“For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” – Hebrews 2:8 REFERENCE: HEBREWS 2:5-9 & 17-19 Jesus is a perfect model for the Christian because He took on flesh and lived where we live. This singular act qualified Him to be a merciful and faithful High Priest, liable to the weaknesses of human nature. He was tempted in many ways but did not sin. He had to confront the allures of sin, the assault of sicknesses, and the oppression of satan; however, He overcame all. Therefore, for you to...
“You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” – Hebrews 2:8 REFERENCE: HEBREWS 2:5-9 Man failed to fulfill his dominion mandate, but Jesus came to restore it by His sacrificial death and His example on earth. Hebrews reveals that judging man by this mandate, he seems not to have all things subject to him; rather, he is in subjection. Jesus took on human flesh to live out the dominion mandate; He had all things subject under His feet, showing man how to walk in dominion. We may not see man living in that dominion, but we see...
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” – Hebrews 2:9. REFERENCE: HEBREWS 2:5-9 In the beginning, God gave man dominion and put all created things under him. When he fell through rebellion against God, man forfeited this honor and lost his position of authority. Creation was no longer subject to him, but he became subject to nature and the elements. However, Jesus came to redeem man and restore him to his...
“He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many against me.” ~ Psalm 55:18 REFERENCE: Psalm 55:16-23 Betrayal by a trusted ally or family member is one of the most painful experiences you could ever have. The physical pain is nothing compared to the emotional trauma and shock. You wonder, “How did I get here? What did I miss? What did I do to deserve this? Why did s/he do this?” Our last episode revealed bible characters that got betrayed: Jesus, Job, Joseph, and David, our main character. The good thing with these...
“For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; then I could bear it...but it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my acquaintance.” ~ Psalm 55:12-13 REFERENCE: Psalm 55:4-8 & 12-14 Here, we find David, a man after God’s heart, not worshipping or composing praise songs but in bitter lamentation, dealing with fear, and on the border of depression. He said, “My heart is severely pained within me.” He was so horrified by his recent experience that he wished he had wings like a bird and could fly away from the pain and the horrors of his suicidal thoughts. David...
“Praise the Lord! For all who fear God and trust in him are blessed beyond expression. Yes, happy is the man who delights in doing his commands.” – Psalms 112:1 (TLB) REFERENCE: Psalms 112:1-10 Some people’s lives are stories of setbacks, frustrations, and misfortunes. However, others with a similar background never seem to have any stumbling blocks and seem immune to trouble. Invisible forces are at work in both cases, defining each person’s destiny for good or evil. Deuteronomy 28 calls these forces, ‘blessings and curses.’ To be blessed means having supernatural power working for you, and being...
“…then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it...” – Genesis 1:28a REFERENCE: GENESIS 1:26-28 The spirit of the Blessing is a spirit of fruitfulness. ‘Be Fruitful!’ was the major component and the foundation of the blessing God invoked on man. Therefore, it is crucial to understand this very basic component of the blessing – fruitfulness. Why? Without fruitfulness, you cannot multiply, you cannot fill the earth (or your world), you cannot subdue it, and you cannot have dominion. Every time God blessed, fruitfulness was the foundation of the blessing. In Genesis 9:1,...
“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.” – Genesis 12:2 REFERENCE: GENESIS 12:1-3 God plans that you live a blessed life, where you enjoy God’s special favor, mercy, provision, and protection from harm. Thinking that God’s blessings are only tangible things has led some ‘Christians’ astray; they make the acquisition of ‘things’ like cars, money, and properties their sole pursuit. When these ‘things’ delay in coming, they turn away from God and leave the church. They do not understand that the blessing of God is...
The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it...” – Zechariah 4:9 REFERENCE: Zechariah 4:6-10 August is the eighth month, and eight is the number of new beginnings. Everything on earth has an origin; Genesis is the book of beginnings because it chronicles the beginning of all things. God is the author (or beginner) of all things; He loves it when we begin or start new things; things we have always wanted to do. Zechariah 4:10 says, “…these seven rejoice to see the plumbline in the hands of Zerubbabel.” God rejoiced when Zerubbabel started the work....
“What once was glorious no longer holds any glory because of the increasingly greater glory that has replaced it.” – 2 Corinthians 3:10 REFERENCE: II CORINTHIANS 3:8-10 God is a progressive God. He plans to take you from glory to glory in every area of your life until your future looks better than your past. Paul calls this greater glory. He means you will experience God’s honor, dignity, or beauty in tangible degrees. Greater glory is a call to a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. It means God is giving you the capacity to handle greater riches, influence, position, and responsibility;...