Author: thegospelmailman@yahoo.com

Don’t Harden Your Hearts to God

Scripture: Hebrews 3: 7-11

Warning Against Unbelief

So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

Scripture Commentary:

The Bible warns not to “harden” your hearts toward God. This means stubbornly setting yourself against God so that you are no longer able to turn to Him for forgiveness.

Obey God’s Word.

God’s ‘rest’ has several meanings in Scripture:

  • The seventh day of creation and the weekly Sabbath commemorating it.
  • The promised land of Canaan.
  • Peace with God now because of our relationship with Christ, through faith, and our future eternal life with Christ.

When you trust your own efforts instead of Christ, you, too, are in danger of turning back. Your own efforts are never adequate. Only Christ can see you through.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Hebrews Chapter 3

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Hebrews:

You Must Believe That He Is

Jesus Is the Perfect Forever Sacrifice For Our Sins

Examine Your Spiritual Life Today

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13: 3-6

… since you are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. 4 For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak [d]in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you. 5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you [e]fail the test? 6 But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves [f]do not fail the test. 

Scripture Commentary: Examine yourself today to see if Jesus Christ is in you.

Do you examine your spiritual self? Do you ask yourself if you are truly living and working for Our Lord Jesus Christ? Have you asked if you trust all things in Him?

Is your way of living a true example of a loving, giving Christian?

At times we must stop and examine where we are in our life with God. We get so caught up in our everyday life that we oftentimes don’t look at our spiritual life.

Don’t become complacent about Christ.

Stop what you’re doing, get on your knees and talk to God. When you talk to Him, you’re touching the power He placed in you to overcome your weakness.

God would like to hear from you today.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

2 Corinthians Chapter 13

Read Other Commentary on 2 Corinthians:

God’s Grace Is Sufficient For Your Needs

Believers Spread the Aroma of the Knowledge of God

Without the Law, Sin is Dead

Romans 7: 8-13

8 It was sin that used this command as a way of making me have all kinds of desires. But without the Law, sin is dead.

9 Before I knew about the Law, I was alive. But as soon as I heard that command, sin came to life, 10 and I died. The very command that was supposed to bring life to me, instead brought death. 11 Sin used this command to trick me, and because of it I died. 12 Still, the Law and its commands are holy and correct and good.

13 Am I saying that something good caused my death? Certainly not! It was sin that killed me by using something good. Now we can see how terrible and evil sin really is. 

Scripture Commentary: Law lets us know when our actions are good or bad.

Without the law, sin is dead. Where there is no law, people cannot know that their actions are sinful. There must be a law that forbids those actions.

Sin is real and dangerous.

God’s law makes people realize that they are sinners doomed to die, yet it offers no help. Sin deceives people by misusing the law. The law is holy, expressing God’s nature and will for the people.

When we are tempted to rebel, we need to look at the situation from a wider perspective. Look in the light of God’s grace and mercy. When we focus on His great love for us, we will understand that He only restricts us from actions and attitudes that ultimately will harm us.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans Chapter 7

Read Other Commentary on Romans Chapter 7:

Let Christ Set You Free

When I Want to Do Good, Why Is Evil There With Me?

Jesus Delivered Us and Teaches Us Love

Jesus Saved Us From God’s Wrath

Scripture: Romans 5: 8-9

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 

Scripture Commentary:

We are descendants of Adam but we are the children of God. We were born sinners but Jesus saved us from God’s wrath. God gives us His peace. This may differ from peaceful feelings such as calmness and tranquility.

Jesus paid for our sins.

Because Jesus died for us on the cross, the price for our sins has been paid. God loved us so much that He sent His Son to save us. He also sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. The Holy Spirit enables us to live.

If you ever feel uncertain about God’s love for you, remember that He loved you even before you turned to Him. God loved you when you were a lost sinner. And He can strengthen you now that you have returned to love Him.

You can pray for God’s power and love at any time.

Be assured that having begun a life with Christ, you have a reserve of power and love to call on each day. You have help to meet every challenge or trial.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans Chapter 5

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Romans:

The Wrath of God Against Sinful Humanity

You Have No Excuse

Be Declared Not Guilty By God

Scripture: Romans 4: 6-8

King David spoke of this, describing the happiness of an undeserving sinner who is declared “not guilty” by God. “Blessed and to be envied,” he said, “are those whose sins are forgiven and put out of sight. Yes, what joy there is for anyone whose sins are no longer counted against him by the Lord.”

Scripture Commentary:

King David was guilty of terrible sins: adultery, murder, lying. Yet he experienced the joy of forgiveness.

What can we do to get rid of guilt? First, we need to quit denying our guilt and recognize that we have sinned, admit our guilt to God and ask for His forgiveness. Then we should let go of our guilt and believe that God has forgiven us.

This can be difficult when a sin has taken root and grown over many years. It’s difficult when the sin is very serious, or involves others. We must remember that Jesus is willing and able to forgive every sin.

Jesus paid a tremendous price on the cross for us.

Have faith and believe you have no sin that God cannot forgive. It is Jesus Christ who saves us, not our feelings or actions. He is strong enough to save us no matter how weak we are.

Jesus offers us salvation as a gift because He loves us, not because we have earned it through our powerful works. Faith is believing and trusting in Jesus Christ, and reaching out to accept his gift of salvation.

