1. We can count on His help!

2. Context Israel did not believe God, it hardened their hearts, and their lack of obedience caused them to miss their Rest in the Kingdom.

3. Context We have a chance to enjoy the reward of Rest, ruling with Christ, if we believe and obey where Israel did not.

4. Hebrews 4:11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

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7. Be diligent I have to work hard to enter Rest, but… I don’t always know my issues, what’s impacting me.

8. Be diligent We often don’t know what we don’t know. It may be from immaturity, a lack of self- awareness or a lack of honesty… whatever.

9. The Israelites had issues. Had they obeyed, those would have been dealt with as the believed and continued to obey.

10. Be diligent So, what’s the answer?

11. Part of hard work involves the Word. The Word of God can protect us from missing our chance!

12. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

13. “Living” God word is personal, relevant, and involved in our lives!

14. His word is personal! My part Get involved with Scripture Read it Study it Meditate on it Learn it His part He gets involved with me! Teaches me Shows me where I’ve gone wrong Corrects me Instructs me

15. Consider the value of these passages

16. Exodus 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the L ORD your God in vain, for the L ORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain”.

17. “In vain” We are not to treat God “lightly”, but with honor. We need to be careful what we attribute to Him.

18. “In vain” Have you ever had a thought and wondered, “Was that God or me?” We also often wonder about the origin of feelings or events.

19. “In vain” Some not only attribute them to God arbitrarily, but encourage others to get our life’s direction from them, even if contrary to God’s word!

20. “In vain” If I’m the one who decides which thoughts are “of God” and which ones are mine, Who, then, becomes God?

21. “In vain” One thing we know for certain: If we don’t know the source, we need to be careful. There is no such thing as unbiblical spirituality.

22. “In vain” The voice you listen to may be Satan’s. …just ask Peter! Mk. 8:33-34

23. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

24. Heb. 4:13 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

25. “thoroughly equipped” Do we believe that’s true? Or, do we need something else, like a feeling I can’t shake, a word I can’t get out of my mind, or a feeling raised to the level of God’s divine will?

26. His word is profitable! God’s word: Teaches me Shows me where I’ve gone wrong Corrects me Instructs me God’s word completely equips me for what I need!

27. I have to choose My thoughts My feelings My situation God’s word

28. “Powerful” God’s word can get the job done!

29. “Sharper…piercing” I not only don’t know what I don’t know, I often don’t know why I do what I do.

30. “Sharper…piercing” God’s word gets down to the deepest parts of our souls.

31. Heb. 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

32. “No creature hidden” God’s word works for everyone.

33. “We must give account” Since accountability is a part of our lives, the more we know, the better. And, the more help we have, the better.

34. “We must give account” How can someone who has as many shortcomings as we have be exposed and have any hope?

35. Heb. 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

36. “A great High Priest” A Man who has “passed through the heavens” sits at God’s right hand interceding and ready to help.

37. “A great High Priest” Since He is forever ready to help, we should “hold fast” and not give up.

38. Heb. 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

39. “In all points..without” There is no struggle we encounter that He doesn’t understand.

40. Psalm 147:5-6 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. The L ORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.

41. “Yet, without sin” Our “Captain” knows how to win!

42. Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

43. We are to come… Boldly To the throne of grace And receive mercy And find grace…to help…when we need it!

44. As we are exposed by the Word, we are also strengthened by the Lord. The exposure of the Word should prompt us to prayer, to approach boldly. When we do, we find mercy and grace to help when we need it.

45. Our thought: “If God knows how bad I am, He won’t want anything to do with me”. His thought: “I’ve always known how bad you are and want you to know it so you will come to Me and be rescued”.

46. We stay faithful, the Word exposes us, and Jesus rescues us.