Daily Devotional Time: Hebrews 10:23-25

Once upon a time, a long long time ago, families gathered around a television, which was tuned to one of three networks. ABC aired the Disney Sunday Movie on Sunday evenings, and we always watched it after church on Sunday evenings. The Disney Sunday Movie was always introduced by Michael Eisner, who often incorporated the moral to the story. One week, Eisner and Donald Duck introduced a movie by learning to "Be Yourself."

"Be Yourself." That slogan might seem like the antithesis of being a Christian. After all, isn't Christianity about reforming your life and getting back on the straight-and-narrow? It is unfortunate that so many Christian leaders have led their flocks astray by promoting a works system.

Being yourself is a Christian concept, but unlike Eisner and Duck's rendition of the slogan, it matters who you are!

Hebrews 10:23-25 says:

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

In verse 23, Hebrews says "hold fast the profession of our faith." To hold fast means to cling tightly. The profession of your faith is your moment of salvation. It is the moment you repent of your sin and trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior. What Hebrews 10:23 says is to cling tightly to your salvation experience. Keep remembering it, keep going back to it, keep letting it form who you are. Let it be your blessed assurance that you are heaven bound.

While you hold fast to the profession of your faith, verse 24 teaches that you are to gather with other believers and consider one another. To consider one another means to fully get to know each other. Spend time together. Share life experiences together.

What amazes me is how lost people love to spend time together. They go out for nights on the town, have a great time together, take silly pictures and post pictures on Facebook. They lean on each other for comfort, look to each other for entertainment, and encourage each other in their hi-jinks. Yet, many Christians don't like to get together with other Christians. Rarely do they fellowship outside of church.

However, scripture directs us to get together and fellowship together. Verse 24 says we are to provoke, or incite, or encourage each other unto love. We are to encourage each other unto an agape love... a love that places each other in high regard. We are to love each other, encourage each other, lift each other up, entertain each other, and enjoy a great time.

Not only are we to get to know each other and provoke each other unto love, but also good works. We are to encourage each other to do great things.

These are things that we are naturally prone to do if we hold fast the profession of our faith. If we hold fast to the profession of our faith, we will get to know each other fully, and encourage each other, and if we are doing all that, we won't forsake the assembling of ourselves together. We'll be getting together more often... and we won't be doing it because we're supposed to, we'll be doing it because that's who we are.

When you get to that point, gathering with the church and fellowshipping with other Christians will be something that comes naturally to you. You'll do those things, and all you'll be doing is "being yourself."

So, hold fast to the profession of your faith. Remember your moment of salvation. Keep that memory close to you. As you do, you'll notice some changes in your life... not changes you've had to force, but rather changes that grow out of your identity as a child of God. That is called fruit.

May God bless you.