Hebrews 11: Enoch

Dear TVCC Students,
Last night was so encouraging! We were able to witness Spencer getting baptized and able to dive more into Hebrews 11. As always, our hearts are so encouraged to worship the Lord with you all and see you soaking up the truths in His Word. Sonny spent time looking into the life of Enoch last night. Here is a recap...

Hebrews 11: Hall of Faith. People listed in Hebrews 11 were by no means perfect but were those who trusted the Lord and lived lives of faith despite their shortcomings.

~11:1-4: Men of old gained approval by their faith, not by their works! Works reveal faith but faith is what makes one righteous before the Lord. Remember though that once we have faith in Christ, we are called to have our lives be living sacrifices (Romans 12).  Pouring out your life for Him is the most wonderful thing that you can do- it is ETERNAL. Again, works do NOT save you but after you have received grace to believe in Christ, works will follow (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Q: Read Ephesians 2:8-10 and James 2:14-26. Do you see the correlation between works and faith? Genuine faith will have works following it. Belief will have an effect on your life. If someone looked JUST at your life, not at what you SAID, would they see someone who is living a life of faith in Christ? Are there any changes you feel the Lord calling you to in order to have your life aligned with His desires for you?

~1:5-6: Enoch was taken up. Enoch did not taste death. Wow... Let that sink in! Genesis 5:21-24. Enoch walked with God and “was not” for God took Him! "Walking with God" is what the Lord wants for us just as He did for Enoch. This is what Jesus died for (1 Peter 3:18). Even though we are completely undeserving of "walking" with Him, He still desires this for us. If we look at 2 Corinthians 6:14 we see that we are not to be bound together with unbelievers. Believers and unbelievers are different beings and it is dangerous for us to surround ourselves with those that are not like minded. How wonderful for us that even though we are so different from the Lord, He still wants us to walk with Him. There is such a great chasm between us and the Lord; He bridged that gap through Christ so that we could “walk” with Him. 

Q: Read 1 Peter 3:18. What does it look like for you to "walk" with the Lord on a daily basis? Others noticed that Enoch walked with the Lord by the way that He lived. Who in your life have you seen "walking with the Lord?" The Word tells us to imitate the FAITH of those that encourage us (Hebrews 13:7). What things do you think contribute to their "walk" with the Lord that can be emulated in the lives of others? 

~2 Peter 1:3-10: He has granted to us all we need for life and godliness just as He did with Enoch. The Lord has made a way for us to be partakers of the divine nature through the death and resurrection of Christ so that we can now relate to Him. He has restored what was lost.

Q: Which of the things listed in 1 Peter 1:3-10 do you feel that the Lord wants you to work on (by His power)? What steps do you want to take to grow in that area this week?

~1 Corinthians 6:9-11: The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. All of us were unrighteous before our redemption in Christ (Romans 3). The Lord has made us righteous in Christ. We have been washed by the blood of Christ and are now different. Because we are now washed, let us live differently. Let us press into the Lord. Let us walk with Him out of love as Enoch did. Walking with Him involves us listening to the Lord and speaking to Him. Enjoy time with Him! As long as we are still taking in breath, we still have an opportunity to walk with the Lord!

Q: Have you been walking with the Lord this week? What has that looked like? In what areas do you feel the Lord calling you to change so that your walk with Him will be more intimate?

~Romans 3: How was Enoch pleasing to the Lord? He was not justified by his works. That was not even possible. Enoch was justified by his faith just as we are justified by faith. Faith in the work of Christ is what makes us righteous before the Lord. Without faith it is impossible to please God! We must believe that He is God and that He has made us clean through Jesus. Our works will follow genuine faith.

Q: Are you believing in the Lord Jesus this week? Have you spent time in His Word this week knowing that He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it?

Dear Students,

We pray that this week you will follow the example of Enoch and genuinely walk with the Lord. We pray that you will listen to Him as you read His Word and gain insight into His heart. We pray that you will speak to Him in prayer and pour out your hearts continually to Him as you would your best friend. Remember that He is in control of everything- both the good and the bad. Everything that happens is an opportunity for us to grow in our relationship with the Lord and for us to show others His power through us who believe. We love you all!

