Faith (2)

Faith as defined by dictionary.com

noun

1.

confidence or trust in a person or thing:

faith in anothers ability.

2.

belief that is not based on proof:

He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated  by fact.

We all have faith.

The question is, 

what or who do I, 

what or who do you 

have faith in?

Faith as defined in Hebrews 1&2:

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for 

and assurance about what we do not see. 

This is what the ancients were commended for."

Excerpts from Hebrews 11:

By faith Abel offered...

By faith Enoch was taken up

By faith Noah... in reverent fear...

By faith Abraham obeyed...

By faith Sarah... 

All these people were still living by faith when they died. 

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, 

                              offered up Isaac...

                              he considered that God was able...

 By faith Isaac...

 By faith Jacob, when dying...

 By faith Joseph...

 By faith Moses’ parents...

 By faith Moses...

 By faith the people passed through...

 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down...

 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish ...

 ...Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and Samuel and the prophets— 

     who through faith 

          conquered kingdoms, 

          enforced justice, 

          obtained promises, 

          stopped the mouths of lions, 

          quenched the power of fire, 

          escaped the edge of the sword,

          were made strong out of weakness,

          became mighty in war, 

          put foreign armies to flight..."

Hebrews 11:1-34

Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob,

Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Samson, David...

These are the heroes of faith that we like to think about, the ones that we often hold our lives up to, 

the ones we want to emulate. 

When we aren't recognized for our faith

when our "victories" aren't obvious-

      we aren't delivered from the floods

      our children are not "brought back" from death

      battles rage around us

      injustice is part of our experience

      walls don't fall

      lions bite us

      we are singed by fire

      a loved one dies

We can begin to wonder, 

we can begin to doubt,

we can begin to question:

Is my faith real?

Is my faith weak?

What am I doing wrong?

Why did 'they' live such victorious lives?

Did God love them more than He loves me?

Read more- 

"Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, 

                so that they might rise again to a better life. 

Others suffered mocking and flogging, 

                  and even chains and imprisonment. 

They were stoned, 

they were sawn in two,

they were killed with the sword. 

They went about in skins of sheep and goats, 

       destitute

       afflicted

      mistreated"

Hebrews 11:35-38

It is comforting to know that life circumstances, 

are not accurate measures of our faith 

or of His faithfulness.

"And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect."

Hebrews 11:39&40

"All of these were commended for their faith."

But the ancients did not receive what was promised.

So,is God a liar?

No, never. 

God is true. 

Always.

The promise was the Messiah's coming. 

Jesus had not come yet.

We have received the promise.

The Messiah has come.

Our faith does not rest on whether or not we receive deliverance from suffering or trials or problems. 

Why is faith important?

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, 

for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him."

Hebrews 11:6

Our lives bear witness to where our faith is.