# 5. An Anchor for Our Soul
> Hebrews 2:1-4 — Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 **How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord**, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
> Hebrews 6:17, 18,19 — 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise **the immutability of his counsel**, confirmed it by an oath: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
## Introduction
- In Hebrews 6 we are given an anchor for our hope: **THE IMMUTABILITY OF GOD's COUNSEL**.
- In Hebrews 2, We are given a warning is remind us of the risk of truths that have transformed us of having them slip away from us -- being out of mind, out of active effect.
- What are some things spoken **at the first by the Lord**, and by God's own witness with signs, wonders, divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost?
## I. **SURE ANCHOR**: Testimonies of Stedfastness
- **stedfast:** STABLE; FIRM; FORCE, SURE
- **immutability** unchanging; unalterable.
- It is a neglecting of our salvation to not give earnest head to the word so overwhelming attested as STEDFAST -- UNCHANGING.
- **a.** vs. 2,3 this is not just angels, but this is our LORD --- God. --- He sealed his testimony with a cross and a resurrection.
- **b.** vs.3 confirmed by them that heard him ("Paul said", "I agree more with James", "men's writings..." .. the testimony of those that were there! Peter, Paul, etc got it from Jesus.)
- **c.** v.4 God also bore witness both with signs and wonders, divers miracls and gifts of the Holy Ghost
## II. **SURE WORDS**:
1. John 1:43 Follow Me
2. John 2:7 Fill the waterpots
3. 2:16 make not my fathers house a house of merchandise
4. John 3:6 must be born again
5. 4 13 14 ... thirst agaun unless
## III. **SURING UP**
- Remind ourselves daily:
> 2 Peter 1:12 — Wherefore **I will not be negligent** to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
- make light of; **regard not**
- Read the Scriptures, Memorize teh Scriptures, Meditate Scriptures, Seek daily to LIVE the Scriptures.
## Conclusion: Words of Life
> ILLUSTRATION: WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE written in 1874 by Philip bliss. **The Story** As a child raised in a log cabin in rural Pennsylvania, Philip Bliss loved music. The only musical instrument he owned was a flute his father had whittled for him from his cane. Philip hoped to buy a cheap violin, so he picked baskets of berries from the swamps and sold them door-to-door. Hearing the music from a piano coming from one house, Philip went to the door and listened ... until the pianist told the barefoot 10-year-old to go away. **2 decades later**, Philip was directing the music in an evangelistic crusade led by Dwight L. Moody. Philip had become well-known for his singing voic and for the gospel songs he wrote. **When Moody’s brother-in-law, Fleming H. Revell**, was launching a new religious magazine, The Words of Life, he asked Philip to write a song for the first issue. Revell suggested both the title for the song, and the text – John 6:67,68. In these verses, Jesus sees many of His followers walking away, and He asks His core of 12: “You do not want to also go away, do you?” Peter answers on behalf of the group: “Lord, to whom should we go? **Only You have the words of life**.”
> As Revell requested, Philip wrote this gospel song: “Wonderful Words of Life”. A few years later, he wrote these words: “I carried that song through two seasons of evangelistic work, never thinking it possessed much merit, or that it had the element of special usefulness, particularly for solo purposes. It occurred to me to try it one day during the campaign in New Haven, [Connecticut, 1878,] and, with the help of Mrs. Stebbins, we sang it as a duet. To our surprise the song was received with the greatest enthusiasm and from that time on to the close of the meetings was the favorite of all the hymns used. As an illustration of the hold it got upon the people all about that section of the country, I received a letter from the Secretary of the Connecticut State Sunday School Association offering me what seemed an absurdly large sum of money, if I would, with Mrs. Stebbins, come to the State Convention and sing that one song.”
> Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life, let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life; words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty. ...