With hope,

~Sonny and Casi 

Hebrews 11:1-4

TVCC Students,
It has been so wonderful to dive into the book of Hebrews with you all and see the redemption that is ours in Christ. This Wednesday we took a look at the beginning of Hebrews 11, the "hall of faith." Here is a recap...

Hebrews 11:1-4

-11:1-2: The word “faith” is referenced 6 times before Hebrews 11 but is referenced 18 times in the next 2 chapters after this. All of Hebrews was building up to this point: the Savior would come to offer complete freedom from the bondage brought by sin and that freedom would be accomplished through faith. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen. Faith is not just believing that God exists but that He is capable of doing what He says He will do. Faith is an action!

Q: Is the "faith" you claim to have in Christ just "faith" that He exists or do you really believe/trust that His Word is true and that He will accomplish His plans? If people looked at your life, not just what you say, would they see a life of faith in you? Why do you think so?

-11:3: God invented time. He is the Author of everything and is continually holding it all together... perfectly. Nothing happens that is outside of His complete control. God is worthy of placing our trust in because He holds everything in His hands (Psalm 104). Again, His Word holds everything together and we have access to this Word! Jesus is the Word of God (John 1). Let us draw near to the Lord through Christ who made peace between us and the Lord (Hebrews 10:19)! There is nothing better for us than for us to draw near to Him as He has cleansed us. As stated earlier, genuine faith leads to action (James). Let’s look back at our calling that comes from faith...

-Hebrews 10:19-24: These are the actions that come from the faith genuine believers have in Christ. This is the call of God for those that are the Lord’s through Christ.

1. Draw Near to Him.
2. Hold fast to the confession of your hope in Christ
3. Do not forsake assembling together with other believers and consider how to stir others to love and good works.

Q: Read Hebrews 10:19. Do you spend time realizing that the Lord who created light and planets is the same God who wants to have an intimate relationship with you through Jesus Christ!? Which of the previous three "works of faith" do you feel that you need the most work on (by the power of the Spirit)?

-11:4: Cain and Abel: Go back to Genesis 4 to see this situation. Cain’s offering was not accepted by the Lord. Cain believed in the existence of God but wanted to compromise with the Lord. He was not accepted! The Lord has a specific plan for how we are able to approach Him. We have access to the Lord through Christ alone (Acts 4:12). After trusting in Christ, the Lord wants our lives to be living sacrifices to Him- for us to trust in Him completely and walk in joyful obedience to Him. He will not accept anything less. We fail often but thanks be to God that we walk by grace! Christ in us is our righteousness! The Spirit continues to sanctify us as we seek to grow in Him.

Q: Is your life being lived more like Cain or Abel? Are you trying to come to God on your own terms or are you continually seeking to submit your life to the Lord and His desires- trusting in Christ completely for your salvation and sanctification?

Dear Students,

As always, we are praying for you and we love getting to see you all grow in Christ and in your love for one another. We pray that this week your faith in Christ would be lived out in a powerful way and that all of our lives would bring glory to King Jesus. We encourage you to read through some of the Psalms (especially Psalm 19 and 104) and meditate on the fact that the God of creation wants an intimate relationship with you. We love you guys and gals!!

With hope,

~Sonny and Casi 

Hebrews 10: Law fulfilled in Christ

TVCC Students,

As always we are so blessed to worship with you all on Wednesday evenings. It is so refreshing to us to worship with you all.  This past Wednesday Sonny taught us about how Christ fulfilling the law would have turned the lives of these early Hebrews completely upside down. Belief in Jesus would have cost them so much and there is much we can learn from them and the letter written to them. Here is a recap...

Hebrews 10

-10:26-27: As we said last week, this letter was written to a Jewish crowd (the Hebrews) that were coming out of the system of the law. They were rule followers who often found their identity in being rule keepers. The fact is (the author points out), is that the Lord is coming against sinners and the law could not/cannot completely eradicate sin completely.  This is a terrifying thing. Go back to verse 18... now that Christ has come, there no longer remains a sacrifice under the old law that will offer cleansing. Jesus has paid the price in full. The old system has been done away with-  one cannot earn righteousness on their own. Trying to find righteousness apart from Christ leads only to God's wrath as sin would still remain. We need Jesus alone!

Q: What are you really trusting in to get you to heaven? Are you depending on your own "goodness" or are you really trusting in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection? Read Isaiah 64:6. How does this verse relate to Hebrews 10?

