Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son
Yesterday we touched on the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON aspect of this verse but I don't want to leave the rest untouched.
By faith Abraham WHEN he was TRIED.
Some people have this illusion that when God chooses someone to be His that He puts a hedge about them and lets them live in peace and happiness with untold riches. It's not true. I'm not saying everyone that is chosen by God lives in poverty and pain, but there is NO set formula with God's chosen. Yes, some became kings and were rich, others became kings and were poor, some chosen remained God's, others turned their back on God. Once chosen by God does not mean always chosen. Let's liken God's chosen to a marriage between a woman and man for a short analogy- the bride (God's chosen) and the groom (God). If the chosen bride commits adultery that doesn't make them any less chosen that first time, but it does make them worthy of divorce, right? Obviously the chosen is no longer chosen to be God's.
Yes, God has chosen people throughout history- we can read it in God's word. We can learn all about how the various chosen acted and lived out their lives- with God, turning their backs on God, sinning, being forgiven.
The chosen are also tested and tried, sometimes very severely, sometimes throughout their lives. Here in this verse in Hebrews we are told that Abraham was tried and when he was tried he used FAITH to endure his trial.
Lets imagine Abraham's trial for a moment.
For many, many, many years you are promised a son from your beloved wife. Years come and go, your youth comes and goes, you are old in age and past child producing then by the miracle of God and God alone you are able to produce that longed for promised child. You love this child of promise as much if not more than any human has ever loved a child before. You nurture this child because this is the promised child who will go on to make you a father of nations, this heir will produce an heir and so on until the world is filled with your descendents innumerable. Abraham has been promised this son and the future with this son. When we have children we do so with an uncertain promise. We have no clue how long our children will live or if they'll be able to reproduce, we hope, but we don't know. Abraham had it from God that he would receive a promised child and father a nation of heirs. Now having finally received the promised child and watching this child grow, filled with all the hope that at last God's word has come to pass, Abraham is at rest. Right? Think about the relief he must have been experiencing since the birth of Isaac. Finally he could relax knowing that as God promised it was coming to pass. Then… out of the blue, without any warning, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only promised son, Isaac.
Sacrifice HIM! Just imagine it… imagine Abraham's internal emotional turmoil and yet… by FAITH
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son
He offered up Isaac. By faith he did as God asked of him. He was being TRIED. God's chosen was TRIED. We can't believe that we are to go through life trial-less when we choose God. We can't base our relationship with God on the trials we are called to endure or…unfortunately fail at. We can't be called to endure something on the same level of emotional pain as Abraham had to endure, and believe that God has abandoned us. GOD DOESN'T abandon us! WE abandon God. We lose our FAITH. We let our human, carnal minds jump in and reason that God is hateful to put us through trials so severe. We put God on our level as being sinfully cruel. We don't let ourselves understand that God tries us for OUR good. Our faith is tried, and as our faith is tried it is purified and made stronger- just as gold tried in fire. Gold is tried in fire to purify and strengthen it.
Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich…
Gold tried in fire.
Our faith is tried.
If Abraham's faith was tried are we to believe that we won't have our faith tried? We won't know what form our trial or trials will take, they could be horrific. They could mean actually losing a beloved child in an accident, through illness. We just don't know what we are going to be called to endure in this life. We know that horrific things happen all the time and for every victim of horror there is a family having to endure the pain of what their loved one is or has endured. Sometimes watching is more painful to us than anything, wishing we could be the ones undertaking the pain rather than our loved one.
No matter what we are called to endure, no matter the trials that come and there could be more than one, there could be daily trials, hourly trials, minutely trials, no matter what we need to have FAITH that beyond all the trials large and small, numerous and sparse, we have a God that has promised to us eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!
There is eternal life beyond the pain of living, we have to believe in our God who is faithful.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Reading about this particular trial of Abraham's faith, we have to understand that none of us are called to endure less, and we may be called to endure more. We will have our trials we can expect no less.
By God help us, may our faith be sure, may we have the faith of Abraham to endure and believe in God, that God is faithful no matter what we face.
By His grace, by His mercy now and forever!
In His love!
Amen.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Isaac- only begotten son
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son
Only begotten.
Now we know that Isaac wasn't the 'ONLY' begotten by Abraham- right? Remember this--
Gen 16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
And this--
Gen 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
So Abraham had another son, not just one son, not an only begotten and yet… Isaac was an only begotten in this most important way.
Gen 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Gen 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
MY COVENANT IS WITH THEE
I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THEE AND THY SEED AFTER THEE IN THEIR GENERATIONS FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT
Isaac was the ONLY begotten of the covenant, of the promise, Isaac was the promised one, Ishmael was not of the promise.
