The Promise and Its Conditions: A Reflection on Hebrews 13:5

“I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”

This is a personal promise from the Lord, one that the hearer is ready to gladly receive. And rightly so. But are we also willing to consider the conditions of this promise?

For this, let us read the verse in its fullness:

Hebrews 13:5

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”

Reaction, Mindset, Goal, and Accountability

Running the Race to Win and Fighting the Fight for the Knockout Blow

Paul wrote these letters to the Corinthians while he was in Ephesus, which is in present-day Turkey, and the recipients were in Corinth, which is in present-day Greece. Around AD 53-55, he encouraged the Corinthians to live disciplined and purposeful lives, much like athletes who train rigorously to win a prize.

So how does this relate to us today? Let’s dive into the verses as they were written, and then explore their equivalence in today’s modern vernacular.

“But everyone striving controls himself in all things. Then those truly that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. So I run accordingly, as not uncertainly; so I fight, as not beating air; but I buffet my body and lead it captive, lest proclaiming to others I myself might be disapproved.” 1…

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Psalms 31:24

The phrase 'Be of good courage. Speaks of' fastening upon, to be constant and be established.

For we know there will be moments when certain things and circumstances will attempt to make you lose faith, and other challenges will inundate your life. Even though you have faith in the Lord, there are moments when you are not constant in your fellowship with Him because other things consume your time more than your walk with the Lord. Consequently, you may find yourself feeling unstable and ungrounded.

But “Be of good courage,” that is, be constant and established. Therein lies the promise: the Lord shall strengthen your heart. For His mercy’s sake, as your hope remains in Him.

Pray in your times of loneliness

Psalms 4:3 ... The Lord has set apart those that are godly for Himself. The Lord will hear when I call unto Him.

In the time when we feel we are all alone, it is usually because we are doing the right thing. Therein, let not pity be our companion, even if it is present. May it usher us into a place of prayer. In your place of isolation, it is your Opportunity to pray. For it is written; The Lord has set apart those that are godly for Himself. The Lord will hear when I call unto Him.

However, Stand in awe, and sin not.

This we read in the next verse. The sin in this case at times is the act of not accepting the place of isolation wherewith we find ourselves as we seek a means out through fellowship with the world. instead,…

Reading from Psalms 21:5

His glory is great in thy salvation: honor and majesty hast thou laid upon him.

Honor and majesty hast thou laid upon him. (You the believer)

Not only are you now saved, furthermore:

Honor and majesty are laid upon you. (Through Christ)

Honor speaks of an imposing form and appearance. That all will see. Beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory and a goodly honor. As majesty, re-emphasize the Lord's honor upon you.

Though the past remains unchangeable, your future holds the promise of a blank canvas. It is pristine and unmarked, offering a realm of endless possibilities. By embracing the lessons of the past in the present moment, you chart a course forward, guided by the lantern of wisdom, towards a horizon of new beginnings.

In such newfound wisdom, trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗯𝘀 𝟯:𝟱-𝟲

Psalms 50:15

And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.

Concerning this, Barnes wrote: There is no way in which we can honor God more, or show more clearly that we truly confide in him, than by going to him when everything seems to be dark; when his own ways and dealings are wholly incomprehensible to us, and committing all into his hands.

Jeremiah 33:3

Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Exposition on the book of Ephesians

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Ephesians 4:1

• Understand your calling, and paths will emerge for you to heed and pursue it. Act in a manner that honors your vocation. Remember, it wasn’t by your will power that you entered this calling; you were summoned to serve the Lord.

• In fulfilling this role, proceed with modesty and without arrogance. Maintain faith even in matters beyond your current understanding, trusting that comprehension will come in time.

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.

May the days ahead be of such ...

That He (The Lord) Would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.

Ephesians 3:16

One thing that is always present with you is your awareness. Where there is awareness, may you use the right discernment. Knowing where I am is not where I want to be in my life. Considering it is our actions, and our will, which at times usually placed us in such a place. Even then, let your desire be, ‘Lord, help me, hear me.’ When we know the danger of our situation, the honest is our prayer.

To this we pray. In like manner we say:

Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit fails: hide not Thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

Psalm 143:7

Self-help falls short. Embrace self-awareness to understand your situation. Yet, look beyond your condition and will. Trust in the Lord, acknowledging your limitations, and open yourself to divine guidance, support,…

Hope in Christ is the reflection of an earnest efforts to become complete.

The word ‘hope’ here, implies a good or a pleasing anticipation. And anticipation is confidence. With confidence we obtain the discernment and thrust needed to navigate forward in the journey of life.

And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as Christ is pure.

1 John 3:3

Though we in our human nature cannot purify ourselves, but as we see Christ as our hope at all times and in all circumstance, the clinging residue of a deprave world shall not be to us a contamination.

Acquiring wisdom and showing the fruits thereof.

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

Proverbs 8:1

Or as it is rendered in the original text. ‘Does not wisdom call? And does not understanding speak?’

Observe, in order for a call to be heard, one must be listening. Furthermore, in order for the call that is heard to be deciphered, the same person who has heard must be willing to engage in the summary of the matter that is at hand.

