1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:12,709 Speaker 1: Life Audio Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, 2 00:00:13,770 --> 00:00:18,450 Speaker 1: a calming, Scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end 3 00:00:18,590 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: each day with God's Word in your mind and on 4 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsors, 5 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:41,900 Speaker 1: we'll reflect on tonight's scriptures. Hebrews chapter 6. Tonight's scripture 6 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:46,500 Speaker 1: reflection is written by Clarence Haynes and read by Leah Gerard. 7 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:54,660 Speaker 1: Hebrews chapter 6. Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary 8 00:00:54,740 --> 00:00:59,790 Speaker 1: teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity. not 9 00:00:59,850 --> 00:01:03,010 Speaker 1: laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that led 10 00:01:03,070 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, 11 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, 12 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:14,100 Speaker 1: and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so. 13 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,860 Speaker 1: It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, 14 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,649 Speaker 1: who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in 15 00:01:22,690 --> 00:01:25,830 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the 16 00:01:25,870 --> 00:01:28,650 Speaker 1: Word of God and the powers of the coming age, 17 00:01:29,250 --> 00:01:32,730 Speaker 1: and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. 18 00:01:33,730 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: To their loss, they are crucifying the Son of God 19 00:01:36,860 --> 00:01:42,140 Speaker 1: all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace. Land 20 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,179 Speaker 1: that drinks in the rain often falling on it and 21 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: that produces a crop useful to those for whom it 22 00:01:48,140 --> 00:01:53,190 Speaker 1: is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that 23 00:01:53,230 --> 00:01:57,770 Speaker 1: produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger 24 00:01:57,830 --> 00:02:00,420 Speaker 1: of being cursed. In the end, it will be burned. 25 00:02:02,470 --> 00:02:05,330 Speaker 1: Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are 26 00:02:05,390 --> 00:02:08,610 Speaker 1: convinced of better things in your case, the things that 27 00:02:08,650 --> 00:02:13,250 Speaker 1: have to do with salvation. God is not unjust. He 28 00:02:13,290 --> 00:02:16,309 Speaker 1: will not forget your work and the love you've shown Him, 29 00:02:17,210 --> 00:02:20,130 Speaker 1: as you have helped His people and continue to help them. 30 00:02:21,850 --> 00:02:24,380 Speaker 1: We want each of you to show this same diligence 31 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,139 Speaker 1: to the very end, so that what you hope for 32 00:02:27,690 --> 00:02:31,670 Speaker 1: may be fully realized. We do not want you to 33 00:02:31,730 --> 00:02:35,700 Speaker 1: become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and 34 00:02:35,740 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: patience inherit what has been promised. When God made his 35 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,260 Speaker 1: promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for 36 00:02:44,300 --> 00:02:48,660 Speaker 1: him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, I 37 00:02:48,770 --> 00:02:52,890 Speaker 1: will surely bless you and give you many descendants. And 38 00:02:52,950 --> 00:02:57,329 Speaker 1: so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what he was promised. 39 00:02:58,740 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 1: People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath 40 00:03:02,139 --> 00:03:05,700 Speaker 1: confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 41 00:03:06,900 --> 00:03:10,260 Speaker 1: Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His 42 00:03:10,340 --> 00:03:14,350 Speaker 1: purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, 43 00:03:15,230 --> 00:03:19,230 Speaker 1: He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so 44 00:03:19,270 --> 00:03:22,889 Speaker 1: that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible 45 00:03:22,950 --> 00:03:26,130 Speaker 1: for God to lie, we who have fled to take 46 00:03:26,210 --> 00:03:29,940 Speaker 1: hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 47 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 1: We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, 48 00:03:34,180 --> 00:03:38,210 Speaker 1: firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the 49 00:03:38,250 --> 00:03:42,150 Speaker 1: curtain where our forerunner Jesus has entered on our behalf. 