-10:26-31: When we see how much we deserve His wrath, we really should appreciate so much more His incredible kindness through Christ. Only Jesus can save! We are under grace now and the old, incomplete law has been done away with. We are forgiven in Christ!

Q: When was the last time you spent a little while meditating and being thankful for the forgiveness that you have in Christ?

-10:32- 34: When these Hebrew people came to Christ, it cost them so much. The old system of the law had been their whole life and they had to lose and give that up in order to gain Christ. For some of them it meant isolation from family, the loss of jobs, or even physical persecution. Through everything though, a true believer will agree with Paul in Philippians 3- nothing compares to knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus is so worth it BUT it is difficult! Christ changes your whole life!

Q: Read 2 Timothy 3:12. What are your thoughts on this verse in light of Hebrews 10? How does this correspond with your life and what the Lord is calling believers to?

-10:32-34: The prize that Christ offers is so much better than anything the law could offer. If we look ahead to Hebrews 12:26 we see the kingdom that we are offered through Christ is an everlasting one. This is seen throughout the whole scriptures. This life here is just a small speck in light of eternity. When we realize this, we can endure hardships. This life is just a vapor. It is just the beginning of eternity! Remember this!! The author of Hebrews was calling believers to be living for the kingdom that will last forever. Our calling in Christ has not changed!

Q: Read 1 Peter 1. How does this relate to Hebrews 10? How are you personally doing at remembering that this life is fading fast and that we should be living for eternity? What changes do you feel the Lord calling you to make in light of the truths of Hebrews 10 and 1 Peter 1?

-10:35-38: God’s righteous ones will live by faith! This is not something that we can muster up on our own or even sustain on our own. Faith is a gift from the Lord (Ephesians 2:8-9). We must continually be depending on the Lord to sustain our faith and make us pleasing to Him. Again, we must also understand that we are inheriting an everlasting kingdom and this life is not what we should be living for. We should not care about the things of this life because this really isn’t LIFE. Let us endure this life with complete dependance on His Spirit which lives in us through faith. This life changes so rapidly let us live for what really matters by the power of the Spirit.  Let us invest in the people around us and call them to something higher- to Jesus! The song of the believer should continually be... For us to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

Q: What does it look like on a daily basis to be depending on the Spirit to sustain your faith? What changes do you feel the Lord calling you to make in light of Hebrews 10 and Philippians 1:21?

-10:39: Since we have confidence through Jesus, let us draw near with assurance. Jesus has made us righteous. We are so faithless and needy but He is faithful! Again, we must remember that we cannot sustain our faith- Jesus sustains us through the Spirit. He saves us and He brings our faith to completion! 

Q: Read 1 Thessalonians 5:24. What life implications does this verse have in light of Hebrews 10?

Q: The day is drawing near when this life will be done.  How ought we to live in light of that truth and our calling in Christ?

Dear Students,

We think and pray for you so often. We are praying that this week you will be depending continually on the Spirit to sustain and grow your faith. We pray that both the good and bad times will draw you closer to Lord. We love you all and pray that you will be enjoying your Savior this week.

With hope,

~Sonny and Casi

Hebrews 10

TVCC Students,
We love getting to worship with each of you on Wednesday evenings. It refreshes out hearts to see you engaging the Lord and spending time encouraging each other. Last night Sonny went through Hebrews 10 and how the offering of Christ was complete and gives us access to the Lord with confidence. Here is a recap...

Hebrews 10

10:1-11- Jesus offered Himself and then sat down. Where the sacrificial system failed to perfect people, Jesus came to the rescue. His offering was complete and final. He offered Himself once and this offering cleansed completely and forever all who believe in Him!

Q: Have you ever sat down and contemplated the reality that Jesus took YOUR place on the cross? Not just that He died for the sins of the world but that He was sacrificed for YOU personally? How should this affect the way you view the One who sacrificed Himself for YOU?

~10:1-13- During the time that this book was written two worlds were colliding. There were those who were holding fast to the Jewish law (sacrificial system needed to approach God and avoid his wrath) and the NEW covenant.  Jesus brought this New Covenant when He came as a sinless man who died in our place. Because He was sinless and completely filled the law, He could take our sin on His body so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him.

