Hebrews 10:24–25
24 "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."

The call is to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ.  But we do not simply encourage them to have good feelings.  We encourage them to participate in "love and good deeds".  A lack of confidence in Christ leads to a life self-centeredness, but when we are confident in what Christ has done we are motivated to love and serve others.  Pray for a struggling brother that they would trust Christ and return to a life of love and good deeds.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Lance & Amy Harris (Kodah)
• Rita Harris

Hebrews 10:24–25
24 "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."

First the writer calls us to maintain our confidence.  Then he calls us to encourage confidence in our brothers and sisters who are struggling.  Today ask God to help you see how to encourage a brother or sister whose confidence in Christ is struggling.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• George & Pam Goodall
• Max & Rebecca Haney

Hebrews 10:23
23 "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;"

First the writer told us to draw near.  And then he tells us to hold fast.  Never let go of Jesus!  Do not waver regarding the effectiveness of what He has done.  Believe Him, cling to Him, and never let go.  You are acceptable to God because of what He did.  Even in days of adversity and confusion, never let go of that fact.  "For He who promised is faithful."  Pray that those in our church who are struggling with doubt would find confidence to cling to Christ today.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Charlena Fitzgerald (Gage)
• Benny & Cathy Fitzgerald

Hebrews 10:19–22
19 "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Access to God has been granted through Christ.  Now comes the application.  "Let us draw near"!  Don't just know you can come near.  Don't just marvel that access is granted.  Take advantage of it.  Draw near to God.  Approach Him.  And go to Him "in full assurance of faith".  You have been cleansed by the blood of Christ and you have been washed by His Holy Spirit.  You have been declared clean and acceptable through Christ.  Draw near to God in prayer this very moment.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• David & Toni Crawford
• Bonnie Edwards

Hebrews 10:19–22
19 "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

We have confidence to actually enter the veil directly into the presence of God because Christ has removed our sin and sanctified us before God.  He didn't take us to God the old way by sacrificing a goat and entering the tent.  Jesus has taken us to God "a new and living way".  He gave His own flesh for us, and then rose from the dead where He lives and intercedes.  He earned our access and now lives to secure it.  The old way didn't work, this one always will.  Draw near to God today through Jesus Christ.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Les & Tammy Fincher (Tyler, Ramey, Seth, Chase)
• Joe & Paula Fincher

Hebrews 10:19–22
19 "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

It has admittedly been a long journey of explanation from the writer.  He has gone into great detail explaining to us the sacrifice of Christ, the offering of Christ, and the High Priestly work of Christ on our behalf.  Now he comes to the application.  What should we do with those truths?  First, place your confidence in that truth.  The writer says we have confidence to enter the holy place.  No Jew would have ever even considered it, but if Jesus did what we believe He did, then we can approach God without fear.  Do you have that kind of confidence?  Pray that our entire church would have the confidence to approach God through Jesus Christ.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Phil & Paula Driggers
• Neta Driggers

Hebrews 10:14–18
14 "For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,” He then says, 17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin."

Jesus Christ provided forgiveness for us through His one sufficient sacrifice.  And then the writer says, "Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin."  The temple sacrifices are done.  They are now irrelevant.  They are no longer needed.  Pray that our church would understand that the offering of Christ to God is the last and only offering we will ever need.  Pray that every member would understand and enjoy God's total forgiveness in Christ.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Leo & Joan Day
• Steve & Janet Bridges

Hebrews 10:14–18
14 "For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,” He then says, 17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin."

The writer of Hebrews assured us that Jesus has perfected us for all time by offering His holy life to God.  And then he reveals that the Holy Spirit has testified the same thing.  Again quoting Jeremiah 31:33-34, he reminds that the Holy Spirit revealed to Jeremiah that a day was coming when God would forgive and no longer remember our sins or lawless deeds.  Christ fulfilled with that Holy Spirit foretold!  This has always been God's plan.  Are you trusting in the work of Christ for your forgiveness?

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Ronnie & Marcella Bilberry
• Derek & Cheyenne Bilberry (Gentry, Cooper, Kutter)

Hebrews 10:11–14
11 "Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified."

What a great summary passage!  What millions of priests with millions of goats could never accomplish, Jesus did with one perfect sacrifice.  His work is totally finished and sufficient!  Now He sits at God's right hand waiting for His enemies to bow to Him.  Pray that current enemies of Christ would willfully bow their hearts to Him today!

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Chris & Meegan Weaver (Aydin, Calin, Maggie)
• Texas Girls & Boys Ranch

Hebrews 10:8–10
8 "After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Instead of a goat, Christ offered His own righteous life to God on our behalf and the result is remarkable!  "By this will we have been sanctified".  He offered His righteous life to God, and God set us apart to Himself as a result.  The payment was accepted on our behalf!  Not only did Christ satisfy the punishment for the Laws we had broken, here He satisfied the debt for the commands we had failed to keep.  Jesus paid it all!  Praise Him today!