50 00:03:43,330 --> 00:03:46,830 Speaker 1: He has become a high priest forever in the order 51 00:03:46,970 --> 00:03:54,950 Speaker 1: of Melchizedek. Promises are great, but they're only as good 52 00:03:55,550 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: as the person making them. We all know people who 53 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: have said they're going to do something, and their word 54 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:06,700 Speaker 1: is as useless as an umbrella in a hurricane. However, 55 00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:12,430 Speaker 1: God's promises are different. They are that way because He 56 00:04:12,490 --> 00:04:16,710 Speaker 1: made them, but more importantly because He always keeps them. 57 00:04:17,990 --> 00:04:21,570 Speaker 1: Yet there's one little challenge we all experience when we're 58 00:04:21,589 --> 00:04:24,770 Speaker 1: waiting for God's promise to be fulfilled. We don't know 59 00:04:24,870 --> 00:04:28,750 Speaker 1: when it will happen. It would be so much easier 60 00:04:29,150 --> 00:04:32,529 Speaker 1: if God always said, on this date, at this time, 61 00:04:33,050 --> 00:04:36,070 Speaker 1: this is what I'm going to do. Most of the time, 62 00:04:36,570 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: that's not how it works. Instead, we must trust that 63 00:04:41,150 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: He will do what He says, even when we don't 64 00:04:45,020 --> 00:04:49,160 Speaker 1: know when. So how, then, do you cling to His 65 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 1: promises when they're delayed? And how do you avoid allowing 66 00:04:54,060 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 1: doubt to start creeping in? One thing you can do 67 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: is look at God's track record. Looking through the Bible 68 00:05:02,700 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: and back through your own life, you will see a 69 00:05:05,740 --> 00:05:11,740 Speaker 1: record of God's faithfulness. Sometimes you must remind yourself of this. 70 00:05:12,779 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: Remember how you just happened to run into the right 71 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,850 Speaker 1: person who opened a door for you? Or consider the 72 00:05:19,890 --> 00:05:24,050 Speaker 1: provision that came through exactly when you needed it? Maybe 73 00:05:24,070 --> 00:05:27,790 Speaker 1: it was the person praying for your exact situation without 74 00:05:27,830 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: you saying a word. These things may seem small, but 75 00:05:32,620 --> 00:05:37,020 Speaker 1: they're reminders that God sees your situation and He will 76 00:05:37,500 --> 00:05:42,140 Speaker 1: come through. If you are believing in God for something, 77 00:05:43,020 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: keep believing He is true to His word and know 78 00:05:46,900 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: that He will not fail you. According to the writer 79 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:54,510 Speaker 1: of Hebrews, it is impossible for God to lie And 80 00:05:54,570 --> 00:05:59,430 Speaker 1: that truth is what anchors our souls, even when we 81 00:05:59,589 --> 00:06:07,790 Speaker 1: don't know when it will happen. God, today I'm trusting 82 00:06:07,990 --> 00:06:11,510 Speaker 1: what you have said in your word. You've made promises, 83 00:06:12,270 --> 00:06:17,030 Speaker 1: but more importantly, you have kept your promises. I pray 84 00:06:17,130 --> 00:06:20,070 Speaker 1: today that you will give me the courage to keep 85 00:06:20,310 --> 00:06:23,870 Speaker 1: trusting you, even when nothing is happening or the situation 86 00:06:23,890 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: looks bleak. Remind me that you honor your word and 87 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: that everything you say, you will do. Help my faith 88 00:06:34,140 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: to remain strong, and when I'm worried, remind me of 89 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:41,500 Speaker 1: who you are. You have never forsaken me, and you 90 00:06:41,540 --> 00:06:45,250 Speaker 1: won't stop now. Thank you for walking with me through 91 00:06:45,290 --> 00:06:49,370 Speaker 1: this process, and help me not to neglect the lessons 92 00:06:49,410 --> 00:06:55,780 Speaker 1: that I will learn I pray all this in Jesus' name. 93 00:06:56,779 --> 00:06:57,099 Speaker 2: Amen. 94 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: How did tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts 95 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,740 Speaker 1: in the Your Nightly Scripture Forum discussion. 96 00:07:15,500 --> 00:07:20,020 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture 97 00:07:20,050 --> 00:07:24,170 Speaker 2: is a was read from the New International Version by Biblica. 98 00:07:25,170 --> 00:07:30,570 Speaker 2: All rights reserved. Be sure to follow our sister show, 99 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 2: Your Daily Bible Verse, on Apple or Spotify. By following 100 00:07:36,260 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 2: Your Daily Bible Verse and Your Nightly Scripture, you can 101 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:45,250 Speaker 2: be sure that your day begins and ends centered on 102 00:07:45,260 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 2: the Word of God. Thank you.