Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art. I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart. Thou hast made me gaze upon thee, and thy beauty fills my soul. For by thy transforming power, thou hast made me whole. O how great thy loving-kindness, vaster, broader than the sea. O how marvelous thy goodness, lavished all on me. Yes, I rest in thee, beloved. Know what wealth of grace is thine. Know thy certainty of promise, and have made it mine. 

Simply trusting thee, Lord Jesus, I behold thee as thou art. And my love, so pure, so changeless, satisfies my heart. Satisfies its deepest longings, meets, supplies its every need. Compasseth me round with blessings. Thine is love indeed. Ever lift thy face upon me, as I work and wait for thee. Resting neath thy smile, Lord Jesus, earth's dark shadows flee. Brightness of the Father's glory, sunshine of the Father's face. Keep me ever trusting, resting. Fill me with thy grace. 

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art. I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart. 

Well, thank you for that good song. We appreciate it. Resting in Jesus. That's our desire in our heart, to just trust him, believe him, and that's what we're going to talk about this morning. 

We're coming to kind of a new section in this sixth chapter of Hebrews. We've been studying through it for several weeks now, and it's a difficult chapter, but it's one that rewards us richly for our study and brings us a great promise of assurance, as we see in our text this morning. 

We worked through the warning section, down through verse eight, and observed that the author is very concerned about those within the fellowship who have not come to faith, who have not gone on to perfection, but were leaning back, who were in danger of turning from Christ and going back to Judaism as the way of salvation. 

And following this severe warning, we saw last week that the author kind of switches gears and gives encouraging words to those who have believed, who have gone on to perfection, who have come to completion in Christ, and he expressed his confidence that they would hold fast to Christ and through faith and patience would inherit the promise. 

Well, in our text today, we see the author bring up one who did just that, who through faith and patience inherited the promise, who though he did not see the promise realized in his lifetime, never wavered in faith, and through his lineage, we now see that God has fulfilled the promise of a nation, a people, as well as a deliverer from that nation, who would be a blessing to all nations, Jesus Christ. 

And this faithfulness of God, this fulfillment in Christ, is the basis of our assurance today. This is really a profound text before us, a text that brings us amazing blessing and confidence, assurance of our salvation based on the promises made and kept by God to Abraham. 

And this ties in so beautifully with the theme, the primary message of the book, you'll remember, that we're approaching now up in chapter 8, is that Jesus has brought a better covenant built on better promises. So we're going to see that illustrated in our text today. 

The new covenant blood, His blood, is better, and it is founded on the promises made to Abraham and fulfilled in the Word of God. This covenant and these promises are the foundation of our salvation and our assurance, and my brothers and sisters in Christ, we will see today that we are secure, that we can have full assurance because we have an anchor of the soul, we have an anchor in Jesus Christ that lies behind the veil in heaven, holding fast to the sure foundation of the promises made by God, the God who cannot lie, the God who is able, the God who is faithful to do what He's promised. 

This is good news for us. We've been through a tough section of Scripture, but here we find such encouragement, such assurance, such hope and joy, joy in Jesus Christ, the mediator of the new covenant, the fulfillment of all the promises. For in Him, all the promises are yes. 

Let's look at our text in Hebrews 6, 13. It says, For when God made a promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 

For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, in which enters the presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become high priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. 

Well, I've given you three points on your outline this morning for our text. First, we're going to look at His person, second, His promise, and third, His presence. 

Well, it's a bit ironic to me that this passage of such great assurance in Jesus Christ is in the same chapter, just a few verses down, really, from a passage that so many interpret to mean that a true believer can somehow lose or leave or walk away from his salvation. 

To be perfectly honest, I've never really understood the idea of one losing his salvation because it is so completely foreign to the truths of the scripture concerning the nature of the salvation that Jesus provides. This idea must always come back to works, my friends. If we are to make our salvation some sort of probation, then at the heart of it is some level of works righteousness. 

And this is the opposite of all that the Bible teaches about salvation by grace through faith in Jesus. I think it most often takes form in the way of works sanctification. We tend as Christians to understand very well justification by grace through faith, but we tend to work back toward a works sanctification. 

You'll hear some say, yes, we're saved by grace through faith in Christ alone, but we must do X, Y, or Z in order to mature in Christ, to be sanctified or conformed to His likeness. But this, again, is a tremendous misunderstanding of God's plan and purpose in conforming us to the likeness of Christ. 

I want to just look at a couple of scriptures that show us the truth that just as we received Christ by faith and were justified, made right with God positionally, so we must walk by faith in Christ, abiding in Him as He lives His life out through us, producing fruit and the outward conforming of His likeness and sanctification. 

Look at Colossians 2 with me, please. Colossians chapter 2 at verse 6, we've been studying Colossians on Thursday night, and this is a tremendous text to make this point. 

