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online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen
&
Brooksyne Weber
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encouragement and exhortation.
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Monday,
January 16, 2023
"Let
Us Hold
Tightly!"
Message
summary:
Rest in this
wonderful
assurance
today and join
me in holding
tightly to our
hope in
Christ!
Your abdominal muscles surround your trunk between the rib cage and pelvis and keep your abdominal organs safe. Your core abdominal muscles also support your trunk and allow movements while keeping your body stable and balanced. Unless you've had a problem you rarely if ever even consider these vital muscles.
Daily
prayer: Father,
in this
ever-changing
society where
transition
beckons us
daily, You are
the Changeless
One. As we
hold tightly
to the hope we
profess we
will not be
swayed to the
right nor to
the left. And
we hold to
this hope
because You
are faithful
to Your Word
and Your
divine
character.
Though the
heavens are
silent at
times and the
world
continues to
slide into
decadence and
intolerance
toward true
Christians we
remain
faithful. We
will hold on a
little while
longer and
shine as
lights in this
dark world so
that we can
influence as
many as
possible. As
we hold
unswervingly
to the hope we
profess we
will not give
up due to
weariness,
weakness, or a
wayward heart,
for Your
unchanging
truth makes
the triumph
sure. We
joyfully have
enlisted as a
soldier in
Your Christian
army and
choose to be
led by Your
grace divine.
Amen.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"Let
us hold
tightly
without
wavering to
the hope we
affirm, for
God can be
trusted to
keep His
promise"
(Hebrews
10:23).
"Strengthen
the hands that
are weak and
the knees that
are feeble"
(Hebrews
12:12).
If
you feel today
that you can't
make it
Keep holdin' on, cause you can take it
If you hold on a little while longer
Hold on a little while longer
Hold on a little while longer
Hold on
Keep holdin' on, cause you can take it
If you hold on a little while longer
Hold on a little while longer
Hold on a little while longer
Hold on
Your abdominal muscles surround your trunk between the rib cage and pelvis and keep your abdominal organs safe. Your core abdominal muscles also support your trunk and allow movements while keeping your body stable and balanced. Unless you've had a problem you rarely if ever even consider these vital muscles.
But
recovering
from the
abdominal
surgery I had
two weeks ago
I am very
aware of their
importance!
About every
movement you
make in one
way or another
uses these
muscles.
I
was
considering
this in regard
to an exercise
in gym class
now over 50
years ago.
Most all of us
can recall our
Physical
Education (Gym)
classes from
Elementary
through High
School.
I thoroughly
enjoyed my PE
classes all
through my
growing up
years,
concluding at
Truman High
School in
Independence,
MO since I was
reasonably
athletic.
One
of the
optional
conditioning
exercises
included
several large
thick climbing
ropes that
hung down from
the gymnasium
ceiling.
Students would
take turns
shimmying up
the ropes to
the ceiling of
the gym and
then back
down. As I
recall I
needed to use
my legs as
well, unlike
the man in the
photo. You
have to be
really strong
to climb using
only your
arms!
Do schools still provide these climbing ropes? It does seem like there could be a safety factor and thus dreaded liability since, in my high school days, it was just the climber and the rope. However I don't recall hearing of any accidents. Now they probably have all kinds of safety features and tethering.
One
of the
optional
conditioning
exercises
included
several large
thick climbing
ropes that
hung down from
the gymnasium
ceiling.
Students would
take turns
shimmying up
the ropes to
the ceiling of
the gym and
then back
down. As I
recall I
needed to use
my legs as
well, unlike
the man in the
photo. You
have to be
really strong
to climb using
only your
arms!Do schools still provide these climbing ropes? It does seem like there could be a safety factor and thus dreaded liability since, in my high school days, it was just the climber and the rope. However I don't recall hearing of any accidents. Now they probably have all kinds of safety features and tethering.
