“For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.” (vv. 12-12, NLT)
God’s Promises Bring Hope
“”For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was not one greater to swear by, God took an oath in His own name saying: “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants way beyond number.”
Then Abraham waited patiently, and he receive what God has promised.
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. God also bound Himself with an oath, so that those who receive the promise could be perfectly sure that He would never change His mind. So God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things re unchangeable because it is 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 before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain to God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.” (vv. 13-20, NLT)