From Gary... Today... Therefore; therefore - TODAY

Today is nothing less than a gift of God!!!  You or I can relive yesterday in our minds, but it is only a memory.  What counts is what we do with the example of that memory. Today, "the now" is all we really have!!! Tomorrow, we anticipate certain things may happen, but we do not know what TOMORROW WILL BRING!!! The following Scriptures seemed quite appropriate...

Hebrews, Chapter 2 (NASB)

Heb 2:2  For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty,
Heb 2:3  how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,
Heb 2:4  God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.
Heb 2:5  For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking.
Heb 2:6  But one has testified somewhere, saying, "WHAT IS MAN, THAT YOU REMEMBER HIM? OR THE SON OF MAN, THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HIM?
Heb 2:7  "YOU HAVE MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND HAVE APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS;
Heb 2:8  YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET." For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.
Heb 2:9  But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.
Heb 2:10  For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.
Heb 2:11  For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb 2:12  saying, "I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE."
Heb 2:13  And again, "I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." And again, "BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME."
Heb 2:14  Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
Heb 2:15  and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
Heb 2:16  For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.
Heb 2:17  Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18  For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

Hebrews, Chapter 3 (NASB)

Heb 3:1  Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;
Heb 3:2  He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.
Heb 3:3  For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.
Heb 3:4  For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
Heb 3:5  Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later;
Heb 3:6  but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house--whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.
Heb 3:7  Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
Heb 3:8  DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS,
Heb 3:9  WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me  BY TESTING Me, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS.
Heb 3:10  "THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, 'THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS';
Heb 3:11  AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.'"
Heb 3:12  Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.
Heb 3:13  But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Heb 3:14  For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
Heb 3:15  while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."

When I began to consider today's post, the first thing that came to my mind was Hebrews 3:15 and then I saw all those "therefore's"...  and had to include all the rest that you see above. Why? Because its all tied together, that's why. The first sin, the Israelites, all the Christians who ever lived, Jesus and myself- all tied together into one stream of history; one complicated "THEREFORE". Because of this (Therefore), I have a choice TODAY- do I listen to the Scriptures, OBEY or NOT (3:15 above)? My prayer today is that I do and everyone who reads these little words of mine will as well!!!!!  

May God bless you in these things (as well as the blessing that you already have of Today). 

Nice present- isn't it?

Now,... I wonder what will happen????