Q: Read 2 Corinthians 5:21. What life implications should this have for us when we live DAILY in light of this reality? No sacrificial system is needed anymore. Jesus gives us access to the LORD who spun the galaxies into existence.

~10:14: Jesus’ blood was so rich, powerful and EFFECTIVE!! It paid for the sin of mankind forever. Sonny spoke about the liquid drug that was given to His grandfather that healed his heart for a time. He was given a powerful drug that was effective. Again... Jesus’ blood was rich, powerful and EFFECTIVE!!The sacrificial system just appeased the wrath of God for a time but Jesus was OFFERED once and for ALL and then SAT DOWN... it is FINISHED!!

Q: Read John 19:30. Are there any changes that you feel the Lord calling you to make to live a more thankful lives in light of this verse and the knowledge that Jesus gave His blood so that we could be righteous?

~10:14-16: Jesus has perfected those who are being sanctified.  Jesus makes us perfect positionally and then His Spirit works on us daily in order for us to mirror Him more each day (sanctification). We are children of the Lord through Christ (nothing can change that) and are being made to look more like Him through His spirit.

Q: In what ways have you seen the Spirit working in you this week? ****If you cannot think of anything, we encourage you to really think about your relationship with the Lord. When we have a relationship with someone, there WILL BE things we can call to mind regarding that relationship. If there is nothing that we can think of that is "happening" in the relationship, maybe we are deceived in thinking that we are actually in a relationship.

~10:14-16: The new covenant is supposed to do so much more than just make us begrudgingly follow the rules of the Lord. Jesus died to change our hearts to where we will long for Him and obey Him out of a love for Him. He creates in us a longing for Him. His Spirit is within us constantly drawing us to Him.

Q: In what ways have you felt His Spirit drawing you to Him this week? If you haven't felt Him drawing you this week, are there any things in your life that are maybe preventing you from being able to hear Him? We encourage you to remove any hindrances that are keeping you from the Lord.

~10:17-18: Our sins are remembered no more in Christ. Wow. This is the NEW COVENANT through Christ. Complete forgiveness!! Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven (Psalm 32:1)!!! Praise Jesus!! This should cause an extreme amount of love to flow from us. Yes there are earthly consequences that might come because of our sins but God is not against us once we have become His in Christ. Yes, He does discipline us (as any good Father does... Hebrews 12) but this does not change His love for us. There is no offering that we have to give to cleanse us- Jesus cleansed us!

Q: What has your attitude towards Christ been like lately? Read Psalm 32:1. What should your attitude look like in light of this verse and the forgiveness that is yours through the blood of Jesus?

~10:19: In Christ, we have confidence and have a great High Priest who intercedes for us. Knowing that Jesus stands between us and the wrath of God, let us...

1. Draw near to the Lord God of heaven and earth! God wants us to draw near to Him through the blood of Jesus with confidence!! Our lives matter to the Lord and He wants to be involved in our daily lives! We do not need to shrink away from Him in shame. All of our sins are forgiven. Period.

2. Hold fast to the confession of our hope...  Jesus' life, death, & resurrection on our behalf. This is our hope. Philippians 3 calls us to put no confidence in the flesh. If anyone could put confidence in the flesh, Paul (the author of Philippians) could. He knew that was not his call in Christ. His whole confidence (after he was spiritually wrecked by the Lord in Acts 9) was in Christ. Our salvation and sanctification does not depend on us but on God who has mercy (Romans 9). Let us hold fast to Jesus! Plead for His mercy to continually be on us and to make us more like Him. We are the faithless ones but He is faithful. He will never disappoint. Let us remember this and hold fast to Him.

3. Stimulate one another to love and good deeds. We were saved by grace for a purpose- to declare His glory to this world and to accomplish the good works that He has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10). Our DAILY lives should be leading others to Christ. Let us encourage one another to meet together to push each other to Christ. Encourage each other to the finish line!

Q: Which of the previous three bullet points "hits home" the hardest with you? Are there any areas of your life that you feel the Spirit calling you to change as you think about these three truths?

Dear Students,

We are so thankful for each one of you. So often we speak of how grateful we are to be a part of the work that the Lord is doing in your lives. You all encourage us so much. We pray that this week you will think often on the forgiveness that is yours in Jesus. He paid the penalty for our sins so that we could enjoy a relationship with the Father without fear or shame. What a great salvation we have in Christ! We pray that you will enjoy the sweetness of the presence of the Lord this week. We love you!

