What is Faith?

The passage I read for my morning devotion today - Hebrews 11 & 12:1-3

This was such a beautiful passage I just had to share it here on my blog.  Instead of paraphrasing it in my devotional notebook I will paraphrase it here.

Heberws 11:1  NOW FAITH IS BEING SURE OF WHAT WE HOPE FOR AND CERTAIN OF WHAT WE DO NOT SEE.

We show faith when we understand that God created the universe at his own command. (v.3)

Who else showed faith and was faithful in the Bible?  The following are some examples:

- ABEL brought God a better offering than Cain. (v.4)

- ENOCH never faced death because he was commended as one who pleased God. (v.5)

Hebrews 11:6 AND 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.

- NOAH was warned about things that never happened before but he built an ark to save his family. (v.7)

- ABRAHAM did not even know where he was going but when called to go he obeyed and went. He made his home in the promised land and lived like a stranger in a foreign country for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (v.8-10)

- SARAH was able to bear a child even though she was old because she believed God, who made the promise, was faithful. And so from Abraham who was "as good as dead"  from him came descendants as numerous as the stars int he sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. (v. 11-12)

All these people were still living by faith when they died.  Many of them did not receive the things promised such as seeing how big their descendants would grow or seeing the promised land.  They admitted they were only foreigners and strangers on earth.  They didn't think of the country they had left but were longing for a better country - the heavenly one.  (v. 13-16)

- ABRAHAM was willing to sacrifice Isaac when God tested him.  Because he had faith that God could raise the dead back to life. (v.17-19)

- ISAAC blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. (v.20)

- JACOB blessed Joseph's sons when he was dying and worshiped God until his old age.(v.21)

- JOSEPH  spoke about the exodus of the Israelites out of egypt before he died ad gave instructions that his bones must go with them. (v.22)

- MOSES'S PARENTS hid him for 3 months because they saw he was no ordinary child and they were not afraid of the king's law.(v.23)

- MOSES when he grew up did not want to be knows as the son of the Pharaoh's daughter.  He did not choose the treasures of Egypt.  He left Egypt not fearing the King's anger and persevered because he believed in God.  He kept the Passover so that the firstborn would be saved.(v.24-28)

-  ISRAELITES passed through the red seas and lived while the egyptians were swallowed up in the water.(v.29)

-  The walls of Jericho fell after the army marched around them for 7 days.(v.30)

- THE PROSTITUTE RAHAB was not killed because she welcomed the spies. (v.31)

There were so many more there's not time to talk about (v.32)
-GIDEON
-BARAK
-SAMSON
-JEPTHAH
-DAVID
-SAMUEL & PROPHETS

all of them through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, escaped the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength.  Women received back heir dead, raised to life again. (v.33-35)

Others were tortured, faced jeers and flogging, chains and imprisonment.  Some were put to death by stoning, sawed in two, killed by the sword. They were destitute, persecuted and mistreated. They wandered in deserts , mountains, caves and holes in the ground. (v36-38)

They were all commended for their faith.  Yet none of them actually received what had been promised.  Because God has planned something better and they believed in that. (v.39-40)

They are all our witnesses and our examples.  If they can go through that so can we.  We need to let go anything that hinders us from having that faith in God and go through this life with perseverance fixing our eyes on

-JESUS, the pioneer of perfect faith.  He endured the cross for us. (ch. 12 v.2)

Remember Jesus who endured so much for us sinners so that we will not grow weary and lose heart.(v.3)

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- LERIE by faith......... ;)