Undoubting hope, fullness of joy, assurance of future glory
When people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given us both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence (hope). This confidence (hope) is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain of heaven into God's inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest.
(Hebrews 6:16-20 NLT)
Hello Friends,
In a world filled with turmoil and uncertainty, where do you put your hope? Politicians, those appointed to lead us, change their minds according to their feelings and offences. They are not trustworthy, and their promises are not worth the ink they are printed on. People “swear to God” to bind themselves to the choices and decisions they choose, but that ‘oath’ means nothing to many, and promises are often broken. We’ve all experienced someone letting us down, even after promising to fulfill the promise…haven’t we? Lord knows I’ve met and prayed with a boat load of people who are crushed by the broken promises of parents and spouses. God is not like us – when God makes a promise, He keeps it, otherwise He would be a liar, and the word clearly says, “it is impossible for God to lie!” He ‘binds himself’ by covenant, a contract, an oath, a promise, and in the case of eternal life, salvation and future glory, the binding agent is the precious blood of God the Son. That’s why the Apostle Paul can affirm so confidently, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through Him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2Cor. 1:20-22).
Are you ‘perfectly sure’ that you have received the promise of eternal life? You know how don’t you? Whoever believes in Jesus – trusts in, puts their faith in the finished saving work of Christ for forgiveness of sins and procurement of future redemption glory, shall inherit eternal life (John 3:16). Faith in Christ is our guarantee of eternal life. How do I know? Because Hebrews tells me that if I (we) ‘have fled to Him for refuge’, I (we) should have hope and encouragement as fruit (6:18). Do you have hope in Christ for eternal life? Do you know you are a blood bought, forgiven child of God because you have put your faith in the only wise God who has sealed the promise of eternal life with the shed blood of His one and only Son? If you have fled to Jesus for ‘refuge’ from the impending wrath of God, we should be filled with hope in a glorious future in heaven, confident that we will inherit what God has promised to those who take refuge in Him. We should also be immovable in our faith and belief, because our hope in God’s promises for us, is like an anchor that secures us, keeping us from drifting in an ocean tossed by earthly uncertainties, fears, and worries. An anchor keeps us fixed no matter how severe the storm! It anchors our ‘soul’ where the battle ground of our thoughts, emotions and personal will battles our spirit where truth ought to be imbedded.
What is holding you? The promise of eternal life found only in Jesus Christ! The certainty that God will deliver on His promise because He cannot lie and has guaranteed the promise with His own word and sealing by Holy Spirit. The confidence that we know we have a High Priest who always lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25), and that High Priest, our Redeemer and Savior, has already gone into heaven, and opened the way into glory, by the shedding of His blood and the resurrection of His body. He is the firstfruits guaranteeing our inheritance (Rom. 8:23; 1Cor. 15:20-23; Eph. 1:13-14). Friends, are you looking forward to leaving this crazy world, eagerly desiring the return of our glorious Savior and King, who will bring the fullness of salvation to us (Heb. 9:28). Because of Christ, and God’s promises, we should be undoubtingly hopeful, filled with joy (1Pet. 1:6-9), and have complete assurance that God will do what He promised to do – take us to be with Him, where He is (John 14:3). Let us anchor ourselves in the truth of God’s promises, and remind ourselves that Jesus has already opened the way and awaits our arrival because we have put our faith in Him, and is able to save us to the uttermost because He lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25)
And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's people, let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. (Hebrews 10:21-23)
Be Blessed!
"Advancing the Kingdom of God by releasing Spirit-filled followers to serve Jesus in freedom and joy."
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