Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Day 27, 28 & 29

(for Sunday, Monday & Tuesday (April 3))

Prayer and Conduct

First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, and petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.


For there is on God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human,who gave himself as ransom for all.

This was the testimony at the proper time. For this I was appointed preacher and apostle ( I am speaking the truth, I am not lying), teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It is my wish, then, that in every place men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument. [ 1 Timothy, 2: 1-8 ]


Jesus Superior to Moses

Therefore, holy "brothers," sharing in a heavenly calling, reflect on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to the One who appointed him, just as Moses was "faithful in [all] his house." But Jesus is worthy of more "glory" than Moses, as a founder of a house has more "honor" than the house itself. Every house is founded by someone, but the founder of all is God. Moses was a "faithful"in all his house" as a "servant" to testify to what would be spoken, but Christ was faithful as a son placed over his house. We are his house, if [only] we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope.


Therefore, as the holy Spirit says:
"Oh, that today you would hear his voice, 'Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion' in the day of testing in the desert, where your ancestors tested and tried me and saw my work for forty years.
Because of this I was provoked with that generation and I said "They have always been erring of heart,and they do not know my ways."
As I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter into my rest." "

Take care my brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. Encourage yourselves daily while it is still "today," so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end, for it is said:

"Oh, that today you would hear his voice: 'Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion.'"
Who were those who rebelled when they heard? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt under Moses? With whom was he "provoked for forty years"? Was it not those who had sinned, whose corpses fell in the desert? And to whom did he "swear that they should not enter into his rest," if not to those who were disobedient? And we see that they could not enter for lack of faith. [Hebrews 3:1-19]


Jesus Compassionate High Priest

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. [Hebrews 4:14-16]


We are still praying! I apologize for taking some time before writing again. I have very bad insomnia as of late and have had little sleep -- getting 2 hours or less most nights and not being to sleep at all some nights -- over the course of the last week. It has taken a toll on my ability to focus and do the things that I have been called to do.

But please keep praying with us! I strongly feel that our prayers are making a difference.

God Bless us one and all as we approach Holy Thursday, Holy Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday and Monday, and may He in his infinite wisdom grant us peace. Amen.