this year ahead, our study of Hebrews has shown us that only one thing is necessary - to know Jesus better! "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him" (Psalm 62:5). May every moment we spend in this present world stir within us an even deeper longing for more time in God's presence. May we give ourselves fully to Christ, for Him to take complete possession of us, and that we might also take possession of the heavenly life He desires to work within us through the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The One who, as Mediator of the new covenant, has opened the way for us into the heavenly sanctuary, the Most Holy Place of God's presence, is the same One who, as Minister of the sanctuary, will fill us and maintain in us the heavenly life and make us holy, conforming us to His glorious image. "...and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ" (Hebrews 13:21b).

In our closing meditation on the lives of the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11, we find the one thing that the writer of Hebrews has sought to impress upon our hearts as a most necessary part of our entering into the rest of God is a life of faith. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). It is by faith that we are able to inherit every promise, have the boldness to draw near to God, and allow God to work in us His perfect will and make us more than conquerors. May we take encouragement and warning from the faithful who have walked the path before us, prior to the coming of Christ, and go on to full possession of the promise land that has been prepared for us and not perish just outside the gates of perfection. It is God's will that we follow Christ into the inner chamber of His presence and allow Him to make His home with us in the inner life, so that we can be one with Him, and experience daily the joy of fellowship with God. May we not rest content with anything less than the fullness of life that has been promised to us in Christ Jesus. May His presence be our daily desire and delight. This life of constant communion with God is vital to the life of prayer. May we cultivate a spirit of dependence, humility, and submission as we pray, seeking to know God, walking with Him, resting in Him, and waiting upon Him, that He would be All in All, while living the life of faith, which is marked by obedience, self-sacrifice, self-denial and separation from the world. Let us close our time together in a prayer of praise for our Great High Priest-King, who has opened the Sanctuary for us to enter into the Holiest of All and experience the rest of God. May every day ahead be like the last 21 days - a day with God, in His holy sanctuary, experiencing His presence and rest, and living the heavenly life on the earth. "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken" (Psalm 62:1). May the Lord bless you and keep you until our next journey together! Thank you for praying!