With hope,

~Sonny and Casi

Hebrews 9: Jesus Completes the Sacrificial System...

Dear TVCC Students,
It has been so great to worship with you all lately. With all of the craziness of us adding little Pax to our family, it's so encouraging to come see you guys on Wednesday engaging the Lord and enjoying fellowship with one another. We have moved from Deuteronomy back into the book of Hebrews. Last night, Sonny taught us through Hebrews 9. Here is a recap...

Hebrews 9

~9:1-10: The sacrificial system revealed the huge separation between man and the Lord. God had set up commandments for His children to obey and had set up the sacrificial system as a means of temporary atonement for them if they did not obey. There were so many rules and regulations in that system and it was ultimately incomplete. This is why Christ came!

a) If we look back at Hebrews 1:1-3, we see that Jesus was (and is) the exact representation of the Father and as such was the only person whose death could completely atone for the sins of mankind as He was the only who fully obeyed the law.

b) All of the aspects of the Sacrificial System point us to Jesus. Here are just a few examples...
     1) the Lampstand was placed inside the Tabernacle... John 9 shows us that Jesus is the light!
     2) the Sacred bread was also inside the Tabernacle...  John 6 shows us that Jesus is the bread of life!

Q: Take a minute to think about how Jesus is the BREAD of life and how He is the LIGHT of the world. Why do you think the Lord uses these words to describe Himself? How should these truths about who Jesus is affect our daily lives as believers? Do you think there are any changes the Lord wants you to make in your life as you have meditated on these aspects of who Jesus is?

~9:11-12: Jesus came to offer complete and eternal redemption for mankind. The sacrificial system could only cleanse a person temporarily and they would have to come back regularly to offer even more sacrifices for ongoing sins. There was even a day set up (Yom Kippur) for all unintentional and unknown sins! Jesus came ONCE and FOR ALL!  He set aside His glory in heaven (Acts 17), came down as a humble servant to die in our place, and went back to glory after He was resurrected from the dead- completing our redemption!

Q: What does it look like for you to make time in your life to daily meditate on the redemption that Christ purchased for us?

~9:11-12 (and verse 8): When we look back at Matthew 27:45, we see that after Jesus died, the veil to the temple was torn from TOP to BOTTOM! The Lord was showing that the separation between Him and man had been mended ONCE and FOR ALL. Those who trust in Jesus' death and resurrection on their behalf do not have to try and atone for their own sins (which cannot even be done). Christ completed our atonement! By trusting in Christ, a believer has the promise of eternal redemption. Nothing can then separate the believer from the Lord! Believers were purchased by Christ and are sealed forever by His blood!

~9:13-14: The blood of Jesus didn't just rescue us from the failings of the sacrificial system, it went into the depths of each believer to cleanse their consciences. Sin causes people to have their consciences seared, thus preventing them from enjoying an intimate relationship with the Lord. We saw that in Adam and Eve after they had first sinned and went to hide from the Lord. The blood of Jesus cleanses that guilt that prevents man from enjoying the Lord.

Q: 1 John calls us to confess our sins to the Lord in order to have a cleansed conscience (our salvation is a free gift but unconfessed sin still weighs us down and prevents us from enjoying intimacy with the Lord just as the unconfessed sin of a child to his parent doesn't change their status as a child but prevents them from enjoying an unhindered relationship with their parents). Take a minute and think if there is any unconfessed sin in your life that is keeping you from walking in peace and joy in the Lord. Confess that sin and thank the Lord Jesus for being crucified so that you could be freed.

~9:13-14: The restoration that Jesus brings has a purpose. Not only does it grant us eternal life and cleanse our consciences but it gives us the freedom to serve the Lord without fear. The main job of God's people has always been to represent Him to the world. While under the burden of sin, this was impossible. Jesus redeems us, restores our relationship with the Lord, and then calls us to represent Him to the world. We have been saved and He has prepared work for us to do to showcase His incredible glory! We see this all over the Scripture. 1 Corinthians 6:12 reminds us that we are the temple if the Holy Spirit and we are called to glorify the Lord in our body.

