snow day pictures

snow day pictures

snow day!

today is a snow day for the kids.

ice sleet and snow feel last night and we have more than 2 inches of this slippery stuff on the ground.

pictures to come.

promises oaths covenants and priests

09 Hebrews

Hebrews 6.13 - .20

Everyone has made promises. We have made promises to our children. We have made promises to our spouse. We have made promises to our friends. We have made promises to our parents. We have made promises to ourselves. We have even made promises to God. We have people make promises to us as well. We have all kept our promises and we have all failed to keep our promises. That failure to keep our promises is the main characteristic of promises made by us. That is why we make oaths, sign contracts and make legal agreements. These documents spell out the punishments we will suffer if we do not live up to our obligations. We break promises and we need a higher power to make sure we honor our agreements or promises.

The LORD on the other hand never breaks His promises! We have a certainty about the promises and covenants of God that we do not have about the promises people make to us. The author of Hebrews after warning the original readers to not walk away from the salvation they had reminds them to wait patiently for the LORD to fulfill His promises. (Hebrews 5.11 – 6.12) The author does this by referring to the LORD’s promise to Abraham. (Hebrews 6.13 - .15) Makes two promises to Abraham: a promise of a blessing and a promise of many descendants. To do this the LORD made an oath by swearing on Himself. Since there is nothing greater than the LORD and to reassure Abraham, He swore on Himself. The promises the LORD made to Abraham have been kept but he had to wait patiently and faithfully to see the fruit of the promise. This example of patiently waiting for the final salvation is for us as well. It has been nearly 2000 years since the Lord Jesus Christ promised to return and take us home but His return is taking longer than we expect. Like Abraham we need to wait patiently and faithfully because the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY never lies.

The author goes on to explain how people need to make an oath on something greater than then to keep the accountable to the promise but no one is greater than GOD. (Hebrews 6.16) The LORD swore by himself to make the unchanging nature of His purpose or promise clear to the heirs of the promise. The purpose or promise are the promises to Abraham and we are the readers of Hebrews were the heirs as well as us today. (Hebrews 6.17) So it is clear to us that God’s promises and purpose have been fulfilled. Abraham was blessed in his life. Abraham does have many decedents by faith and by blood. These decedents or heirs include us today.

Then the author writes some really interesting stuff. First he writes about God making this oath to show us He cannot lie. There are two unchangeable things, which are evidence of the impossibility of God to lie. (Hebrews 6.18) Those are the promises to Abraham. We have fled or run to take hold of this hope that encourages us. This hope or certainty in the LORD’s promise is an anchor that helps the soul stand, hold firm and be secure. This hope, Jesus, entered the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in the Tabernacle. Jesus our hope is our forerunner who goes ahead into the Most Holy Place on our behalf and becomes the High Priest forever. (Hebrews 6.19 & .20) He leads and we are to follow the one true High Priest. In the past only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place and only then once a year on the Day of Atonement. These high priests were in the order of Aaron but Jesus the true High Priest is in the order of Melchizedek.

What does it mean the Jesus is the true High Priest in the order of Melchizedek? The author of Hebrews will expound on that in the following sections of this letter but we will see more about that in the next few weeks.

Today leave with the knowledge that you and I can be certain in the LORD’s promise and that it is impossible for Him to lie to us. We have security in that knowledge. Leave today with the knowledge that our hope is not some vague idea but our Hope is the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Hold on tightly to the HOPE cause nothing else can save you in the end or bring the blessings of God to you today!

my crib and my ride

greetings from cabin #2 at the koa in abilene texas! i am hunting for college students to be a part of our summer internship program at the church of Christ in falls church.here is the plane that flew me from national airport (dca) to the dallas/fort worth international airport (dfw)here is cabin #2 with my ride from dallas to abilene in the front.here is my ride for the next few days german engineering is in the house!

rocketeering!

me and austin took a rocket he got for christmas up on the hill behind our house to launch his rocket! ashley was our camera girl and she did a great job.

click here to go to sparkyphilms to see our 3rd and final launch of the day.

losing your salvation!?!

Hebrews 6.4 - .11

Hebrews 6.4 - .6 maybe the harshest and most controversial part of the book of Hebrews. Take a moment and read those few short verses and you will see what I mean. The controversy seems to focus on the fact that someone can lose their salvation. There is a debate as to whether these were true believers or not. To me the most astonishing part of these verses is not that we can lose our salvation but that someone would walk away from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The author of Hebrews reminds the readers what these people have walked away from. First, they walked away from the heavenly gift. Then they walk away from their share in the Holy Spirit. Next they spit out the word of God after tasting its goodness. Finally they leave behind the powers of the coming age. By doing this they once again crucify the SON of God and subject him to all the disgrace he already suffered on their behalf.

