We can count on His help!

Context

Israel did not believe God, it hardened their hearts,

and their lack of obedience caused them to

miss their Rest in the Kingdom.

Context

We have a chance to enjoy the reward of Rest, ruling with Christ, if we believe and obey where

Israel did not.

Hebrews 4:11

Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the

same example of disobedience.

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Be diligent

I have to work hard to enter Rest, but…

I don’t always know my issues,

what’s impacting me.

Be diligent

We often don’t know what we don’t know.

It may be from immaturity, a lack of self-

awareness or a lack of honesty… whatever.

The Israelites had issues. Had they obeyed, those would have been dealt

with as the believed and continued to obey.

Be diligent

So, what’s the answer?

Part of hard work involves the Word.

The Word of God can protect us from missing

our chance!

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the

division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the

thoughts and intents of the heart. 

“Living”

God word is personal, relevant, and involved in

our lives!

His word is personal!

My part

Get involved with Scripture

• Read it• Study it• Meditate on it• Learn it

His part

He gets involved with me!

• Teaches me• Shows me where I’ve

gone wrong• Corrects me• Instructs me

Consider the value of these passages

Exodus 20:7

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for

the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain”.

“In vain”

We are not to treat God “lightly”, but with honor.

We need to be careful what we attribute to Him.

“In vain”

Have you ever had a thought and wondered, “Was that God or me?”

We also often wonder about the origin of feelings or events.

“In vain”

Some not only attribute them to God arbitrarily, but encourage others to

get our life’s direction from them, even if

contrary to God’s word!

“In vain”

If I’m the one who decides which thoughts are “of

God” and which ones are mine,

Who, then, becomes God?

“In vain”

One thing we know for certain:

If we don’t know the source, we need to be

careful.

There is no such thing as unbiblical spirituality.

“In vain”

The voice you listen to may be Satan’s.

…just ask Peter!Mk. 8:33-34

2 Corinthians 11:13-14 For such are false apostles, deceitful

workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder!

For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Heb. 4:13 All Scripture is given by inspiration

of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,

for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God

may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

“thoroughly equipped”

Do we believe that’s true?

Or, do we need something else, like a feeling I can’t shake, a word I can’t get

out of my mind, or a feeling raised to the level

of God’s divine will?

His word is profitable!God’s word:

• Teaches me• Shows me where I’ve gone wrong• Corrects me• Instructs me

God’s word completely equips me for what I need!

I have to choose• My thoughts• My feelings• My situation• God’s word

“Powerful”

God’s word can get the job done!

“Sharper…piercing”

I not only don’t know what I don’t know,

I often don’t know why I do what I do.

“Sharper…piercing”

God’s word gets down to the deepest parts of our

souls.

Heb. 4:13

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open

to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

“No creature hidden”

God’s word works for everyone.

“We must give account”

Since accountability is a part of our lives, the more

we know, the better.

And, the more help we have, the better.

“We must give account”

How can someone who has as many shortcomings

as we have be exposed and have any hope?

Heb. 4:14

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the

heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

“A great High Priest”

A Man who has “passed through the heavens” sits

at God’s right hand interceding and ready to

help.

“A great High Priest”

Since He is forever ready to help, we should “hold

fast” and not give up.

Heb. 4:15

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our

weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we

are, yet without sin. 

“In all points..without”

There is no struggle we encounter that He doesn’t

understand.

Psalm 147:5-6

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;His understanding is infinite.

The LORD lifts up the humble;He casts the wicked down to the ground.

“Yet, without sin”

Our “Captain” knows how to win!

Heb. 4:16

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We are to come…

• Boldly • To the throne of grace• And receive mercy• And find grace…to help…when we need it!

As we are exposed by the Word, we are also

strengthened by the Lord. The exposure of the Word

should prompt us to prayer, to approach boldly.

When we do, we find mercy and grace to help

when we need it.

Our thought: “If God knows how bad I am, He won’t want anything to do with me”.

His thought: “I’ve always known how bad you are and want you to know it so you will come to Me

and be rescued”.

We stay faithful,

the Word exposes us,

and Jesus rescues us.