This says so much to us doesn't it? God makes promises, God is faithful, we however sometime try to subvert those promises. We try to figure out what God wants and in our impatience we tend to try and put substitutes in place of what God really wants. Yes, we are only human and Abraham in his human-ness tried to figure out how God was going to give him the promised heir. Sarah too was only human and she too was trying to figure it all out and in doing so they came up with their own solution- not God's solution. Was their solution acceptable? No. It wasn't a substitute, it wasn't a solution. God had to bring Abraham and Sarah both to a place where it was completely impossible in a human manner to have a child. Abraham was dead that way- remember this--
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb.
His own body now dead- he couldn't perform in a reproductive manner any longer. People sometimes mistakenly believe men can go forever, until the day they die and that's not to say some don't, but it's safe to say a lot do not due to one thing or another - old age and stamina alone. We are told that Abraham's was 'dead' that way, and Sarah's womb was dead as well. It's easier to know when a woman's body is past child bearing of course and hers was long past child bearing age. God wanted them to both be beyond human ability to bear children and when that was established He supernaturally stepped in and made them both fruitful again. What was dead was brought to life, what was impossible was made possible. Abraham in fact went on after Sarah died to father more children. God stepped in. By faith and FAITH alone did Sarah conceive, did Abraham father Isaac.
So saying that Isaac was the ONLY begotten of Abraham, he was the only begotten by the power of God and God alone. He was the ONLY begotten of the covenant promised to Abraham. He was the ONLY begotten of the promised seed that would go on to father the line of God's chosen right up to Jesus.
Mat 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Mat 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
Mat 1:3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
Mat 1:4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
Mat 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
Mat 1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
Mat 1:7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
Mat 1:8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
Mat 1:9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
Mat 1:10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
Mat 1:11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
Mat 1:12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
Mat 1:13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
Mat 1:14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
Mat 1:15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
Mat 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
And in Luke….
Luk 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
Luk 3:24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,
Luk 3:25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,
Luk 3:26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,
Luk 3:27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,
Luk 3:28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,
Luk 3:29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,
Luk 3:30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,
Luk 3:31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,
Luk 3:32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
Luk 3:33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,
Luk 3:34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,
Luk 3:35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,
Luk 3:36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,
Luk 3:37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,
Luk 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
Both Mary and Joseph could show their lineage leading back to David and David back to Abraham.
God's promises are sure and through faith we inherit those promises.
Another ONLY begotten was Jesus--
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior promised of God may we inherit God's promises. By His will, His love now and forever and ever!
Amen.
Only begotten.
Now we know that Isaac wasn't the 'ONLY' begotten by Abraham- right? Remember this--
Gen 16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
And this--
Gen 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
So Abraham had another son, not just one son, not an only begotten and yet… Isaac was an only begotten in this most important way.
Gen 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Gen 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
MY COVENANT IS WITH THEE
I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THEE AND THY SEED AFTER THEE IN THEIR GENERATIONS FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT
Isaac was the ONLY begotten of the covenant, of the promise, Isaac was the promised one, Ishmael was not of the promise.
This says so much to us doesn't it? God makes promises, God is faithful, we however sometime try to subvert those promises. We try to figure out what God wants and in our impatience we tend to try and put substitutes in place of what God really wants. Yes, we are only human and Abraham in his human-ness tried to figure out how God was going to give him the promised heir. Sarah too was only human and she too was trying to figure it all out and in doing so they came up with their own solution- not God's solution. Was their solution acceptable? No. It wasn't a substitute, it wasn't a solution. God had to bring Abraham and Sarah both to a place where it was completely impossible in a human manner to have a child. Abraham was dead that way- remember this--
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb.
His own body now dead- he couldn't perform in a reproductive manner any longer. People sometimes mistakenly believe men can go forever, until the day they die and that's not to say some don't, but it's safe to say a lot do not due to one thing or another - old age and stamina alone. We are told that Abraham's was 'dead' that way, and Sarah's womb was dead as well. It's easier to know when a woman's body is past child bearing of course and hers was long past child bearing age. God wanted them to both be beyond human ability to bear children and when that was established He supernaturally stepped in and made them both fruitful again. What was dead was brought to life, what was impossible was made possible. Abraham in fact went on after Sarah died to father more children. God stepped in. By faith and FAITH alone did Sarah conceive, did Abraham father Isaac.
So saying that Isaac was the ONLY begotten of Abraham, he was the only begotten by the power of God and God alone. He was the ONLY begotten of the covenant promised to Abraham. He was the ONLY begotten of the promised seed that would go on to father the line of God's chosen right up to Jesus.
Mat 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Mat 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
Mat 1:3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
Mat 1:4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
Mat 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
Mat 1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
Mat 1:7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
Mat 1:8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
Mat 1:9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
Mat 1:10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
Mat 1:11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
Mat 1:12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
Mat 1:13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
Mat 1:14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
Mat 1:15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
Mat 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
And in Luke….