They have no means of return. There is no repentance left for them! They have experienced all the blessings that the LORD has to offer us in this world. They had the heavenly gift of salvation that the Son bought us. They had a share in the Holy Spirit, that part of God that lives in each of His people. The tasted the goodness of God’s word and enjoyed it teachings. They experienced the power of the coming age. Instead of remaining faithful and holding on the all this goodness they walk away from it. In doing that they punish the LORD Jesus Christ again. How could someone do this!

This wasn’t an accident, they did not just slip away from their faith on the other hand they deliberately rejected their only hope! The author makes an agricultural analogy to help describe what they are like. (Hebrews 6.7 & .8) It is as if they were ground that received rain daily but instead of producing a useful crop they only produce thistles and thorns. They received the blessings from God and instead of producing a good crop they produced weeds. The blessing weren’t the problem but they were.

But, the author is confident that the readers are not like this! (Hebrews 6.9 - .1 The author looks at their lives and sees them producing a good crop. They are taking the blessings of God and are growing. They have repented of their past sins and are changing the direction of their lives. They received the heavenly gift and walk in it not away from it. They rely on the power of their share of the Holy Spirit, to have the wisdom and courage to live a life pleasing to the LORD. They not only tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the coming age and they are eating it up. They are not humiliating the LORD Jesus Christ again instead they are glorifying him with their lives.

Who are you? Are you walking away from the blessings of God? Are you producing weeds, thorns and thistles? Are you crucifying the Son of God all over again?

Who are you? Are you walking in the blessings of God? Are you producing a useful crop? Are you crucifying your old self and bringing glory to the Son of God?

The choice is yours but after experiencing all the blessings the LORD has shown me I will always walk in the way of the LORD and nothing will cause me to walk away from Him!

at which table are you sitting

At Which Table are You Sitting?

The Adult’s Table or the Kid’s Table

Hebrews 5.11 – 6.3

At most family gatherings there are at least two tables: one table will be for the adults and parents; while the other table is for the kids. This way the adults can have mature conversations without having to worry about the children interrupting. The kids are able to eat as the please and have immature conversation without parents telling you to stop. If you sit at the adult table you are considered to be mature and old enough to behave like an adult. If you sit at the kid’s table you are considered to be immature and not old enough to behave like an adult. The goal is to move from the kid’s table to the adult table. There are two ways to make this move. First you can grow up and this takes little effort. The second way is to become very mature. This can take a lot of effort but it can be worth it!

Those who first read Hebrews were sitting at the kid’s table spiritually even though they were supposed to be at the adult table! They are still drinking milk and eating baby food when they should be moving on to steak and coffee. (Hebrews 5.12b – 14) Milk and baby food is for infants and spiritually immature who are not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. (Hebrews 5.13) Coffee and steak are for the spiritually mature who by constant use of the teachings about righteousness have learned to tell good from evil. (Hebrews 5.14)

They are warned that they have gotten slow, lazy and have stopped trying to understand. The author wants to teach them about Jesus as the Great High Priest in the Order of Mekchizedek and what this means to them but they aren’t ready for it! (Hebrews 5.11) In fact they should be ready to teach but need a refresher course! (Hebrews 5.12) They are stuck at the kid’s table but should be at the adult’s table instead.

The author wants to move them from the kid’s table to the adult table. The author wants to move them from elementary teaching to some advanced teachings. Using the elementary teachings as a foundation to build on. Leads to understanding the advanced teaching the author has for them. (Hebrews 6.1 - .3) It also leads to them being the teachers they should be.

We face the same challenge. Many in the church have grown lazy and just stop trying to learn when they should be teachers themselves. They do this by stop coming to Bible studies that challenge them to think deeper. They do this by continually going to milk and baby food Bible classes when they should sit down to a big piece of Bible study steak. They do this by not putting the teachings into use and training themselves how to tell good from evil. They do this by not teaching when they are perfectly able too.

