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I was greatly encouraged in my personal Bible reading recently as I meditated on three verses from Hebrews chapter 10 and would like to share those thoughts with you for your own encouragement.

The writer has been bringing a solemn warning to his readers concerning the awful danger of apostasy in verses 26-30 and concludes with the powerful words ‘It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God’ (v31). This might well bring fear into the hearts of those reading his letter and so he immediately seeks to reassure them. It is that reassurance that is so encouraging. Just four phrases struck me as I thought on them. Each one leads into the other yet is a great blessing and stimulus to faith in itself.

‘...you have a better and an enduring possession’ v34

How precious it is when the believer is able to look forward with a confident knowledge that whatever the present holds, the future is truly bright. Our present possession is a place in the saving purposes of our God together with a place in the heart of our Saviour. We can go on to say that we have the Holy Spirit Himself dwelling in our hearts with all it’s implications. However we have an enduring possession ahead of us for we read it is ‘in heaven’. I could not help thinking of what Peter wrote to struggling believers when he wrote that we have ‘an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven’. How glorious a prospect is ours in the light of these wonderful words. However with such a prospect comes an exhortation:

‘Therefore do not cast away your confidence’ v35

Dear reader we have no business to be lacking in confidence when our confidence is not in ourselves but in our triune God. He who has promised to bring us home to our eternal possession is immutable and faithful to Himself and His word. All the promises of God are ‘yes and amen in Christ Jesus’ (2Corinthians 1:20). God the Father has promised, God the Son has secured the promise, and God the Holy Spirit has sealed the promise to us. How we rejoice in such a God. Satan often tries to weaken our faith and cause us to cast away our confidence. Let us resist him (James 4:7) with confident assurance that our God has spoken and cannot lie but will most certainly fulfil His promises and work out His purposes towards us. With such a possession and with this confidence we are reminded that:

‘...you have need of endurance…’ v36

With our possession still ahead and we as pilgrims travelling towards it, the devil does all he can to shake us but though we respond with confidence in our God our great adversary does not give up easily. With his many wiles he comes again and again in different ways, sometimes subtly, at other times more openly. With such a foe we need both confidence and patient endurance. Notice it is something we need and indeed will always be needing this side of glory. God does not promise us an easy path to heaven. Our Lord Himself told His disciples that in the world they would have tribulation. How precious were His words that they should be of good comfort because He had overcome the world (John 16:33). He is saying in effect that His promise should give us a comfortable confidence and that assurance of it should strengthen us to endure. Finally the fourth phrase reminds us:

‘That you may receive the promise’ v36

I am reminded of the hymn ‘Trust and obey for there’s no other way’. Looking unto Jesus, with our confidence in Him and persevering, or enduring patiently, in the path we shall receive the possession that is set aside for us in due course. The word ‘may’ in our text is not a ‘may’ indicating perhaps but is a statement that having endured we shall have a right to that possession. Again it is a word that should stir up in us confidence to keep going unto the end. How shall I conclude? Surely with the words Hebrews Ch 10 concludes that ‘we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul’.

Is that you as you read these words? Is your hope built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness? Then do not cast away that confidence but endure until the promised possession is no longer a future hope but a glorious everlasting reality.

Pastor