That is to say, when we position ourselves to listen, we are not driven solely by emotions of which are often uncontrollable. Instead, when we are listening, we are akin to a soldier at a precise place and time, unknown to the soldier, he trusts not his emotions, for he is under command, and he waits for the commanding order before he acts. After he has heard,…

While the tranquility of the present moment may not entirely eliminate the disruptions that come with the passage of time, it does lay the groundwork for facing the uncertainties of the future. This serenity equips the mind with the wisdom needed to navigate through the impending night, towards the dawn’s break. Even though darkness may descend with the night, rest assured that the sun will rise again, illuminating what was once hidden in the shadows.

If we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

The concept of sin often extends beyond actions to encompass thoughts and attitudes toward others. It’s important to remember that self-examination is a daily process. As we draw closer to the Light of the Lord, we may become more aware of our imperfections. This doesn’t necessarily mean we are becoming more sinful, but rather that our understanding of right and wrong is becoming clearer. This heightened awareness can guide us towards personal growth and spiritual development. It’s a journey of continuous learning and accountability.

But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing.

Thus, the Greek reads:

If we continue to confess…

“Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.”

Proverbs 4:26

That is to say, do the right thing and do it constantly and let it be the established path you walk on.

The literal text reads:

Study the track of your feet, then all your ways will be established. (The feet represents where you go, physically and mentally)

When we study, we observe, and through observation we learn to put to actions those things that we are learning.

Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

Psalms 119:117

In our own ways, we shall go as we please, but become weary if we are not supported by the Lord, continually.

Exposition:

The phrase “Hold me up” speaks of the refreshment that comes after an establishment.

Often, when the mind is not established. Consequently, it wanders, and the individual is drained. Which is the absence of being refreshed. However, here is a hope: We read, “I shall be safe.” This speaks of the awareness of that which is right, in its absence.

THE TWO PROMISES

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17

Herein, we have the two promises. One, of a physical protection that no weapon formed against you will prosper. Observe the terminology used. "No weapon that is formed" against you. Meaning there will be obstacles in your path. Even though you are a believer. However, although these things be formed against you. It shall not harm you. This is the promise of the Lord, but with a condition. Of which we shall careful observe in the conclusion of this exposition.

The next promise to the believe from the verse above deals with a state of mental and emotional protection. To this we read:

"Every…

Dear Lord, grant me the resilience to see my future victory through the veil of my present shame.

• Querido Señor, concédeme la resiliencia para ver mi futura victoria a través del velo de mi vergüenza presente.

• Deus, dai-me força para ver minha vitória futura através do véu da minha vergonha atual.

Uphold me by Your Word, that I may live; and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

Psalms 119:116

It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Regardless of what might have happened yesterday. How you perceive a new day, it will determine and shape how you experience today.

The phrase:

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed."

• It should birth in you the mindset of being grateful. Which is an essential part to start each new day.

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

Revelation 3:10

Without patience you cannot endure. And what is kept in your heart will positioned you to be in the right mind or the opposite thereof.

The word kept, used above is the word tēreō, which implies to attend to carefully, to watch with the eyes, to prevent from escaping.

Considering this is how we have to keep the Word of God.

• To watch

Good sense wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.

Proverbs 13:15

Learn to observe all things carefully before you act. Let not your actions be based on what you usually feel. Instead, let the awareness of the Lord be a guide to you, through the Holy Spirit. Then, easy shall be the outcome for the many things that you encounter.

The Lord sees, He watches, He will help you.

Read Psalms 100:2

About a week ago, from a post in the bulletin, the question was asked how does Genesis 1:20 relate to our mood and the changes in mood? The verse reads; And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

If we are to summarize this verse, the word which comes to mind is the word “creating.” An action taking to bring about something that was previously missing. Creation was for mankind. For in God the creator, He is the all sufficient One, El Shaddai. However, mankind is not all sufficient like God. Observe, even in the beginning, in a perfect world as it was in Eden, yet the man and woman still weren’t all sufficient.

They needed the love and the creating power of God to meet their every needs.…

Who satisfies thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle.

Psalms 103:5

In other words, he is saying, God will fill your life with good things, so that you will stay young and strong like an eagle. The eagle is a unique and fascinating bird amongst all the flying creatures. As other animals age and cease to be, oftentimes because they can no longer do those things that they once carried out for their survival such as hunting and sustaining. But the eagle in its old age, it is once again renewed.

Observe the psalmist’s use of the phrase, the mouth. Of which in this case it is the source of wherewith substances are provided to the body. The importance of such a phrase is better understood when we examine the (Genus Aquila) Eagle closely. At one point in its life at…

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Psalms 51:8

The broken bone spoken of here is an illustration of the act of a shepherd toward his loving sheep in Israel of old.

Among the Shepard’s flock, there were at times a sheep or a lamb which constantly wanders from his presence, while exposing itself to danger.

The Shepard will make the decision after rescuing the lamb from danger often times. He will take the leg of the animal in one hand while holding his staff in the other hand, with swiftness he brings down his staff upon the foreleg of the beloved sheep, breaking its bone.

Thereafter, he will carefully bind the leg for the healing of the bone. From there onward, the Shepard will take the lamb in his arms and in his bosom, wheresoever he goes. As the lamb…