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Ronnie & Janet Overby
• Taylor & Tanya Phillips (Tyler, Timberlyn)

Hebrews 10:8–10
8 "After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Christ knew God didn't want more goats.  God wanted a holy life, and that's what Christ came to bring.  "He takes away the first (goats) in order to establish the second (His life)".  Jesus Christ did not offer a goat to God, He offered His own righteous life.  He perfectly did God's will and then offered that righteous resume to God on our behalf.  Rest in the perfect righteousness of Jesus!

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Don & Judy Kaneski
• Ole & Doreen Olson

Hebrews 10:5–7
5 "Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, But a body You have prepared for Me; 6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure. 7 “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of Me) To do Your will, O God.’”

The Law can't save anyone.  That's what verses 1-4 pointed out.  Those sacrifices are weak and powerless.  So when Jesus comes into the world, He does not come to offer sacrifices.  He came to do the will of God.  He came to fulfill the righteous requirement of God.  No more sheep or goats, just one perfectly holy life.  Marvel at the holy human life of Jesus today.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Cody Lee
• Brendon Walker

Hebrews 10:1–4
1 "For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."

The point is simple.  It is what the Law can never do.  It can never make you perfect.  It can never stop requiring work.  It can never remove consciousness of sins.  It can never take away sins.  Pray that our church would never look to Law for salvation, but only to Jesus Christ.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Gracie Hadding
• Cindy Wampler

Hebrews 9:27–28
27 "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."

The entire 9th chapter of Hebrews has followed for us the parable of the Day of Atonement.  On that day, we saw a priest enter a tent with the blood of a goat.  He was seeking to make atonement.  One of the ways you knew the sacrifice was accepted was when the priest emerged from the tent.  God had accepted the offering and the priest's life had been spared.  Certainly God's acceptance of Christ was proven at His resurrection when He emerged from the grave.  But even more than that, we now eagerly await our great Savior's return from heaven when our salvation will be complete.  Pray that our church would eagerly await the return of Christ.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Vicki Diggs
• Cindy Glass
• Liam & Riannon Horn

Hebrews 9:23–26 
23 "Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

Everything Moses did was symbolic.  He offered a symbolic sacrifice, in a symbolic tabernacle, obtaining symbolic forgiveness.  But Christ far exceeded him in every way.  Christ actually appeared in the presence of God for us, taking His own blood as an atoning sacrifice.  And while Moses and Aaron and every other preach repeated the ritual every year, Christ only had to do it once.  "But now at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."  Christ did it truly, Christ did it perfectly, and Christ did it permanently.  He will never have to do it again.  He is the totally sufficient priest and sacrifice.  Praise Him for His priestly work!

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Ken Brendle
• Doug & Carissa Clark (Elsie, Rivers, Murphy, Hezekiah, Judah)

Hebrews 9:18–22
18 "Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

We said that the full benefits of a will cannot be delivered until the one who made it dies.  The writer points out here that this was the case even with the first covenant.  The first covenant offered forgiveness (it never fulfilled the promise, but that was the offer).  And to ratify that promise Moses sprinkled everything, including the people with blood.  A death had to occur, and until it occurred there could be no inheritance of forgiveness.  That is the point.  And we again see why Christ had to die.  He surrendered His life so that you could have the inheritance of forgiveness and eternal life.  Pray that our entire church begins to grasp the enormous magnitude of His death.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Kermit & Kathy Woolley
• Kolbey & Jaydee Adams (Waylon)
• Eoin Horn

Hebrews 9:15–17
15 "For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives."

Catching the analogy change here is imperative to the point.  On one hand we understand that a person is freed from a covenant through death, as in a marriage.  However the writer here doesn't speak of leaving the former covenant, but rather he speaks of receiving the full benefits of the new one.  And he changes his analogy from that of a contract to that of a will.  A will contains the realities of the inheritance, but it is never "in force while the one who made it lives."  In order for Christ to deliver to us the benefits contained in the new covenant, there again had to be a death.  So Christ, through His death, not only freed us from the former covenant, but also fully guaranteed the promises of a new one.  Praise Him for His all-sufficient death!

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Ronald & Kim Todd
• Norman & Brenda Hill

Hebrews 9:15–17 
15 "For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives."