Luk 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
Luk 3:24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,
Luk 3:25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,
Luk 3:26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,
Luk 3:27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,
Luk 3:28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,
Luk 3:29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,
Luk 3:30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,
Luk 3:31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,
Luk 3:32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
Luk 3:33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,
Luk 3:34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,
Luk 3:35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,
Luk 3:36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,
Luk 3:37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,
Luk 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
Both Mary and Joseph could show their lineage leading back to David and David back to Abraham.
God's promises are sure and through faith we inherit those promises.
Another ONLY begotten was Jesus--
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior promised of God may we inherit God's promises. By His will, His love now and forever and ever!
Amen.
Monday, November 1, 2010
A Better Country
Heb 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
We read this verse and I don't know about you, but my mind went to this verse-
Gen 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Gen 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Gen 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Gen 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Gen 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
So we have one verse saying this-- Through FAITH Sara received strength to conceive- she judged him faithful who had promised. And then we have another verse saying this-- Sarah laughed. And Sarah questioned God saying-- After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my lord being old also? Sarah also denied saying she laughed- but in truth it does say she laughed WITHIN herself, so she might not have laughed out loud but God know what's inside and He heard the inside laughter of Sarah- He knew she was AMUSED by the idea that being so old and no longer able to physically conceive- that Abraham too was too old for that- read this…
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb.
Abraham's body was now dead. So neither Abraham nor Sarah were physically able to perform this feat of either making or conceiving a child.
Then we have Sarah denying she laughed because she was scared. It's true that she may have silently laughed and God heard but God did NOT count it against her. She was still said to have had FAITH that God was able to perform that which she said.
Just realizing God knew her heart, that God knew that she had laughed inside herself, in her mind, in her private thoughts could have instilled the faith she had, could have made that faith that much stronger. If God could hear her thoughts, surely God could perform anything He said He could do. Sarah believed. The necessary faith, the necessary belief in God was there. Without that faith, Sarah wouldn't have conceived.
*
Heb 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Through faith in God there was a lineage of people born from Abraham and Sarah so numerous they are innumerable.
*
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Able
Enoch
Noah
Abraham
Sarah
These ALL died in faith. They didn't receive the promises. Yes, Abraham and Sarah received the promise of a son, but they didn't see the innumerable descendents from that child.
These ALL died in faith without receiving the promise. They believed in God, they knew they could trust in God to keep his promise. They were PERSUADED of the promises, they EMBRACED the promises and they CONFESSED that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They desire a BETTER country- a HEAVENLY country, a city prepared for them by GOD.
The Heavenly City- the New Jerusalem in Heaven that we talked about yesterday- whose builder and maker is God. This is the city that we all look forward to!
Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
WHEN the Son of man shall come in his glory… then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father- INHERIT the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
The promise will be realized by all the faithful when Jesus comes again and sin is done away with. There are many faithful asleep in Christ waiting to be called to eternal wakefulness, many, many, many that believed, many that had faith and kept that faith throughout their entire lives right into death's sleep.
Remember this verse--
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first
The dead in Christ shall rise first.
The faithful dead will rise!
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
The faithful will rise INCORRUPTIBLE! CHANGED! IMMORTAL! All to inherit the city of God in heaven! All of us bound for the NEW COUNTRY, a BETTER COUNTRY!
ANYONE who believes they will have a wonderful life here on this earth as it is right now filled with sin, anyone who believes this life, this corrupt world that isn't even Jesus' but ruled by Satan, anyone who believes this is the better country doesn't believe in God's word. Seeking to make the best of this world is fine, but believing this world is what God has promised to his faithful as their inheritance would be a big mistake. The patriarchs of the Bible didn't receive the promised new world they died in faith knowing they would one day receive that promise.
We too must have a living faith that will endure until our end or the end of this world at Christ's coming.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior we will have that faith through the love of our LORD!
By grace and mercy through faith we will see that better country!
Amen!
We read this verse and I don't know about you, but my mind went to this verse-
Gen 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Gen 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Gen 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Gen 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Gen 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
So we have one verse saying this-- Through FAITH Sara received strength to conceive- she judged him faithful who had promised. And then we have another verse saying this-- Sarah laughed. And Sarah questioned God saying-- After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my lord being old also? Sarah also denied saying she laughed- but in truth it does say she laughed WITHIN herself, so she might not have laughed out loud but God know what's inside and He heard the inside laughter of Sarah- He knew she was AMUSED by the idea that being so old and no longer able to physically conceive- that Abraham too was too old for that- read this…
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb.
Abraham's body was now dead. So neither Abraham nor Sarah were physically able to perform this feat of either making or conceiving a child.
Then we have Sarah denying she laughed because she was scared. It's true that she may have silently laughed and God heard but God did NOT count it against her. She was still said to have had FAITH that God was able to perform that which she said.
Just realizing God knew her heart, that God knew that she had laughed inside herself, in her mind, in her private thoughts could have instilled the faith she had, could have made that faith that much stronger. If God could hear her thoughts, surely God could perform anything He said He could do. Sarah believed. The necessary faith, the necessary belief in God was there. Without that faith, Sarah wouldn't have conceived.