Q: Please read 1 Corinthians 6:18-20. What implications to these verses have for the everyday life of the believer? What changes do you feel the Lord calling in order for your life to live out these verses well?

Dear students,
We cannot tell you how thankful we are for each one of you. We pray often for you- that you would be walking in the freedom and joy of the Lord and that you would each be witnessing Him moving in your lives. We pray this week that you will meditate on how Christ came to fulfill the sacrificial system that couldn't offer freedom for God's people. We pray that you will walk in thankfulness to Christ and live this week to display His glory to this world. We love you!

With hope,
~Sonny and Casi

Deuteronomy 4:23-40: That It May Go Well With You.

Dear TVCC Students,
We are continually thankful to be able to worship with you all every Wednesday. We know that summertime makes it difficult for a lot of you to come on a consistent basis but we are still going to keep pushing through our study of Deuteronomy for those that are able to come. This past Wednesday, we focused on another warning that Moses was giving to the people of Israel before they headed into the promised land. Here is a recap...

Deuteronomy 4:23-40

~4:23-24: Moses had just recounted how his own disobedience to the Lord had led to his discipline and thus him not being able to enter the promised land. He then calls Israel to watch themselves to make sure that they are not ensnared by the worship of any idols as the Lord is a consuming fire, a jealous God. The Lord wants complete devotion. He would not allow Israel to worship Him along with a multitude of other false gods. If they started to do this, He would certainly discipline them FOR THEIR GOOD.

~The same is true for us. We cannot serve the Lord and be "bowing down" to other gods (Matthew 6:24). If we start to do this, we, as His children, will certainly be disciplined by Him (Hebrews 12) FOR OUR GOOD. It is not good for the Lord to let us engage in false worship without Him trying to bring us back. Just as with Israel, the Lord wants our full devotion. He wants us to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Luke 10:27).

Q: We do not necessarily struggle with actually bowing down to idols but we certainly do "bow down" in a spiritual sense and give lesser things our love and devotion. What are some things that you struggle with worshipping other than the Lord Jesus? In what ways have you felt His discipline when you start to worship those things?

~4:25-28: After Moses finished warning Israel with sternness not to forsake the Lord, he adds a refreshing clause... "but when you do..." Though Moses knew that it was in Israel's best interest to have an undivided heart towards the Lord that had chosen them and led them out of slavery, he was by no means naive to the hearts and inclinations of mankind. Israel would rebel and serve false gods. This next section is an account of what would happen to Israel when they rebelled. They would succumb to worship of false gods and they would be scattered and perish from the land the Lord gave them. Israel's blessing for walking in obedience was getting to possess and enjoy the land that the Lord gave them. When they would rebel, the Lord would bring physical calamity upon them in order to bring them to repentance so that He could restore them.

~For us in Christ, our blessing is to enjoy the presence of Christ. When we start to worship false gods, we are not able to enjoy intimacy with Him. Yes, we are still His children just as Israel was still His chosen nation, but He will not allow us to walk intimately with Him while engaging in worship of something other than Himself. We are His children through Christ (1 Peter 2:9). We are called to be a people that proclaim His excellencies with our mouths and lives. When we cease to do this, we can be assured that He will allow distance to exist between us and Him in order to show us that false gods offer no real satisfaction. Just as the Lord told Israel in Judges 10 to let their false gods try and save them, the Lord will often remove His nearness so that we can see that false gods are empty. Yes, satan can deceive us into thinking that worshipping something other than the Lord will be beneficial and fulfilling but we will eventually see that all of satan's lures and promises just lead to death.

Q: Have you recently felt the presence of the Lord removed from you because you have been lured to worship gods that are false? What have you done when you noticed distance between you and the Lord?

~4:29-30: The next part of the cycle that Israel would be led into because of their sin would be returning to the Lord. This was the Lord's hope in their discipline. The cycle would involve them turning to other gods, being disciplined by the Lord, and them finally repenting and returning after seeing how empty and destitute other gods left them. Only the Lord God would satisfy, protect, and offer full peace and joy. They would return to the Lord with their whole heart just as He desired. He wouldn't settle for anything less than their full and undivided devotion.

