“Let us HOLD FIRMLY WITHOUT WAVERING to the HOPE we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.” (Heb. 10:23)
The Bristlecone pine trees are one of the three longest living trees on the entire planet. In studying one such tree in California, it dated to be 4,845 years old because it has the ability to grow in extreme conditions. These trees with roots that are strong and deep, have learned to HOLD FIRMLY without wavering.
HOLDING FIRMLY MEANS:
- TRUSTING IN GOD: Trusting God is hard. He asks for some pretty big things from those who follow Him. Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac, David defeated a giant with a handful of pebbles, Peter walked on water, Paul was shipwrecked, but they all faithfully held fast. Paul said, “…there stood by me this night an angel of the God saying, ‘DO NOT BE AFRAID, Paul…” (Acts 27:23)
- BEING ANCHORED: The storms of life my toss us to and fro a bit, but we don’t wander from His side when they do. If we are tightly secured to Him, the world may get our attention but it cannot woo us from His hold. It means while we might be tempted, we hold fast and don’t give in. “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life IS HIDDEN WITH CHRIST in God.” (Col. 3:2-3)
- STAYING IN THE WORD: First, we need to READ the Word. Then we need to DO the Word. It’s very simple in theory, but so challenging in execution. For us, today, that means that we need to make sure we don’t have any idols that rule our affections, distracting us away from the LIVING AND VERY POWERFUL Word of God. “All Scripture is GOD–BREATHED and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17) I have been inspired to use this scripture very frequently, so I asked the Lord WHY? He said, “My children are not paying attention to it!”
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault…
HOLDING FIRMLY THE WORD OF LIFE…(Phil. 2:14-16)
-Bill Stockham