*
Heb 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Through faith in God there was a lineage of people born from Abraham and Sarah so numerous they are innumerable.
*
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Able
Enoch
Noah
Abraham
Sarah
These ALL died in faith. They didn't receive the promises. Yes, Abraham and Sarah received the promise of a son, but they didn't see the innumerable descendents from that child.
These ALL died in faith without receiving the promise. They believed in God, they knew they could trust in God to keep his promise. They were PERSUADED of the promises, they EMBRACED the promises and they CONFESSED that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They desire a BETTER country- a HEAVENLY country, a city prepared for them by GOD.
The Heavenly City- the New Jerusalem in Heaven that we talked about yesterday- whose builder and maker is God. This is the city that we all look forward to!
Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
WHEN the Son of man shall come in his glory… then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father- INHERIT the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
The promise will be realized by all the faithful when Jesus comes again and sin is done away with. There are many faithful asleep in Christ waiting to be called to eternal wakefulness, many, many, many that believed, many that had faith and kept that faith throughout their entire lives right into death's sleep.
Remember this verse--
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first
The dead in Christ shall rise first.
The faithful dead will rise!
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
The faithful will rise INCORRUPTIBLE! CHANGED! IMMORTAL! All to inherit the city of God in heaven! All of us bound for the NEW COUNTRY, a BETTER COUNTRY!
ANYONE who believes they will have a wonderful life here on this earth as it is right now filled with sin, anyone who believes this life, this corrupt world that isn't even Jesus' but ruled by Satan, anyone who believes this is the better country doesn't believe in God's word. Seeking to make the best of this world is fine, but believing this world is what God has promised to his faithful as their inheritance would be a big mistake. The patriarchs of the Bible didn't receive the promised new world they died in faith knowing they would one day receive that promise.
We too must have a living faith that will endure until our end or the end of this world at Christ's coming.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior we will have that faith through the love of our LORD!
By grace and mercy through faith we will see that better country!
Amen!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
By faith
By faith… By hoping in something very real, believing in the unseen. Through faith and faith alone!
Heb 11:4 By FAITH Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Able's righteousness was proven in the sacrifice he offered to God. Able's righteousness will live on forever and ever, he died in his righteousness through his faith in God. When you die in your faith your righteousness - which is Christ's righteousness - lives on. Faith in God, Faith in Christ, Faith in the righteousness of God brings righteousness to the faithful. It doesn't say- Abel was righteous in and of himself. It doesn't say- Abel's offering witnessed of his righteousness. It says- BY FAITH and by faith unto who? God! Without the faith in God there is NO RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Heb 11:5 By FAITH Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
By faith- he please God. We can't please God without faith it is impossible!
Heb 11:6 But without FAITH it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Heb 11:7 By FAITH Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by FAITH.
By faith- Noah prepared an ark. God warned and Noah believed, Noah had faith that what God warned would come to pass. We have to believe what God warns will come to pass. Through His word God has warned us plenty!
Heb 11:8 By FAITH Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith- He was called and He obeyed.
Heb 11:9 By FAITH he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
WE look for a city whose builder and maker is God too! Just as they looked. Just as Abraham looked we look! Aren't you looking for a city whose builder and maker is God?
Psa 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
We look for this city! We must look for this city! We must look for Christ our Savior to return to take us to this new city that isn't made by man's hands, but God's! And we look how? By faith!
We must believe!
As children you might have been told if you just close your eyes and wish hard enough for something that it will come true. You are told to make a wish and blow out candles on a cake, and that wish will come true. You are told to throw money into a wishing well and make a wish, and it will come true. As children we believe- as adults we don't believe because the majority of those wishes never, ever come true. Wishing is hoping, hoping is faith. Children have faith and lose that faith. They lose faith in people when they are made promises and those promises don't come to pass. We lose faith in our partners when they make promises and don't keep them. It's easy to lose faith in other human beings because we are not God, we are not infallible, we cannot control things on the same realm as God. Having faith in God and having that faith realized when we inherit the kingdom prepared for us is our hope. Being with our Savior, living with our God, our King is our hope. Eternal life is a real hope, a real faith that will not fail because God will not fail us. Having faith in Him is everything, should be our everything!
Faith.
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
With faith we will be counted among those God will find righteous- in His righteousness.
More tomorrow as we continue to study faith, by the grace of our Lord and our Savior now and forever and ever! Amen. Amen! Amen!
Heb 11:4 By FAITH Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Able's righteousness was proven in the sacrifice he offered to God. Able's righteousness will live on forever and ever, he died in his righteousness through his faith in God. When you die in your faith your righteousness - which is Christ's righteousness - lives on. Faith in God, Faith in Christ, Faith in the righteousness of God brings righteousness to the faithful. It doesn't say- Abel was righteous in and of himself. It doesn't say- Abel's offering witnessed of his righteousness. It says- BY FAITH and by faith unto who? God! Without the faith in God there is NO RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Heb 11:5 By FAITH Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
By faith- he please God. We can't please God without faith it is impossible!
