Steadfast and Confident to the End

Monday, November 10, 2014

                                       

Korea 1955

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

“Christ…a son over his own house; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.  Therefore, just as the Holy Ghost says, today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me” (Hebrews 3:6-8).

“Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil heart that falls away from the living God, 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.   For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end” (Hebrews. 6:12-14). 

Hey Gang:  Recently, we were privileged to share with our Sunday School Class, what the Word says that the world will look like, as we near the culmination of the age.   We have been privileged to share this message before and, listen up folks, The signs of the time are everywhere!  All over the world, people’s hearts are failing with fear as they watch the terrifying things coming upon the earth.

 Yet, in the midst of all this anxiety and fear, we who trust in the Lord have the assurance of His word telling us, “Be steadfast and confident to the end.”   As children of God, we are instructed that, when it appears the sky is falling and mounting fear is all around us, we have an obligation to show even greater confidence in our Lord to those who have no hope.  When there is gloom and despair, we are challenged to increase our gladness and rejoicing!

 Is this not the nature of our heavenly Father?  He has made provision for his people to hold fast and retain their joy in the severest of troubled times.  Yet there is a condition attached to this provision.  Notice the “IF’.    I love the little trigger words of the Bible, for many times they are followed by life challenging and changing truths.

 “For we have become partakers of Christ, ‘IF’ we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. …(Hebrews. 3:14)?  “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” (vs. 6). Why are we given this cautionary word?  It is because there are powerful forces at work today against every believer who would hold fast to his confident faith.

  Soooo, my friends, as I read the Word of God and see what is happening around me, I am increasingly convinced that I am to make sure to keep my armor in place, my lantern filled with oil, remain alert to those around me who need a shirt tail to hang onto, and place my hands in the hands of the One who stills the waters.  It is so very important that we know that for many, we will be the only 'Bible' they see or believe.  

 Blessings,  Gramps