I am so excited that you are brave enough to join me in the Hebrews online Bible study this fall! This study will guide us in studying, reflecting, journaling and memorizing Hebrews 11:1-12:3. Do not buy into Satan’s lie that you cannot memorize that passage of Scripture. You can! Remember what the Lord tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “He who calls you is faithful and HE will do it.” The Lord will not fail you. He will equip you. You can do this!
Let’s jump in with the first week of study. You will find it laid out in 7 days as we begin by looking at the first three verses of Hebrews 11. It’s going to be great to “Be In The Word” together.
Kinsee
Week 1/Day 1:
Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Journaling Assignment #1
Write the verse and read it several times. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you His heart in this verse.
Journaling Assignment #2:
Spend today defining the following words, not by looking them up, simply based on what comes to your mind. There is no right or wrong. This is just a jumping off point. Take the time to reflect, be honest and open with yourself about your thoughts and feelings. We have nothing to do in the space except grow and learn! I will even provide my journal notes each day so that you can see the mess that the Lord is working with here!!
faith
confidence
hope
assurance
Kinsee’s Stream of Consciousness Journal Notes:
In my mind, these words break into pairs that fit together.
Confidence and Assurance:
These nouns seem to be tangible. They also result from a testing and proving of someone or something. When I have confidence in someone or something it is because they have shown me that they are what they appear to be and will perform in my life as I expect them to. This brings me a feeling of peace because there is an assurance that I will not have to suffer uncomfortable surprises or the painful situations that can occur from the unpredictable components of life.
Hope and Faith:
These nouns are not as concrete. They have not been necessarily been proven in observable ways. They require me to step out of my comfort zone, they require me to trust. There is no measure of hope. There is no quantitative data to prove my faith. These are fuzzy, they make me vulnerable.I cannot control hope and faith.
Bottom line: Confidence and Assurance are based in the past and feel safe. Hope and Faith are looking forward and feel unpredictable and scary.
Journaling Assignment #3
Jot down anything from this verse that jumps out at you. Include other scriptures that come to mind. Cross references add great insight into each verse. It is powerful to keep notes of what the Holy Spirit draws out of the verse in your heart and also to study Scripture in light of Scripture.
Week 1/Day 2:
Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Let’s Dig into Some Truth:
In this verse, there is no separation between faith, confidence, hope and assurance. They are all working together. Upon reflection of my journaling, my conviction is that the difference lies in where I am considering placing my faith, confidence, hope and assurance verses where the Lord is calling me to find these key components for a blessed and anointed life. My confidence and assurance are most often found in my own ability to control situations, to keep life comfortable and predictable. No where in Scripture is this presented as a goal for a Christ centered life. In fact, it is quite the opposite. The Lord uses times of testing, or unpredictable situations to grow our relationship with Him. He actually promises pain. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world”(John 16:33).
Reality Check #1: I am not called to avoid pain. I am not strong enough or powerful enough to control my situations. My confidence and assurance cannot exist in myself or in anyone in this world. Instead it must exist in the One who has overcome the world. I must have confidence and assurance in the One who faced the ultimate pain and suffering because He loved us enough to save us. My confidence and assurance is not found in my circumstance, in what I can see. Rather, it lies in the One who is invisible and yet all powerful and always present, “working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose”(Romans 8). This leads to a new perspective on hope and faith as well. If the confidence and assurance in my life lies not in my circumstance, but in my Lord, then what do I have to fear of the future? He who has overcome the world has gone ahead and prepared the way for me. He has promised to never leave or forsake me. He has promised me “plans for good and not for evil”(Jeremiah 29:11b).
Reality Check #2: My definition of hope and faith is no longer shaky and unsure because it is now defined in the hands and heart of a loving Father. I am eternally safe and secure, no-one can take that away. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers. Neither height nor depth, nor anything in all creation will be able to separate us from
the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”(Romans 8). That is hope. Therein lies my faith. Now I know true confidence. Now I rest in total assurance of the love of my Father.
Journaling Assignment #4:
Take time to record the “reality checks” that the Lord provided to you as you were digging into His truth today.
