Episode 128: Part 2 - Some Keys to Endurance/Steadfastness - Hebrews 10, 11, 12, and 13

PART 2 – SOME KEYS TO ENDURANCE  James 4:6 – But He gives (a) GREATER Grace / MORE grace   Other Definitions – 1. Being “gracious”/ “grace-oriented” – 2. Saved by Grace” (undeserved favor)  Grace? charis (gk) - “the power of God to enable Christians to live the new life in Christ” Divine Enablement - “an influence that produces a result… it is the essence, the energy, the power and working wrought within as HE DOES for us, to us, in us, and through us! God’s grace, divine grace, then, is DIVINE ENABLEMENT!”  Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. ****THE KEYS**** 1.  ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE Heb. 10:34 - For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one Heb. 11:13-16 – 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Heb. 13:13-14 - 13 Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.  James 4:14 - …What is your life? For you are a mist (a vapor) that appears for a little time and then vanishes  2.  DEAL WITH FEAR Heb. 11:23 - By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, …and they [his parents] were not afraid of the king's edict.  Heb. 11:27- By faith he [Moses] left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.  Heb. 11:33 - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight Heb. 13:5-6 - 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Rev. 21:7 (Cowards?) - 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” 3.  GATHER IN PERSON Heb. 10:24-25 - 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.  John MacArthur - "Look, Zoom church is not church. It’s not church; it’s watching TV. There’s nothing, there’s nothing about that that fulfills the biblical definition of coming together: stimulating one another to love and good works, coming together, singing, speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord, sitting under the Word of God, praying together, being led by those who preach the Word and open the Scripture. The definition of a church is crystal clear in the New Testament; we see the picture of it. They came together on the first day of the week. They worshiped the Lord. They prayed; we know it was the apostles’ doctrine, prayer. It was fellowship, and it was the breaking of bread in the Lord’s Supper. So the church is defined clearly, and it’s the communion of the saints,(continued)