AFTERNOON DEVOTION

[Godbetheglory]

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11


Learn:"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29)

There is a concern that while the church today has access, and the ability to, acquire a great deal of knowledge of God, few truly know God and have experienced the life of intimate fellowship and communion that He offers, and which comes through faith and obedience. Many believers rest content in the outer courts of fellowship, finding comfort in their conversion, but miss the blessing of entering into the Holiest of all and allowing Christ to have full possession of the inner life where there is perfect peace and rest. Jesus opened the way for the children of God to have access to the Father, to experience the fullness of the heavenly life, and enter into the rest of God. "After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven" (Hebrews 1:3b). May we seek this year to lay hold of the full blessings that await us when we open our hearts up in adoring worship of Jesus Christ.

Israel experienced freedom from the bonds of slavery in Egypt, but fell short of receiving the full blessing of the promise land because of unbelief (Numbers 13-14). During their wilderness experience, God gave to Israel a pattern of rest and work that would be a sign of their covenant relationship with Him. "You must observe My Sabbaths. This will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy...For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD..." (Exodus 31:13, 15a). In preparation for their taking possession of the promised land Israel would learn, in the rhythm of daily life, that their rest was found in God alone, ultimately pointing to the One who would come and provide true salvation and security. Moses led them to follow the pattern God had given them, but Joshua would lead them in to the fullness of the promise. As we look ahead to this Year of the Sabbath, let us fix our eyes on Jesus - our Joshua - the One who has entered into the heavenly sanctuary and opened the way for us to come in contact with God and experience true knowledge of God in the depths of our hearts. Let us enter our prayer closet and turn off all the noise that seeks to distract us, and open our hearts to learn and receive from the Eternal, Immutable One, whose throne will last for ever and ever (v.8), who will remain the same, and whose years will never end (v.12).


"The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you,
and I will give you rest."
(Exodus 33:14)
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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11


Learn: "For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" (Hebrews 2:2, 3a)

Jesus became one with us and tasted death for us, so that we would become partakers of the divine life. Through His sufferings and death He opened up a new and living way for us to enter into God's presence and favor (Hebrews 10:20). It was through His humanity and humiliation that Jesus brought us rest. How can we now neglect the salvation that has restored to us fellowship with God? Jesus became one of us so that we could become one with Him, and be transformed into His image. "I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them" (John 17:26). The life Jesus lived on earth, as one who walked on earth while living the heavenly life, is entirely possible for those who believe. We simply need to give greater heed to Christ being all and doing all in us. He has done what we cannot do, and He alone can accomplish what needs to be done in and through our lives to bring us back to God and to be completely possessed by Him.

Let us learn from the suffering and humiliation of Jesus as the path that leads to power and glory. Let us accept and rest upon His salvation and humbly yield to His guidance to do His perfecting work in us. "For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order hat He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted" (Hebrews 2:17-18). Let us turn from our own imperfections and feebleness, and instead see, as our heavenly Father does, the perfection and beauty of His Son, Jesus Christ, seated on the throne in the position of authority and power. May we see in Him all that we need and give up all else to experience more of His presence and love and joy and power in the year ahead. "Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!" (Philippians 4:1).

"In bringing many sons to glory it was fitting that God,
for whom and through whom everything exists,
should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering."
(Hebrews 2:10)
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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11


Learn: "We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." (Hebrews 3:14)

Jesus came and lived the heavenly life to make God known to us, and today He lives in heaven to usher those who believe into the presence of God. He is faithful in all that He is and does, and He calls us to hold on to our courage and hope, so that we will not fall away. Many, whose hearts were once on fire with love for the Lord, have wandered away from the flame of holy love, because of tribulation and temptation, and their hearts have cooled. Jesus warned that in the end times "because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm will be saved" (Matthew 24:12-13). The powers of the flesh, the devil and the world are strong, and work vigilantly against us to rob us of the heavenly life, but "the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4b). We have all the strength and power at our disposal to stand and to conquer and to experience a life of victory, if we will only allow the Lord to have complete control over our entire being. "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).