God’s Word declares that sins confessed are sins forgiven.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans Chapter 4

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Romans

Worship the Creator, The One True God

God Has Made It Plain

Lord, Help My Unbelief, Increase My Faith

Scripture: Romans 3: 1, 3

 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? (1) For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? (3)

Scripture Commentary: We all stand as sinners before God.

Paul contends that everyone stands guilty before God. He dismantles the common excuses of people who refuse to admit they are sinners. Some do not believe there is a God. But does their unbelief negate God? Others will say they follow their conscience, and some try to justify their actions by saying, “I’m not as bad as other people.” Some church-goers rely on their church membership, or call out that they are “religious.”

No one will be exempt from God’s judgment on sin.

Every person must accept that s/he is sinful and condemned before God. Only then can we understand and receive God’s wonderful gift of salvation.

In the beginning of Romans, Chapter 3, Paul prints a depressing picture. All of us — pagans, Gentiles, humanitarian, and religious people — are all condemned by our own actions. The law, which God gave to show the way to live, holds up our evil deeds to public view.

But there is hope for us!

It’s true that the law condemns us but the law is not the basis of our hope. God is! He, in His righteousness and wonderful love, offers us eternal life with Him.

We cannot earn it. Accept it as a gift from our loving heavenly Father through His son, Jesus Christ. In order to receive it, we must give ourselves to Our Lord. Live as He commanded us to do. We must love our fellow man, and help spread the Word of Our God.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans Chapter 3

From the title: Mark 9: 24

Other Commentary from the Book of Romans

Jesus Freely Died For Your Sins

God Is the Root That Supports You

Jesus Will Prepare a Place for You

Scripture: John 14: 1-3

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Scripture Commentary:

You can feel the love Christ has for you when you read these three verses. He is the servant going to prepare a place for you. He died for you, and is waiting to serve you.

The question is are you serving Him? Jesus’s words show that the way to eternal life, though unseen, is as secure as your trust in Him. In this chapter He tells us the way and how to get there.

Follow His words.

By uniting our life with His, we are united with God. Although the details of eternity are unknown, we need not fear because Jesus has prepared the way! Until then, He has given us The Holy Spirit to comfort and help us spread the Gospel of Our Lord.

When our lives are intertwined with His, He will help us walk through adversity without sinking into debilitating lows. Likewise, He will help us manage prosperity without moving to deceptive highs.

The true joy of living with Jesus Christ will keep you in His hands. Jesus will give you peace if you accept Him. He is preparing to spend eternity with you.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

John Chapter 14

Other Commentary on the Book of John:

There’s A Mansion for You in Heaven

Believe on the Name of Jesus

We Have Done Wrong and Ask Forgiveness

Scripture: Romans 2: 6, 8, 12-13

God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”(6) But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (8) All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.(12)  For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.(13)

Scripture Commentary:

If we stand before God today, He will ask us what we have done? Did we obey His ways or did we go our own way? If and when we didn’t know God, we still knew right from wrong. This is the Holy Spirit in each of us.

People are condemned not for what they don’t know but for what they do with what they know. Take a child for example. When s/he is about to do something wrong, s/he will look to see if anyone is looking. This is the Holy Spirit.

Those who know God’s written word and His law will be judged by them. Those who have never seen a Bible still know right from wrong. They will be judged because they didn’t keep even those standards that their own conscience dictated.

Admit to yourself and to God that you fit the human pattern and have fallen short. That’s the first step to forgiveness.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans Chapter 2

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Romans:

Jesus Set Us Free with His Sacrifice on the Cross

There Is No Death in Jesus Christ

Do I do the same things I pass judgment on?

Scripture: Romans 2: 1-3, 6

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? (1-3) God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” (6)

Scripture Commentary:

How can you justifiably judge someone else? Whenever you find yourself feeling justifiably angry about someone’s sin, look in the mirror and say, “Do I do the same things?”

We have all sinned.

If we are being truthful, we still sin. Oftentimes the things we notice in others are the things that have taken root in us.

God has halted His judgment on us to give us time to repent. If God is giving us time, why can’t we give one another time?

Be a true light in the world for Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help others. In doing so we must live the life of being a true Christian.

When others look at us, what do they see?

Do they see the God in us or the Satan in us? If it is the God in us, they will see the wonderful gift of salvation.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans Chapter 2

Read Other Commentary on the Book of Romans:

Let Christ Set You Free

Jesus Delivered Us and Teaches Us Love

Are You Spiritually Blind?

Scripture: John 9: 39-41

Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment [to separate those who believe in Me from those who reject Me—to declare judgment on those who choose to be separated from God], so that the sightless would see, and those who see would become blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind [to spiritual things], you would have no sin [and would not be blamed for your unbelief]; but since you claim to have [spiritual] sight, [you have no excuse so] your sin and guilt remain.

Scripture Commentary: Am I blind?

This is a question we can ask ourselves. Blind to what? Are you blind to injustice to your fellow man? Do you turn from the truth?

Are you a follower of Our Lord, Jesus Christ? If so, do you try to live a Christian lifestyle and spread the Gospel?

The person in the Scripture did not know Jesus had given him his sight. But once he knew, he worshiped Him and told people what Christ had done.

Do you tell people what Christ has done for you?

The man was cursed and evicted from the synagogue but that didn’t stop him from telling everyone about Christ. Physical sight is nothing without spiritual sight. When you turn to Jesus, you begin to see and understand.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John Chapter 9

Matthew Chapter 7

Read Other Commentary on John Chapter 9:

Jesus Heals the Blind