Some memorable verses are in the last chapter of Hebrews. For example:
"Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."
It makes sense to treat those who are in prison and mistreated with special care -- if you are truly seeing others as your brother. If your blood relative were in such circumstances, you would certainly remember them and visit them and be with them.
I wonder if I've ever encountered an angel, thinking that they were a person. That's an interesting and mysterious concept there.
"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"'Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.'
"So we say with confidence,
'The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?'"
Paul is going after it, offering encouragement after encouragement:
"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
I remember being at some Promise Keepers events where this was practiced. Someone from the stage (I think it was PK founder Bill McCartney) had all the pastors stand up and make their way down to the front. He encouraged us all to cheer them on. Here was a stadium full of 60,000+ men giving their pastors standing ovations, cheering them on and giving them a lasting memory of the kind of encouragement they need to persevere in doing good and teaching the Word to us. Man pastors and men cried tears of joy at this outburst. This event was awesome each time I saw it.
"Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them."
I love the idea of being "strengthened by grace." The peaceful and quiet assurance that we are loved unconditionally, forgiven by mercy and blessed by grace...believing in and taking these matters to heart really strengthen us on the inside. It gives us courage and power to move ahead.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at March 7, 2006 08:52 AM