Through the Bible - Ezekiel 4-6, Hebrews 10
Good morning,
I had thought that I had verses lined up for the next several days, but once again, something I read this morning changed things.
Last Sunday in Pastor Bob's conclusion to the series "Crazy for Love" he spoke of submission in marriage and spoke of the meaning of the word submit in Greek (forgive me if it is not the exact quote) as being a military term which could be translated as "take your post and stay". That has stuck with me all week so far and was reinforced in today's NT scripture reading above in Hebrews 10 where we'll go for today's verse.
Heb 10:36-But you need to stick it out, staying with God's plan so you'll be there for the promised completion.
It won't be long now, he's on the way;
he'll show up most any minute.
But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust;
if he cuts and runs, I won't be very happy.
But we're not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We'll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.
(from THE MESSAGE)
or from the NKJV
Heb 10: 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 "For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him."
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
It's a little longer than I would normally quote as the VOTD, but I didn't see how I could break it up.
The verses are speaking to us about our lives, our Christian walk, which includes our marriages, and especially our relationship with Christ. Faith is an action verb and it needs to be applied. In this case it means "sticking it out" and "staying with God's plan".
We are not those who are prone to "cut and run", we persevere in faith and in hope. It is the answer to long relationships in marriage and in our relationship to Christ. It involves putting into practice this thought of "taking our post and staying", not wavering, trusting Him in the here and now, with hope.
We hope for that which we do not see, with perseverence, not wavering. Look at Romans 8:25
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. NKJV
Be thinking of that word hope. Be thinking of waiting on the Lord with perseverence. Tomorrow's reading will lead us to Hebrews 11, the "Hall of Faith", a chapter which is full of examples of those who have done just that. Read it today or tomorrow, may it encourage you to "take your post and stay". It's been a chapter that has helped me to "hold on" through the trials in my life.
I Just Keep Trusting My Lord
I just keep trusting my Lord as I walk a long
I just keep trusting my Lord and He gives a song
Though the storm clouds darken the sky o'er the heav'nly trail
I just keep trusting my Lord, He will never fail
He's a faithful friend, such a faithful friend
I can count on Him to the very end
Though the storm clouds darken the sky o'er the heav'nly trail
I just keep trusting my Lord, He will never fail
I just keep trusting my Lord on the narrow way
I just keep trusting my Lord as He leads each day
Though the road is weary at times and I'm sad and blue
I just keep trusting my Lord, He will se me through
He's a faithful guide, such a faithful guide
He is always there walking by my side
Though the road is weary at times and I'm sad and blue
I just keep trusting my Lord, He will se me through
In Christ,
Mike
Heb 10:19-11:1
Don't Throw It All Away
So, friends, we can now — without hesitation — walk right up to God, into "the Holy Place." Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The "curtain" into God's presence is his body.
So let's do it — full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
If we give up and turn our backs on all we've learned, all we've been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ's sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment — and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God's Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he'll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: "Vengeance is mine, and I won't overlook a thing," and, "God will judge his people." Nobody's getting by with anything, believe me.
Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse — some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn't touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don't throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It's still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God's plan so you'll be there for the promised completion.
It won't be long now, he's on the way;
he'll show up most any minute.
But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust;
if he cuts and runs, I won't be very happy.
But we're not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We'll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way. (from THE MESSAGE)
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