August 18-22

Real Faith is Demonstrated by Our Perseverance

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. — (Hebrews 6:9–12)

Years ago, a marathon runner in the London Marathon collapsed just a few hundred yards from the finish line. Instead of being carried off the course, he insisted on crawling, literally on hands and knees, to the finish. The crowd roared as he crossed the line, exhausted but triumphant. His determination wasn’t about winning a medal; it was about finishing well.

The Christian life is more like a marathon than a sprint. The writer of Hebrews encourages believers to keep showing love, keep serving, and keep holding onto hope “until the end.” Perseverance is the proof of genuine faith—not perfection, but persistence. Real faith doesn’t fizzle out when things get tough; it leans into Christ when the race feels long. Pastor Jim often reminds us that the question isn’t just Did you start? But how will you finish?

Today, you might feel tired in the race. Maybe ministry has worn you down, relationships are strained, or unanswered prayers feel heavy. But God sees your faithful love and service, and He is not unjust—He will not forget. Press on, not in your own strength, but in His, knowing that through faith and patience you will inherit what He has promised.

Reflection Questions:
1. What practical step can you take today to keep persevering in your faith journey?
2. Who is an example of faith and patience in your life that you can imitate?

Prayer:
Lord, strengthen me to keep running the race You’ve set before me. Help me persevere with joy and hope, knowing You see and remember every act of service for Your name. Amen.

Real Faith is Secured by God’s Promise

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. — (Hebrews 6:13–15)

In 1914, explorer Ernest Shackleton planned an expedition to Antarctica. Before leaving, he posted an ad in the newspaper: “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.” Hundreds applied, not because of comfort, but because they trusted Shackleton’s word and leadership.

If people can stake their lives on a human promise, how much more can we trust the God who cannot lie? The writer points to Abraham, who waited decades for God to fulfill His word. God didn’t just promise; He swore by Himself, guaranteeing the outcome by His own character. Our faith is not secured by our performance but by God’s unchanging nature.

When doubt creeps in, remember: God’s promises are as sure today as the day He spoke them. His timeline may stretch your patience, but His faithfulness never wavers. Like Abraham, we can wait with confidence, knowing that the One who made the promise is both willing and able to keep it.

Reflection Questions:
1. Which promise of God do you most need to hold onto right now?
2. How has God proven His faithfulness to you in the past?

Prayer:
Father, thank You for being a God who keeps His word. Help me trust Your timing and rest in the security of Your promises. Amen.

Real Faith is Secured by God’s Promise

For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes, an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 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 6:16–18)

In a courtroom, witnesses swear on a Bible, pledging to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” The oath isn’t what makes the truth true; it’s meant to assure everyone listening that what’s being said can be trusted.

God didn’t have to give us an oath; His word is enough, but He did, to give us “strong encouragement” to hold on to hope. His promise and His oath are the “two unchangeable things” the writer mentions. That means our hope rests on a double guarantee: God’s character and His word.

For believers, this hope is not wishful thinking; it’s confident assurance. We’ve “fled for refuge” in Christ, like someone running into a fortress in the middle of a storm. The waves may pound, but the walls hold firm.

Reflection Questions:
1. What does it mean for you personally to “hold fast to the hope set before us”?
2. How does God’s unchanging character encourage you when life feels unstable?

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for giving me both Your promise and Your oath. Help me cling to hope no matter the storms that come my way. Amen.

Real Faith is Anchored in Christ’s Presence

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. — (Hebrews 6:19–20)

During a storm in 2019, a massive cargo ship lost power just off the coast of Norway. The crew dropped anchor, and despite 40-foot waves, the ship held fast until rescue came. Without that anchor, they would have been at the mercy of the wind and waves.

The anchor of our faith is Jesus Himself, sure and steadfast. But unlike a ship’s anchor that drops down into the ocean, our anchor rises upward into the very presence of God. Jesus has gone “behind the curtain” as our High Priest, interceding for us in heaven. Because He is there, our hope is secure here.

Life’s storms may batter us, but they cannot break us when we’re anchored in Christ. The winds may shift, the waves may rise, but our connection to Him holds firm.

Reflection Questions:
1. How does knowing Jesus is your High Priest encourage you today?
2. What storms in your life right now require you to trust His anchoring presence?

Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for being my anchor in every storm. Keep me steady and secure in Your presence until the day I see You face to face. Amen

Profession or Possession?

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation… We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul… — (Hebrews 6:9–20)

A tourist once asked a local fisherman if the waters near his village were deep. The fisherman smiled and said, “They’re deep enough to drown the careless, but shallow enough for those who know where to stand.”

Faith is like that. It’s one thing to say you have it; it’s another to actually live it out. Hebrews 6 draws a line between mere profession (words without roots) and possession (faith anchored in Christ). Real faith perseveres, rests in God’s promises, and remains anchored in Christ’s presence.

The question for each of us is simple but searching: Is my faith just talk, or is it a living trust in Jesus? The answer isn’t found in religious appearances but in the ongoing reality of perseverance, trust, and hope in Him.

Reflection Questions:
1. Is your faith today more of a profession or a possession? Why?
2. What step can you take to deepen your walk with Jesus this week?

Prayer:
Lord, I don’t want to just talk about faith. I want to live it. Anchor me in Your presence, help me trust Your promises, and give me the strength to persevere until the end. Amen.