Verse of the Day 8/18

 

Hebrews 6:11-12  And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.   English Standard Version (ESV)

 

At the end of yesterday's post we considered how Moses was calling God's people to be strong  and  courageous and not to live  lives in fear or in dread of what lies ahead.  In today's verses the  author  of  Hebrews carries that further, applying  it  to real life to have "full assurance" of that hope to then end.  It is not  something that will just happen, that we can just sit back and wait for.  That confidence , that  assurance is for  those that "keep at it" and "don't drag  their feet" (The  Message).  It is not easy, but it takes a strong  determination.

 

For several weeks in  our  church we  have had testimonies  of what God has been doing  in the  lives of  some of the people in our church, who  have kept  at it, in  spite of illnesses and  other  challenges, to do what the Lord had laid on their hearts to do.  These verses are a reminder of the  impact  of that, of their message.  We are to be imitators  of them, their  faith and their patience.  They are  not  in it  for temporary gain or even recognition but a future inheritance in God's promises. 

 

'Cause in the course of a life
Things don't always go as planned
And the dreams that began
With a kiss and a prayer
Can slip right through your hands

[Chorus:]
It takes a strong determination
A trust that never dies
The courage to forgive
And a heart that reconciles
A life full of devotion
A faith that won't give up
It takes a strong determination
To build a house of love

 

The book of Hebrews is  one  that reflects back on the lives of  Old Testament God followers who exhibited lives of faith, lives of that strong determination.  If you have some  time  over the next couple  of days, read through Hebrews 11 and the "Hall of Faith".  As the Philips, Craig and Dean song  above stated "in the course of a life, things don't always go as planned".  Maybe you're in one  of  those spots right now.  God's Word challenges  us not  to be sluggish, but to keep at it, be strong and courageous, trust in God, lean  on  Him, on those  everlasting arms, and stay committed to the faith with the "full bodied hope" (The  Message)  and expectation of God's future promises.  While we're here, build a house of love.

 

 

Blessings,

Mike

 

Hebrews 6:4-12The Message (MSG)

^4-8 Once people have seen the light, gotten a taste of heaven and been part of the work of the Holy Spirit, once they've personally experienced the sheer goodness of God's Word and the powers breaking in on us—if then they turn their backs on it, washing their hands of the whole thing, well, they can't start over as if nothing happened. That's impossible. Why, they've re-crucified Jesus! They've repudiated him in public! Parched ground that soaks up the rain and then produces an abundance of carrots and corn for its gardener gets God's "Well done!" But if it produces weeds and thistles, it's more likely to get cussed out. Fields like that are burned, not harvested.

^9-12 I'm sure that won't happen to you, friends. I have better things in mind for you—salvation things! God doesn't miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you've shown him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it. And now I want each of you to extend that same intensity toward a full-bodied hope, and keep at it till the finish. Don't drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them.

 

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