Verse 6, he says, as you therefore have received Christ, that's by faith that we received Christ, as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. 

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands by putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God who raised Him from the dead. 

And you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He's taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross, having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 

Look at verse 16. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking a delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 

Therefore if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why as though living in the world do you subject yourselves to regulations, do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, which all concern things which perish with the using according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 

These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility and neglect of the body, now I want you to pay attention to these last words, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. 

The believers in Colossae were being threatened by false teaching and pressure from those who wanted them to go back to legalism in the Jewish tradition, much like in the book of Hebrews. But Paul encourages them that they have been so changed in salvation, regenerated, given a new heart and a new spirit, the very life of Jesus Christ living in them, that they have been empowered to live a new life through their death, burial and resurrection with Christ to newness of life. 

In short, they have so much more in this new covenant life, why would they go back to the old, to the rules and rituals to seek spiritual maturity? And he makes this incredible statement at the end of the chapter, these things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. 

You see, work sanctification makes no sense. Seeking maturity and growth through rite and ritual, through rules and regulations is the very antithesis of the New Testament, new covenant message of fullness of life the abundant life we find only in Jesus Christ. 

And it is contrary to the message and truth of salvation that God provides and how He intends to produce that fruit in our lives. Worst of all, Paul says, these things have no value, they have no power against the indulgence of the flesh. The law brings only wrath, the law cannot save and the law cannot sanctify. 

It is our tendency, often our desire, to earn our own way, to set up a list of rules and try to sanctify ourselves, but it's not God's way. Turn over to Galatians 2 with me, please. We'll look at another passage that I think makes this clear. 

Galatians 2, 19. Paul says, for through the law, for I through the law died to the law in order that I might live to God. You see, under the law, he couldn't live to God, he couldn't keep it, he couldn't live up to it, but I through the law died to the law in order that I might live to God. 

I have been crucified with Christ, it's no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, in the life which I now live in the flesh. I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God," look at what he says here, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. 

Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? This is the same type of word we saw in Colossians, taking captive, carrying away, bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified. 

This only I want to learn from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, that's justification, having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect, that's sanctification, are you being made perfect by the flesh? This is a danger for the church, my friends, to be taken captive by hollow and deceptive philosophies, to turn to the wisdom and ways of men, to the basic principles of the world, and not to Christ for our sufficiency. 

We tend to want to go back to works, to law, and we see this over and over throughout the scriptures, and there's no fruit in this, and there's no assurance. Rather, there is only assurance and a fruitful full life in coming to understand our salvation in Jesus and the new covenant life in Him, a life where I have died. 

The old man in Adam has been crucified, Romans 6, 6 says, in order that the body, controlled by indwelling sin, might be rendered powerless. I have died to the law, I have died to the fear of death, and now I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 

It's no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and I no longer live by the letter, by the law, Romans 7, 6, but by the Spirit who dwells in me, His power imparted to my inner man, Ephesians 3, 14, by faith producing His life out through me. 

And what the author of Hebrews wants us to understand in our text today is that this is all based on God's plan and purpose in Christ, and this is fulfilled in the new covenant sacrifice on the cross. 

And here's the salient message, it's all founded in His promises made all the way back in Genesis to Abraham. When we come to understand that our salvation is wholly dependent on the eternal plan of God, on His person and character and nature, and is worked out through His promise, then we can begin to understand our security in Christ, and our assurance of salvation and hope, confident hope, because we have an anchor that has entered behind the very presence, behind the veil, our salvation is secured in heaven for us. 

I like for you to turn to 1 Peter. Peter would like to make a comment on this as well. Chapter 1, verse 1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the pilgrims of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace be multiplied. 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. 

Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. What words of assurance and hope! We have a living hope. Jesus Christ is our hope. Jesus Christ is our peace. He is our assurance, and by faith in the promises of God we can know, as Jesus said to us through John the Apostle, we can know that we have eternal life. 

And my salvation is dependent on Him, on what He did, on His power to keep me and to conform me to the likeness of Christ, to bring me to glorification and eternity in heaven with Him as I abide one day at a time by faith, trusting Him, needing Him, looking to Him, seeking Him, because I want to know Him and I want to see His life lived out through me. 

We see first in our text that this assurance depends on God's person, who He is, His very character and nature. Look at verse 13 of our text. For when God made a promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 

For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. You ever talk to someone like that and they're telling you some, usually some big story, and they'll say, I swear to God. Swear to God. They swear by someone greater to give authority to what they're saying, but what it says is God, He couldn't swear by anybody greater, so He swore by Himself. 

