“Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. MAKE SURE that YOUR OWN HEARTS ARE NOT EVIL AND UNBELIEVING, turning you away from the living God. You must WARN EACH OTHER EVERY DAY, while it is still “today,” so that NONE OF YOU WILL BE DECEIVED by sin and hardened against God. For IF WE ARE FAITHFUL to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, WE WILL SHARE IN ALL THAT BELONGS TO CHRIST. Remember what it says: “Today when you hear HIS VOICE, DON’T HARDEN YOUR HEARTS as Israel did when they rebelled.” And who was it who rebelled against God, EVEN THOUGH THEY HEARD HIS VOICE? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt? And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, WHOSE CORPSES LAY IN THE WILDERNESS?” (Hebrews 3:12-17)
When Israel failed to trust in God, they were DISCIPLINED WITH FORTY YEARS OF WANDERING, and most of that generation lost the opportunity to see victory in the Promised Land. In the same way, the writer of Hebrews is warning Christians NOT TO FORFEIT THEIR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS by failing to “hold fast“ their FAITH and OBEDIENCE to God.
It is apparent that many will just drift along, going to church but, never making a commitment to Christ, how can I say this? “…the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom…five were wise, five were foolish. The foolish took their lamps and took NO OIL, the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps…they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry…‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming!‘ all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps…the foolish said, ‘Give us some oil, our lamps are going out.’ the wise answered, ‘No, there should not be enough for us and you; go and buy oil for yourselves.’ while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, OPEN TO US!’ He answered, ‘Assuredly (definitely), I DO NOT KNOW YOU.’ “WATCH THEREFORE (make sure you have asked for forgiveness of your sins), for you know neither the day or the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” (Matthew 25:1-13)
MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY!
Your Personal -Bill Stockham