March 13, 2015 – Hebrews 3:12-14

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Hebrews 3:12-14Just a bit of doubt, just a bit of disbelief, just a bit of unbelief and we slip away in the stream of sin that colors our hearts black.  Sin is a black hole of death with tentacles that strangle our joy and peace.  Sin, just a little, grows into a dismal swamp of despair and we have made our choice to turn away from God.I know what I am doing, it won’t hurt me, just for once, I want to do what I want to do.  No, our choices become others’ choices.  Be alert, be watchful, and warn others.  Awareness is the best defense against the slide away from God.Remember when we first believed? The overwhelming joy and peace that was ours That love of God can be ours again, with trust and faith restored.  We will share for an eternity with Christ Jesus.We hold firmly to what we believe in Jesus — for we have a great High Priest who entered Heaven.  Nothing in this world is hidden from God.  Not our evil deeds, our ugly words, our critical attitudes, or our masked thoughts that we hide from others.  We are accountable to God himself for all of it. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.  If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.“ John 14:1-3So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. Hebrews 4:13-14