Mid-year Review

Hebrews 10:22-25

What have we done so far

Every year we made new years resolution, what is it? Faith & Ministry, Financial & career, Family, Self improvement This week is the 26th week of the year meaning, the mid-year, review what weve done so far, have we failed? Have we succeeded?

 Now what's the trouble with good resolutions? The problem is not the resolutions but the weakness of human nature, the frailty and inconsistency of human nature. You see, we need the grace of God to make these resolutions and to adhere to them and to stick to them and to keep to them.

Four points to pounder after review

Hebrew 10: 22 - Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith; the assurance of faith Hebrew 10: 23 - Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; holding the truth Hebrew 10: 24 - Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; encouraging Hebrew 10: 25 - Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together; Gods work and the congregation

The assurance of faith

Hebrew 10:22 What is your resolution with God this year?? Our relationship with God its like a graph, ups (on fire with God, read bible everyday) and downs ( sinned, reluctant to read bible), where are we right now? Word assurance meaning; freedom from doubt, a binding commitment to do or give or refrain from something, a statement intended to inspire confidence.

We need assurance from?

Salvation (important), Philippians 2:12b-13 "...work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure To work out your own salvation is to solve by means of going to the very source of our salvation, going into the Word to renew our hearts and minds and to come into His presence with "fear and trembling." The fear spoken here in NOT a fear of running from God, but a different type of fear, a "reverence". A fear of not knowing that causes us to seek God and His presence. "Trembling" refers to a shaking due to weakness, but this is also a weakness of higher purpose-a weakness that brings us to depend on God.

 If not assure because struggles with sins The Word of God tells you that "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins... 1 john 1:9

 Futures, Ask and you shall received You mustn't allow yourselves to get into that state of mind in which we are like a ship in the doldrums - maybe that's a phrase no longer used, but in the old days of sailing ships they were dependent entirely upon wind and wave, and if the wind was not blowing then the ship wouldn't move and it was said to be 'in the doldrums' and it had to wait, maybe for weeks, until a favorable wind blew again (or even an unfavorable one; but they couldn't move at any rate when there was no wind). They were becalmed, as they said, and they had just to wait. Don't be in that position! Cry to God to send the winds to blow your ship in the direction of assurance. We are not the victims of circumstance in the matter of assurance. It is no virtue to lack assurance as the people of God.

Holding the truth

Hebrew 10 : 23 we must hold fast to the good old truths of the Word of God. Do the right thing in the marketplace, in studies. To stand out for your faith. The power of His blood, the cross, the death, the resurrection is real, heaven is real, hell is real. Read and dig deep to the bible, having DID with leaders, reading books, resource to enrich your faith Many false hope, false prophet

 New age movement; you have a God particle in you, you are like a coin, have a human side and a Godly side, meditate and concentrate to gain what you want If we dont have a strong foundation, we will be in trouble

Encouraging
Hebrew 10:24 "Some people bring out the best in you and some people bring out the worst in you." Now this is what's meant by a provoking. here are some people, and when you meet them they bring out the very worst in you; they make you irritable, bad tempered, they make you impatient, you want to stamp your foot. You can't say why they do it; it's just something in them. Their manner is so awkward. They're so difficult. Now, he says, "Provoke one another to love and to good works." How do we do that?

 May we truly love one another and all the people of God, even those that may have gone in a different direction to ourselves. If they're the people of God let us love them Provoke one another to this, "to love and to good works" - excel in doing good and setting the example to one another of doing and being good.

Gods work and the congregation

We're all very imperfect. We have to take account of the fact that health enters into it, our circumstances enter into it. Thats why we need the congregation, we need to be in church to be build to be blessed. Also we ought to bless, to build people, share the love. By doing our work in church people could also be blessed. Example; Jocelyn, her fb I dont know that I need church The time is near, thats why we need each other more than ever

 First of all, to seek assurance - what a strength it will be to everyone if everyone here who has faith has assurance of faith - what a strength that will be to the congregation, and to you, and to the children, and to everybody. And the second thing we are to do is, we're to hold fast to the truth of the gospel. Let nothing make you budge.

 The third thing: we are to encourage one another in love and good works and to be bright examples to one another in how it should be done in the service of God. And then, finally, we are to respect the services of worship and the meetings which are held.