A few days ago we attended the Celebration of Life for a friend, John Farley. He was days away from turning 77.
He left an enduring testimony of faith.
His wife, Pat, is so heartbroken. She will need
endurance to make it through the long night of grief.
Today, Jamaica reels from the death and devastation of
Hurricane Melissa which made landfall 10.28.25 at New Hope, Jamaica.
They indeed are in need of New Hope, and endurance
to pick up and rebuild their lives.
Heb. 10:36-38, For you have need of endurance,
so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 “For yet a
little while, and He who is coming will come and
will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by
faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in
him.”
With that we kick off Hebrews 11, The Hall of Faith, which is full of faith giants
who endured.
Sixteen listed by name and others whose names remain
anonymous, the Lord leaving room, for you.
Your Testimony of Faith
Your Enduring Faith
Your Trial of Faith
Your Obedient Faith
Your Hopeful Faith
Your Overcoming Faith
Your Victorious Faith
Your Trail of Faith which leads
to, Jesus The Author and Finisher of our Faith (Heb. 12:2).
Do you have soul saving faith that pleases God?
Jesus says many think they do, but don’t.
Matthew 7:21-23,
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many
will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your
name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then
I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who
practice lawlessness!’
What does soul saving faith that pleases God, look
like?
That’s what Hebrews 11 is about.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the
elders obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we
understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that
the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
4 By
faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through
which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his
gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
5 By faith
Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found,
because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased
God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for
he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
The Lord opens the door to the Hall of Faith with the
spotlight on three Testimonies of Faith.
The elders obtained a good testimony.
God testified to Abel’s righteousness
Enoch’s testimony
pleased God.
From here for the rest of the chapter the spotlight
will bounce from one Faith Hero to another until finally panning out to include
them all because all of their testimonies of faith led to the
same place:
Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith. Hebrews 11:39, 12:2.
What if we were at your Celebration of Life?
What would it be like? What would people say?
Would your life leave a testimony of faith pointing
to Jesus? Like Charlie Kirk’s Celebration of Life was all about Jesus?
Like the elders, have you obtained a good testimony?
Would God testify you were righteous like Abel?
Would your testimony of faith be that you pleased God
like Enoch?
So, what does soul saving faith that
pleases God, look like?
Faith is the substance, (the
assurance, the confidence, the weight) of things hoped for, (unseen
desires planted by God), the evidence, (proof, confirmation, receipt) of
things not seen.
I ordered from Amazon, I’m confident, assured
the order was received, although I don’t see it, I have evidence, proof, faith
it will arrive.
I have faith I will receive the promised
reward.
I will not fear and doubt and run out and cancel the
order because I don’t see it immediately. I won’t go searching for an another
way to obtain it.
Do we have that much faith in God?
Do we seek His Word as diligently as we do for deals
during Amazon Prime Days?
If we do, then we will have more faith in God than in Amazon.
He promises it.
He doesn’t lie.
Without
faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must
believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those
who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6.
We need faith to please Him.
How do we get faith?
Romans 10:17, Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
Jesus asks in Luke 18:8, if
He will find any faith on earth when He comes.
Are you hearing? Are
you diligently seeking?
Do you have as much
faith in God as in Amazon?
Do you have soul saving faith that pleases God?
Do you believe God rewards those who diligently seek
Him?
Okay, if so, then, we should believe His Word, right?
Okay, let’s test our faith.
2 Corinthians 13:5, Examine yourselves as
to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves,
that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
Okay, this test is on the honor system. You take the
test and grade yourself.
Ready?
Go.
Direction Test:
Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust
in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
shall direct your paths.
Do you trust and acknowledge the Lord with all
your heart, even if you don’t understand?
It might be fine to skip Church for extra hours at
work, or for a doctor’s appointment. But you’ve got to ask: Where’s your heart?
Are you trusting God, or money? Do you trust the Great Physician more than someone
practicing medicine?
Peace Test:
Philippians 4:6-7, Be
anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus.
This might be a tough test.
Be anxious for nothing, means don’t worry about
anything.
So, worry is disobedience.
Disobedience is sin.
Yeah, but I can’t help it.
Yes, you can. Unless God is wrong.
He’s not.
So, when tempted to worry, we’re told to pray instead.
Pray about everything. With thanksgiving. Being thankful, neutralizes worry.
God promises if we give Him our worry, He will give
us, His peace.
Don’t try to understand it. You can’t. That’s why it’s
called “peace that surpasses all understanding.”
Seek Test:
Matthew 6:33, Seek
first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be
added to you.
This test is so simple, but yet so hard.
Seek Jesus FIRST. Top priority is Christ. His Kingdom,
His way of doing things. Jesus had just been telling them, seek Me first, and I’ll
take care of you. Look at the birds, they don’t worry but your Father feeds
them, look at the lilies, they don’t toil or spin and yet Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of them. Matthew 6:25-33.
Is your life about your life? Or His?
Do you ask Jesus, “How can I love You better? How can
I serve You first? What can I do just to please You?”
Do you lack?
Are you seeking Him, first.
Rest Test:
Matthew 11:28-29,
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you
will find rest for your souls.
This precious promise is needed so in our world.
Are you worn out? burdened? Jesus promises here to
share that load. Come beside Me, yoke up with Me. I’ll pull, you watch, and
learn, and rest.
Intentionally, purposefully, investing time to talk
with and learn from Jesus, is Life giving.
Are you weary?
How much time are you investing in His Presence?
Okay that’s it.
How you did on your test will determine how you do in your
testimony of faith.
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, please help us do our part, to
receive Your direction and peace and provision and rest. So that our lives
please You and honor You, leaving a trail that leads straight to You, until we all
hear You say, “Well done.”
Thank You.
We love You, forever.
Amen.
Prayer Requests:
Call or text: 612-554-2522
Email: pray4measap@aol.com
Facebook: Church at WPV
Books: amazon.com/author/dougspurling
Watch online:
Facebook: Your Testimony of Faith, Hebrews
11:1-6
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Faith, Hebrews 11:1-6
This was feed for you to read. Now it’s
Seed for you to sow.
Thank you for sharing.
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