Day #350
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11 - 13 ...
The very definition of “faith” points those who know the one true God to the future with
anticipation and hope! "Now faith is BEING SURE of what we hope
for and CERTAIN of what we do not see" (11:1). Some have called
those listed in Chapter 11, "Heroes of the Faith," but
they would not have considered themselves to be heroes. They were
ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things through the strength God
gave them. "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because
anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those
who earnestly seek Him" (11:6). Perhaps the central figure of
those who lived by faith is Abraham. It was with Abraham that God made His
Covenant of Grace that includes Jews and Gentiles who believe in the promised
Savior, Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. The promises of the
covenant were fulfilled through Isaac and Jacob and then the "Seed of
Abraham," Jesus Himself.
As he describes Abraham's faith, the writer
explains, "all these people were still living by faith when they died.
They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed
them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers
on earth" (11:13). What a way to live ... understanding that
this earth is not our permanent home. We have freedom to give our lives
to God because we know that we have eternal life waiting for us. This
life is for HIM, and when it is over, we will rejoice in a new heaven and a new
earth, the home of righteousness ... a perfect new world for those whom God
will make perfect, even as He sees us now by faith!
It makes me angry to hear those who are rich in the
things of this world speak as though that were the goal of this life.
Hebrews 11 makes it clear that a life of ease is not GOD's goal for those
who have faith. The lives of those whose names are mentioned were
anything BUT easy, yet they knew God was with them and they trusted Him.
Anybody can say they believe in God when things are going the way they
want them to go. It is when life gets hard that you discover whether you
really have faith or not. They "quenched the fury of the flames,
and escaped the edge of the sword ... weakness was turned to strength ... they
were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better
resurrection ... the world was not worthy of them" (11:34-38).
Once again you see those living by faith looking to the future, to
something BETTER! And we aren't even to Chapter 12 yet!!
What is the something "better" that
God has promised to those who know Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord? "God
had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be
made perfect" (11:40). That's IT: PERFECTION!!
Holiness, righteousness ... being reconciled to God and restored to His
image. Heaven and eternity on a new earth await believers and that's why
we look FORWARD!! Which takes us to the application in Chapter 12: "Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run
with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on
Jesus ... consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you
will not grow weary and lose heart" (12:1-3). Perseverance in
the present is the fruit of looking to the future.
Some think believers are "so heavenly
minded that they are no earthly good," but that is ignorance
speaking. The only way to live by faith is to know that your future is
secure. Faith in God requires knowing who God IS and Chapter 12 includes
the knowledge that "God disciplines those He loves" (12:6).
God is holy and only through faith in Jesus can you know your sins are
forgiven and that you can approach God as He is seated on His throne in heaven.
THINK of that!!!! "You have come to Mount Zion, to the
heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God! ... You have come to God, the
Judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the
Mediator of a new covenant ..." (12:22-24).
Our hope is in Jesus Christ, for through Him we are
brought into the presence of our Father in heaven. Those who do not know
Jesus do not know God and their faith is merely an illusion. As soon as
trials come they give up, and as soon as persecution strikes they run away.
Theirs is a "fair-weather" faith that is not grounded in the
knowledge of the God of salvation, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all
those who have lived by faith since the creation of the world. The
knowledge of God, of ourselves and of our Savior is the only thing that leads
to true faith ... a faith that endures when everything else is shaken.
God tells us that He is going to SHAKE the whole
earth and the heavens at the coming of Jesus. But we who live by faith in
Jesus today do not have to be afraid. "Since we are receiving a
kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God
acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire!" (12:28-29).
We are free from guilt and fear and free to worship and rejoice in our
God and our Savior Jesus Christ! His Spirit has given us life and we are
now reconciled to God. Now we are called to live by faith, listening to
God's instructions and obeying His commands. God has placed leaders over
you in the local church and He tells you to "Remember your leaders, who
spoke the Word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life
and imitate their faith" (13:7). Why? Because "Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (13:8). If
He could be trusted yesterday, He can be trusted today and tomorrow and
forever!!!!
So now, at this moment, "May the God of
peace ... equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in
us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen!"
"Father in heaven, as I live in this world I
ask that You would help me to keep my mind and heart on You and Your promises.
Give me wisdom and grace to live with hope, trusting You to never leave
me or forsake me. I NEED YOU! Every moment of every day I need You to
help me to live by faith, to not grow weary, to persevere, to endure. In
my weakness, make me strong!! I love You, O Lord, my God!! In
Jesus' name, Amen"
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