GROW UP-NO MORE FOOLISHNESS

Note:  I struggled with the last message I would bring to the monthly bible study.  But while studying in the book of Hebrews, I couldn't get away from this message.  It is as much for me, and anyone who reads this, as it is for the ladies in that room.    I pray you talk all of this to heart.

​There is a shift coming.  We were all looking towards The Great Reset a few years ago, and now the fullness of that shift is about to take place.  Some are prophesying some pretty rough times, others are saying it’s the rapture.  I’m not a fan of fear mongering, and at the end of the day, at the end of the book, we win.  But that doesn’t mean we won’t have to go through some struggles and tribulations.

What many don't realize because they are not taught, is that throughout history, Jesus has come to eart for many different reasons.

He was here throughout the Old Testament

• He was the Angel appeared to Hagar in Genesis 16
• He was one of the 3 strangers who visited Abraham in Genesis 18
• He was the Angel who kept Abraham from sacrificing Isaac in Genisis 22
• He was the Man who wrestled with Jacob in Genesis 32
• He was the Voice in the burning bush speaking to Moses in Exodus 3
• He was the cloud by day and the fire by night during the Exodus
• He was the Angel who told Samsons mother that she was with child in judges 13
• Isaiah 6 tells us "It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple."
• The Man in the fire with Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego in Daniel 6
• Then after his ascension, He appeared to Paul, Stephen, and Ananias telling him to go see Paul
• The historian Josephus records that many witnesses saw Jesus in the clouds with an army at the beginning of the Roman Siege of Jerusalem in AD 67

And throughout history, people have said they have seen him in difference circumstances.

However, due to the vastness of the rapture teaching, we tend to limit Jesus visits to earth as one last trip to take us to heaven, when in actuality, He can come and go whenever He wants.  I believe He comes especially during trying times here on earth, and even in people's lives.  

I came across a story of Johnny Cash’s great grandnephew attesting to grenades curving at the last minute and tanks never firing as a Marine Regiment, in Iraqi Freedom were going in to capture Saddam Hussein and take his palace.  He testified it was as if some supernatural force was stopping bullets. Unfortunately I can no longer find the link. 

Why do I say all of this?  Because we need to be ready for whatever is coming, or we may miss Jesus in the midst of it.   We often become so secure in our spirituality that we miss what Jesus is actually doing.   Look at the Israelites, longing for a Messiah for hundreds of years and they missed him because he didn’t come in the way that they thought He would.  And they paid a huge price for that.

I struggled with what to say for the final class, what I could leave you with.  In light of the coming shift, that I’m sure Jesus will be in the big middle of, I say, GROW UP.  

The book of Hebrews, I believe, was written by Paul.  My reasons are too many to include here, but I would be glad to explain if you reach out to me.   

Paul is writing to the Jewish people who had accepted Christ, in Jerusalem, but were struggling with the old structure, the old way of doing things.  The sacrifices and accoutrements were still in place, but they had come to know Jesus and wanted to follow the new way.  The old covenant and the new covenant.  That was a huge shift.  The entire book is trying to explain that God had fulfilled the old covenant and Jesus was the final sacrifice, so they need to shift fully into the new covenant.
 
The shift we are about to experience, is just as significant.  Even today, though, so many churches are so dead to what God is doing that they’ve already missed it, and it isn’t even here yet.

The Lord says, “No more foolishness.”
 
Have you ever read or studied the book of Hebrews?  We are going to study one chapter in this blog, but I strongly encourage you to dig in.  It will change some of the things you probably believe and have been taught for years.

Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,
“My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 For the LORD disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. 16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.
18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. 19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. 20 They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. 23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! 26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” 27 This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.
28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. 29 For our God is a devouring fire.
 
Key verse for this message is
Verse 14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 

I want to focus on the second command given here, living a holy life.  The Greek word Holy is G37 "hag-ee-ad'-zo" and it means holiness, or sanctification of heart and life.  It is the ongoing effect of a consecrated life.

A couple of other verses that use this word are:

1 Peter 1:2
God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
May God give you more and more grace and peace.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4
3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— 

He isn't just speaking just of sexual sin… but all sin.  The root word of Holy in the Greek means to separate from profane things and dedicate yourself to God.  To purify, cleanse internally, to purify internally by renewing your soul.  It is the process of sanctification.

NO MORE FOOLISHNESS!
 
Let’s break all of this down.  What does this all mean?

Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  Others watching and cheering us on in our faith

1. Crowd of witnesses - He writes this immediately after writing the "Hall of Faith" in Chapter 11.  Where he names all of the hero's of faith and even explains that they didn't receive the fullness of their reward, but they didn't give up.  So these heroes, and many others that have joined since their passing, are cheering us on, watching, and praying we can achieve the same thing they did.  
2. Strip off every weight – the word weight, is also translated as encumbrance, burden, load, or mass. This Greek word, ‘ogkos' is only used here in this verse in Hebrews.
   1. That slows us down, so easily entangles us, which means to thwart, to prevent, to retard or slow down.
3. Especially the ‘sin,' the error, the offense, the bad action, that so easily trips us up (ensnares or keeps us from going forward).  The sin of offense is one of the worst and can totally highjack your faith.
4. Let us run with endurance – patience and steadfastness- the race he has set before us.  He is saying,
   1. Don’t give up, be constant, keep going
   2. The Race.  This means any struggle or contest, a battle, or action
   3. That is set before us - G4295 'prokeimai' which means appointed or destined; we are all appointed or destined to do something.  At the very least, we should be doing what Christ commanded in Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.  
   4. But let's look at what Paul had already written in Hebrews 5:11-14 11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
5. We all have a destined purpose, and that purpose may shift and change as we grow and mature.  Sometimes it may be some big thing, others, it may just be doing the next thing the Lord puts in front of you.

