Daily Worship, Spirit and Word - June 14, 2024

Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises - by not being lazy.

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish (lazy), but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:11–12, NKJV)

Living by faith and patience is work. We labor to enter into the rest of Christ Jesus. We do not cease from labor. We cease from thinking that our labor is good enough to receive salvation. We realize that the works of Christ Jesus are the only works great enough for us to receive salvation. We walk by faith in Christ Jesus and what He accomplished. We receive the results of His accomplishments but we do not cease from work and become lazy.

What is the example of those who gave us The Word of God? They worked very hard to,”Go into all the world and preach the gospel…”, but their labor was not in vain because they were done in Christ. “Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—” (2 Corinthians 11:23–27, NKJV)

Walking by faith is a labor of love. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:9, NKJV) Victory is ours because of the faithfulness of Christ Jesus and, subsequently, our faithfulness to Christ Jesus and His word.