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The Christian Community Comes Alive
Giving Bold Testimony

The Spirit Is Not for Sale

Hebrews 13:5-12  The Message

^5-6 Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;
I’m fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?

^7-8 Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.

⁹ Don’t be lured away from him by the latest speculations about him. The grace of Christ is the only good ground for life. Products named after Christ don’t seem to do much for those who buy them.

^10-12 The altar from which God gives us the gift of himself is not for exploitation by insiders who grab and loot. In the old system, the animals are killed and the bodies disposed of outside the camp. The blood is then brought inside to the altar as a sacrifice for sin. It’s the same with Jesus. He was crucified outside the city gates—that is where he poured out the sacrificial blood that was brought to God’s altar to cleanse his people.

 

For Reflection

 This has been called the age of consumerism.  We are seduced into thinking that life is about acquiring things.  Thus, we are venerable to appeals to satisfy every want and live in fear of loosing all we possess.  Many are seduced by the false prophets who attempt to manipulate the power of the Holy Spirit in perverted messages of hate cloaked in the robes of Christ.  They speak in the language of war not love.  They worship power not humility.  They create only chaos.

"The grace of Christ is the only good ground for life."

Pray

for those whose fears are impediments to the realization of life in the Kingdom of God.  Pray for those who confuse power with servitude.  Pray for those men and women of God who follow the path of Jesus to serve in humility. Pray that those who minister in Christ's name do so in truth and in abiding love.