Our challenge is to listen to this warning! Don’t just sit at the kid’s table where it is fun and safe. Move to the adult table where you are challenged and learn to use what you learned. Teach others to move from the kid’s table to the adult table. I have been going to Bible classes since I can remember and many of you have too. Isn’t it time to move on and teach or at least sit at the adult table?

card board man

i got creative with an old cracker box one morning and this is the result! i think i might use the head shot for my buddy icon for ichat.

by the way i am now on facebook so i can be kewl!

i seem to be the only 1990 graduate from north springs high school on facebook

merry christmas from the byrds

Click to Play

merry christmas from the byrds

music is "utah" by the predictors

snow screen saver on my ibook

me and austin on the roof

the other monday i cleaned the gutters and then austin came up on the roof to help me hang the last of our Christmas lights. we now have colored lights on the roof, white lights in the bushes and along the walk, two white snowflakes hanging on either side of the door and a white light christmas tree out in the yard.

visit to the national christmas tree

here we are at the national christmas tree across the river in washington dc.
its located on the elipse in front of the white house.
we went on saturday the 9th

hebrews: the job of a priest

06 Hebrews

Hebrews 4.14 – 5.10

What was the job of the high priest in ancient Israel? Essentially he had two jobs. First he represented the people of Israel to the LORD. When the people had a concern or needed guidance they asked the high priest to consult the LORD on their behalf. The high priest stood between men and God. He stood before the LORD and represented the people. A prophet on the other hand represents the LORD to the people. The priest takes our message to the LORD and brings His answer back but a prophet brings us the message of the LORD and takes back our response.

The second job of the high priest was to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin. It was his job to make the yearly sin offering for the people. He was the only one who could go into the holy of holies and stand before the Mercy Seat on the Arch of the Covenant. Before he could make the offering of sin on behalf of the people he had to first make and offering for his own sin. His own sin made him unworthy to offer the sacrifice for sin. So he had to have a sacrifice for himself and then for the people. He did all this in the temple in Jerusalem and before that in the Tabernacle both were pale reflections of the True Temple.

The Lord Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest. His job is similar to the original high priest but with some significant changes.

First our Great High Priest has gone through the heavens. As the Great High Priest his does not go to a temple or tabernacle made with human hands out of the stuff of this world. Instead He goes to the True Temple to perform his priestly duties.

Our Great High Priest also make and offering for sin. Jesus Christ offers himself as that offering for sin. He doesn’t need to offer a sacrifice for his own sin because he was sinless. He was tempted in all the ways the human high priest were. He was tempted in all the ways we are today. Yet he was and is without sin. In spite of the fact that He is sinless because he faced temptation like us He is able to sympathize with our struggle against temptation. With Jesus as our Great High Priest a door has been opened for all the people of God to approach the throne seeking grace and mercy. No long is it just the high priest who enters the throne asking for grace and mercy on our behalf. Now we walk in ourselves with confidence.

Finally like the human high priest our Great High Priest represents us to the LORD. In these last days the Son being our representative has given us direct access to the Father. The Son, Father and Holy Spirit are one. Access to one is access to them all.

Neither of these high priest claimed the job for themselves instead they were appointed or called by the LORD. They are high priest because the LORD wants them too. Jesus is our Great High Priest by the desire of the LORD.

Hold on tight to the faith we profess. Jesus is our Great High Priests goes to the True Heavenly Temple. He offers a sacrifice for our forgiveness alone because He is without sin. Our Great High Priest sympathizes with us as we struggle with sin, because he has been tempted in every way. As our representative before the LORD he has opened the door for us to approach the throne of the LORD with confidence seeking grace and mercy.

10 years and sad news

me and lisa with our 10 year anniversary cake

this weeks marks my 10th year as the youth minister at the church of Christ in falls church. Back in 1996 i had no idea that i would be here this long but God has blessed me and my family here.

---

sad news
on a sad note a homeless man that has been a regular at our food pantry was found dead on monday morning. a worker went to the laudry room at and apartment complex and found him there. the worker thought he was sleeping there and called the police. the police found that he was daed. they believe it was a murder.

we called him dave, his name was david r. feliz, and he was a lost soul who had made some really bad choices in his life, with drugs, alcohol and in his relationships. as far as i know he has no family in the area and was completely alone. from time to time he would disapear and then reapear clean shaven and clean from the time he spent in jail for some petty offense.
here are two stories about dave

String of Murders in Fairfax County (he is the first story in this clip)
String of 3 Slayings Startles Authorities (his story is near the bottom of the page)

the promise of rest

The Promise of Rest
Hebrews 3.7 – 4.13
Long ago the LORD promised the His people Rest. They were promised a true Sabbath Rest in the Promised Land. At the time they were slaves in Egypt toiling away with no rest. Slaves who were toiling away with no mercy. They had no hope. Then the LORD brought up a man to lead them out of slavery. With His mighty arm the LORD crushed the most powerful nation in the world at the time. With His mighty arm the LORD led His people out of slavery into the desert on their way to Rest. They were on their way to the True Rest the LORD had promised they would find in the Promise Land. At Mount Sinai His people agreed to the Covenant that would insure that they received rest. Shortly after this they arrived on the border and what should have one of the most glorious moments in human history is squandered. Spies, sent to explore the Promised Land, discovered it would be impossible to take. The LORD’s people hardened their hearts and rebelled against the LORD and rejected the Promised Land. In His anger the LORD sent them into the desert to wander until all those who had hardened their hearts were dead. He swore an oath that they would never enter the promised Sabbath Rest.

