Troy continues in our Hebrews series by sharing God’s promise to everyone who belongs to Him: “I will be their God, and they will be my people.” The real change of heart and mind created by the ministry of the Spirit in the new covenant makes possible the restoration of our relationship and fellowship with God. This restoration is what God has always wanted, with Israel and with Christ followers today. Rules and regulations cannot bring about genuine transformation in our lives, because obedience does not produce heart change and love; rather, love produces heart change and obedience.

Anyone can build a great marriage. It might be difficult and challenging, and a given person may not want to build a great marriage, but anyone can. However, with the right behaviors, it’s also true that anyone can destroy a great marriage. Marriages fail when one or both of the spouses treat each other unkindly. It really boils down to the following commitment: “Will you not address your spouse in a manner that’s unbecoming, in a way that’s unkind, in a way that indulges the flesh?"

For this week’s installment in our Hebrews series, Troy considers the idea that our struggle with faith is not always based on God showing (or not showing) Himself. After all, the very people who witnessed the ten plagues on Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the awesome year of events at Mt. Sinai, actually turned away from God with sinful, unbelieving, hard hearts. In addition, a few of Jesus’ original disciples, who had just spent three years watching Him perform miracles and even rise from the dead, are the ones referred to in a verse that says, “some doubted.” Perhaps it’s not an issue of evidence or lack of evidence. Maybe we see what we want to see.