~By Faith~

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that is completely out of your control?

Has God ever asked you to do something that you didn't want to do because of what others would think or say?

Has God told you to go but you didn't know how, when or where?

Do you have a loved one that is unsaved and refusing to turn their lives over to Jesus Christ?

Has God asked you to give money when you couldn't afford to pay your bills?

Are you in a financial situation where you don't know how you are going to make it?

Are you having a health crisis, terminal illness or it one that is affecting your loved one?

Have you prayed and prayed, but the answer hasn't come yet?

Have you ever felt like God is not hearing your prayers, He isn't listening or He has turned His back on you?

Do you feel defeated in whatever the situation is?

If you are in one or more than one of these situations, I can relate because I have been in one and sometimes, more than one at a time. It is a sick feeling to know that you...physically...can't change the things that are going on around you or the ones that you love.

If you have acknowledged that there is nothing further that you can do in your situation...then, you are exactly where God wants you to be...totally dependent on Him for the answer.

I love Hebrew 11...By Faith

Hebrew 11:1 - Tells us what faith is...
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

As we read throughout this wonderful chapter, we see the things that faith has made a difference in and completely changed the course of an entire nation and/or someone's life. A lot of the following is exactly like the NIV is written, other places I paraphrased, skipped some parts and what is in parenthesis...are my thoughts.

By Faith - we understand the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
By Faith - Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
By Faith - Enoch was taken from this life, so that he didn't experience death; he couldn't be found because God took him away. (Enoch never suffered death but yet, he was gone from the earth.)

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.

By Faith - Noah was warned of things he had not seen yet, in holy fear built and ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by FAITH. (He took God at His Word, trusting God...putting his FAITH in God and it came to pass just like God said it would...otherwise, Noah and his family would have died.)
By Faith - Abraham went where God told him to go, not knowing that he would receive his inheritance there. By faith, Abraham made his home in the promise land like God told him to.
(God sometimes tells us to go...He doesn't tell us why or reveal His plan for our lives. He simply asks us to trust Him, be obedient and have FAITH.)
By Faith - Abraham became a father when he was old. (He became the father of many nations...because he trusted God and had FAITH.)
By Faith - Abraham, when tested by God, offered Issac as a sacrifice. (God provided a sacrifice when Abraham was obedient and didn't question God...but, had FAITH.)
By Faith - Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's decree. (They had...FAITH that God would make a way where there seemed to be no way.)
By Faith - Moses refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter...but instead he chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as a greater value. (He stood out and chose to do the opposite of what was popular, he refused to deny Christ but stood up what he believed regardless of the consequences...by FAITH.)
By Faith - he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.
By Faith - he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood...so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
By Faith - the people pass through the Red Sea on dry land, but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
By Faith - the walls of Jericho fell, after the people marched around them for seven days.
By Faith - the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were obedient.
By Faith - Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms, administrated justice and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; who weaknesses were turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.
What about the woman with the issue of blood? By FAITH, she was healed by touching the hem of Jesus's garment.

It is amazing to me how such a small word can require so much from us (for some, having faith is easy but for others, it is difficult) and yet...yields such rewards far greater than the sacrifice that God ask us to give...He gives back to us in abundance because we submit to Him and HAVE FAITH.

I hope I didn't lose anyone along the way but for whatever reason...this was burning in my heart to share.

Have a wonderfully blessed day!