After witnessing the LORD’s mighty power crush the gods and power of Egypt. After walking thru the sea on dry land. After they received mercy for stumbling away with the golden calf. After accepting the promise of rest and the covenant with the LORD. They forget and squander it all. They would never enter the Promised Land. Instead they died out in the desert wandering with no rest and no land of their own.

What a bleak and depressing story! The LORD saved them from slavery and promised rest only to have them turn it down. They had a promise, more than that they had a covenant with the LORD and they walked away from it. But, the Promise of Sabbath rest is still out there (Hebrews 4.1). The Promise for True Sabbath Rest is for us. There is a promise to us as the LORD’s people thru the blood of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

The author of Hebrews reminds the readers that the Promise of rest is still out their and that this promise is now to us! But we must not be like those whom the LORD rescued from Egypt. We must not harden out hearts. We must not rebel. We must not be sinful. We must no have unbelieving hearts. If we do we will lose out on the promised Sabbath Rest the LORD has promised. (Hebrews 3.7 – 19)

We need to hold on tight. We need to have believing and faithful heart. We need to be obedient to the LORD. We need to walk in His ways. If the first Israelites lost out on the earthly rest that would have been found in the Promised Land what makes us think that if we are disobedient, hard hearted or unfaithful we will not lose our promised Sabbath Rest? The mercy of the LORD opened the way for us to this promise thru the blood of His Son. We need to hold on tight to that mercy and not lose hold of it. We don’t save ourselves but we can let go of our salvation if we have unbelieving, unfaithful and sinful hearts/lives.

mike cope sings the classics

mike cope is the preacher at the highland church of Christ in abilens texas and a blogs at preachermike.com. if you aren't a member of "the church" this might not be as funny to you as it is to me but no matter what name is on your church's building this is very funny!

sermon: jacob: wrestling with God

click here to listen
to my latest sermon
about the early life of the patriarch jacob
and what we can learn from it!

Church of Christ in Falls Church
Sermons Preached @ the Church of Christ in Falls Church Podcast

04 Hebrews 3.1 - .6

What is your focus? Where do you find your identity? These are vital questions for you and me as one of God’s people. Do you find your identity in what you do at work? Are you focused on your family? Do you have to have he latest and greatest technological gadget? Are focused on being the center of attention? What ever our focus is becomes our god. Is our god the true living God or a false dead idol?

If your focus is on the stuff of this world, your job/work, your family, technological gadgets, being the center of attention then you are focusing on stuff that will vanish in the end. You are storing up treasures here and not in heave. Your fate will be the same as the treasures you are collecting. By fix our thoughts on Jesus we will share in the heavenly calling!

Does this sound familiar? It should because it is not my advice but what the author of Hebrews tells the readers after talking about the incarnation of Jesus. The Son of God became flesh and blood like us and because of that we need to focus on Him. By fixing our thoughts on Jesus we become holy brothers and sisters and share in the heavenly calling. (Hebrews 3.1) We become the house of God! (3.6) Jesus and Moses were servants in this house. Both of them were good servants. The difference is that Moses is just a servant while Jesus is the Son and heir of the house. He is the faithful Son over God’s house and we are the house. (Hebrews 3.2 - .6)

We are only the house is we hold onto the courage and hope we boast about! (Hebrews 3.6) The courage and hope we boast about is the Good News of Jesus! The hope and courage is that the Son of God became flesh and blood to save us. The hope and courage we have is that we have a heavenly calling, a heavenly destination. As God’s House we will live eternally with the Father, thanks to the Son for making us holy and thanks to the Spirit that gives us the strength to live as one of God’s people.

A few weeks ago during our 3^rd-6^th grade class on Wednesday night I had the students write on a card something they treasured. Next we went to another room to act out our parables for the night. While we were in the other room I sent someone to the other room to rip up the cards! When we came back and found their cards ripped up they students were not happy but they will never forget that our earthly treasures no matter how special will be destroyed. The only thing that is permanent in our world is God. Our continued focus on Jesus the Apostle and High Priest will assure us that we will share in our heavenly calling.

now i am having a happy thanksgiving

georgia beat tech so i am having a happy thanksgiving!

