Sometimes a promise isn’t enough.

… so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. (Hebrews 6:18 ESV)

Today I wish to deconstruct this statement from Hebrews so that we can grow more faithful in stressfully trying times– the holiday season.

We need to meditate on this statement when we are about to lose all faith in God and humanity.

Understand that the impossibility for God to lie is not His inability to lie; rather it is the fruition of what He says as reality which makes God incapable of lying. That is to say that when God speaks, it is true because what He says becomes real.

This is understood in the creation story in Genesis. God speaks the world into existence, as a result there can be no lies in God. God made a promise to all of us when He sent His One and Only Son to Earth as a sacrificial lamb to absolve people from their inequities: that whosoever believed would be heirs with His son, Jesus Christ.

But waiting for our inheritance as heirs to God seems to take an eternity, doesn’t it? Time is so slow and life is so difficult, it feels more like we’ve inherited trouble and loathing than the riches of God.

The truth of the matter is, regardless of how we may feel at any given moment, God promises us His inheritance. An inheritance so unfathomable that even the most brilliant people have a hard time imagining.

Since people have a hard time imagining the truth and power of this inheritance through our difficult life circumstances, God swears that promise He makes to you and me will live on forever.

God is not a liar. God is loving beyond explanation. We can trust that the promises of God will stand, He swears by them.

…because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:9-10 ESV)

Can’t add anything more or explain how much easier it can get than what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Rome.

There are no hidden strings or rites of passage. It is simple: just believe in your heart and confess with your mouth.

It is a private and public declaration of belief in Jesus Christ.

That’s it.

Be saved because it’s free and now you know how.

For the one who is not against us is for us. (Mark 9:40 ESV)

Jesus’ disciples encountered somebody doing good work in the name of Jesus who was not a follower of Jesus. It bothered them that this person would dare to do whatever they were doing in Jesus’ name, so they tried to stop that person from doing whatever he or she was doing. However, Jesus tells his disciples not to worry about it. Have you ever wondered why?

Jesus’ train of thought starts with the idea that people who do things in the name of Jesus will witness, first-hand, the power of His name (v39).

The application and implication of this idea is extraordinary.

That is to say that when we bring nonbelievers into the work of Jesus’ people (think making disciples of all nations by proclaiming the good news, healing the sick, and feeding poor) they will soon believe in what Jesus can do.

This will cause that person to believe in Jesus. It is a minor miracle on its own, to see a non-believer believe. Secondly, Jesus trains his disciples to see that people who are not explicitly against the followers of Jesus are actually a benefit for His followers (v40).

Jesus says, “they are for us.” Sure, they may not necessarily be our best partner in our God given mission on this planet, but they certainly aren’t the enemy causing us enmity.

The question is then, how are we treating the people who are not explicitly not against us? Are we treating them like they are a hindrance?

Are busting out against them? Or are we treating them as potential new believers?

Are we loving them with the same care Jesus had for people like you and me?

Have you ever wondered why God extends His favor to some more than others at times? Ezra was favored by God in Babylon.

In fact, the Bible says that he got whatever he asked for from the king of Babylon because the “hand of God was upon him” (v6). I concluded that favor comes from God when our intentions align with His work.

On the first of the first month he started out from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he arrived in Jerusalem, for upon him was the good hand of his God. For Ezra had prepared and set his heart to seek the Law of the Lord [to inquire for it and of it, to require and yearn for it], and to do and teach in Israel its statutes and its ordinances. (Ezra 7:9-10 AMP)

The key to unlocking the source of what seems like Ezra’s “good luck” is not the stars of coincidence, or the alignment of things.

The source is God. It is God when you set your heart on seeking God.

It is God when you intentionally look for Him. The source is God when you prepared your heart for God and see nothing but God.

God doesn’t always favor those who are self seeking, He always blesses those who are self sacrificing for God.

If you are wondering why you don’t have the favor of God in your life even though you are a believer in God, you need to ask yourself, are you prepared to seek God with everything that you got?

Moreover, are you ready to give everything and anything to God’s purpose?

If you are, then God’s favor will rest upon you and your intentions to seek Him and glorify Him.

What does it mean to walk like Jesus? Rather, is it even possible to walk like Jesus in the 21st century?

By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 2:5b-6)

This is an impossible calling if you are drowning in society’s whirlpool of tit for tat. I know you are just barely able to flail your hands and feet around to keep your head above the fray.

After all, losing our patience and lashing out unlovingly to the world at large is a far better alternative than loving people who hate you enough to throw you off your cool.

There is no doubt in my mind that this statement was written to challenge believers of all levels to copy Jesus’ example of rising above society. The real question is how can we copy Jesus?

It is actually simple: prioritize what is important and then act accordingly. The reason most of us explode on other people with rage and anger is because we are selfish and feel jilted by the “injustice” done upon us. The reason we feel jilted is because we consider ourselves or the things that we see as more important in the grand scheme of things than the idiots that make us angry.

But if we really understood priorities, we would see that God cares more about the idiots that get us angry and do stupid things than out feelings toward them. Moreover, if we would see that our priority should be loving those dummies, we would not be as angry or jilted.

Jesus asked the Father to forgive the people who crucified him without cause. He did this, not because he knew he was better than them, but because he knew that they would pay dearly.

Jesus had his heart broken because idiot people. To his last breath, he loved them enough to pray forgiveness.

If we know that people do stupid things that make us angry because they are too selfish to see real priorities, then we should not behave like them.

Instead, we should walk in Jesus’ footsteps and love people enough to beseech God on their behalf.

You may not love ’em, but God does, and so you should walk in love.

Ever get that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach that tells you that all is hopeless and lost– that everything you worked for may not come to fruition because the circumstances you are facing tells you that the fight you are fighting is not going to end well? I’m sure you’ve had that feeling in the pit of your stomach before.