Verse 17, look at this, Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of His counsel, this word counsel is so tremendous, it's speaking of something that happened before the foundation of the world where the Trinity came together for a meeting, and in this meeting they determined how they would accomplish salvation of men, and they made that plan and they purposed it in Christ before the world was ever created, and it's immutable, it's unchangeable, it's the immutability of His counsel, and it says He confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 

God made a promise to Abraham of a nation, of a people that would come from his loins. Now his name at this time was Abram, which meant father of one, and this was an irony because Abraham was very old and he had no children, so his name mocked him, but God changed his name to Abraham, which means father of many, something that seemed even more ironic, but it was based in God's promise to make Abraham the father of a nation, a people, and specifically in the fulfillment of the promise of a blessing to all nations, Jesus. 

He would become the father of those who believe as he believed God. Turn over to Romans 4 with me, please. Romans 4.13. Paul's discussing Abraham and what he found according to the gospel and the promise. 

Verse 13, "...for the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect. Because the law brings about wrath, for where there's no law there's no transgression. Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who have the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations in the presence of him who believed, he believed God who gives life to the dead, calls those things which do not exist as though they did, who contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations. According to what was spoken, so shall your descendants be." 

And not being weak in faith, this is amazing my friends, I don't know if you've pondered this, thought about this, but these people were old, like really old, and God came to them and said, you're gonna have a baby. That was a little hard for them to take. But it says, not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead, since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb, he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced, here's the key, verse 21, being fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to perform, and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. 

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in him, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. 

Abraham was very old when God made this promise, and Sarah was barren, and beyond childbearing errors, it says in Genesis that she laughed when God made this promise. It was contrary to hope. It made no sense. It was beyond human reason. Yet Abraham believed God. Abraham knew that he was able to deliver what he promised, and keep his word. He was fully convinced, and thus Abraham believed God, and it was accredited to him for righteousness. 

It was based in God's person. Our text gives us a bit of an illustration. It says, when two men make a covenant, an agreement, or a contract, they swear by something greater than themselves. But God swore by himself. You see, and here's the important part, God's promises to Abraham were unconditional. 

When we look at Genesis 12 and see those promises, when God promised to make a nation from Abraham, a people, when he promised to give him a land, and to bring blessing to all nations through his seed, God did not say, if you do this, then I will do this. It was not conditional. The promises were dependent only on the person, the character, and nature of God himself, and that is the reason that we can be assured, confident that these promises will be fulfilled. 

You see, the New Covenant's not like the Old. The Old Covenant was conditional that God made with Israel at Sinai through Moses. If they obeyed, they would be blessed. If they did this, God would do this. So when Israel failed to keep the covenant, when they disobeyed, God was no longer obligated to fulfill his side. But the New Covenant is not like the Old. It's unconditional. God says, I will, I will, I will. 

Even when he put Abraham to sleep, remember? He cut the animals and laid them out. He put Abraham to sleep. He was making a covenant with himself, really. I mean, he was swearing by himself, making an oath that he would keep it. It's dependent only on God and his person, his plan, his purpose, his promise. And my friends, we enter this covenant by faith in Jesus. 

Faith alone in Jesus alone. Believing this promise of God. That's how we enter the covenant. Turn over to Galatians 3 15 with me, please. This is one of my favorite things to preach on because it's so prevalent in the text and so clear. Galatians 3 15. 

Brethren, I speak in the manner of men, though it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. He's giving the same illustration here. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made, he does not say, and to seeds as of many, but as of one and to your seed who is Christ. 

And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise, but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 

Our salvation is dependent on God and God alone, what he has planned from eternity past before the foundation of the world, that which he promised to Abraham concerning the seed, Jesus, who would accomplish this salvation at the cross. And we have assurance in the Word of God, his promise to never leave us or forsake us, to sanctify and glorify everyone who is justified, for he has predestined us to be conformed to the image of his Son. 

And those whom he justifies, he also glorifies. He has made us a promise in Christ, just as he made a promise to Abraham. And he's the God who cannot lie. Look at verse 17 in our text, thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise, the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 

God made a promise, he gave us his Word. My friends, that should be enough. But in order to show more abundantly the immutability of his counsel, he went further and he confirmed it by an oath. These are the two immutable things, His promise and His oath. 

And because it is impossible for God to lie, we can take Him at His word and we can trust His oath, sworn by Himself, His very person, His character, and His nature. In this it says we might have strong consolation. We need that a lot, don't we? 

Like Rick, crawling up out of that semi. Did you need strong consolation, Rick, when you were crawling up out of your semi? And here the man hands you your book. This is where we find strong consolation. This is our assurance. This is our fortress against fear and doubt, my brothers and sisters. Not our works, not our performance. We want that. 

Don't mishear me. We want to live a holy life. We want to glorify God. We want to lead men to Christ. But we better fight the battle at the right point. We better understand that the battle is in believing God and trusting Him and depending on Him and knowing His word. God's word, God's promise, God's grace and love demonstrated in Christ. This is our assurance. 

