30 Jun July 21 – Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

LEARN THE TRUTH FROM GOD’S WORD

Hebrews 13:9 “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings . . .”

Every Saturday, in the metro area where I live, there are countless sandwich board signs that invite people to attend churches. These churches provide a great variety of worship styles as well as teachings.  Many, but not all, state that they teach from the Bible.  St. Paul warned that it is necessary to listen carefully to what is taught in a church in these words in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “. . . the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

One of Satan’s strategies to draw you away from your faith and trust solely in Jesus Christ for your forgiveness and salvation is to tempt you to have exactly what St. Paul wrote about in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “itching ears.”  St. Peter wrote there is nothing more serious than for someone who knows the truth of the Gospel and its message that there is only one path to heaven, that is, salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, to nevertheless seek out a church that has a more interesting message, dynamic worship service, and friendlier people.  Peter wrote, “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it (the world) and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. . .” (2 Peter 2:20-21)

Today’s devotional verse from Hebrews chapter 13 exhorts and encourages you, “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings . . .”  They can sound good, make you feel better, offer you help with your life you feel you are not currently receiving through the Gospel you hear every week.  The fact is, you are a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness.  That forgiveness comes to you only by God’s grace (undeserved love for you) in Christ Jesus.  Faith in Jesus alone is the answer for your life now as He is “the Good Shepherd who takes care of His sheep) and alone is the way for you to enter heaven. (John 14:6)

Prayer:  Jesus, as my Good Shepherd, lead me through this life to life everlasting with You.  In Your holy name.  Amen.

Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways To keep His statutes still!

Oh, that my God would grant me grace To know and do His will!

Order my footsteps by Thy Word And make my heart sincere;

Let sin have no dominion, Lord, But keep my conscience clear.

Assist my soul, too apt to stray, A stricter watch to keep;

And should I e’er forget Thy way, Restore Thy wand’ring sheep.

Make me to walk in Thy commands— ‘Tis a delightful road—

Nor let my head or heart or hands Offend against my God.

(LSB 707)