Let us therefore draw near to God, and fix our hearts on Jesus, and listen to Him and learn from Him. He calls us "Today" to take a stand and to encourage the other members of His body daily. We are one body, and Christ is our Head. The health of every member is vital to the health of the entire body. Let us not put off tomorrow what we are commanded to do today. Procrastination is the way of the enemy and the world. The hour is urgent and we must be intentional about guarding our hearts from growing cold and hard. May our hearts be fully yielded to the Lord, as Son over God's house, that He may come in and live His life out in us. This calls for the habit of daily surrender as we open our hearts to receive more of Christ. May we rest each day in the faithfulness of our Lord as He brings us closer to the very heart of God. "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of Your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:3-6).

"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful,
unbelieving heart that turns from the living God.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today,
so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
(Hebrews 3:12-13)
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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11


Learn: "Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stand, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it." (Hebrews 4:1)

Jesus has opened the door for us to experience the rest of God, but unbelief will close the door of the heart and prevent one from entering into His love. How diligent and vigilant we must be to "make every effort" to enter God's sabbath-salvation-rest by faith. It is only the heart of faith that gains entrance into His rest. "This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it' " (Jeremiah 6:16).

God calls us to a life of total consecration and surrender. The rest God calls us to enter is not our rest but His rest. He invites us to share in His finished work. When we enter His rest by faith we allow God to be all and to do all for us and in us. We cease from our work and Christ lives in us and works in us. The Holy Spirit within us brings to us the heavenly life. There is a higher work the Lord wants to do in us, if we will only yield ourselves in full surrender to His inner working in our life. "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him" (2 Chronicles 16:9a). This is a season to progress in our spiritual life, if we are willing to enter into the rest of God through faith and give ourselves completely over for Christ to be all. Let us keep our hearts open by faith so we can take full possession of His promise and enter the rest He has prepared for us. "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it" (Isaiah 30:15).

"For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did;
but the message they heard was of no value to them,
because those who heard did not combine it with faith."
(Hebrews 4:2)
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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11


Learn: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

Our season in the Sanctuary is meant to draw us nearer to God, so we can experience the spiritual reality of living in fellowship and rest in the Lord all day long and all year long. There is a higher level of life and blessing available to the believer who is willing to press in to the throne of grace in prayer and go behind the veil to discover the fullness of the divine life our High Priest has opened up for us. We tend to rush into the presence of God in prayer, running through our list of external, physical and fleshly needs (focusing on health, finances, relationships), while failing to tarry in His presence to experience the joy and peace found in fellowship and communion with Him; that which He delights most to make us partakers of. "From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another" (John 1:16).

We miss out on a life of blessing and power, because we spend so little time in the throne room, taking the time to listen to the Lord, rather then expecting Him to listen to us. We may come to God to receive mercy and find grace in our time of need, but we fail to recognize how truly needy we are for the things our High Priest has opened up for us and given us access to. If we did, our utmost desire would be to dwell in His presence. Sadly, we miss out on the greater spiritual treasures at our disposal, because our present needs are far more pressing, and we give no time to truly press in to Jesus and lay hold of all that He is and has for us. We have a sympathetic and gentle high priest who wants us to truly have trust and confidence in Him, not just to meet our needs, but to take us into the very presence of God to experience the fullness of His life and power. For our High Priest, the path to God was the path of obedience, and it was paved with suffering. "Although He was a son, He learned obedience from what He suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). May we draw nearer to the One who has walked that difficult path and paved the way of victory for us. And may we find along the way more of what we most desperately need - Jesus! "...until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).

"I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you
with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
may have power together with all the saints,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may
be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
(Ephesians 3:16-19)
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[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

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11

LEARN: "It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace." (Hebrews 6:4-6)

There is a difference between the stillness that is found in the ceasing of all effort and loses ground, and the biblical call to "be still" that results in progress in the Christian life (Psalm 46:10). As believers, our progress comes from a deep longing and desire to know more of Jesus Christ; to gain more of the knowledge of the Son, and experience the life He has purchased and prepared for us. "Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God" (Hebrews 6:7). The danger that lurks in our way is in making the mistake of standing still and failing to progress in our walk, and the potential for the "falling away" which robs us of all previous gains.