We have assurance in Him and Him alone, His abundant mercy and grace, because we believe. So we see that our strong consolation in Christ is based on the person of God, who He is. And we see that this is all wrapped up in His promise. Salvation is based on the promise of God in Christ, and we believe. We hold fast, it says, to that promise. We believe Him. We trust Him. 

Now last, we see that our assurance in our life is based on His presence. Look at verse 19 in our text. This hope we have is an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, in which enters the presence behind the veil, and a forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 

We saw this in 1 Peter already, but I want you to see what the author is saying here. Our salvation is reserved in heaven, and we are kept by the power of God. It is based on His counsel, that is the determination of the Trinity before time began, the plan of God to bring salvation through promise, and His purpose to save completely those who believe. 

Our salvation is not dependent on earthly things. It's not subject to rust, or moths, or even threats from Satan or demons. Our salvation is reserved in heaven, in the very presence of God behind the veil. Jesus has entered behind the veil into the very presence of God, and there lies the anchor, sure and steadfast, immovable, as we're kept by the very power of God. 

I'd like for you to turn to Romans 8. We're going to just read down through Romans 8, because this text makes so many of these things clear. Romans 8, 18, Paul says, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

Is that what it says? No. Which shall be revealed in us. He goes on to say that this hope saves us. It saves us from fear and doubt because we know that it's true. We are fully convinced, like Abraham, that God can accomplish what He's promised. Now look down to verse 28. 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called. And whom He called, these He also justified. And whom He justified, these He also glorified. 

What then shall we say to these things? This is a good question here. If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? That's not mansions and Cadillacs and good teeth, people. That's all things necessary to conform us to the likeness of Christ and bring us to salvation complete. 

Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It's God who justifies. Who is He who condemns? It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen, the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us. The judge is our advocate. 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? As it is written, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Yet in all these things we are Nike. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

So much amazing truth assurance here, my friends. I want you to notice God's plan and purpose in verses 29 and 30. He predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. He promises to glorify every single one that He justifies. He will not lose one whom the Father has given Him. 

Now inherent in this is our faith in Jesus because that's how we're justified. But if we have believed Jesus and have been justified at a point in time, then God will sanctify us, God will glorify us. It is complete from the foundation of the world. 

And what is it that can separate us from the love of God? Paul gives an absolutely comprehensive list here and it all adds up to nothing. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. We're secure and we can have full assurance. 

It's not possible for a believer to be lost. But if you want to split hairs here, please understand that you and I are created things. And no created thing, including myself, can separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ, because we have an anchor for the soul that lies behind the veil in the very presence of God, kept, reserved in heaven, waiting for the time when our salvation will be revealed, the glorious liberty of the children of God. 

It is as sure as the very person, the promise, and the presence of God. And I don't want to walk away, do you? He has so changed my heart. He's recreated me. I believed. I heard the gospel. I turned to Him in faith. I had to do that. I had to respond. But when I did that, He didn't just justify me from all my sins. He recreated me. He made me a new man with a new heart and a new spirit. 

And He came. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit came to live in me, John says. And He gave me the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of my inheritance. We have the presence of God even now, living in us. Jesus promised, I will never leave you or forsake you. Paul said the very hope of glory is Christ living in us. He's present with us now, today, and every day. 

And He will indeed bring us safely and securely to that great day when we will be changed, transformed, and given a new glorious body absent from the very presence of sin. The greatness of the new covenant is based on the better promises of God in Christ and the better mediator of this covenant, Jesus Himself. He is our great high priest in the order of Melchizedek, and He ever lives to make intercession for us, sitting at the right hand of God. 

He is our life. He is our peace. He is our assurance. The new covenant does not say, Obey, and I will bless you. It says, I have blessed you. You are secure in the very presence of Christ. Your salvation is accomplished, and you can have full assurance in Him. Now obey me in thankfulness. Walking by faith, resting in the grace of God. 

What a better covenant. What better promises. Jesus is better, my friends. And I am His, and He is mine, by grace through faith, simply abiding one day at a time, trusting Jesus. This is my assurance. This is my hope. This is what anchors my soul every day in this turbulent world as I await and look forward to and anticipate the final fulfillment of all His promises that is coming. 

Listen to the words that you know so well in John 14. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. I love this. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am, there you may be also. 

Trust Him, my friends. Believe Him. And know that you can have full assurance in Him because of the salvation that He provides and the promises that He's given us. 

Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we're so thankful for Your promises, for Your Word. And we're so thankful that You're patient with us and You continue to teach us and guide us and work in us, Lord. And I just pray that You'd help us to trust You, believe You, to seek You through Your Word, through Your truth. And Father, that You would produce fruit through our lives for Your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.