Daily Devotional in Hebrews 12

Daily Nugget:
Every Christian, at one time or the other, contemplates why they are going through such trials and tribulations. Nowhere in the Word of God does it say that life will be easy once one is saved; although we do have much more godly protection. Actually, after salvation, life may be harder. That may be why so many “quit” their attempts to live godly.

The end of the previous chapter listed many that lost their lives for their faith, but the trials most of us face are nothing like they faced (vs. 4). Even the perfect Son of God faced trials imposed by others of far inferior spiritual standing than He (vs. 3). We should not be surprised when hard times do come our way.

However, some of the “hard times” many face are self-induced. Often the problems experienced are the side effects of one’s own sin. Other times our tribulations are the result of one’s Heavenly Father disciplining him for straying from the path He desired him to take.

Those that utter, “I can’t understand how a God of love could punish His own children!” certainly do not know the God of the Bible. If our earthly fathers discipline us (vss. 7, 9), or at least they should at times, we should expect correction from our spiritual Father when we step out of line. Despite what socially “corrected” people think, one who loves his children should discipline them when they are not doing right. God loves His own children and certainly will correct them when they do wrong.
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” Heb. 12:6

Sometimes there are ones who say, “Well, God has never disciplined me!”
Well, I do not know you, but I do know that even if you are saved, you still are not perfect (Romans 3:23). You may be forgiven, but you still sin. If you sin, and you are one of God’s children, He will deal with your sin. No one gets away with any sin!

There would be a real serious situation if you claim you are saved, but still insist that God has never disciplined you when you have gotten involved in sin. It may be either your discipline is on its way, or you may not even be saved! A good earthly farther may discipline his own children, but he would not correct the neighbor’s children. Likewise, God only corrects His own.
“But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” Heb. 12:8

No one likes to be corrected, and since NO ONE gets away with sin, there is a simple solution to avoid consequences; flee sin! Keep as far away from it as is possible!

Today’s Thought:
For those that say, “A lot of people get away with sin”, then I have a question for you. Why are the jails so full, divorces so high, people so unhappy, and hell at near capacity? Those situations are not because everyone sat around and practiced what they read in their Bible!

Today’s Reading: Hebrews 12
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 ¶ Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
18 ¶ For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.