Episode 1154
What If We Are the House and Not Just Visitors?
The central theme of this episode revolves around the profound assertion that we are the house, not merely transient guests, within the realm of faith. We delve into the New Testament reading from Hebrews chapter 3, emphasizing the significance of holding onto bold confidence in our relationship with God. This passage elucidates that our belonging is not contingent upon adherence to rigid doctrines or traditional constraints; rather, it is rooted in our lived experiences and authentic engagements with faith. We reflect on the dangers of spiritual rigidity, advocating instead for a posture of active listening and openness to divine guidance. Throughout this discourse, we are reminded of the importance of recognizing our intrinsic value as integral members of God's household, entrusted with the responsibility to nurture and grow within that space.
Takeaways:
- In today's episode, we emphasize that we are not merely visitors in God's house, but rather we are integral to its very structure and purpose.
- The importance of maintaining bold confidence in our faith is underscored, as it allows us to truly belong and be part of God's family.
- We are reminded that the act of listening is paramount, as it fosters growth and understanding in our spiritual journey, rather than clinging to rigid beliefs.
- The wilderness metaphor highlights the dangers of stubbornness, urging us to remain open to new insights and divine guidance in our lives.
- Our identity as the house of God calls us to live with purpose and assurance, rather than as mere tenants waiting for permission to belong.
- Listening actively today can lead to profound revelations, encouraging us to embrace our faith journey with openness and willingness.
Links referenced in this episode:
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).
He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.
Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.
He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)
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- Understandable: A reading from the New Testament (usually the Gospel) selected from the Revised Common Lectionary using "The Message" translation.
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Transcript
Hello my friend Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:This is your daily reading of the Bible from a progressive point of view.
Speaker A:In a bit I will read the New Testament lesson selected from the Revised Common Lectionary for this very day.
Speaker A:The reading is understandable.
Speaker A:I use the Message version relatable.
Speaker A:Please listen to the points to ponder and applicable with action steps you can take.
Speaker A:We pray and are done in less than 10 minutes.
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Speaker A: lionaires a million people by: Speaker A:You can help by saving and subscribing to the podcast and tagging your friends.
Speaker A:Here's today's reading and we are reading today From Hebrews chapter 3, verses 1 through 11 from the Message the Center, please centerpiece of all we Believe.
Speaker A:So my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus.
Speaker A:He's the centerpiece of everything we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do.
Speaker A:Moses was also faithful, but Jesus gives far more honor.
Speaker A:A builder is far more valuable than a builder in any A builder is more valuable than a building any day.
Speaker A:Every house has a builder, but the builder behind them all is God.
Speaker A:Moses did a good job in God's house, but it was all servant work, getting things ready for what was to come.
Speaker A:Christ, His Son is in charge of the house.
Speaker A:Now, if we can only keep a firm grip on this bold confidence.
Speaker A:We are the house.
Speaker A:That's what the Holy Spirit says today.
Speaker A:Please listen, don't turn a deaf ear.
Speaker A:As if in the bitter uprising, the time of wilderness testing.
Speaker A:Even though they watched me at work for 40 years, your ancestors refused to let me do it my way.
Speaker A:Over and over again.
Speaker A:They tried my patience and I was provoked.
Speaker A:Oh, so provoked.
Speaker A:I said, they'll never keep their minds on God.
Speaker A:They refused to walk down my road.
Speaker A:Exasperated, I vowed, they'll never get where they're going.
Speaker A:They'll never be able to sit down and rest.
Speaker A:Well, my friends, thank you for joining me here today.
Speaker A:Glad you're here.
Speaker A:In Hebrews Chapter three today, there's a line in this passage that honestly kind of really stopped me in my tracks this week.
Speaker A:And we'll get there.
Speaker A:But I.
Speaker A:But I just want to make you aware that this is what it's all about here, that we have this house analogy.
Speaker A:So let's Talk about some points to ponder.
Speaker A:The first point to ponder is this, that we are the house.
Speaker A:Not visitors, not tenants, not guests waiting for permission to belong.
Speaker A:The writer here doesn't say the house is a building in Jerusalem.
Speaker A:It doesn't say it's a denomination or institution or a particular worship style.
Speaker A:The house is us, but only if we keep a firm grip and bold confidence.
Speaker A:And I really love that phrase, bold confidence.
Speaker A:Not perfect theology, not correct answers on some doctrinal checklist, but bold confidence.
Speaker A:And I think that matters enormously, because so many people have made or made to feel like they're just guests in God's house, tolerated but not truly at home.
Speaker A:People have been told they don't quite fit because of who they love or how they think or what questions that they're brave enough to ask.
Speaker A:This passage flips that completely.
