Recent Encouragements For Me

Introduction:
Recently, I have been in minor depression because the USA election results
and because of being forsaken by two relatives in my life. But I am on the road
of recovery because of listening to a lot of worship music this weekend and
doing more on my Bible study about the word “know” in New Testament. For
the past few weeks, I have been thinking about what are the best usages of time
for me. The theme of the church I attend is “A Passion to Know Him and Make
Him Known!” and in every sermon I have heard there, Pastor Bob has
mentioned Jesus Christ many times. So how should I use the Internet better to
promote Jesus Christ and God’s wonderful truths a lot more?
There used to be a USA TV advertisement that had three individuals get
slapped in the face and all three said, “Thanks, I needed that.” Well in a sense I
could have said or at least thought the same thing during the worship and the
sermon I heard this afternoon (November 30, 2008). The songs were “Like
Eagles/Let Us Fix Our Eyes”, “The Voice of Truth”, “Can a Nation Be
Changed”, My Hope is Built”, “Above All”, and “This Is My Desire”.

Following are the sermon notes from Pastor Bob:

Get Those Arms UP!
Hebrews 12:12-14

Therefore ... (v.12) This word demands that we quickly review!

• THEREFORE ...-- the Holy Spirit now gives practical advice to any Christian
considering quitting the "race".

Strengthen YOURSELVES (v. 12)

• The writer is comparing weakened Christians to tiring athletes in public
games.
• Athletes use their arms and legs to compete in their sports. When these
members tire they begin to "hang down" - i.e. a boxers, runners, fencers!
• "hang down" is a strong word signifying extreme weakness or exhausted.
• The Holy Spirit is commanding us to use our wills to renew our strength!
• "strengthen" or "lift up", but the Greek word means more than just lifting up": it
means "to make right", "to renew".
• The Holy Spirit is calling us to steadfastness and resolute perseverance.
• "feeble knees' is even stronger than "hanging down" - it is likened to one who
has palsy -"a condition of incapacity or helplessness"; "paralysis"!
• The command is for self strengthening and community strengthening
(strengthening others}.
•HOW-
1.) Fix your eyes on Jesus (12:2; Philippians 4:13)
 2.) Set your mind on the goal! (A weary traveler continues onward with
thoughts of home filling his mind.) (Philippians 3:12-14)
3.) Submit to God's discipline-- knowing that every trial is from a loving Father.
4.) Be steadfast in your duties-- reading and studying the Word, prayer, and
fellowship with the saints, serving others.
5.) Pray for grace to persevere.

Make Straight (v. 13)

• Verse 12 dealt with our minds or wills. This verse deals with our walk or our
outward conduct - what others see! (See Proverbs 4:25-27)
• "straight" - gives us the idea to make sure that we clear all obstacles.
• "path" according to its Greek word means “1-) a track of a wheel, a rut or 2.) a
track, a path - a path marked out of others to follow!”
• The generation that we live in is "crooked" generation (Philippians 2:15) and
we are not to walk according (oil!
• Our lives must be examples for others to follow.
• There is no peace on the "crooked" way. (Isaiah 59:8)
• "lest"-- here is a warning that we are walk in such way to be examples to
weakened Christians. Weakened Christians easily wander off the narrow path
and we should not be wandering in order to encourage them!
• "healing" means "to make right" or "to correct what is in error"
• This passage can also be seen as Christians not setting a poor example for 'fence
sitters"
1.) those who profess to be Christians but have not gone ALL the WAY.
2.) The Greek OT uses the same word for "lame" for "falter" in 1 Kings 18:19.
3.) Christians are to be the SALT of the Earth! (Matthew 5:13-16)

Pursue Peace with All Men (v. 14)

• "pursue" is a strong word. NIV - "make every effort"' ESV - "strive" (agonize)
• The Greek word is SLIOKW dioko {dee-o'-ko} meaning "an earnest pursuit of
something fleeing"
• Paul gives us an idea in Philippians 3:14 where he tells us "I press forward".
• The Holy Spirit commands us because it is our natural nature to to be wrathful
and revengeful people. THINK ABOUT IT!!
• One author says, "They must do everything that lies in their power, consistent
with duty, to live in peace with their ungodly neighbors. They must carefully
abstain from injuring them; they must endeavor to promote their happiness.
They must do everything but sin in order to prevent a quarrel."
• We are to pursue PEACE. This gives us the idea that PEACE (real peace) is
not
• something easy to "capture" or "attain" - yet we are to make every effort. See
Psalm 34:14.
• The word "follow" or "pursue" does not imply that one can obtain peace!
(Rom. 12:18)
• "all men"-- fellow Christians, unbelievers (Eph. 2:19), and our enemies
(Matthew 5:44)
• PEACE and PRIDE do not go together. PEACE and ENVY also do not go
together!
• Christ is our EXAMPLE in 1 Peter 2:23.
• See Ephesians 4:2-- for one to truly pursue peace one must deny himself and
take up his cross daily. Luke 9:23.

Pursue Holiness with God (v. 14)

• The ORDER here is important! If we do not love our neighbor, we cannot love
God!! (1 John 2:9,11; 3:15; 4:20)
• Holiness is to be pursued! "Make every effort to be holy." This is personal and
• practical holiness!
• "Our chief aim (in life) must be conformity to the image of Christ." (Romans
8:29)
• To pursue holiness is to live like people wholly devoted to God! See 2
Corinthians 7:1!

Ill WARNING!!!
• "without which no one will see the Lord"
• "which" is masculine and singular and refers to "holiness"
• We are being told that without the pursuit of personal and practical holiness
no one will seethe Lord!
• Though we will never in this life time obtain pure holiness, we are still
commanded to pursue it.

Note: We ended up the service with the following famous hymn and repeated the
last two lines, which deeply touched me.
When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
By Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Lord of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Far be the thought that I should boast,

Save in the cross of Christ, my Lord;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I'd sacrifice them at His word.
 There from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flowed mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were an off'ring far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all!

Note: After returning home, I felt as if the Holy Spirit wanted me to respond to
the following hymn. The bolded italicized lines touched me deeply too.
My Hope Is Built
Text: Edward Mote, 1797-1874
Music: William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868

1. My hope is built on nothing less

than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

Refrain:
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.

2. When Darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil.
(Refrain)

3. His oath, his covenant, his blood

supports me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
(Refrain)

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,

O may I then in Him be found!
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne!
(Refrain)