Sunday devotion 2/14/21

The Power of the Word “IF”

Hebrews 3v6.."But Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end..”
“If” is a big word, because it implies there is a negative possibility of..”If not”!
The need for a Believer to maintain belief until the end, while not being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin is the call of scripture. Heb. 3v8 ..”Today IF you will hear His voice, do not harden your heart as in the rebellion..” Heb. 3v14..”For we have become partakers of Christ IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast until the end”..v15..”Today IF you will hear His voice..” We are only of His House IF we hold firm to the end.
Disbelief is sin, so, how can disbelief come upon a Believer then? Where does it originate? It comes from taking your eyes off of The One you once trusted in for your salvation, and placing it on any other thing. Some other hope..It could be your wealth, your health, your government, or family or a relationship, other religions..It could be any number of things.
Belief is a daily, maybe even a moment by moment calling of the Believer in Christ. “Today, IF you hold fast the confidence..” Today, and then tomorrow when it becomes today, and the next day after that and so on. If you don’t maintain this faith, the Bible describes you as a ‘rebel’! Heb.3v16 “For who having heard, rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses?” Those were people that had seen the miraculous saving of their whole people group, who saw the cloud by day and the fire at night. They received the manna and the quail. They saw the water from the rock..Twice! They, in times of despair, fell into unbelief..They are called “those who sinned”.(v17They are those “who cannot enter in because of disbelief”.(v19)
Remember the man whose child was dying in Mark 9v24..He was desperate for a solution to a terrible problem. When Jesus asks if he has sufficient belief to see his child healed he cries..”Lord, I believe,..Help my unbelief”! This is what the Lord wants to hear from his people..Not the arrogance of a pretend faith that is used to impress others, but a genuine repentance and faith that is going to hang on tightly to God in the most trying of situations. We must be honest with ourselves and with the Father when we struggle with fear or disbelief. We must never turn our backs on Him in hard moments but instead cry out..”Help my unbelief”.
A lack of belief causes a lack of rest! Heb.4v1,2..”A promise remains of entering His rest..But the word which they heard did not profit them, NOT BEING MIXED WITH FAITH in those who heard it.” V3 For those who believe DO enter that rest, as He has said..v6..those of disobedience do not enter that rest”. The promise then is resting on God, mixed with faith that He WILL bring you into His rest. He will care for you..Believe that, DAILY!
Heb.4V9,10..”There remains therefore a rest for the people of God”.. v11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”
Be Restful and Be Believing my friends..
Pray..In my distress I cried to the Lord. I will lift up my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help. O Lord in my pitiful state, I ask You to help my moments of unbelief. Bring to my mind the many instances in which You have cared for me in the past. Renew in me clean hands and a pure heart that grows in faith and belief in You daily, while removing any doubts about Your great faithfulness toward me..In Jesus name..Amen