Perseverance

IBS 10

Hebrews 6:12

“that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

I personally can’t truly grasp the context of Hebrews 6:12 without looking at 6:11 too. Hebrews 6:11-12 says, “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end; that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” In these verses I see that the cry of Pauls’ heart is for us to avoid becoming sluggish. He wouldn’t take time to write this if becoming sluggish wasn’t going to be a struggle. But he also gives us the means to prevent being sluggish. Diligence. Today in class Pastor Art was teaching on Philippians chapter 3. Philippians 3:14-15: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.” Paul says here that even those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and yet don’t understand the depth that we should have the mindset of life in light of eternity; God will reveal this truth to them. It is a mature mindset. Paul is really asking “Where is your mind?”  We live in a horizontal world where it is easy to think horizontally; Earth being our present state. But Paul is really saying we should have a vertical mindset; Earth is not our home. My biggest battle ground is my mind; so this question of “Where is your mind” really gets me thinking. We were all created to worship. We all will worship something. Our lives are worship of ourselves or worship of God; and as I meditate on this concept of being diligent I know it is hard for me to be diligent in things my heart and mind are not sold out for. I was reading in the book, Real Worship by Warren W. Wiersbe (an incredible book on the reality of what worship is) and the author writes: ”We become like the god that we worship.” So this brings up another question in my mind. “Who am I worshipping?” All of these questions edge me towards this idea of avoiding becoming sluggish. If my mind is on eternity, I will be diligent in all that God has placed before me and in my relationship with Him. I won’t live my life according to what I think or want, but according to His perfect will. If I am worshipping God and not myself, I will be enabled to press on through the weight this world tries to throw onto my back; because I am not living for me, rather for the sincere glory of God. In this Paul doesn’t neglect to remind us that it requires patience to inherit the promises give us. Patience preserves our souls; because ultimately we are patiently awaiting, not the promises of this life, but the return of Jesus Christ. He is our promise.

Application: I am going to write on a note card the questions, “Where is your mind?” and “Who are you worshipping?” I will also write down, “Patience preserves Your soul” and place them on the inside of my wardrobe door. This will stir up a heart check and refocus me daily that Jesus is my promise.