Heb 11:6 But without FAITH it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Heb 11:7 By FAITH Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by FAITH.
By faith- Noah prepared an ark. God warned and Noah believed, Noah had faith that what God warned would come to pass. We have to believe what God warns will come to pass. Through His word God has warned us plenty!
Heb 11:8 By FAITH Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith- He was called and He obeyed.
Heb 11:9 By FAITH he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
WE look for a city whose builder and maker is God too! Just as they looked. Just as Abraham looked we look! Aren't you looking for a city whose builder and maker is God?
Psa 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
We look for this city! We must look for this city! We must look for Christ our Savior to return to take us to this new city that isn't made by man's hands, but God's! And we look how? By faith!
We must believe!
As children you might have been told if you just close your eyes and wish hard enough for something that it will come true. You are told to make a wish and blow out candles on a cake, and that wish will come true. You are told to throw money into a wishing well and make a wish, and it will come true. As children we believe- as adults we don't believe because the majority of those wishes never, ever come true. Wishing is hoping, hoping is faith. Children have faith and lose that faith. They lose faith in people when they are made promises and those promises don't come to pass. We lose faith in our partners when they make promises and don't keep them. It's easy to lose faith in other human beings because we are not God, we are not infallible, we cannot control things on the same realm as God. Having faith in God and having that faith realized when we inherit the kingdom prepared for us is our hope. Being with our Savior, living with our God, our King is our hope. Eternal life is a real hope, a real faith that will not fail because God will not fail us. Having faith in Him is everything, should be our everything!
Faith.
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
With faith we will be counted among those God will find righteous- in His righteousness.
More tomorrow as we continue to study faith, by the grace of our Lord and our Savior now and forever and ever! Amen. Amen! Amen!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Not made of things which do appear
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
By faith the elders obtained a good report. We can look back through history and see where faith has been relied upon as opposed to lack of faith. The faithful believe.
Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
He believed. Abraham believed and it was that belief that was righteousness- not anything else. Out of His belief, out of his faith he lived His life. Did he make mistakes? Yes. Did those mistakes destroy his belief in the LORD? No. We can't let our miserable failures destroy our belief in the LORD, we can't. Satan loves to hold up our mistakes and wave them in our faces, taunting us over and over telling us that we are failures when it comes to the Lord and living for the Lord. Miserable, wretched failures doomed to fail forever. He's right. Yes, I said Satan is right. We are miserable, we are wretched, we are failures in and of ourselves and we will never be anything more as long as Satan exists. Only FAITH can change that, faith in our Savior! Faith that our Savior succeeded in obtaining Salvation for us. We can be as good as gold, we can go days without any obvious sinning, without any obvious mistakes or missteps but that still will not save us- not ever. Only faith in our Savior will save us.
When Satan realizes a person understands they are saved by faith, he'll batter at that faith and do all sorts of things to undermine that faith. As surely as you can have faith, you can lose faith and loss of that faith is deadly. Again I'll recite my favorite Bible verse- Mark 9:24- '...Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief' It's my favorite because believing is having faith, and if there is any part of me that doesn't have faith, if I'm at or ever going to be at a place where I'm doubting my faith I have to cry out to my Savior- help thou mine unbelief! Help me to believe! I don't want to ever stop believing! I don't ever want to lose my faith in my Savior to save me.
So when we read about the elders obtaining a good report by faith it's no surprise is it? Not really, because we know each one of those elders is a human, born into the world just like you and I. Those elders believed in God- not themselves. Those elders weren't perfect in themselves but rather had faith in God to save them.
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Through faith we UNDERSTAND that the worlds were framed by the word of God-
So that things which are seen
Were NOT made of things which do APPEAR.
Outright we are told things are going to appear different from the fact God created the worlds. Even today we have famed scientist touting their belief that God did not create the world. What are they basing their supposed irrefutable facts on? Things that appear a certain way. Without faith you won't understand that God created the world, it's impossible without faith. Without believing, without faith, without understanding that we won't have evidence - the evidence men without faith demand- we can't understand that God created the worlds.
You want to be an intellectual giant who can pat themselves on the back soundly and puff out your chest while swelling your head so big you can't fit through the largest doorway- then sure go ahead and lack faith, live with your self-delusions, live with your sense of self-grandeur but tell me- can you create a world? Can you create something from nothing? Are you willing to believe that you exist by mere chance? Are you saying that you believe in nothing? You probably are believing and saying all that and you're happy to do so because in your own mind it makes you appear wise, much wiser than those deluded fools willing to believe in something they can't see. As long as you claim self-wisdom you'll never be able to claim God's wisdom. Hold onto your self righteousness, it's your prerogative, your choice to make- but in the end self-righteousness will fail you - it fails everyone.
God's righteousness alone will save.
