“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:35-39 (KJV)
It is so easy to get discouraged in our present world. Everywhere we look there are discouraging evidences of the enemy’s work. And we ask, “O, Lord how long?”
Then we must encourage ourselves. “O, my soul, why are you so cast down? Put your hope in God.” And again, “I may be troubled on every side, but I refuse to be distressed. I may be perplexed, but I refuse to despair. I may be persecuted, but I know that I am not forsaken. I may be prostrate with anguish, but I will not be destroyed. Because I am crucified with Christ and he lives in me. I will be patient, for the promise of eternal life is mine! Jesus is coming back and I shall see him!”
Consider the great reward of our confidence in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Consider that we, who are saved, live by faith. We do not walk by sight, for if we walked by sight what then would we hope for? Our hope is in the One who promised, “. . . whosoever believes in him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.” Our hope is in the One who rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Our hope is in the One who promised, “In my Father’s house are many mansions. I am going to prepare you a place there. And, if I go, I’ll come again to get you and to take you back to be with me into the Father’s house.”
It is a tragedy for hope to be lost. An even worse tragedy occurs when a believer gives up hope in Christ. But, we are not of that crowd. We believe in Christ to the saving of our souls! Let us hold steadfastly to our confidence in Christ Jesus as our Eternal Savior.
Dear Father, thank you for the hope we have in Christ. Forgive us our faults and failures. Empower us with firm confidence in your grace. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today by your hope in Christ,