Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

August 16
Friday


CONTAINED
BUT NOT
EXTINGUISHED

READ:
Hebrews 10:19-39
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For yet a little while,
and He who is coming
will come and will not
tarry. __Hebrews 10:37
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In June 2012, the Waldo Canyon fire destroyed 346 homes in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and burned more than 18,000 acres of mountain forest. The fire was declared 100-percent contained when perimeter lines had been built around the entire area of the blaze. It had been confined to a defined area until it could be fully extinguished. A fire information official warned residents that they might continue to see smoke in the burn area because even though the fire was fully contained it "is not controlled and it is not out."

When our world is rocked by tragic events and evil acts, we long for the day when evil will finally be destroyed and God will bring history to a close and fully establish His kingdom. Until that time, however, the Lord gives us His grace to live purposeful lives of faith as we await His coming. In Hebrews 10, we are urged to draw near to God with sincere hearts (v.22); hold fast to the hope we profess (v23); spur each other on to love and good works (v.24); and continue meeting together for encouragement "and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (v.25).

Until the time God extinguishes the fires of evil forever,
He gives us His grace and strength to endure the trials of life as we look forward to His return. __David McCasland

````````````````Dear Lord, thank you for the grace You give us to live```````````````````
`````````````````each day for Your glory. We look forward to the day```````````````````
`````````````````when You return, all evil will be extinguished, and``````````````````````
``````````````````we will live with You in perfect harmony forever.````````````````````````
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Jesus is coming__perhaps today!

**********************Today's Bible Reading __ Hebrews 10:19-39************************

19 Therefore, brethren,
having boldness to enter the
Holiest by the blood of
Jesus, 20 by a new and living
way which He consecrated
for us through the veil, that
is, His flesh, 21 and having a
High Priest over the house
of God, 22 let us draw near
with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having
our hearts sprinkled from an
evil conscience and our
bodies washed with pure
water. 23 Let us hold fast the
confession of our hope
without wavering, for He
who promised is faithful.

24 And let us consider one
another in order to stir up
love and good works, 25 not
forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together, as is the
manner of some, but
exhorting one another, and
so much the more as you see
the Day approaching....

25 Therefore do not cast
away your confidence,
which has great reward.
36 For you have need of
endurance, so that after you
have done the will of God,
you may receive the
promise:

37 "For yet a little while,
and He who is coming will
come and will not tarry.

38 Now the just shall live by
faith; but if anyone draws
back, my soul has no
pleasure in him."

39 But we are not of those
who draw back to perdition,
but of those who believe to
the saving of the soul.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Just as Adam hid from God after the fall (Gen. 3:10), a sense of
personal sin often prompts us to hide from our Holy God. Today's
reading invites us to enter God's holy presence. Made possible only
through the atoning work of Christ, this invitation is accompanied
by "boldness"__ confidence based on the knowledge of sins forgiven
(v.19).