03 Hebrews: He Became Flesh and Blood

03 Hebrews: He Became Flesh and Blood

Hebrews 2.5 - .18


One of the great wonders of the universe is the incarnation of Jesus. The Son of God became flesh. He lived as one of us. He smelled like us. He had to go to the bathroom like us. He was hungry like us. He could get sunburned like us. He was tired like us. He was for a moment trapped and confined by the limits of time and space. Before the Son became flesh and blood like us he was everywhere all the time. He had none of our weaknesses such as hunger, smells, bathroom breaks, being tired or having to wait in line. The Son gave up all that when he came down and put on flesh and blood like us. This is not just a wonder it is also a mystery!


The author of Hebrews picks up on the incarnation. At the beginning of the second chapter he writes about the future world being subject not to angels but to the SON. (Hebrews 2.5) The Father has put everything under the Son but at the present we cannot completely see His lordship. (Hebrews 2.5-9) We live in the overlap between the kingdom of this world and the Kingdom of God. The Son, Jesus was made lower than angels for a short time (Hebrews 2.9) to suffer and bring glory to himself and to his brothers. (Hebrews 10.10 – 13) We are the ones for whom the Son made holy thru his suffering and the holy one (Jesus) and the ones who were made holy (us) are brothers!


Then author writes:

Since the children have flesh and blood, Jesus too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

(Hebrews 2.14 - .18)


We can see that Jesus became, flesh and blood like us in order to destroy the fear of death and the one who had the power of death. God’s people, Jesus’ brothers have nothing to fear from death. We should not fear death. If your life is threatened you have nothing to fear because Jesus defeated the Devil. By becoming flesh and blood like us, Jesus also becomes our high priest. A high priest who is merciful and faithful that stands between the Father and us. As a high priest he makes atonement for our sins as his people. He also suffered temptation so he can help us when we are tempted.


That is an amazing and wonderful truth! Jesus became real flesh and blood. He didn’t appear to be flesh and blood. His spirit didn’t inhabit someone else’s body. The physical form the first disciples and apostles saw and touched, the physical resurrected body was or is the true flesh and blood of the Son of God. Now that is a true mystery!

hebrews part two

Recently I began what will be a yearlong series on the Book of Hebrews. This book is not a letter but instead is more than likely a sermon. We will explore this sermon together and see how wonderful and awesome Jesus is and the message that he brought.


The author of Hebrews begins (1.1-.3) by telling the reader about God’s indirect communication thru prophets and other ways to the direct communication thru the Son. He then goes on to describe the Son ending in verse 4 with the Son being over the angels. Why this initial focus on angels? Angels are the spiritual messengers of God. God uses angels to speak to prophets such as Moses, Isaiah and others. They seem to be the first ones after sin entered the world to bring God’s message to humanity. They are important and powerful spiritual beings but do not compare to the Son.


The relationship between the Son, God and angels is described in the next 10 verses of chapter 1. (1) The Son’s name is greater than the names of angels (Hebrews 1.4). Don’t think of this as his first or last name. Instead this is referring to his “title” or position. His title is “the Son” while, as we will see the angles are servants. The relationship between Jesus and God is a father son relationship. No angels, has ever been called the son! (Hebrews 1.5 & .6) (2) Angels show their inferiority to the Son by worshiping him and show him the respect that he deserves (Hebrews 1.6). (3) Angels the Son’s Servants and ((Hebrews 1.7) 4) he is their master (Hebrews 1.8 & .9). (5) Unlike the Son who is eternal and has always been, angles are created being and part of creation. (Hebrews 1.10 - .12) (6) The Son sits are the right hand of the Father and rests until his enemies are made his footstool. (Hebrews 1.13) The author sums all this up in verse 14 by describing angels as ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation. If you turn this verse around you discover that angels are sent by their master and are to serve and minister to God’s people. They are not all powerful beings who decide when and where they will go but are the LORD’s servants.


The reason for the comparison becomes obvious at the beginning of chapter 2. (Hebrew 2.1 - .4) It begins with a warning not to drift away but pay careful attention to the message we have heard from the Son. The message the angels brought was binding and people were punished for violating it. Now the message comes straight from the Son! If the servant’s message was binding how much more so is the SON’s message? What is the message the Son brings? It is the message of a great salvation. The LORD himself first announced it. It then was confirmed to the readers by eyewitnesses who had heard the message from the Lord. It was also confirmed and testified to by signs, wonders and miraculous signs from God. Finally gifts from the Holy Spirit confirm the message.


Just like the original readers we too need to be careful and not drift away from the great salvation that was announced by the Son. The message of this great salvation is the SON himself. We need to not drift away. This is the image of a ship drifting away because now one was paying attention. We need to pay attention to the message we have heard and we need to hold on tight to this wonderful message of salvation we have heard!