True progress in the spiritual life is found in a life of perseverance and obedience. We lose ground when we fail to press in day by day into the Word of God, and neglect daily communion and fellowship with the Lord in prayer. To paraphrase one faithful saint, every moment not spent with God is a moment wasted. "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure" (Hebrews 6:11). With Perfection seated on the throne, waiting and willing to work His life in us, what in the world do we desire that could possibly compare to His beauty and majesty and the power and peace He has to offer us? May we not relax our grip on God for even a moment, but rather seek His strength daily, and remaining spiritually sensitive to the needs of our brothers and sisters who may need help and encouragement in their Christian walk. Let us press on to perfection!

"God is not unjust; He will not forget your work
and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people
and continue to help them."
(Ephesians 3:16-19)
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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11

LEARN: "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:19-20)

The heavenly life that the Lord offers believers comes with the promise and hope of rest and security behind the veil of the heavenly sanctuary in the very presence of God. This hope is an anchor for our soul, which keeps us steady and secure in the storms of life and in the midst of the turmoil of this world. Jesus is our safe harbor, in whom we can find great encouragement, as the One who "has become a high priest forever" (v. 20b). He is the immutable, immovable, eternal Rock of our salvation. May we set aside all fear and enter in to the full experience of the heavenly life.

Our high priest has opened the way for us to enter into the inner sanctuary and experience a whole new world of intimacy with God. His priesthood is eternal. He lives forever and invites us to enter in to His presence to rest in His unchanging, everlasting life. The blessings of the kingdom with its righteousness and peace are available to those who long to know Him and love Him more. May He bless and keep us, as He shines His face upon us, lifting His countenance upon us and bringing peace into our hearts (Numbers 6:23-26).

"First, his name means "king of righteousness";
then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace."
Without father or mother, without genealogy,
without beginning of days or end of life,
like the Son of God he remains a priest forever."
(Hebrews 7:2b-3)
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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11

LEARN: "But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them." (Hebrews 7:24-25)

One of the great weaknesses of the law was that it made no provision for the people of God to enter into the presence of God. Only the high priest was allowed to enter in behind the curtain, and only once a year. All the work of the Levitical priesthood was external, but the work of our Great High Priest opened a new and heavenly way for His people to not only enter into the presence of God, but also for Him to enter in and live His life in the hearts and lives of His people. And because "He always lives to intercede" He is able to maintain and perform the work He has promised to do in and through our lives. His work of intercession never ceases, and it will never fail. He is a faithful High Priest-King. Let us therefore enter in through the living way Christ Jesus has opened for us and abide in His presence as He intercedes for us. Someone once said we are to pray always, and if necessary, use words. May we be silent as we allow our great Intercessor to do His higher, heavenly work in our lives.

Let us not just rest in the promise of eternal life, and so miss out on living a life of power, victory, and impact today, but let us go on to experience the fullness of the abundant life our heavenly Priest-King has purchased for us and wants to impart to us. Let us surrender the pursuits of this earthly life this year to be free to lay hold of the heavenly life. May it be our greatest desire and prayer to experience all that God has for us. May all the blessing and power of heaven come not only to us, but also to the people around us as we allow our living Lord to have complete possession of our lives, so He can live His higher, holier, life of power and victory in and through us. Each step of our journey these 21 days is to simply be a reminder of the way to achieve the heavenly life - one day at a time, one satisfying, sustaining, spiritual meal at a time - moment by moment seeking the presence of God and daily surrendering to His greater work in our lives. The work He accomplishes in and through our lives is dependent upon how yielded and willing we are to let Him have His way with us. May our time of prayer and fasting provide the channel for His blessing to flow through!

