From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Tue, May 9, 2023 at 6:10 AM

Subject: 5-9-23 THOUGHTS

5-9-23   THOUGHTS

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,  12  so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”   Diligence and our not being sluggish are listed as qualities to help us stay steadfast to the end.   God does not lie and God has made promises.  Verse 18 below, appeals to this to show God’s unchangeable nature and the steadfastness of His purposes.  Abraham is said to have patiently waited to obtain the promise.  Patience and waiting are not qualities that are highly prized in our culture.  The reading closes with encouragement based on God’s promises, that we would take hold of  “the hope set before us.”  Verses 19-20 are most powerful.  Jesus gives us access to God’s presence!  See Heb 10:19-25.

Heb 6:9-20     But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10  For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11  And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,  12  so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13  For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14  saying, "I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU."  15  And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16  For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.  17  In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, 18  so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19  This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20  where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.  

My Prayer:
Help us and teach us, O God, to patiently wait for Your promises.  Give us diligence in our pursuit of maturity in knowing You.  Remove sluggishness from us, and the self-centeredness that seems continually present in us.  May hope be the anchor of our souls.  Make that hope sure and ever-present in us please, Father.  May we be in Your presence always, O God.  May Your Spirit abide in us, as we abide in You.  May we realize the full assurance of hope until we live no more.  Through faith, may we inherit the promises.   In Jesus name,     Amen.