Week 1/Day 3:
Hebrews 11:2
“This is what the ancients were commended for.”
Journaling Assignment #1
Write the verse and read it several times. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you His heart in this verse. Don’t forget to practice the first 2 verses together several times today.
Journaling Assignment #2:
Spend today defining the following words, not by looking them up, simply based on what comes to your mind. There is no right or wrong. This is just a jumping off point. Take the time to reflect, be honest and open with yourself about your thoughts and feelings. We have nothing to do in the space except grow and learn! I will even provide my journal notes each day so that you can see the mess that the Lord is working with here!!
ancients
commended
Kinsee’s Stream of Consciousness Journal Notes:
Ancients:
The word ancients immediately makes me think I am off the hook! This must meant we are studying really amazing Biblical heroes who were a lot more godly, anointed, exciting and capable than me. Not only that, they lived a gajillion years ago and have little or nothing to do with my life (told you the Lord was working with a mess here!!). I will admit that the ancients generally seem to have pretty interesting stories and therefore I will look forward to hearing about their lives, even if it is only the “Netflix” of my Bible study at this point.
Commended:
Now this is a fun word. Who doesn’t like to be commended. A pat on the back, a little recognition. There is a standing debate about whether kids should get participation trophies or should only receive commendation if they are the champions. This comes from a need for the accolades that we earn to have validity. When we try our best, we like to gain acknowledgement for our efforts. As a stay at home, home-school mom, I would just love to
hear that I am not totally messing everything up…that would be enough commendation for this girl!
Journaling Assignment #3
Jot down anything from this verse that jumps out at you. Include other scriptures that come to mind. Cross references add great insight into each verse. It is powerful to keep notes of what the Holy Spirit draw out of the verse in your heart and also to study Scripture in light of Scripture.
Week 1/Day 4:
Hebrews 11:2
“This is what the ancients were commended for.”
Let’s Dig into Some Truth:
The ancients that we read about in Hebrew 11 are simply the people that God was choosing to use in their lifetimes. The ancients were broken, weak, afraid, sinful and completely dependent on the graciousness of an ever-loving God. They experienced His patience, His intimacy, His power and His plan. As they journeyed with God, they grew in faith and in wisdom. The ancients were never made perfect. They made mistakes throughout their lives
and ministries. They came from all walks of life, all backgrounds, educations, races, socioeconomic classes and professions. The ancients included men, women and children. The ancients in Hebrews 11 were God’s people, committed to God’s work on earth.
Reality Check #1: We are the people that God is choosing to use in our lifetimes. God uses the broken, the weak and the sinful for His good and His glory. We have so much to learn from the ancients because we are the ones who God wants to write into the “Hebrews 11 of 2018.” God wants to use each of us, we simply have to submit to His graciousness and His plan for our lives. “Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20:21). This leads to a new perspective on commendation as well. What the Lord allows in my life is never to bring acclaim to myself, it is all to point the world to Him. The ancients, spoken of in this verse reflect the love of Christ and have no need to be commended, In fact, it is the opposite of what they desire. A heart seeking to please the Lord desires to be unnoticed and only to shine Christ’s light to those with whom we share this life.
Reality Check #2: While that is a nice sentiment, our selfish tendencies and insecurities still cry out for acknowledgement. The gift of resting in the acceptance of Christ is that in His eyes, we find the recognition that we so desperately desire and He gives it in a way that can never be taken away.”As my Father has loved me, so have I loved you” (John 15).
God has a plan to use my life. He holds all the affirmation that I need. I can be His vessel today.
Journaling Assignment #4:
Take time to record the “reality checks” that the Lord provided to you as you were digging into His truth today.
Week 1/Day 5:
Hebrews 11:3
“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
Journaling Assignment #1
Write the verse and read it several times. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you His heart in this verse. Don’t forget to practice the first 3 verses together several times today.