But how do we do this?  Let's look at the first part of Hebrews 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. 

1. By keeping our eyes on Jesus, champion and perfector.   As we follow Him and stay in relationship with Him, he will keep us going.  Eventually maturing us into his perfection.
2. Keep in mind that without Jesus we have no ‘faith’ or salvation.

 
Then back to Hebrews 12:2-3 Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  3Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 

1. Because of the joy?  That sounds antithetical to the crucifixion he was about to endure.  But the joy was what He was going to do, His race, destiny or contest and the outcome of it.  It wasn’t joyful during the process, but the outcome would be
   1. That He endured the cross
   2. He disregarded the shame, disgrace and dishonor
   3. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father
   4. He endured the absolute and utter disgrace, shame, and pain, then only to be immediately at the highest place of honor, seated next to the Father
2. The hostility He endured
3. The abuse from sinners (those devoted to sin, the wicked)
4. If you remember what he endured, then you won’t give up.  

Hebrews 12:4 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

1. We haven't endured anything close 
2. He did it for you!

Hebrews 12:5-11 gives us alot more of the how.
And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,
“My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 For the LORD disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

Remember, there is a difference between conviction and condemnation.  Many churches have quit preaching convicting messages, exchanging them for the feelgood and lightweight.  This is actually giving the body of Christ a pass on their spiritual maturity, no longer requiring it within the body.

1. But verse 5 says ‘don’t forget the ‘encouraging words he gave you.'  Encouraging?  Really? Talking about discipline?
2. Don’t forget that God disciplines those He loves as his children
   1. Discipline is training, education, it cultivates the soul by correcting mistakes, curbing passions, is chastisement of evils, and instruction which aims at increasing virtue.
   2. It brings maturity
   3. Teaches responsibility
   4. Causes us to be productive in our walk with Him

 
Hebrews 12:12-13 – Speaks strongly to intentionality.
12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

1. I love the wording of this in the NLT, 'take a new grip' - that is the antiquated way of saying 'Get a grip; get ahold of yourself; grow up.  Even though you may be tired and weak.
2. Stand up!
3. Make a choice!
4. Mark out a straight path – make a plan, be intentional in purposing your spiritual growth.
   1. So that what is lame, actually meaning, those things that have not progressed or have been strengthened will not cause a misstep but become strong.

Hebrews 12:14 Our Key verse - be intentional.
14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 

1. Part of our spiritual maturity is being at peace with everyone.  The NKJV and KJV says ‘pursue peace with all people.'  Be peacemakers.
   1. I have allowed myself to lose my peace with people may times.  This causes me to look at those against me as bad, and not allow myself to have any relationship with them.  Even if they are Christians.  That is not at all what Christ wants us to do.
2. Work at living a holy life – back to that sanctification process.  We have to do this to grow up!
   1. We can say a prayer at the altar, or start going to church, but without intentionality in your spiritual growth, will you really become sanctified?
3. Without it, you will go backwards and eventually turned over to a Romans 1 mind…

 ​19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.  
This is why verse 14 says for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 

Many people think this passage is just about the sexual sin, homosexuality, or anything like that.  But it is about continuing in any sin.  The people Paul is referring to here knew God...they knew the truth about God, but because they wanted to retain their sin, they began making excuses, trading the truth of God for a lie, making up foolish things about Him.  Aren't we seeing this today in many churches?  Twisting the truth to fit their current narrative. 

Currently, I'm in a series on my Podcast 'The Connector Podcast - YouTube on Galatians 5:19-21.  Beginning with Episode 21, I walk through each of these sins listed in the "Lust of the Flesh" list.  But the thing we all need to remember is that in Galatians 5:21, it clearly says that those who continue in those sins ‘will not inherit the Kingdom of God.'  

As I said at the beginning, we are in a kingdom shift, the Great Reset, and He is coming again.  Just as He has come many times throughout history, so don’t be mistaken into believing the talk of rapture is only about Him coming that one time. 

If you aren’t intentional in your spiritual growth, you WILL miss him, you will not be sanctified…it doesn’t just happen.  Remember, that is what happened to the Jews when Jesus came.  Many missed Him and even today, millions of Jews are still looking for their Messiah.
​
Hebrews 12:15
15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. 

