November 8 Proverbs 27:5-14 Hebrews 9:1-15 Ezekiel 16
Proverbs 27:5-14
Honest and helpful communication are essential ingredients for true friendship. There’s a great benefit from intentional relationships with people who will be faithful with their words, even when we need correction. This is far better than flattery. We must grow in wisdom. Being prepared for possible danger is prudent. Building helpful relationships within a neighborhood prepares us for the possibility of disaster. We can help each other quickly.
Hebrews 9:1-15
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived a perfect human life experiencing every temptation and yet without making any mistakes. Jesus Christ took on Himself the sins of all humanity. God accepted the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the complete once and for-all-time payment for our atonement. This is evidence of the unique qualifications of Jesus Christ to be our Savior. In the past Tabernacle of worship, only the High Priest could enter their Most Holy Place (where God’s presence would be found) once a year to make sacrifices for sins. The manifest presence of God became obvious by the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ our Messiah has entered the Most Holy Place in Heaven, by the sacrifice of His blood and “secured our redemption forever”. God receives His perfect sacrifice, as seen when God raised Jesus from the dead. In this way, we may be free from the penalty of sin. Jesus is our way, our truth, our life. It is Jesus who has set us free, not the Tabernacle, Temple, order of worship, old sacrifices, or instruments.
Ezekiel 16
Clearly, God describes a people who were deceived into believing that they were self-sufficient. They walked away from a loving relationship with God. They sacrificed their own children in idol worship. These actions are part of Israel’s history of spiritual promiscuity. They turned to worship created things, rejecting their Creator, in prostitution of their spiritual heart. Loving anything or anyone more than God brings pain. Our loving God created the people of Israel, provided for them, and brought them to prominence. They became worse than the people they had detested. God predicted punishment, repentance, and restoration. We see God’s sovereignty interacting with the free will He had given His people. Through it all God promises restoration and a new covenant agreement with those who return to Him.
November 8 Proverbs 27:5-14 Hebrews 9:1-15 Ezekiel 16
Please read the suggested passages, prayerfully consider them, and the questions below. My comments here may be helpful after those moments. The suggested daily reading is for the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.
Reading the Bible is helpful in taking the next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us has been expressed through Jesus.
What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?
Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?
What should you do about that truth?