The writer of Hebrews has introduced to us a new covenant in Christ.  But we cannot forget that there is a prior covenant that had to first be dealt with.  A married man is not free to simply forget his vows and go marry another woman.  And yet we know that one of the ways such a covenant is released is through death.  When one spouse dies the surviving spouse is free to enter a new covenant.  This is the writer's point here.  Because Christ died, not only did He offer a new covenant, but He also released us from the previous one.  He came in human form, submitted Himself under the Law, and then died in our stead to release us from a covenant we could never fulfill.  And now that we have been released we are free to enter a new covenant, a better covenant, an eternal covenant.  Rejoice in the liberating death of Christ today!

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Cathy Spencer
• Tommy & Peggy Swaringen

Hebrews 9:13–14 
13 "For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Another great aspect of the offering of Christ has to do with the willingness of it.  No goat, bull, or heifer were ever willingly sacrificed by their own desire.  They were offered by someone else.  But Christ "through the eternal Spirit offered Himself".  That is to say that from all eternity, this was always the plan.  He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and He was eager to do it.  Such willingness produces a great response in us.  We now are also compelled to "serve the living God".  Pray that our church would rightly respond to the willing sacrifice of Christ and become willing servants of God in response.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• John & Shannon Parum
• Martha Pickens

Hebrews 9:13–14
13 "For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

We have recognized the different effect of Christ's sacrifice.  Namely that Christ's sacrifice cleans the conscience, not just the flesh.  But we also love the words, "how much more".  It wouldn't matter if Christ had a different purpose in His sacrifice if it were no more effective than that of the former priests.  But Christ's offering is totally effective because He "offered Himself without blemish".  His offering worked.  Those in Christ are forgiven.  Guilt is removed.  The conscience is clear.  Praise Jesus for that!

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Rory & Carrie Mosley (Abigail)
• Willie & Margaret Neufeld (Marissa, Cassie, Tyler, Aubrey, Ruby)

Hebrews 9:13–14
13 "For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Still comparing the many sacrifices of the priests to the one sacrifice of Christ we see here an important distinction.  All of those various Old Testament sacrifices were meant to cleanse the flesh.  That is to say, they were rituals that only managed to wash the outside.  But Christ's sacrifice cleanses the conscience.  Christ's sacrifice doesn't just make you look better in the mirror, it causes you to feel better in your heart.  Pray that our entire congregation would enjoy the peace of forgiveness.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Charlie & Fronye Morris
• Tommie McCormick-Davis

Hebrews 9:11–12
11 "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption."

We saw that old day of atonement occur year after year after year.  In short, it never was a permanent fix.  They had to keep doing it.  "But when Christ appeared as a high priest" He stood before God with an acceptable sacrifice and He did what no priest had ever done before.  He "obtained eternal redemption".  He negotiated our pardon for all eternity!  He ransomed us from our sin forever!  He purchased forgiveness that never expires!  Meditate on the words "eternal redemption" and thank Jesus for securing it for you!

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• George & Evelyn Matthewson
• Woody & Linda McArthur

Hebrews 9:11–12
11 "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption."

Year after year we saw priests fail at the day of atonement.  We discovered part of the problem was that they never actually appeared before God; they only entered a man-made tent.  Jesus fixed that problem.  But we also see that no priest ever actually brought an acceptable payment for sin either.  They only ever brought "the blood of goats and calves".  But not Jesus!  When He went into the actual presence of God, He went "through His own blood".  He took a truly righteous offering.  He took the lifeblood of a truly holy sacrifice.  Only Jesus actually stood before God with a truly acceptable offering.  Thank Him today for sacrificing Himself for you.

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Lee & Alice Kidd
• Zek & Lindsay Mosley (Peter)

Hebrews 9:11–12
11 "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption."

We are reading of the day when Christ attempted to perfectly fulfill the day of atonement.  No priest had ever succeeded at it.  Every year those priests set up the same tent and entered it in hopes of permanently satisfying God's wrath.  They never succeeded, in part because the never actually approached God.  But when Jesus performed the day of atonement, "He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle...He entered the [real] holy place."  Jesus didn't pitch a tent and perform a symbolic ritual, Jesus went straight to the very presence of God.  For the first time we had a priest stand before God on our behalf!  Praise Jesus for this ministry!

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Michael & Amber Kermick (Emma, Jacob)
• Gary & Elaine Key

Hebrews 9:11–12
11 "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption."

Year after year we saw the same old day of atonement and it never worked.  "But when Christ appeared" He came "as a high priest".  Christ came to this earth in many roles, but none were more significant than His role as a priest.  He came to accomplish what no priest had ever accomplished, "eternal redemption".  Praise Jesus for endeavoring to fulfill such a great and seemingly impossible need.  He came to fulfill a job that no man had ever succeeded at.  He is truly unique!

PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY

• Ruby Karr
• Keith Karr
• David Karr
• Louise Hoffman