"Your troops will be willing on your day of battle.
Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn
you will receive the dew of your youth.
The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind:
"You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
(Psalm 110:3-4)
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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11

LEARN: "The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing." (Hebrews 9:8)

As long as the veil between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place was hanging, the way into the presence of God was not opened for man to enter in and enjoy fellowship with holy God. Once a year the high priest was given a tiny taste of God's presence, and was painfully reminded of the fellowship that was lost in the garden and the impossibility for restoration so long as the veil of sin stood between them. As those who have tasted the joy of fellowship with God, having entered behind the veil, let us pray for those who have not yet discovered the inner chamber of communion, and let us keep ourselves empty and free from self and the flesh which rises up to become a veil blocking the blessings of God.

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Mark 15:38), and the way was opened for man to enter into the presence of holy God without the ministry of the Levitical priesthood. When our Savior ascended to the heavenly sanctuary and took His position on the throne as our great High Priest-King, the Holy Spirit came out of the Holy of Holies and came upon man with power at Pentecost, and a new ministry began within the hearts of man (Acts 2:1-4). Let us take a moment to bask in the revelation of the new and living way that has been opened for us to enter behind the veil and experience the presence and power of God through the death of Christ, His ascension to the throne, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. May we surrender each and every day to the inner working of the Holy Spirit to make us a fit habitation for the presence of God. "You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand." (Psalm 16:11)

"This is an illustration for the present time,
indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered
were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper."
(Hebrews 9:9)
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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11

LEARN: "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." (Hebrews 9:15)

The blood of Christ is full of life and power. His blood atoned for our sin and opened the way for us to be restored to fellowship with the Father. One day we, who have believed, will dwell in heaven for all eternity, but until then there is a blessed state - the heavenly-life - that is available to us today. It is our Mediator's purpose for His people to live the abiding life and to enjoy the fullness of the blessings of the heavenly sanctuary. It is the life of Christ before the throne as our great High Priest-King which opens the way for us to experience all the life and power and favor of dwelling in the presence of God.

Without the death of Christ, His covenant ("will") would not be in effect. In a last will and testament a persons property is left to another. Jesus left for us an eternal inheritance. We are the beneficiaries of the New Covenant or New Testament. Without His death we could not be partakers of the heavenly life; and because He lives (and lives within us!) we are now heirs of the divine life. His blood has power to save and to give us access into a life of blessedness: in fellowship and nearness to God. May we realize the riches of the heavenly storehouse that have been opened and made available to us because of the blood of Christ, the blood which has purified heaven itself (v. 23). May our Mediator perfect in us His work through the power of His blood, cleansing and purifying us and transforming us into vessels fit for His service. Let us take time in prayer today to lay hold of His heavenly blessings for the people around us, and in so doing bring the atmosphere of heaven to the earth.

"In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death
of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when
somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.
This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood."
(Hebrews 9:16-18)
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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

The True Sanctuary

"The point of what we are saying is this:
We do have such a high priest,
who sat down at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary,
the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man."
~ Hebrews 8:1-2

Our time in the Sanctuary with the Lord this past week has revealed in greater detail the excellency of our Great High Priest, His priesthood, as Minister and Mediator of the sanctuary of heaven, and the better covenant which He has provided. He showed us the weakness of the old covenant, with its lack of provision to achieve spiritual perfection and maintain continuous fellowship with God; and reminded us that, by His blood, the way into the Holiest of All was opened up and the veil removed, so that the light of His perfection could come forth and penetrate our hearts and lives through the power of His Holy Spirit, enabling us to "serve the living God" (Hebrews 9:14). The superiority of the priesthood of Jesus Christ is based on "the power of an endless life"; and the weakness of the former regulation was set aside and a "better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God" (Hebrews 7:19). The law could only make us aware of our need for something better - a life of continual, intimate communion with God - which the new covenant provided in the perfect priesthood of Jesus Christ, who opened the way for us to obtain direct access to God. Everything was just shadows and copies of the perfect revelation that Christ would bring as minister of the true sanctuary. May we look to the perfect pattern the Father has provided in His Son, for us to experience the blessings of the heavenly sanctuary in the sanctuary of our heart. "Then have them make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you" (Exodus 25:8-9).

