Study Desk

Have you forgotten the encouraging words which God speaks to you as his children? "My child, pay attention when the Lord corrects you, and do not be discouraged when he rebukes you.

Endure what you suffer as being a father's punishment; your suffering shows that God is treating you as his children. Was there ever a child who was not punished by his father?

If you are not punished, as all his children are, it means you are not real children, but bastards.

Our human fathers punished us for a short time, as it seemed right to them; but God does it for our own good, so that we may share his holiness.

Let no one become immoral or unspiritual like Esau, who for a single meal sold his rights as the older son.

Afterward, you know, he wanted to receive his father's blessing; but he was turned back, because he could not find any way to change what he had done, even though in tears he looked for it.

His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, "I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven as well."

For this reason Jesus also died outside the city, in order to purify the people from sin with his own blood.

Let us, then, go to him outside the camp and share his shame.

God has raised from death our Lord Jesus, who is the Great Shepherd of the sheep as the result of his blood, by which the eternal covenant is sealed. May the God of peace provide you with every good thing you need in order to do his will, and may he, through Jesus Christ, do in us what pleases him. And to Christ be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

By his own will he brought us into being through the word of truth, so that we should have first place among all his creatures.

Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice.

How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar.

Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions.

And the scripture came true that said, "Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous." And so Abraham was called God's friend.

All of us often make mistakes. But if a person never makes a mistake in what he says, he is perfect and is also able to control his whole being.

You were chosen according to the purpose of God the Father and were made a holy people by his Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be purified by his blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure.

Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope,

and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for his people. He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away.

But you are the chosen race, the King's priests, the holy nation, God's own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvelous light.