Video presentation by: Norm Wakefield

Hooray for our breakfast volunteers: Andy, Henrietta & Darren Wildeman

Here is the outline, as downloaded from Elijah Ministries. (Just for the record, "unshakeable" actually has an E in it. The non-E version must be the American spelling. So don't get confused.)

Introduction

How does a man acquire an unshakable faith? The book of Hebrews contains a basis for an unshakable faith, an important warning, a wonderful promise and hope, an explanation of what occurs when we disregard the warning, and an encouragement which leads to a glorious peace and healing in relationships.

1. What is your confession about Jesus Christ? Have you realized its importance and function?
2. A Christian’s confession of faith found in Hebrews
3. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is our high priest. He sits at the right hand of God where he intercedes and runs all things by the power of his word. He is and will preserve and save our souls through suffering by giving us mercy and grace.
4. The basis for an unshakable faith -- Jesus running all things by his Word.

An Important Warning – If you neglect Jesus’ Word, you will not escape God’s reproof.

1. We must pay close attention to Christ’s word. 2:1-3
2. Why? Because God has subjected the entire world to Christ. 2:5-8
3. God has qualified him to be our high priest and rendered the devil powerless through his suffering, temptation, and death on behalf of his people. 2:6-18.
4. So, since God has given us such a high priest as Jesus Christ who has faithfully spoken his word, we...
5. Remember: God’s people didn’t escape God’s discipline when they neglected God’s word through Moses. 3:16-19

A Wonderful Promise and Hope -- You may enter God’s rest

1. We should fear not entering and living in the rest - peace and wholeness - of God. 4:1-2
2. God spoke of His rest through His messengers. 4:3-8
3. The one who believes Jesus is reigning through his word and believes in him enters the promised rest.
4. Hope rests on the fact that nothing escapes God’s word. Nothing is out of control!
5. Our hope rests on the fact that Jesus is our high priest. 4:14-5:11
   • We don’t need to build another foundation for our promises and hopes. 5:12-6:12
   • The main point is this: We have Jesus as our high priest who reigns over all thing and who has perfectly, completely discharged his duties before God and on behalf of man thus instituting a new and better covenant than that which previously existed. 8:1-10:18
6. We may have confidence to draw near to God through Jesus and enter into his rest in any situation -- holding fast our confession that Jesus Christ is faithful on our behalf to give us grace and mercy. 10:19-25.
7. If those who set aside God’s word through Moses died without mercy, how much more severe will the punishment be for those who trample the underfoot the work of God through Jesus. So, let us endure in our faith until we receive what God has promised. 10:26-39
8. Faith is characterized by the assurance of things hoped for and conviction of things not seen. It is by believing in Jesus’ intercession and ministry on our behalf that we gain approval and glorify God. 11:1-2

An explanation of what occurs when we don’t believe in Jesus’ word and reign -- Our Father disciplines his children by withholding grace so that we’ll repent.

1. He disciplines us because we are sons. 12:5-9
2. He disciplines us so that we might be trained to believe him and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. 12:1-7
3. He disciplines us because as we learn to believe in Jesus, we enter into his rest. 12:10-11
4. He disciplines us by withholding grace to pursue peace with others and overcome bitterness and to live holy lives. 12:14-15.
5. He disciplines us until we find a place to repent for not believing Jesus’ word and trusting in his rule over all things. 12:15-17.

An encouragement that leads to peace and healing -- lay aside unbelief in Jesus’ word and faithfulness as he controls everything through his intercession. Look for a place to repent when you fall short of grace to love.

1. The sin that so easily entangles us is unbelief in Jesus’s word, intercession, and ruling over all things -- in short, we shrink from our confession.
2. We must fix our eyes on Jesus. 12:2
3. If we’re being disciplined, let’s receive it and get with the program.
4. Remember the promises of Jesus. 12:18-24
5. Remember the earlier warning: See to it that you don’t refuse to listen to this word through Jesus Christ. 12:25-29
6. In light of this foundation for faith, let us live holy lives. 13:1-7
7. May God equip you in every good thing to do his will through Jesus Christ. 13:20-21

A Response -- Find a place to repent if you can’t love, are bitter, or are ensnared in a desire to get what you want right now.

1. Repent of not believing Christ is in control of your life and the events and relationships in your life.
2. Repent of not believing that what you have is exactly what you need to trust in Jesus and demonstrate his love.
3. Fix your eyes on Jesus.
4. Determine to pursue peace and heal relationships.
5. Thank God as an offering of sacrifice and a statement of your confession.

In the video, Norm Wakefield implied that Jesus' suffering is not over yet. We wanted to know what he meant. This is his reply:

From: Norm Wakefield
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2005 10:22 AM
Subject: Jesus' suffering

Thank you so much for asking the question about Jesus' suffering so that I can clarify. In the entire message, that is one part that is unfortunate and obviously can lead to misunderstanding. I am in agreement with you that the work of Jesus' bodily suffering was finished, completed, and perfected at the cross. He is not suffering any longer in his body. Praise the Lord, His work is complete and satisfactory.

My thoughts at that time were that Jesus continues to suffer in his "body", the saints, who are still completing their suffering. In some sense, as we suffer, he suffers. His work of sanctifying us isn't completed until we are completely sanctified-and that process occurs through suffering (as is the point of Hebrews 2).

Please convey my apologies for that miscommunication to the men and make the correction, if you would. I do pray that it will not prevent you from being encouraged to draw near and hold fast to our confession in Jesus Christ.

To the praise of His glorious grace,
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Norm Wakefield

The Spirit of Elijah Ministries
PO Box 377
Bulverde, TX 78163
830-980-5606
Email: info@spiritofelijah.com
Web site: www.spiritofelijah.com