Thurs., 11/8/12 Devotion (Heb. 3:14)

Today's encouragement comes from Hebrews 3:14, where we read these words:

"For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end."

Starting a race is the easy part. Finishing it is the hard part. Many people start off on the Christian path, but do not persevere. What is the key to crossing the finish line? Holding onto Christ, by faith, (or, with "confidence"). Those who are sincerely and really grafted into Jesus will indeed hold out to the end of their lives--but it will only happen by their actually persevering.

God has given His church means of grace. Genuine faith employs them all the way to heaven.

[Puritan quote of the day: "He who does not know the evil of sin as fully as he ought cannot hate it as much as he should." --Nathaniel Vincent, in, "A Discourse concerning Love"]