As we read and meditate on the words of Hebrews 8:1-6, we find the chief point of all that the writer has purposed to imprint upon our hearts: We have a high priest who is seated on the throne, and who serves in the sanctuary. In the life of Israel, the offices of king and priest were always kept separate, but Zechariah prophesied that the two offices would eventually be united into one person, the promised Messiah. "Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and He will branch out from His place and build the temple of the LORD...And He will be a priest on His throne" (Zechariah 6:12a, 13b). Let this truth sink deep within our hearts: With all our weakness and failure, there is One who sits on the throne in heaven as king, but also as priest, ministering on our behalf. He is the one who will work in us all that He has promised and achieved for us. This is the glorious provision of the new covenant provided through the Minister of the true sanctuary in heaven, who does His priestly work in and through us to bring heaven in to our hearts and enable us to abide continually in the presence of God. May any and all work we set out to do this year begin first with a yielded will and heart to do the will of God, and to allow Him to do His perfecting work in our life. Let us offer a prayer of praise to our perfect King-Priest as we wait on Him to accomplish His perfecting work in our lives.

[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11

LEARN: The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that times, says the LORD. I will put My laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." (Hebrews 10:15-16)

The work of Christ on the cross is a finished work. His body was offered up once for all, and the way into the Holiest of All, the presence of God, has been opened up. Full access into His perfection and rest, and the experience of a life of full-blessedness is now a living reality to those who believe and are willing to abide. It is here that we experience the infinite worth and exceeding power of the one sacrifice for all. "And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10).

It is through the witness of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that we experience all the blessing of the heavenly life. He is the witness of the completed work of Christ in the inner life of man. "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children" (Romans 8:16). When Christ was crucified and the veil in the temple was rent from top to bottom access into the Most Holy Place was given. When Jesus ascended to the throne in heaven the Father sent the Holy Spirit to witness to men's hearts the truth of His atoning work and redeeming grace. The Holy Spirit speaks to the heart of man and confirms the finished work of Christ on the cross and His continuing work as Mediator on the throne in heaven. All is dependent now on our response to the voice of the Holy Spirit. "He who has ears, let him hear" (Matthew 11:15). May our lives be saturated with the holy influence of the Holy Spirit penetrating our hearts with the Word of God calling us to the higher, holier, heavenly life in Christ. "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts" (Hebrews 4:7b).

"Then He adds:
"Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."
And where these have been forgiven,
there is no longer any sacrifice for sin."
(Hebrews 10:17-18)
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[Godbetheglory]

SANCTUARY

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,
so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience."
- Hebrews 4:11

LEARN: "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." (Hebrews 10:26-27)

Throughout our journey in the Sanctuary we have been given several warnings to be on our guard lest we fall away from our First Love. We were exhorted to be aware of neglectfulness, of unbelief and disobedience, and of lethargy and sloth, which put us in danger of backsliding in the faith. There is a great danger of willfully sinning and rejecting the one sacrifice that was given for those whose hearts have never truly been opened to the truth. Many believers begin well in their journey with the Lord, but over time, they lose that original fervor and confidence they once had. Let us ask God to examine our hearts. May we close the door to the world, turning our backs on it completely, and instead walk boldly through the door that has been opened to us through the blood of Christ and into His safe-keeping and watchful care. May we learn to dwell in the sanctuary of the Lord moment by moment, each and every day, enjoying the presence of God and keeping far from sin, and living a life of obedience to His will, so that we will not rob Him of any part of His glory.

As Christians, we are citizens of another world, and because we must live in the present world while longing for the next, we must guard our hearts from the constant pull of this visible world and all that it possesses. Our hearts are to be entirely possessed by God, but we are bombarded daily with worldly temptations that vie for our affections. May we look to our great Mediator of the Covenant and Minister of the True Sanctuary of heaven to help us. May we trust in Him, who through the power of His blood has cleansed our consciences and fitted us for the heavenly life, to take full possession of our lives and live His life of power and holiness in and through us. Let us rest in the love of the Father, and meditate on the infinite worth and immeasurable sacrifice of our Savior, as we bask in the glorious reminder of the riches that are ours in Christ Jesus. "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33).

"It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
(Hebrews 10:31)
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