Hebrews 13:7
Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Carefully consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank you for all those you have sent us as our pastors and teachers—those who held and taught your truths regardless of the world’s teachings. Lord, thank you for sending us your messengers. Through them, we have heard your word, the judgment upon us because of our sins; we were under sin’s condemnation. Then they taught us how Jesus preached a message of repentance and forgiveness, that we should believe in him and establish our faith on the firm foundation of your word. Jesus not only taught us, but he also went to the cross for us all. He took our sins into himself, so repentance and forgiveness would be ours. We are healed by the shedding of his blood there on the cross. Our baptisms had drowned our old sinful flesh, so we are restored in Jesus’ death and resurrection. All this becomes ours through faith in Jesus. Faith which your Holy Spirit had begun in us at our baptisms. Those faithful leaders you sent taught us these words in Titus: “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and the renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, have been justified by his grace, we might become heirs in keeping with the hope of eternal life. This saying is trustworthy.” Elsewhere in your word, we have been taught, “So then, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through the word of Christ.” Thank you for those who have taught us these truths and held fast against the world’s bantering. Strengthen our faith through your word so that we can look to those who have gone before us and guide us to follow their examples of faith, trusting you, and sharing the good news of repentance and forgiveness with someone who has not heard about the hope and promise we have through Jesus. It is, after all, by faith alone in Jesus’ redemptive works that salvation is ours, and we are heirs of heaven. Amen
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
God has placed faithful witnesses in your life to hear the truth of His word bringing life and salvation. Beware of false witnesses who only teach opinions of God’s word to lead you away from God.