Setting – By faith we live our life on this earth
Content – If it is (v. 6 NLT) “it is impossible to please God without faith.” what is faith than? Verse 1 (NLT), “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see” Why must we live by faith? Verse 6b (NLT), “Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
By faith we believe it was God who created the universe (v. 3a NLT) “By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command”. And by faith believers of old lived their life. Noah (v. 7 NLT), “built an ark to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before”. Abraham (v. 8 NLT) “obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going” By faith Sarah (v. 11 NLT) “together with Abraham was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren.” For all of those who lived by faith (v. 32 NLT) “It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.” While on this earth (v. 39 NLT) “All of these people we have mentioned received God's approval because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.” Why didn’t God give what was promised? Because (v. 40 NLT) “God had far better things in mind for us that would also benefit them, for they can't receive the prize at the end of the race until we finish the race.”
Application – We must remind ourselves that we live by faith. We have facts that help support our faith, but our lives are lived on the foundation of faith. We believe that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is sufficient for us to enter into eternal fellowship with our Creator. We believe that not sinning will yield greater rewards than sinning. We believe that following what is written in Gods word will provide greater blessing than what we feel is a better option. All based on faith. Our faith isn’t a formula for success on this earth either. We see that (v. 35 NLT) “others trusted God and were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free. They placed their hope in the resurrection to a better life” Those believers accepted their punishment on this earth because they believe in a far better life. In fact, by faith, we believe that there is a far better life.
God counts our faith as a righteous act. For those who seek God he (v. 6 NLT) “rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
Content – If it is (v. 6 NLT) “it is impossible to please God without faith.” what is faith than? Verse 1 (NLT), “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see” Why must we live by faith? Verse 6b (NLT), “Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
By faith we believe it was God who created the universe (v. 3a NLT) “By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command”. And by faith believers of old lived their life. Noah (v. 7 NLT), “built an ark to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before”. Abraham (v. 8 NLT) “obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going” By faith Sarah (v. 11 NLT) “together with Abraham was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren.” For all of those who lived by faith (v. 32 NLT) “It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.” While on this earth (v. 39 NLT) “All of these people we have mentioned received God's approval because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.” Why didn’t God give what was promised? Because (v. 40 NLT) “God had far better things in mind for us that would also benefit them, for they can't receive the prize at the end of the race until we finish the race.”
Application – We must remind ourselves that we live by faith. We have facts that help support our faith, but our lives are lived on the foundation of faith. We believe that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is sufficient for us to enter into eternal fellowship with our Creator. We believe that not sinning will yield greater rewards than sinning. We believe that following what is written in Gods word will provide greater blessing than what we feel is a better option. All based on faith. Our faith isn’t a formula for success on this earth either. We see that (v. 35 NLT) “others trusted God and were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free. They placed their hope in the resurrection to a better life” Those believers accepted their punishment on this earth because they believe in a far better life. In fact, by faith, we believe that there is a far better life.
God counts our faith as a righteous act. For those who seek God he (v. 6 NLT) “rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
Comments