Believing that things were made differently than how they appear to have been made isn't foolishness. Us created beings daring to believe we can control and understand all of life is foolishness.
You think about how today's science has enabled man to put into barren wombs a fertilize egg to create a human being and some believe men are the creators, that this is wrong. Can all women still bear children this way? Has barrenness been done away with? No and no. When God shuts a womb no amount of science from man will enable a woman to bear a child. God's will- will be done ultimately no matter how much men of science, men who refuse to believe by faith that the worlds were created by God, try to convince themselves and others differently.
Faith- not believing by sight, but believing by not seeing.
Faith- hope.
May God open our hearts and minds to His truths by faith. May our faith only increase. May our faith be of the purest quality. May Jesus, our Lord and Savior be our everything, sight unseen.
In His amazing love! By His holiness! Through His grace, His righteousness, His mercy forever!
Amen.
Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
By faith the elders obtained a good report. We can look back through history and see where faith has been relied upon as opposed to lack of faith. The faithful believe.
Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
He believed. Abraham believed and it was that belief that was righteousness- not anything else. Out of His belief, out of his faith he lived His life. Did he make mistakes? Yes. Did those mistakes destroy his belief in the LORD? No. We can't let our miserable failures destroy our belief in the LORD, we can't. Satan loves to hold up our mistakes and wave them in our faces, taunting us over and over telling us that we are failures when it comes to the Lord and living for the Lord. Miserable, wretched failures doomed to fail forever. He's right. Yes, I said Satan is right. We are miserable, we are wretched, we are failures in and of ourselves and we will never be anything more as long as Satan exists. Only FAITH can change that, faith in our Savior! Faith that our Savior succeeded in obtaining Salvation for us. We can be as good as gold, we can go days without any obvious sinning, without any obvious mistakes or missteps but that still will not save us- not ever. Only faith in our Savior will save us.
When Satan realizes a person understands they are saved by faith, he'll batter at that faith and do all sorts of things to undermine that faith. As surely as you can have faith, you can lose faith and loss of that faith is deadly. Again I'll recite my favorite Bible verse- Mark 9:24- '...Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief' It's my favorite because believing is having faith, and if there is any part of me that doesn't have faith, if I'm at or ever going to be at a place where I'm doubting my faith I have to cry out to my Savior- help thou mine unbelief! Help me to believe! I don't want to ever stop believing! I don't ever want to lose my faith in my Savior to save me.
So when we read about the elders obtaining a good report by faith it's no surprise is it? Not really, because we know each one of those elders is a human, born into the world just like you and I. Those elders believed in God- not themselves. Those elders weren't perfect in themselves but rather had faith in God to save them.
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Through faith we UNDERSTAND that the worlds were framed by the word of God-
So that things which are seen
Were NOT made of things which do APPEAR.
Outright we are told things are going to appear different from the fact God created the worlds. Even today we have famed scientist touting their belief that God did not create the world. What are they basing their supposed irrefutable facts on? Things that appear a certain way. Without faith you won't understand that God created the world, it's impossible without faith. Without believing, without faith, without understanding that we won't have evidence - the evidence men without faith demand- we can't understand that God created the worlds.
You want to be an intellectual giant who can pat themselves on the back soundly and puff out your chest while swelling your head so big you can't fit through the largest doorway- then sure go ahead and lack faith, live with your self-delusions, live with your sense of self-grandeur but tell me- can you create a world? Can you create something from nothing? Are you willing to believe that you exist by mere chance? Are you saying that you believe in nothing? You probably are believing and saying all that and you're happy to do so because in your own mind it makes you appear wise, much wiser than those deluded fools willing to believe in something they can't see. As long as you claim self-wisdom you'll never be able to claim God's wisdom. Hold onto your self righteousness, it's your prerogative, your choice to make- but in the end self-righteousness will fail you - it fails everyone.
God's righteousness alone will save.
Believing that things were made differently than how they appear to have been made isn't foolishness. Us created beings daring to believe we can control and understand all of life is foolishness.
You think about how today's science has enabled man to put into barren wombs a fertilize egg to create a human being and some believe men are the creators, that this is wrong. Can all women still bear children this way? Has barrenness been done away with? No and no. When God shuts a womb no amount of science from man will enable a woman to bear a child. God's will- will be done ultimately no matter how much men of science, men who refuse to believe by faith that the worlds were created by God, try to convince themselves and others differently.
Faith- not believing by sight, but believing by not seeing.
Faith- hope.
May God open our hearts and minds to His truths by faith. May our faith only increase. May our faith be of the purest quality. May Jesus, our Lord and Savior be our everything, sight unseen.
In His amazing love! By His holiness! Through His grace, His righteousness, His mercy forever!
Amen.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Faith - Evidence of the Unseen
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Yesterday the first half of this first was discussed- Faith is the substance (the real, solid) substance of things hoped for. The thing we hope for is Christ, right?
1Ti 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope
Our hope- our Savior.
1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
Our hope…our joy…our crown of rejoicing is to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at His coming.