Journaling Assignment #2:
Spend today defining the following words, not by looking them up, simply based on what comes to your mind. Add any other words that the Lord brings to this mind to your list as well! There is no right or wrong. This is just a jumping off point. Take the time to reflect, be honest and open with yourself about your thoughts and feelings. We have nothing to do in the space except grow and learn! I will even provide my journal notes each day so that you can see the mess that the Lord is working with here!!
universe
formed, seen, visible
Kinsee’s Stream of Consciousness Journal Notes:
This verse seems really heavy on science and so I am already intimidated! Honestly, creationism verses evolutionism has never been a huge problem for me because I still can keep the atoms, protons, neutrons, and electrons straight in my mind. It is pretty easy for me to accept creation on faith and not dig in too deeply. I realize, however that such a choice will cause me to miss an opportunity to encounter what the Lord has for me to learn and so I am going to take a deep breath, pray for insight and jump in…
Universe:
So, really big! I wonder just how expansive the universe is , how much life has the Lord created? I walk away from this word feeling the enormousness of God and the minuscule reality of my existence.
Formed:
This verb is beautiful to me. It makes me think of something being hand made. Not on a factory assembly line, but carefully and thoughtfully put together by a proud artisan.
Seen:
Don’t we all desire to be seen? What validation when we hear the words, “ I see you.” To know that someone has taken the time to not only acknowledge our existence, but to care enough to take in all that is our current reality.
Visible:
This is the easy one. We are constantly accosted with what is visible. It takes little effort to quickly scan a room and take it all in. The challenge is to take the time to see life below the surface.
Journaling Assignment #3
Jot down anything from this verse that jumps out at you. Include other scriptures that come to mind. Cross references add great insight into each verse. It is powerful to keep notes of what the Holy Spirit draw out of the verse in your heart and also to study Scripture in light of Scripture.
Week 1/Day 6:
Hebrews 11:3
“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
Let’s Dig into Some Truth:
The universe is God’s magnificent creation. It points to Him, worships Him, depends on Him and waits for His redemption. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). When we lose ourselves in debates of the time frame, and methodology of God’s creation, we lose the fact that He created the universe. Period. It is His creation.
Reality Check #1: The Universe was created by God, for His glory. “In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His for He made it, and his hands formed the dry ground” (Psalm 95:4-5). The Lord formed the universe. He is the artist who placed each star in the sky, each tree on the hillside and each blade of grass in the field. There were no mistakes. He is perfect and His creation is perfect as well. Sin has brought the imperfections, the brokenness and the pain. These were not created by our Heavenly Father.
Reality Check #2: God formed the universe in perfection, sin brought the pain and destruction. God will ultimately restore perfect order to His perfect creation. “and He will every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). I love the fact that “what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” In light of my journaling notes, this resounds with my heart in a mighty way. This means that what is happening deep in the earth, deep in our lives and deep in our souls, is not made out of what is passing by in this world. Our bodies are temporary, this earth is temporary. Our souls and hearts are eternal and that is what matters to the Lord. What He sees is not made up of what is visible.
Reality Check #3: “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body” (Psalm 139). We are fearfully and wonderfully made by a God who cares about and sees what is not visible.
He’s got the whole world in His hands. It has been there from the beginning of time and it will be there for all of eternity.
Journaling Assignment #4:
Take time to record the “reality checks” that the Lord provided to you as you were digging into His truth today.
Week 1/Day 7:
Reflection Day
1. Reflect on your notes from this week.
2. Practice the verses hat you have memorized so far.
-Write them.
-Recite them to a friend or family member to check for accuracy.
-Use them as a prayer to the Lord.
3. Read Hebrews 11 in its entirety a couple of times.
4. Pray for endurance throughout this journey.
5. Remember…
“He who has called you is faithful and He will do it”(1 Thessalonians 5:11).
“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve Go’d will, His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
Scripture Memory Strategies:
1. Copy the Scripture several times. Then try to write it by memory.
2. Set an alarm on your phone for 4 times each day. Each time you hear the alarm, practice your scripture.
3. Showers! The shower is a perfect time to recite your scripture.
4. Traffic. As you sit, instead of getting frustrated, use the time to practice.
5. Accountability. Find a friend working on scripture memory as well. Recite your scripture to each other one day a week.
6. What else? List some ideas that might work for you!
