19Feb2014 - A Better Hope

How you doin?  God is infinite.  There's no measure of His glory.  There's no measure of Him.  With out being redundant, I love the process God has me in.  Becoming like Him is wonderful.  Jesus (as a man) was free from sin and His burden was light.  He loves people, because He's love.  I'm finding more and more that this process is not scary.  Transformation is different then change.  Change implies that a condition or situation is different, but I stay the same.  Transformation implies the opposite.  I'm finding that conditions and situations look the same, or close to it, but I am different.  My attitude, response, and perspective of these conditions and situation is different.  At the bottom of every email, for the past 10 years, I say "Life is good, God is better".  I could change that to "Life is the same, but I'm becoming like Christ".  Again, for the religious folks on this list, I'm becoming LIKE Christ.  I'm NOT becoming Christ.  LIKE is the key word.  Stacey, Audrey, Paulie, and I will be attending the prayer/worship meeting at Abundant Life Church tonight at 7pm.  Please come if you can.  The Holy Ghost is the guest speaker.  Hebrews 7 today.

Verse 11, "If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?"  We are still in the 3rd section of Hebrews, which is titled "Christ Is Greater Then The Old Testament Priesthood".  It's interesting to me that as the writer is describing the greatness of Christ, old and new covenant comes up.  Jesus' greatness brought us the new covenant.  Our new friend Jonathan Welton spent 3 days with us giving us a Biblical understanding of exactly what/how Jesus provided us with a "grant covenant" which is far superior to the "vassal covenant".

Verses 15-16, "And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,¹⁶ one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life."  Jesus regained the keys to heaven, that Adam lost by sinning, by defeating death in His resurrection.  That requires a SHOUT OF PRAISE!!!!!!! 

Verses 18-22, "For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness ¹⁹ (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. ²⁰ And inasmuch as it was not without an oath ²¹ (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,

“The Lord has sworn
And will not change His mind,
‘You are a priest forever’”);

²² so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant."  WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!  Jesus is so much greater then Old Testament Priesthood.  Jesus brings us hope, eager anticipation, of drawing closer to God.  COME ON!!!!!!!  "The Law made nothing perfect", Jesus draws us closer to God.  I'm going to follow Jesus. 
Verse 28, "For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever."  I just love Jesus.  He's really good.
As most of you know, I'm huge on living in the new covenant and letting the old fade away.  I love being forgiven of my sin, but I really love being free from sin and self.  The 4th and final section of Hebrews is titled "The New Covenant is Greater Then The Old".  In light of the transformation that is taking place in me, I can't wait to read the next 5 chapters.  I'll probably read them several times.  Follow Jesus so to draw closer to God today.