~The same is true for us in Christ. We are often led by our sinful inclinations into a cycle of sin and rebellion. We start to worship lesser gods, are distanced from the presence of the Lord, find ourselves empty in our pursuit of worthless things, and return to the Lord broken yet ready to give Him our whole selves again knowing that He alone can satisfy! The Lord will not allow lukewarm worship (Revelation 3). He wants all of us and will give us all of Himself through the Spirit (He has already given us His whole life in Christ dying on the cross on our behalf but He gives the Spirit to His children through faith).

Q: When was the last time you experienced genuine repentance for worshipping false gods and experienced the sweet presence of Jesus as He forgave and restored you?

~4:31: The Lord is gracious and compassionate! Though we saw earlier that He is a jealous God and a consuming fire- His character does not end there. He is also full of grace and compassion to those that humbly come to Him (Psalm 51:17). His heart has always been to have His children near to Him through faith and to have them walking with Him with their whole hearts. This is His desire. When Israel repented, He was ready to forgive and restore them. The same is true for us. When we recognize our rebellion and return to Him, He overwhelms us with His presence. Christ has already paid for our sins and given us access to the Father. When we repent of false worship, He stands ready to forgive and accept us based on the work of Jesus on our behalf!

~4:32-35: Our God is so different from all other gods. History has proven time and time again that He alone is God. He alone satisfies. He alone can deliver from the power of sin and death just as He alone could deliver Israel!

~4:35-38: The Lord drew Israel to Himself. He chose that small and insignificant people to be His children; To represent His glory to the whole world. The same is true for us. The Lord chose His people through Christ Jesus. John 6:44 makes it clear that we did not chose Him. We were called by Him to receive grace through faith in Christ and now we are His children- called to proclaim His glory to the whole world. He has promised us a lasting kingdom that will never fail (1 Peter 1). We are called to live thankful lives as we live in light of all that the Lord has done to bring us to Himself and save us from the wrath that we deserved.

Q: How are you living in light of what Christ has done to purchase you? What changes do you feel the Lord calling you to make so that you can represent Him well and live thankfully?

~4:39: There is NO OTHER GOD like the Lord our God! Only the Lord satisfies. All other false gods will leave us empty and wretched!

~4:40: Moses was calling Israel to meditate on these truths. The Lord alone is God. He alone satisfies. Because this is true- walk with Him in obedience. Obey Him out of love not obligation. It was for their good that they obey Him. It is for OUR GOOD that we obey Him out of love.


Dear Students,
We love you all and hope that this summer has been a time for you to really devote yourself to the Word of God and to knowing your Savior more through His Word, worship, and fellowship. We pray that the rest of the summer would be so fruitful for you and that you would be "watching yourselves" to make sure that you are not lured away to worshipping lesser things that will never satisfy. We are praying for you this week!

With hope.
~Sonny and Casi

Deuteronomy 4: 1-24: Watch Yourselves Carefully!

TVCC Students,
Well, we made it home from camp and are now in full swing of summer. Last night Sonny took us through Deuteronomy 4 and the implications of this passage are so relevant to where we are as believers in Jesus. The Lord was warning the people through Moses to be on the alert and "watch" themselves so that they would not be led away from pure devotion to the Lord. What a great reminder for each of us. Here is a recap from last night:

Deuteronomy 4:1-24

~4:1-8: God was giving the commands to Israel so that they would live and be able to take possession of the land that He was wanting to give them. Just as with Israel, God's ways are for our good and His glory. He is the perfect Father, always wanting the best for His children. At times, we, in our finite wisdom, might not understand why He calls us away from certain things, but we must trust that His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9) and that He really does know what is best for us. Verses 1-8 are reminders to Israel of the faithfulness of the Lord and serve to remind them that seeking the Lord is the wisest thing they can do. Satan would use other nations to try and steer them away from the Lord, but nothing would satisfy them and keep them safe unless the Lord was behind it. The same is true for us. Satan tries to use things of this world to deter us from wholehearted devotion to the Lord but nothing other than presence of Christ will satisfy us fully and completely!

Q: Do you notice the ploys of satan to distract you from following the Lord wholeheartedly? What specifically does he use in your life to try and keep you from enjoying the presence of Jesus?