It doesn't say our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing is here and now upon this earth in it's fullness in all this earth has to offer. This earth has some wonderful things, marvelous, beautiful things that are to be enjoyed, but ultimately it is Christ, our hope, who is to be our everything.
Faith being the substance of things hoped for, the REAL hope, for the REAL thing and the evidence of things…..NOT SEEN.
Some love to remark how contradictory this sounds- evidence is proof, don't we convict criminals based upon the evidence, based upon the facts that evidence reveals. Evidence doesn't sound wishy washy, evidence sounds firm, it sounds solid and it should- it's evidence. So when we say evidence of things NOT SEEN, we're not offering tangible proof. We are not offering the sort of evidence that we can hold up in court and wave around for people to see. Faith calls for evidence you CAN'T See. By it's very nature, faith isn't something captured in a bottle. Faith isn't something you show to someone. Faith isn't a supposed dated piece of bone millions of years old. Faith isn't the fact you had a prayer answered. Faith isn't in the wealth you gain. Faith isn't in the disasters you encounter. Faith- if you want an example is this---
Your young child walking towards your outstretched arms unaware, uncaring about the dangers around, only seeing you and believing in you and the safety you offer in your arms. Faith is when that child lets go of the furniture they are used to holding to for support and steps out without anything to support them. Faith, the friend willing to jump off a bridge with nothing but a bungee cord- trusting that cord to hold them. Faith, jumping from a building onto a trampoline, trusting it will break your fall. Faith, counting on someone to take care of you when you have no real proof they will. When you marry someonyou marry them out of faith- trusting you will be the one they love forever and no other- by faith you marry. There are any number of examples of faith people have who don't equate faith with religion. There is also misplaced faith. Faith that fails. Parents that don't catch their children, trampolines and cords that break, marriages that fail. Yet this doesn't stop people from having faith, it doesn't even stop those who have tried once and fail from trying again. Those who say that to believe in God and our Savior Jesus Christ is foolish because we have no REAL evidence to hold forth like to say that to have faith in something unseen is stupid, yet they have faith in things they don't see all the time.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Having faith is God is not a misplaced faith- God will never fail us for God promises us eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son- God does not promise us anything else. God does not promise you riches or food in your belly. Yes, God takes care of the birds and the fish, and the flowers and He will take care of us too but He will take care of us in His eternal way, not our mortal way. NO, I'm not saying He won't take care of us now- every breath we take is by His grace- but we face horrors that have many people doubting God exists and that if He does He's a sadistic monster. God is not a sadistic monster, God is…. LOVE. We have to step out of our mortal thinking into His eternal thinking and until we do we will forever risk losing our faith.
Faith.
May God help us to have faith. May God help us to believe and help our unbelief.
In His mercy now and forever and ever!
Amen.
Yesterday the first half of this first was discussed- Faith is the substance (the real, solid) substance of things hoped for. The thing we hope for is Christ, right?
1Ti 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope
Our hope- our Savior.
1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
Our hope…our joy…our crown of rejoicing is to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at His coming.
It doesn't say our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing is here and now upon this earth in it's fullness in all this earth has to offer. This earth has some wonderful things, marvelous, beautiful things that are to be enjoyed, but ultimately it is Christ, our hope, who is to be our everything.
Faith being the substance of things hoped for, the REAL hope, for the REAL thing and the evidence of things…..NOT SEEN.
Some love to remark how contradictory this sounds- evidence is proof, don't we convict criminals based upon the evidence, based upon the facts that evidence reveals. Evidence doesn't sound wishy washy, evidence sounds firm, it sounds solid and it should- it's evidence. So when we say evidence of things NOT SEEN, we're not offering tangible proof. We are not offering the sort of evidence that we can hold up in court and wave around for people to see. Faith calls for evidence you CAN'T See. By it's very nature, faith isn't something captured in a bottle. Faith isn't something you show to someone. Faith isn't a supposed dated piece of bone millions of years old. Faith isn't the fact you had a prayer answered. Faith isn't in the wealth you gain. Faith isn't in the disasters you encounter. Faith- if you want an example is this---
Your young child walking towards your outstretched arms unaware, uncaring about the dangers around, only seeing you and believing in you and the safety you offer in your arms. Faith is when that child lets go of the furniture they are used to holding to for support and steps out without anything to support them. Faith, the friend willing to jump off a bridge with nothing but a bungee cord- trusting that cord to hold them. Faith, jumping from a building onto a trampoline, trusting it will break your fall. Faith, counting on someone to take care of you when you have no real proof they will. When you marry someonyou marry them out of faith- trusting you will be the one they love forever and no other- by faith you marry. There are any number of examples of faith people have who don't equate faith with religion. There is also misplaced faith. Faith that fails. Parents that don't catch their children, trampolines and cords that break, marriages that fail. Yet this doesn't stop people from having faith, it doesn't even stop those who have tried once and fail from trying again. Those who say that to believe in God and our Savior Jesus Christ is foolish because we have no REAL evidence to hold forth like to say that to have faith in something unseen is stupid, yet they have faith in things they don't see all the time.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Having faith is God is not a misplaced faith- God will never fail us for God promises us eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son- God does not promise us anything else. God does not promise you riches or food in your belly. Yes, God takes care of the birds and the fish, and the flowers and He will take care of us too but He will take care of us in His eternal way, not our mortal way. NO, I'm not saying He won't take care of us now- every breath we take is by His grace- but we face horrors that have many people doubting God exists and that if He does He's a sadistic monster. God is not a sadistic monster, God is…. LOVE. We have to step out of our mortal thinking into His eternal thinking and until we do we will forever risk losing our faith.
