12/18/2008

Hebrews 13:1-6 Amplified Bible


1 LET LOVE for your fellow believers continue and be a fixed practice with you [never let it fail].
2Do not forget or neglect or refuse to extend hospitality to strangers [in the brotherhood--being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for through it some have entertained angels without knowing it.(A)
3 Remember those who are in prison as if you were their fellow prisoner, and those who are ill-treated, since you also are liable to bodily sufferings.
4 Let marriage be held in honor (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear) in all things. And thus let the marriage bed be undefiled (kept undishonored); for God will judge and punish the unchaste [all guilty of sexual vice] and adulterous.
5 Let your [a]character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] [b]Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor [c]give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [d][I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor [e]let [you] down ([f]relax My hold on you)! [[g]Assuredly not!](B)
6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?(C)


Are we content with what we have? Many times we are trying to buy "things" to try to fill a void. We do not seem to be content with the "things" we already have and we want more. We want the riches of the world and we actually get upset with people who have more than we do. Satan himself was not content with being the "head of praise." He wanted more and more power. He thought he could have more power than God. He sure was wrong!

Paul says here that we should watch our conduct and to continue in brotherly love because it binds brothers together and strengthens the church. Remember the promises of God but we have to be obedient. In all that Paul went though, he learned to be content in any state that he was in. He knew that the promise was that God "would never leave or forsake" him. As believers, we know that we can be content with just having Jesus in our lives. Our lives must be free of the love of money. Knowing that the promise of the riches in heaven is enough for us. Jesus is the only one who can fill the void that we feel in our lives. Actually contentment is a duty of the believer.

In verse 4, Paul says that the marriage bed is to be undefiled and fornicators and adulterers will be judged by God. In the early church sexual sins were a major concern. There was a lot of immorality (sounds like today). They needed to repent and turn around. This is just as crucial today as it was back then. Many times people are not content with their wife/husband, their jobs, their financial situations, etc. But God has given us a gift of contentment and must be lived by us daily. We know that God provides for us all the time and the greatest gift of all is the gift of salvation. So be content in your faith. Know that our riches are in Jesus...we are rich with the promises of God. Be content with Him!