1. We are to take care of each other, our brothers and sisters in Christ.
2. This is to ensure we or they don’t miss God’s grace.  Yes, we are our brother's keeper. 
3. This is a warning about apostacy, the turning away, especially if they are turned over as was spoken in Romans 1. 
4. The root of bitterness he refers to is what will lead to the apostacy 
5. If we aren’t intentional in our spiritual maturity, we can fall to apostacy, a turning away.  There are so many in church, every week, who think they are ok, but on a highway to hell because they have never purposed their spiritual growth, which causes us to lay aside the sin that holds us back.  They are like a lobster in water on a stove.  Not realizing that as the temperature rises, he’s dying.

 
Hebrews 12:16-17
16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.

1. To confirm what he is talking about, Paul then gives an example of Esau.  He thought he had it all going on, growing up in Isaac's home.  But in a moment of flesh, he lost it all.  Then he and his descendants became corrupters.
2. Because Esau was never sincere in his relationship with God like his father was
3. He didn’t take his role and responsibility seriously, so he lost it all
4. This CAN happen to you, I’ve seen it too many times

Hebrews 12:18-21
18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. 19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. 20 They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”

1. Why did Paul remind them of this?  This book was addressed to the Jews in Jerusalem who had accepted Christ.  They knew all of the stories about the Israelites journey, so Paul was reminding them of what they experienced.
2. But why did God do this at Sinai?  He had already had issues with their fear and doubt, so gave them an example of His power.

Hebrews 12:22-24
22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. 23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
They are the assembly of God’s first born-Jews who accepted Christ, names written in heaven.  They are a unique group of people and he was able to connect the past to the future for them.

God brought them to:

1. God himself-judge of all.  Not a human mediator such as Moses.
2. Spirits of the righteous ones, who are perfected in heaven
3. Jesus, the Son, the mediator of the new covenant
4. The sprinkled blood of Jesus and forgiveness, not the blood of vengeance

God brought them to all of these things.

Hebrews 12:25
25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! 

1. Be careful that you don’t miss out, by refusing to hear or listen to God speaking. 
2. Their forefathers refused to listen to Moses and paid the consequences. 
3. There will be consequences if you refuse to listen this time.

Less than 10 years after this letter was written, Jerusalem was taken under siege by the Roman Army.  Many reports, and even Josephus reported that Jesus showed up with his army, in the sky.  The image below was made from stories in AD66.  The siege lasted for 3-4 years and everything the Israelites had worshipped and believed in, was destroyed.  In AD67, the sacrifices ceased, then in AD70, the Temple was desecrated and destroyed.  This event fulfilled all of the prophecies Jesus declared in Matthew 24. 

It was commonly understood and taught that the siege and utter destruction was judgement because that generation rejected Jesus.  That was taught well into the dark ages.  That generation paid a horrible price for missing Jesus.  The entire book of Hebrews is a warning from Paul, not to miss God again, because  Jesus was the final sacrifice.

Image of Jesus and a heavenly Army, AD66

Hebrews 12:26 -27
26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” 27 This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

Here Paul is actually quoting Haggai 2:6-7
6 “For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

Paul warned them of an impending shaking, and it came.   

Most Christians believe that the ‘shaking’ refers to a onetime event, but there have been shakings throughout history.  The destruction of the First Temple and the exile; The attack written in the books of The Maccabees; The Second Temple in AD70; The Holocaust; WWI & WWII, Pandemics, and many other worldwide shakings.  It doesn’t happen only once, it has happened throughout history and will continue to happen until...

Hebrews 12:28
He does this so that the kingdom that we receive is unshakeable and we are to be thankful by worshipping him with a holy fear and awe…our God is a devouring fire and we don’t want to miss him.

1. God will shake and shake until only the unshakable remains
   
2. We are at the beginning of a shaking, a paradigm shift

 
Why do I say all of this?  Why is this my last message?

Because I don’t want you to miss Him in the midst of all of this.  For the past 4 years, I have taught many times on being in the word daily, having a daily time with the Lord, and spiritual maturity.  Now as we are separating, my heart is still in that same place.  Because no matter how long we walk with the Lord, we are still at risk of missing Him.
 
Remember what Paul said in Hebrews 5:12?
You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.

Many of us have been believers for a while and complacency can take over. 

But how do we keep from missing Him?

Grow up!

Get in your Bible, not a devotion book, or a scripture a day type thing.  But dig in to the Word of God every single day.  Learn to study your bible and learn for yourself.  Make the sacrifice.  If you don't know how to study the bible, or just want a refresher, here's a link that may help. 

Bible Study Basics - MY SITE

Don’t depend on what you hear from a preacher on TV, a podcast, or even at your church.  So much of what is out there is either not deep enough to help you mature, and some of it isn’t even the truth.  I’m so shocked at the garbage I hear. 

Purpose to set aside the things that can jackknife your faith.  Spend time in prayer with him, worship, be serious, no more foolishness.

Remember what I said earlier, talking about my podcast series.  In the very last part of Galatians 5:21 says "Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God."

That means that you will not inherit the kingdom while here in this life, and even potentially in the life to come.  Why?  Let's look back to our key verse, Hebrews 12:14 for those who are not holy will NOT see the Lord. 

You can only be sanctified, or made holy, by being serious about your spiritual maturity and growing up in the Lord.  Start today!​