Faith.
May God help us to have faith. May God help us to believe and help our unbelief.
In His mercy now and forever and ever!
Amen.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Hope in Reality
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
This is a much beloved verse because when someone asks you what faith is, or if you want to know yourself what faith is then this verse tells you-- faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is-
1) The substance of things hoped for.
2) The evidence of things not seen.
What is the substance of things hoped for- anything we hope for?
The New Testament Greek Lexicon: Substance- Hupostasis hoop-os'-tas-is
Definition -- a setting or placing under thing put under, substructure, foundation that which has foundation, is firm that which has actual existence a substance, real being the substantial quality, nature, of a person or thing the steadfastness of mind, firmness, courage, resolution confidence, firm trust, assurance
This substance that is hoped for isn't a dream. This substance hoped for isn't some fantasy. This substance has REAL existence, REAL being. When we hope for something doesn't it have basis in reality? If I hope for a million dollars the reality is that people sometimes do win a million dollars. If I hope for good weather my hope is in something real- the weather. People do have pipe dreams, people do fantasize about unrealistic things, but unless they are mentally challenged on some level they don't hope for unrealistic things. A person in their right mind doesn't hope to become a super hero. They might have a passing thought about how cool it would be to be a super hero, but to actually hope to be one, well, that is a hope in something unsubstantial, a hope in something that doesn't have actual existence. The substance that is hoped for in this verse on faith is a hope in something REAL.
Eternal life is real.
The promise of God is real.
Our Savior is real.
Living in a world that would have us put our REAL HOPE into the realm of fiction and fantasy we have to know beyond any doubt that our hope is more real then anything we can touch, taste, see, feel, or smell. God is more real than anything else is real, and people would have you believe that's not true. They would rather you believe we exist and have always existed without God. They would have you believe that you were some ooze on the ground that evolved. That your ancestor was an ape. This is more real to these people- these unseen, unproven things, these fictions and fantasies are more real to some people than the truth- that they have a Creator.
Faith- the substance (the reality) of things hoped for. Our REAL hope.
By the grace of God we will have a REAL hope in our Savior.
More tomorrow.
By the will of our God now and forever.
Amen.
This is a much beloved verse because when someone asks you what faith is, or if you want to know yourself what faith is then this verse tells you-- faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is-
1) The substance of things hoped for.
2) The evidence of things not seen.
What is the substance of things hoped for- anything we hope for?
The New Testament Greek Lexicon: Substance- Hupostasis hoop-os'-tas-is
Definition -- a setting or placing under thing put under, substructure, foundation that which has foundation, is firm that which has actual existence a substance, real being the substantial quality, nature, of a person or thing the steadfastness of mind, firmness, courage, resolution confidence, firm trust, assurance
This substance that is hoped for isn't a dream. This substance hoped for isn't some fantasy. This substance has REAL existence, REAL being. When we hope for something doesn't it have basis in reality? If I hope for a million dollars the reality is that people sometimes do win a million dollars. If I hope for good weather my hope is in something real- the weather. People do have pipe dreams, people do fantasize about unrealistic things, but unless they are mentally challenged on some level they don't hope for unrealistic things. A person in their right mind doesn't hope to become a super hero. They might have a passing thought about how cool it would be to be a super hero, but to actually hope to be one, well, that is a hope in something unsubstantial, a hope in something that doesn't have actual existence. The substance that is hoped for in this verse on faith is a hope in something REAL.
Eternal life is real.
The promise of God is real.
Our Savior is real.
Living in a world that would have us put our REAL HOPE into the realm of fiction and fantasy we have to know beyond any doubt that our hope is more real then anything we can touch, taste, see, feel, or smell. God is more real than anything else is real, and people would have you believe that's not true. They would rather you believe we exist and have always existed without God. They would have you believe that you were some ooze on the ground that evolved. That your ancestor was an ape. This is more real to these people- these unseen, unproven things, these fictions and fantasies are more real to some people than the truth- that they have a Creator.
Faith- the substance (the reality) of things hoped for. Our REAL hope.
By the grace of God we will have a REAL hope in our Savior.
More tomorrow.
By the will of our God now and forever.
Amen.
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