Look inside this book.Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]

Tag: Hebrews 12
For The Joy

For The Joy

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…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  

Hebrews 12:2 

Why did Jesus endure the cross? According to our text it was, ‘for the joy that was set before Him.’ What was that joy? Speaking of the church, the redeemed people of God, Paul says Christ gave Himself for her, ‘that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.’ We conclude that the joy set before Christ was the whole redemption of all His people. It was for this purpose He came into the world, endured the humiliation of life, arrest, trial, beating, crucifixion, death, burial, and continued under the power of death for a time. His exaltation began with His resurrection, ascension and His sitting ‘down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ This exaltation shall continue while Christ reigns until God has put all His enemies under His feet and all the ransomed church of God are saved to sin no more. The culmination will be the gathering together of all the redeemed, who are the Body of Christ, the Church, around the Throne of Grace. The whole Body of Christ will be together with Him on that day, never more to part. We are glad beyond measure that Christ could look ahead to the joy and endure the cross.  

Our Great God and our Savior, 
we rejoice at all You have endured for us. 
We praise You that with Your stripes we are healed. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
For The Joy

For The Joy

By |

…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  

Hebrews 12:2 

Why did Jesus endure the cross? According to our text it was, ‘for the joy that was set before Him.’ What was that joy? Speaking of the church, the redeemed people of God, Paul says Christ gave Himself for her, ‘that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.’ We conclude that the joy set before Christ was the whole redemption of all His people. It was for this purpose He came into the world, endured the humiliation of life, arrest, trial, beating, crucifixion, death, burial, and continued under the power of death for a time. His exaltation began with His resurrection, ascension and His sitting ‘down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ This exaltation shall continue while Christ reigns until God has put all His enemies under His feet and all the ransomed church of God are saved to sin no more. The culmination will be the gathering together of all the redeemed, who are the Body of Christ, the Church, around the Throne of Grace. The whole Body of Christ will be together with Him on that day, never more to part. We are glad beyond measure that Christ could look ahead to the joy and endure the cross.  

Our Great God and our Savior, 
we rejoice at all You have endured for us. 
We praise You that with Your stripes we are healed. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
For The Joy

For The Joy

By |

…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  

Hebrews 12:2 

Why did Jesus endure the cross? According to our text it was, ‘for the joy that was set before Him.’ What was that joy? Speaking of the church, the redeemed people of God, Paul says Christ gave Himself for her, ‘that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.’ We conclude that the joy set before Christ was the whole redemption of all His people. It was for this purpose He came into the world, endured the humiliation of life, arrest, trial, beating, crucifixion, death, burial, and continued under the power of death for a time. His exaltation began with His resurrection, ascension and His sitting ‘down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ This exaltation shall continue while Christ reigns until God has put all His enemies under His feet and all the ransomed church of God are saved to sin no more. The culmination will be the gathering together of all the redeemed, who are the Body of Christ, the Church, around the Throne of Grace. The whole Body of Christ will be together with Him on that day, never more to part. We are glad beyond measure that Christ could look ahead to the joy and endure the cross.  

Our Great God and our Savior, 
we rejoice at all You have endured for us. 
We praise You that with Your stripes we are healed. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
Loving Correction

Loving Correction

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Loving Correction

For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?

Hebrews 12:6-7

As we continue to consider the privileges of adoption into the family of God, we come to consider the matter of correction. Because correction may involve some unpleasantness, we often do not think of it in terms of it being a privilege. Our natural inclination is to continue in whatever behavior we have begun, without having anyone call us into account. God, Our Father, however, loves us too much to allow us to behave badly without correction. Hence our text for today declares, ‘For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?’ This puts correction within the context of sonship. A parent, in wisdom, sees the consequences of bad behavior. We, as parents, see that there will be disaster ahead, in the life of this child, if that little one continues to throw tantrums and act out. So, with great love, and carefully considered action, we correct the child’s behavior. God will conform us to the Image and Likeness of Christ. That will drastically alter our natural inclinations and the behavior which is the logical outgrowth of those inclinations. To that end, He corrects us in various ways using a variety of means. Even though, as the verses which follow our text indicate, this is not a presently enjoyable experience, it produces in us a good effect in the long term. So today, let us recognize this correction as a privilege of our adoption.  God our Father, would have us, the adopted sons of God, to be more like Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God.

Our most Holy and Wise God,
and our Loving Heavenly Father.
We praise You, that You in love, correct us,
and that You will continue Your work of Grace in us
until we are all that You want us to be.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
The Author and Finisher

The Author and Finisher

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The Author and Finisher

….looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

We have been considering of late some of the titles of Christ. Within the last few days we have considered the second verse of the twelfth Chapter of Hebrews. Within that text lies this title of Christ, ‘The Author and Finisher of Our Faith.’ Here is a title worth contemplating, especially given all we have said about the text previously. How is Christ, ‘The Author and Finisher of our faith?’ He is the Author of our faith, in that He conceived it along with His Father and the Holy Spirit. He is the Author, in that He revealed it. He revealed it to ‘Holy men of old, who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’ He is the Author, of it in that He inspired the writing of the Book that details it. He is the Author, of it in that He has granted faith to believe to all who embrace it. He is the Finisher of it, in that He has come Himself to fulfill every jot and tittle of the Law. He is the Finisher of it, in that He has died the Atoning, Substitutionary, Sacrificial Death which completes the requirement for the satisfaction of the Law. He is the Finisher of it, in that He will not fail to gather unto Himself ‘all that the Father has given’ Him. He is the Finisher of it, in that, ‘All the ransomed Church of God, shall be saved to sin no more.’ Every hope of every Child of God is wrapped up in this One Great Person, ‘the Author and Finisher of Our Faith.’

High King of heaven,
We rejoice in Your Grand Redemption,
that It is accomplished and applied unto all for whom You intend it.
We look forward to the day,
when Your Body shall be made up and Your Church complete.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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