Day5
Week 5
Hebrews 6
“But though we speak in this manner, we are persuaded of better things for you, things that accompany salvation, for God is not unjust so as to forget your work and labor of love that you have shown for His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and continue ministering. We desire that every one of you show the same diligence for the full assurance of hope to the end, so that you may not be lazy, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Hebrews 6:9-12 MEV
Cross references
Matthew 10:42;
1 Thessalonians 1:3;
Proverbs 14:31;
Hebrews 3:6, 3:14;
Romans 5:2-5;
Hebrews 10:36, 13:7;
Revelation 13:10
Dumbbell
Have you ever tried to use a dumbbell that had unequal weights on the ends?
Trying to exercise your faith without patience is like using an unbalanced dumbbell.
Faith- the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.
Patience- confident expectation based on faith in what God has said in His Word.
Patience without faith has no power to call into reality the thing’s desired.
Faith without patience will, many times, fail to stand firm on the evidence of the written Word that gives the “title deed” to things not seen.
Can you see the unbalanced dumbbell with one end on the ground and the other in the air?
Which end is heavier in your life?
Faith and patience need to be developed.
I like to develop my endurance by running. I don’t spend much time developing my abs, because it’s harder, but that leaves me unbalanced and susceptible to injury.
The same is true spiritually.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing, by the Word of God.(Romans 10:17)
Patience is developed by trials and tribulations. (James 1:2-4)
Faith should be developed on the Word of God before trials and tribulations come against us.
In Luke 6:47-48 Jesus said, “..a man who believes and acts on His Words is like someone who builds his house on a rock. Then, when the flood arises and the stream beats on that house, it does not fall.”
Notice , the man in the story had to dig deep. This is where his faith was developed.
His patience was developed during the storm.
He was confident his house would stand because it was built on rock.
The man believed (faith) and acted on the Word. Faith was developed before the storm.
The force of patience developed during the storm. This patience (confident expectation) reinforces and keeps the door open for faith to work and overcome whatever is put before it.
It doesn’t just barely hang on until the trial is over, but as Abraham did, it confidently expects that what God has promised He is able to perform.(Romans 4:21)
God has perfect-patience!
Keep your eyes on Him and His Word instead of the problem.
Action Step
Are you diligent in your spiritual workout?
Are there any areas that you are lazy?
Patience is like my spiritual “abs” and a weak spot for me. My spiritual “abs”are my mouth.
Are you weak there, too?
Try my spiritual “ab” workout!
“Say It,Don’t Spray It!” (I know you have heard that joke before, right?)
Repeat the statement below out-loud as often as needed.
Start with 3 times a day.
-I confidently expect that my God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that I ask , think or even imagine, according to His power that works in me and so I call those things that are not as though they already are, and I thank God for it, In Jesus Name! Amen!-
Leave a comment and let me know how you feel after your “Say It, Don’t Spray It!” Work out.
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