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Hello to ya today, welcome back to the podcast (and if you’re new to the show, can I just say how excited I am that you’re listening today?). You know, talking about the promises God has given us in the Bible is a privilege that I am highly aware of and so grateful for. And today, we are looking at a promise found in the book of Hebrews that will encourage us and bless us in so many ways. R...
Connect with Jan here:
Instagram @JanLBurt
TikTok @JanLBurt
Facebook Jan L. Burt Author & Podcaster Page
Hello to ya today, welcome back to the podcast (and if you’re new to the show, can I just say how excited I am that you’re listening today?). You know, talking about the promises God has given us in the Bible is a privilege that I am highly aware of and so grateful for. And today, we are looking at a promise found in the book of Hebrews that will encourage us and bless us in so many ways. Ready to talk about? Let’s jump right in.
You’re listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show podcast, part of the Spark Network, now playing via the Edifi app. This is episode number 143.
Hebrews 6:13-20 NLT
13 For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:
14
“I will certainly bless you,
and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.”[c]
15 Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.
16 Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. 17 God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. 18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Chapter 7, verse 25 -
25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save[e] those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
These are incredible verses of encouragement for us!
Here we are, followers of Jesus in 2023, who can bank on the fact that these words are true for us. They are for us, and they show us that our God is for us.
It’s really easy to lose that truth, isn’t it? Sure, this is great stuff, but my life doesn’t seem so great right now and anyway, maybe this just isn’t meant for me, doesn’t apply to me.
Look, if it is for freedom that Jesus set you free, and it is according to the book of Galatians, then these verses are for you and they are not for down the road, later on, to give you hope that is far out there somewhere, but leave you hopeless in the here and now. That sounds like a ploy the devil, our sworn mortal enemy if you will, would use. Oh, sure, give ‘em some hope, but extend it out into the future, into a vastness… If we get on that path and stay on that path, eventually we will walk that path directly into a pit of discouragement. The Lord wants to encourage you now, as in RIGHT NOW. And when the future gets here, when later on become right now, He will encourage you again. But you don’t need to wait around until the time comes when God’s promises and His encouragement will be for you. This is for you, and it is for now, today, this very moment.
Do you think Abraham had any encouragement and blessing from walking as closely with the Lord as he did? Or do you think he only had despair as he awaited the fulfillment of God’s promise? Do you think we can learn anything from the life and the attitude of Abraham? Of course we can! Abraham waited patiently, and then he received what God had promised.
Good counsel, solid advice. If God has made you a specific promise and it hasn’t happened YET, keep waiting with patience, with expectancy, growing in your belief that what He said is what will be, and as you wait, keep loving the Lord with passion and fervency. When the promise is fulfilled, will it be sweet or will it be bittersweet? One of those is a better choice, by far.
It goes on to talk about binding oaths. Look, people used to take it really seriously when they used the words, “I swear!” And Jesus took those words so seriously that He said we should not swear by or on anything or anyone, but let our yes be yes and our no be no. Oaths must be serious then, right?
God bound HImself with this oath.
Think about that for a moment.
He bound Himself.
So that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that He would never change His mind. Can you even?
Like, why do we ever give ourselves permission to feed our doubts? To fuel our own fears? To wonder and then to wander? When The God who bound Himself with an oath did so in order that we could be perfectly sure He will never, ever change His mind.
A promise made is a promise kept with our God.
That’s who my God is. This God of the Bible, He has never broken a promise.
Vs 18 says God has given His promise and His oath.
These two things are unchangeable. It is impossible for God to lie.
Okay, so I guess if I had to get down to the heart of this episode, the one handful of words that I want to stick with you like glue, it’s this right here.
It. Is. Impossible. For. God. To. Lie.
Ain’t gonna happen, my friend. Ain’t gonna happen to you because it isn’t possible. Zero percent probability.
It is impossible for your God to lie to you.
Can I be more direct somehow? More blunt? More frank with you?
In the military, they say, “Permission to speak freely, sir.” and the reply is usually, “Permission granted.”
I’m speaking freely to you, and doing so with the permission granted by Hebrews 6:18
This is the truth. My question is, is this your personal truth?
How are you doing at living as if this is true for you? This promise that it is impossible for God to lie? How are things in that department of your life?
Listen up, buttercup; this promise is reality whether or not you believe it. It’s true, so why not just accept that and move forward knowing it as a fact?
Isn’t believing this a big, big part of receiving and living in God’s love? His very personal, completely unending love for you?
Let me read all of verse 18 once more: So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.
Have you fled to Him for refuge? If you know Jesus, you have given your life to Him, received His payment for your sins, then you have indeed fled to Him for refuge. (And important to note here, if you have done that but have not yet been baptized, don’t wait. We have two sacraments, those are communion and baptism. Go ahead and get baptized as soon as possible if you have yet to do so.)
So those who have fled to the Lord for refuge can, and should, have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.
Look, not everything has come to pass yet, right? So hold on! Keep holding on! Do not let go! And have great confidence because you aren’t holding on to thin air, to anything this world offers, to yourself or to your pastor or spouse or parents. You are holding on to hope, and that hope actually has a name. Jesus.
This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.
Strong and trustworthy. Not weak and unworthy of our trust. Do we act like this is true? Boy, we sure ought to. Nothing weak about our God. Nothing untrustworthy about Jesus. And it leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. (Talk about this briefly.) Here is what verse 20 says: 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Sometimes I really do think we forget how blessed we are, how good we have it, what has been given to us by Jesus. These verses help me remember what I am far too inclined to forget in the day-to-day.
Now we jump to the next part of the book of Hebrews, chapter 7, verse 25.
25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save[e] those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
Huge, huge promise here. He, Jesus, is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him.
And He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
Did you catch that? Like, did that hit you upside the head and sort of rattle your cage and startle you? It should! Every time we read or hear this verse we should be startled!
He’s got you. And He lives to intercede for you.
He is taking you before the throne of the Father today and interceding for you.
Is that not great news? A great reminder that you never, ever walk alone through the things in this life, not one single thing and not for one single moment?
He cannot lie to you. That would be impossible. And He always intercedes for you. Which makes all things possible.
Once more for the folks in the back.
Hebrews teaches us that God cannot lie to you - that would be impossible.
And Jesus always intercedes for you - which makes all things possible.
Today, I want to encourage you to lean the full weight of your life, all the ups and downs and ins and outs of it, onto these verses. They are yours, my friend. And they are yours right now, today, in this very hour.
Thanks so much for listening today. I’d love to connect with you and you can find me via the social medias at the links at the top of the show notes for this episode. And to all who shared the last several episodes, thank you so much. Getting the Word of God spread as far and wide as possible is the goal, and I am very blessed to be a small part of what the Lord is doing in this world. See you next time and Lord bless you today!
