From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Thu, Mar 2, 2023 at 5:56 AM

Subject: 3-2-23 THOUGHTS

3-2-23   THOUGHTS

Christ is called our “Intercessor”, our “Mediator”, and our “High Priest”!  These are positions that STAND BETWEEN two parties as a HELPER.  Verse 10 says “he became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him.”  The problem is that these people had picked up a bad habit of not listening.  They were thus “inexperienced in God’s ways”.  They had “little experience in telling right from wrong”.  They were not mature.  So much RICHNESS from God was being missed!  Yes... there is a lesson for us here.  We must think and live so that Christ can do His job between us and God!  
Heb 5:1-14   Message Bible    Every high priest selected to represent men and women before God and offer sacrifices for their sins 2  should be able to deal gently with their failings, since he knows what it’s like from his own experience. 3  But that also means that he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the people’s. 4  No one elects himself to this honored position. He’s called to it by God, as Aaron was. 5  Neither did Christ presume to set himself up as high priest, but was set apart by the One who said to him, "You’re my Son; today I celebrate you!" 6  In another place God declares, "You’re a priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek." 7  While he lived on earth, anticipating death, Jesus cried out in pain and wept in sorrow as he offered up priestly prayers to God. Because he honored God, God answered him. 8  Though he was God’s Son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do.  9  Then, having arrived at the full stature of his maturity and having been announced by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek,  10  he became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him.  11  I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you’ve picked up this bad habit of not listening. 12  By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby’s milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! 13  Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God’s ways;  14  solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong.

My Prayer:
Please hear our prayer, O Jehovah God.  Soften our hearts and remove the world from us so that we may draw closer to You.  Please help us to gain the fullness of your rich blessings toward us. May we listen well and pursue with diligence, a maturity as we seek You.  Sober us as we spend our lives.  May we live joyfully, as we live carefully before You.  
In the name of our Savior,    Amen.