Speaker A:You're not a guest.
Speaker A:You're not on probation.
Speaker A:If you're holding on to that bold, stubborn confidence in the way of Jesus, you are the house.
Speaker A:God is building something out of your very life.
Speaker A:I like to think about my three children.
Speaker A:They're all adult.
Speaker A:My three children.
Speaker A:They're all adult now.
Speaker A:They're all building amazing lives in their own right.
Speaker A:The thing I always wanted them to feel was that our home wasn't a place they had to earn their way into.
Speaker A:It's theirs.
Speaker A:They belong in our home fully.
Speaker A:Even on the hard days.
Speaker A:Especially perhaps on the hard days.
Speaker A:That's what God is saying here.
Speaker A:You are the house, so live like it.
Speaker A:A second point to ponder.
Speaker A:The real danger isn't asking too many questions.
Speaker A:It's refusing to keep listening.
Speaker A:The wilderness warning here in this passage is fascinating.
Speaker A:And God's complaint about the ancestors isn't that they are doubted.
Speaker A:It isn't that they had moments of fear or confusion.
Speaker A:The problem was that they refused to let me do it my way.
Speaker A:They watched God work for 40 years and still insisted on their own script.
Speaker A:They turned a deaf ear.
Speaker A:They wouldn't walk down a new road.
Speaker A:The passage is today, please listen today, present tense.
Speaker A:Not remember what you figured out 20 years ago or 40 years ago, not hold onto things forever today.
Speaker A:So, for instance, I do a weekly podcast for people impacted by cancer.
Speaker A:And it's one of the things I've learned from that community, is that the people who find their way through cancer aren't usually the ones with the most certainty.
Speaker A:They're the ones who keep listening.
Speaker A:They listen to their doctors.
Speaker A:They listen to people who love them, and they listen to that small voice within them that Says there's still a road forward.
Speaker A:Rigidity is not what gets us, is what gets us stuck in the wilderness.
Speaker A:No doubt, not questions.
Speaker A:Rigidity, the refusal to let God know.
Speaker A:If you use to let God surprise us.
Speaker A:The insistence that we already kind of know things ourselves.
Speaker A:The whole map.
Speaker A:And this passage says that kind of stubbornness is what keeps us from ever sitting down and resting.
Speaker A:If you've been told that your faith means locking into your beliefs or never revisiting them, Hebrews 3 would like a word with you about that.
Speaker A:Faith is a daily practice of listening.
Speaker A:So today, please listen.
Speaker A:So here's your action step for today.
Speaker A:The passage says, today, please listen.
Speaker A:So I want you to practice a moment of deliberate, open listening.
Speaker A:It could be five minutes of silence before you start your day.
Speaker A:It could be hearing someone out in your life who you usually tune out.
Speaker A:It could be sitting with a scripture passage and letting them say something new instead of us kind of rehashing what you already think you knew or assumed in just a moment.
Speaker A:And when you consciously say, okay, God, I'm not going to assist on my own script right now, but I'm listening and see what happens.
Speaker A:We're going to pray here in just a moment.
Speaker A:Before we do, I want you to know we've got a great resource for you called the ABC 123 Bible study method.
Speaker A:You pick it up at our website, voiceofgoddaily.com let's pray.
Speaker A:God, we want to be the house.
Speaker A:Not a museum, not a monument of what we used to believe.
Speaker A:A living, breathing house where bold confidence has room to grow.
Speaker A:Where your spirit is doing something right now, today.
Speaker A:Forgive us from the times when we've tuned a deaf ear.
Speaker A:Not because we are afraid, but because we are stubborn.
Speaker A:Because we wanted you to do it our way.
Speaker A:And so soften us in this time and help us.
Speaker A:For anyone listening who has felt like a guest in your house, like they were the one wrong question we have been asked to leave.
Speaker A:Would you tell them today that they belong, that they are the house, Not a visitor for all of us.
Speaker A:Give his ears to that work.
Speaker A:Help us to hear what you're saying today.
Speaker A:Not yesterday, not 20 years ago, but right now, in this moment, on this road lead us to rest that the wilderness generation ever found.
Speaker A:Not because we're better than they were, but because we're finally willing to let you do it your way.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:My friend, I am delighted you chose to join me for today's reading.
Speaker A:The daily Bible refresh is completely listener supported.
Speaker A: on years of million people by: Speaker A:I would be so grateful if you would go to voiceofgodddaily.com and share your gift of any amount.
Speaker A:Thanks much.
Speaker A:My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your daily Bible refresh.
Speaker A:Please subscribe and tag your friends until tomorrow.
Speaker A:Remember, God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up, gets created new every morning.