Climbing
the rope
requires not
only strong
abdominal
muscles which
prompted the
memory but
also a tight
grip. In life
there are many
ways in which
it is
imperative
that we keep a
tight grip
such as our
commitment to
our faith in
Christ, our
marriage, our
family, our
health, our
doctrine and
our integrity.
The most
essential
aspect of a
tight grip is
seen in our
daily text: "Let
us hold
tightly
without
wavering to
the hope we
affirm, for
God can be
trusted to
keep His
promise."
Other versions
state, "Let
us hold fast
without
wavering"
and
"Without
wavering, let
us hold
tightly".
The text
begins with
the words "Let
us" which
is known as
the hortatory
subjunctive.
This is my
favorite
preaching and
writing style
whether I am
the listener,
reader, the
preacher or
writer. One of
the first
sermons I ever
preached was
from Hebrews
and throughout
the message I
repeatedly
used the
phrase "Let
us". After
the message
Jeff, a Bible
College
friend,
thanked me for
the salad
sermon
(lettuce)!
The author of Hebrews uses this phrase "let us" twelve times. When I read this book or hear sermons preached using this phrase (also known technically as the cohortatory) I am encouraged, as it seems the author or preacher is leading me, not pushing me. The writer conveys that he was facing the same circumstances as his readers so he presents a form of personal resolve in his writing.
I believe today's text is the singular key text in the entire book of Hebrews. This call to faithfulness is directed to the earliest believers who were the initial recipients of this Scripture and to all others through the ages of the Church, including each of us today. That's a vital way we read the Scriptures.
We are to "hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm". Of course primarily this hope we affirm is the hope we have in Christ. Earlier in the book of Hebrews we read, "We desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end" (Hebrews 6:11).
And this hope we affirm is absolutely secure, "for God can be trusted to keep His promise." Rest in this wonderful assurance today and join me in holding tightly to our hope in Christ!
The author of Hebrews uses this phrase "let us" twelve times. When I read this book or hear sermons preached using this phrase (also known technically as the cohortatory) I am encouraged, as it seems the author or preacher is leading me, not pushing me. The writer conveys that he was facing the same circumstances as his readers so he presents a form of personal resolve in his writing.
I believe today's text is the singular key text in the entire book of Hebrews. This call to faithfulness is directed to the earliest believers who were the initial recipients of this Scripture and to all others through the ages of the Church, including each of us today. That's a vital way we read the Scriptures.
We are to "hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm". Of course primarily this hope we affirm is the hope we have in Christ. Earlier in the book of Hebrews we read, "We desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end" (Hebrews 6:11).
And this hope we affirm is absolutely secure, "for God can be trusted to keep His promise." Rest in this wonderful assurance today and join me in holding tightly to our hope in Christ!
Weeping may
endure for the
night
But if you trust in Jesus
Everything's gonna be all right
Just hold on a little while longer
Hold on a little while longer
Hold on a little while longer
Hold on, Hold on
But if you trust in Jesus
Everything's gonna be all right
Just hold on a little while longer
Hold on a little while longer
Hold on a little while longer
Hold on, Hold on
Stephen
and Brooksyne
Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
in this
ever-changing
society where
transition
beckons us
daily, You are
the Changeless
One. As we
hold tightly
to the hope we
profess we
will not be
swayed to the
right nor to
the left. And
we hold to
this hope
because You
are faithful
to Your Word
and Your
divine
character.
Though the
heavens are
silent at
times and the
world
continues to
slide into
decadence and
intolerance
toward true
Christians we
remain
faithful. We
will hold on a
little while
longer and
shine as
lights in this
dark world so
that we can
influence as
many as
possible. As
we hold
unswervingly
to the hope we
profess we
will not give
up due to
weariness,
weakness, or a
wayward heart,
for Your
unchanging
truth makes
the triumph
sure. We
joyfully have
enlisted as a
soldier in
Your Christian
army and
choose to be
led by Your
grace divine.
Amen.
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radioPermissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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