Grace Community Church

Hebrews 2:14-18 NIV
SCRIPTURE
“he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” -Hebrews 2:14-18 NIV

OBSERVATION
This morning I felt confused, lost, and wondering if the writer of Hebrews was bi-polar.  As I read the text I had a visual picture of Jesus talking to himself. “I will put my trust in him.” (vs13) And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” (vs13) In the midst of my personal mini video moment - I had to stop and take things back to what I know as true:
 
The epistle presents Jesus from the point of view for a reason.  

Why? The author’s target audience.  This is also why the book has been described as an “complex” as it connects many different parts of the Bible. Why? Because God pursues individuals logically, emotionally, and physically.

In the midst of my questions I recalled a past story someone shared with me.
One day somebody came to me and said, “It is nice to large churches have excellent worship, teaching, facilities and programs, but to often in those places I don’t see any heart.”
My response was, “There is heart.”
They replied, “There might be, but I do not see it.”
I said, “I know it’s there.”
He said, “I see churches with a lot of activities / programs, but show me where the heart expressed and seen?”
I remember taking this question back to God and asking, “God, where is the heart expressed and seen?”
Here is what the Lord said, “Start pruning back. Prune back until you see the heart again. Prune back internal and external systems (programs) - prune back volunteers and staff loads - and when you start to see and feel heart again... Then things will naturally start growing from a place of genuine health.  If you don’t prune back everything will grow from that place and produce like fruit.  

APPLICATION
Ok.  How do I apply this? If God wants us to serve Him with all my heart (emotions), mind (logic), and strength (physical).  A personal of logic might reach a logical individual... one that leans more towards the emotional side will connect with those that are like them... and God is in the business of restoration and reconciliation - God is trying to reach individual’s hearts and intellects!
Application: 1) I’m to live my life full of logic, wisdom - always learning. 2) Alongside logic needs to be a growing, healthy, emotionally state.  
Bottom line: Seek logic and make sure heart is seen.  One without the other is either dull or out of line.

PRAYER
God, Thank you for pursuing individuals as your created them. Both logically and emotionally. Help me continue to pull things back to what I know as true. Help me never stop seeking out wisdom and expressing heart. - Trevor