Perhaps, you’re having that feeling right now as you read these words. I want you to read the verses below if you’ve had that feeling, are fighting that feeling, or will need to fight the feeling I’m describing.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. (Hebrews 11:1-2)

The question we have to ask ourselves is why would the writer of the Hebrews have to write this? It is simple: the lives of the very people reading this passage reflected a reality that chopped their faith down at the very foundation of its formation. More simply, people were having a difficult time reconciling the promises of God and how their lives were shaking out. I know as a fact that my life, and I’m a professional Christian, doesn’t quite always shake out the way God promises when I experience it. I’m really sure yours doesn’t either.

If it did we might actually be in heaven and not living life on earth, if you get my drift. When we are shaken and challenged by our experiences we need to dig deeper and believe with greater conviction of the promises God is proposing.

The rest of Hebrews 11 lists the people and circumstances of Old Testament figures trying to wrestle with their reality and the belief they had in God when they started.

The conclusion is that these people lived with full conviction that God will come through, and then they died. This means that none of them received what was promised to them, and yet this was their commendation.

If that is the truth of the matter, what hope do we have, not even having Biblical level faith, that when we hold onto a conviction unseen, that our lives will be meaningful?

Our hope is Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. He was so convicted of our potential that he walked among us and then died for us.

Then, to make the point that death isn’t the end, he was raised to glory by the Father.

This is the unseen conviction we need to live life with– that it will all be worth it and that everything God promises will come to fruition. Walk convicted of the unseen.

…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3-4)

These are the characteristics of walking in worthiness. From reading the characteristics on this list, it is probably and highly likely that none of us reading this, or perhaps very few of us, actually embody these characteristics.

Maybe, perhaps we embody these characteristics to a degree and have limits to these characteristics because we don’t want to be stomped on by the society at large.

And there are those people whose very presence in our lives causes us to snap and take that unity and unite them with our fists.

But regardless, we walk far away from worthiness. I want to ponder for a moment: how can we embody these characteristics without being trampled by abusers and plain ‘ole jerk faced morons who try their best to bring us to a place where we’re at our worst?

The Apostle Paul simply says that we just need to look to Jesus who descended to humanity and “bear with us” even into death.

When we determine to be like Jesus the power of Jesus that has come down to us as he was resurrected from death will come upon us and give us the resolve to walk in worthiness.

The real question is, do you want to walk in a worthy manner? Better question, do you really believe Jesus gave you the power to walk in a worthy manner?

I want to say that you do want to walk in a worthy manner. Moreover, you know you have the power of Jesus to walk worthily.

So why not do that?

We are so easily defeated and disheartened by our circumstances. Only if we could find a better reason to get on to our knees and rely on the power of God in our situations.

So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father… (Ephesians 3:13-14 ESV)

The apostle was certain of his purpose in life.

Anything that happened to him as a result of living that life was considered a reason to be humbled before God so a supplication of power can be made and provided for him.

The train he doesn’t want a pity party is because Paul knew that when he got to place in life that required him to be humbled, it was a place for immense power to come forth.

God historically used situations that brought people to their knees as opportunities to do amazing things. If you don’t believe me, just look at the Easter story.

Jesus not only came to his knees, but he was broken and suffered death to save you and me. I wonder what you and I miss out on when we refuse to bend our knees and look to God for our everything when our circumstances are less than bleak.

I wonder how that power of God which is offered when we humble ourselves would change our circumstances and our outlook.

Perhaps it is exactly what we need for us today.

What a wonderful Redeemer we have in Jesus. Thank You for redeeming our past, present and future.

What a mighty Redeemer we have in Jesus. You have paid for us, ransomed us with Your precious blood.

What a Savior we have in Jesus. For our toils and hardships are nothing to compare.

What a sovereign Lord is Jesus. All our past, present and future secure in You.

What a loving Savior we have in Jesus. He by God’s side continues to intercede.

What an amazing love we have in Jesus. He heals and leads us to quiet streams.

What a compassionate Master we have in Jesus. He gives me peace that holds me fast.

What an everlasting strength we have in Jesus. Our hopes and sins, He bears.

What an eternal hope we have in Jesus. Who cares for us and brings us safely home.

While reading the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1), I recognized quite a few names. People who, despite their failings, still were carried through by God’s grace. Amazing.

Have you ever wondered why God was so patient? I know you probably don’t think this when you’re hurting or discouraged or have been wronged, but what about when you have hurt, wronged and discouraged others and thought to yourself, “why does God still forgive me?” I wonder often why God is so patient with me.

I know deep down inside that I couldn’t and wouldn’t be patient with somebody like me– so why would God, the creator of all the known and unknown universe be so patient?

But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:16 ESV)

The Apostle Paul writes to a young pastor in the first century why he thinks God is so patient– it is so that others can have hope in God for their salvation.

Let’s think about it for a moment, however bad or horrible you think you are, which you probably are, I’m not going to deny it, Paul was probably worse. Paul, being a Pharisee, should know better, especially since he describes himself as a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” but he still goes out intentionally does wrong. He is an accomplice to murder, formed mob riots, persecuted the innocent and most like, dealt with people in a bad way. Yet God picks him off to do work and is patient through all of his apparent shortcomings.

The reason for this– to show people that if Paul can be saved, so can anybody else. Let’s face it, God is not patient because he’s dead.

God is patient because he believes people can be saved when they look at your shortcomings and mistakes. Next time you wonder why God is so patient, you should give thanks because people will have an opportunity to have hope and you can be reassured of your salvation– God is patient so that we would have hope to believe in eternal life with him.

This Christmas season, let us remember that it was because of patience that God sent his Son Jesus to walk amongst impatient and unruly people like us. It is from this patience that we have any hope of salvation.