Helping Others Overcome!

Kyle Bartholomew

Anna Shares about her conversion while Joyce & Sena look on!

This past week I began studying the book of Hebrews in an attempt to gain some insights and practical principles into keeping people faithful. The book of Hebrews was written to a Jewish audience in an attempt to keep them from falling away. Many of the Jews who had abandoned Judaism to become Christians had gotten confused about the new concepts they were learning along with the everyday hardships that come with being an every day Disciple. There are three specific concepts in chapters one and two that will help us keep people faithful!

In verse three of chapter one, the Hebrew author states, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." In Jesus' journey from heaven to earth, and from earth back to heaven, where he is now seated at the right hand of God, it was His Word that he used to sustain all things. If Jesus relied on His words to sustain all things, we too should rely on Jesus' words found in the Bible, to do the same! Over the years I have found God's word to be the most powerful tool we can use when helping to keep people faithful. I have unsuccessfully tried to rely on fine sounding logical arguments, wise words of encouragement, and inspiring quotes from great men of past, but nothing has the impact and the power that God's word has! Just a few chapters later, in Hebrews chapter four the author exclaims in verse twelve, "The word of God is living and active sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." It is pretty silly to think that we try so often to use our words rather more than the most powerful words that have ever been written, God's words!

Devin (baptised 9-07-08) flanked by Kyle & Jeremy

Secondly, Hebrews 2:1-3 reads, "We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him." There are a lot of consequences for not paying attention! I have driven into a ditch because I missed a street sign, lost my wallet for various reasons (more than once), forgotten to turn in homework again and again, and all because I wasn't paying attention for one reason or another! As painful as some of the consequences of these actions were, none can be compared to that of "ignoring such a great salvation". In keeping Disciples faithful, we need to constantly remind them to remember that one day they will be saved! In running a race, great runners are focused not on fatigue, soreness, or even there place, they are concentrating on the finish line. The reason many disciples fall short of finishing the race is because they become short sighted, focused on this world rather than Heaven, our finish line as disciples. There are many aspirations, pleasures, and relationships to begotten in this world. When these become our focus, it turns our attention from our coming salvation to being short sighted. We need to keep disciples from "ignoring such a great salvation", by reminding one another to pay attention.

Lastly, Hebrews 2:17-18 states, "For this reason he had to be made like his brothers 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. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted". It is always nice to relate to someone who has gone through the same hardships that you have. Often times in counseling other people in the midst of hardships, they say things like "nobody can relate to me", or "you don't understand what I'm going through". Often these extreme circumstances are used as justification for giving up. This passage reminds us that although we can't always understand or relate to the hardships of the ones we counsel, there is one who can. In fact, it was one of the reasons Jesus chose to go through the sufferings that he did, so he could relate to us! The cross is perhaps the greatest hardship anyone could ever endure and yet Jesus remained faithful to the end. In doing so, he takes every excuse we could use to justify falling away. It's not that he can't relate to our sufferings, it's that we can't relate to his, and yet he overcame. In counseling one another, we have to remember to point people to the cross as the apostle Paul reminds us, "The cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God"!

In order to truly help those who are considering falling away, let us always remember to:

1) sustain people through using God's word

2) Constantly remind people of Salvation, and

3) point them back to the cross.

Newest Baptisms, Restorations, & Placed Memberships since Inagural Service:(l-r) Devin, Kelly, Roz, Takashi, Jeremy, Hendrix, Jenn, & Anna

Aloha,

Kyle signature

Kyle Bartholomew
Lead Evangelist