Day By Day By Grace

Bob Hoekstra

November 11, 2008

Another Consequence of Accessing Grace through Faith

Who through faith... obtained promises. (Hebrews 11:33a)

In our present section of scripture, we have begun to consider a
summarized testimony of God's servants who experienced various
consequences of accessing grace through faith. Two of these results
were they "subdued kingdoms" and "worked righteousness." These are
wonderful realities, but these accounts show that relying upon the Lord
can produce more consequences than these.

Another rich blessing that came from trusting in God was they "obtained
promises." Jeremiah, a mighty prophet of God, certainly experienced the
benefit of fulfilled promises from the Lord. He was given a challenging
calling to tear down entrenched ungodliness that a fresh work of God
might begin. "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have
this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out
and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant"
(Jeremiah 1:9-10). The religious establishment would come strongly
against him, but God promised to sustain and protect him." 'They will
fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am
with you,' says the LORD, 'to deliver you' " (Jeremiah 1:19). The
promised opposition surely came. "Therefore the princes said to the
king, 'Please, let this man be put to death'...So they took Jeremiah
and cast him into the dungeon...which was in the court of the prison"
(Jeremiah 38:4, 6). More importantly, the promised rescue came as well.
"So they pulled Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the
dungeon. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison...then they
sent someone to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and
committed him to Gedaliah...that he should take him home. So he dwelt
among the people" (Jeremiah 38:13; 39:14). Even more importantly, the
Lord continued to speak to and through His servant in the midst of it
all. "Now the word of the LORD had come to Jeremiah while he was shut
up in the court of the prison" (Jeremiah 39:15).

We may not have a prophetic calling exactly like Jeremiah. However, we
are all called "to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for
all delivered to the saints" (Jude v. 3). If we faithfully respond,
many will oppose us as well. We, too, will need to "obtain promises."
We will need to rely upon the fulfillment of God's promised protection.
"He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'...So we
may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man
do to me?' " (Hebrews 13:5-6).

Lord God of promises, I need to obtain Your promises. I need to entrust
myself to Your promised work in my life. So, I look to You again, not
only to protect me as I serve You daily, but also to sustain the
ministry You have given to me, in Jesus' name, Amen.