Latest / The Daily Word / July 13 – Don't Quit Now
Transcript
- Robert Rosales: Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, Lakeshore family, whatever time of day you're joining me today. Welcome to the Daily Word Podcast. I'm Robert Rosales, and alongside my wife, Yolanda, we have the honor of serving as campus pastors at our Gastonia location. This podcast is a simple space we share each day to slow down, open God's word, and pay attention to what he's saying. As a church family, we're committed to meeting with God daily, not out of routine, but out of relationship, through scripture, through prayer, and by capturing what the Holy Spirit is stirring in our hearts and how it connects to our everyday lives. We're walking together through the Life Journal Reading Plan, and today we'll be focusing on the New Testament portion from that plan. Now, just as a reminder and as an encouragement, When I invest time with the Lord, I try to keep things uncluttered. Just my Bible, my journal, something to write with, of course. And I like to use a highlighter to mark what stands out. At times, I also lean on a couple of trusted study tools to help me go a little deeper and stay grounded in the text. Not to replace God's word, but to help me listen more closely and understand more deeply. Don't forget. We're also using the soap method, scripture, observation, application, and prayer. That's found in our life journal. It's a simple and practical way not to just read the word, but to respond to God through what we're reading and what we're hearing. Now, before we jump into today's passage, take a moment with me. Let's prepare our hearts and say a quick word of prayer. Lord, As we open your word, we ask that you would open us by your spirit. Make your truth come alive in us. Give us ears to hear, hearts to receive, and courage to respond. Speak, Lord. We are listening. In Jesus' name. Amen. Okay, friends, today's passage for July 13th is Hebrews chapter 10. And I journaled from verses 35 and 36. Let me read those two verses to you out of the New King James Version. This is how it reads. Therefore, do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward, for you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. I love these verses. Here's the title of my journal entry Don't Quit Now. Come on, say it with me. Don't quit now. Here's my observation. To begin with, to understand these verses, we first need to consider the context. The believers addressed in Hebrews had already suffered greatly for their faith. They had endured persecution, public ridicule, imprisonment, and even the loss of their possessions. Yet they remained faithful. Because they believed they possessed something far greater than anything this world could offer. Now, however, time had passed, and the hardship had continued, and some had grown weary. Others were considering abandoning their faith in Christ altogether. The writer's message is simple but powerful. Don't quit now. He begins by saying, Do not throw away your confidence. The Greek word translated throw away literally means to cast aside or to discard, as though someone were throwing valuable cargo overboard during a storm. The picture is striking. Under the pressure of suffering, these believers were tempted to throw away the very confidence that had sustained them from the beginning. But what is this confidence? The Greek word is parasia, P-A-R-R-E-S-I-A, which means boldness, freedom, or fearless confidence. This is not confidence in ourselves, our abilities, or our circumstances. Throughout Hebrews, this confidence is rooted entirely in Christ. Because of his finished work, believers have confidence to approach God's throne of grace. That was Hebrews 4 16. And confidence to enter God's presence through the blood of Christ, that was Hebrews 10 19, their confidence rested in who Christ is and in the certainty of God's promises. The writer is essentially saying, Don't abandon your confidence in Christ, hold tightly to the assurance that brought you this far. He then adds that this confidence has a great reward. This reward certainly includes the eternal inheritance waiting for every believer, but it also speaks of God's approval, spiritual maturity, and the fulfillment of God's promises. God honors those who continue trusting Him. Next, the writer explains why confidence alone is not enough. He says you have need of endurance. The Greek word for endurance is hupomone, H Y P O is in Mary, O N E. And it's one of the richest words in the New Testament. It literally means to remain under. It describes someone who stays faithful under pressure instead of trying to escape it or giving up. Endurance is not passive waiting or simply tolerating difficult circumstances. It is the steadfast determination to continue trusting God and obeying Him while the pressure remains. This teaches us an important truth. Faith is not merely believing God in a single moment, faith is continuing to believe him over time. Anyone can trust God when prayers are answered immediately or when circumstances are favorable. Biblical faith continues to trust God even when the answers seem delayed and the road becomes difficult. The writer then explains the purpose of endurance. Listen, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. Notice the order: God gives the promise first, then comes obedience, then endurance, finally comes the fulfillment of the promise. This pattern is repeated throughout scripture. Think about it. Abraham received God's promise long before he saw Isaac born. Noah obeyed God for many years before the flood came. Moses chose obedience long before Israel entered the promised land. Again and again, God's people lived in the space between receiving his promise and experiencing its fulfillment. That space is where faith is tested and where endurance becomes necessary. These re these verses reveal an important principle. Here it is. There's often a gap between God's promise and God's fulfillment. During that gap, believers are called to continue trusting, obeying, and persevering. Faith is what enables us to believe God's word. Endurance is what keeps that faith alive until the promise becomes reality. Come on, somebody say amen. So the central message of these verses can be summarized like this. Faith gives us confidence in God's promises. Endurance enables us to keep believing while we wait. Obedience is what faith looks like during the waiting. And those who continue trusting God will ultimately receive everything He has promised according to His perfect timing. Here's the application. How does this apply to my life? These verses are a great reminder for me. Don't quit now. Exclamation mark. There's so many things I'm believing God for, and this revelation couldn't have been timelier. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will not cast away my confidence. I will stand in endurance and I will receive the promises that God has for me. Friend, what about you? I realize the enemy's working over time to keep us from receiving what God has for us. But we must refuse to give him any ground. I will stay in the word, stay in faith, and keep doing what God's asked me to do, fully expecting that I will receive my reward. Amen. Come on, pray with me. Father God, thank you for speaking to us today through your word. Thank you for reminding us to never quit. Holy Spirit, I thank you for leading us, strengthening us, and guiding us into what God has for us. I pray for everyone listening to this podcast, and I ask that you encourage them also. Remind them that they have no need to ever, ever quit. Strengthen them and help them endure. Help them to remain under pressure so that they may receive the promise that you have spoken over their lives. I ask these things in Jesus' name. Everybody said, Amen. Hey Lakeshore family, thanks for joining me on today's Daily Word podcast. I hope this encourages you to stay faithful to the Word and sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. God bless you, and we'll catch you again tomorrow.