~4:9: After reminding Israel of how wonderful their life is by having a God so near to them, the Lord calls them to action. He calls them to give heed to themselves and keep their souls diligently! He calls them to remember what their eyes have seen and to not let those things depart from their heart. There is such a correlation (for both Israel and us today) between what eyes see and what the heart is led to love and be devoted to. If our eyes are continually focused on the Lord and His greatness, it is much easier for our hearts to stay in worship of Him. When our eyes are constantly on things of the world and the things that satan promises will offer satisfaction, it is so easy for our hearts to turn to those empty things to find fulfillment. God is calling Israel to remember how easy it was for them to be led astray from devotion to Him. The call is the same for us today. Ephesians 5:15-21 calls us believers in Christ to be careful how we walk! God has always been wanting His children to watch themselves carefully to make sure that they are not being led astray!

Q: What have your eyes been focusing on lately? What has your heart been led to worship and meditate on lately? What helps you to keep your heart focused on the Lord? What deters you from steadfast worship of Him?

~4:10-11: God calls Israel to remember the day that He chose them and was calling them to follow Him into the promised land. The same is true for us who believe in Christ. We are called to remember how we were all miserable, wretched, poor, blind, and naked (Rev. 3) and He saved us. We were dead in our trespasses and sins and He made us alive (Eph. 2:5). Our salvation was His doing. By His grace we have been healed. Let us remember this constantly and let this truth lead us to living thankful lives for the Lord, our Redeemer!

Q: Have you pondered lately where you were before Christ came to redeem you? Have you spent time thanking Him lately for His choosing of you?

~4:12-14: After the Lord chose to make a great nation out of Israel, He gave them His Word (ten commandments) that they might know Him and please Him. His Word was supposed to draw them nearer to Him. His Word reveals His heart and character. The same is true for us. The Lord has given us His Word in human form, in Jesus, and when we look to Him, we see the glory of the One who chose us and gave us life. Through the bible, we see who Jesus was/is and we can see what pleases the Lord. Philippians 3 reminds us that the best thing for us is to pursue and know Christ. One of the best ways to do this is through meditation on the Scriptures and asking the Lord to reveal Himself to us through His written word. This will help keep us from being trapped by the schemes of satan.

Q: What does it look like for you to pursue Christ on a daily basis? When you look at your daily life, do you see someone who is diligently pursuing the Lord or is something else captivating your heart?

~4:15-19: After reminding them of His Word given to them, the Lord calls Israel to be careful to not be led astray to worship the empty things that surrounding nations were prone to worship. We will do well to heed this call. So many things are vying for our worship and devotion: money, sex, materialism, pride, success, etc. We have a plethora of idols that are worshipped in our country today and while some of those things are not inherently bad, if we seek to find our complete fulfillment and satisfaction in them, we will be left empty and disappointed. Only Jesus will truly satisfy us. In His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16). The things He gives us to enjoy should lead us to worship Him not be objects of worship themselves.

Q: Have you been worshipping the Lord or things lately? What does it look like for you to worship idols in your own life?

~4:20- Just as Israel was the chosen nation of the Lord, so we are His chosen people through faith in the blood of Christ on our behalf. 1 Peter 2:9 is such a precious passage for us to meditate on and for us to cling to when we are faced with temptations. We are His. We have a calling. Our lives are supposed to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light!! Life is not aimless or purposeless!

Q: Is your life proclaiming His excellencies? What does it look like for your life to proclaim His excellencies? Are there any changes that you feel called to make so that your life can declare His glory?

~4:21-24: The last part in this section is a THIRD reminder for Israel to watch themselves carefully! How quick they were to forget the redemption of the Lord from the slavery of Egypt. How quick we are to forget our redemption from the wrath coming against us because of our rebellious nature! Let us remember His redemption and be led to live lives of thankful worship to the Savior who endured the wrath of God on our behalf so that we could have eternal life!!

Q: Have you meditated lately on what Christ went through for you? What does it look like for you to "watch yourself" and make sure that you are walking in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord?

Dear Students,
We are so thankful for each of you. We love getting to worship Jesus with you on Wednesday evenings and to hear what the Lord is doing in your lives throughout the week. We are excited to go through Passion and Purity with you all on Sunday nights for the rest of the summer. We are praying for you this week- that you would watch yourselves closely and walk near to the Lord through the power of His Spirit. We pray that you will spend time meditating on Him and His greatness and will thus ready to fight off the schemes of the enemy. We love you all!

With hope,
~Sonny and Casi