Learning the measure we should strive to attain to! Hebrews 11 Introduction to God’s ‘Hall of Faith’ Learning the measure we should strive to attain to!

Do We Need Evidence? Hebrews 11:1 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. NKJV

Seeing is Believing? Romans 8:24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. NKJV

God Sees More! We see “the way through” a need, circumstance or situation – we think we find the answer or resolution. We then must admit to possible setbacks and complications – we see what else can go wrong. It’s all beyond our control! FAITH is seeing that God is aware of it all, and that HE takes care of it ALL.

Our Perceptions Hebrews 11:1 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. {Faith is about what we can’t see or perceive.} 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. NKJV

How DO We “See”? Hebrews 11:1 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. {Faith is about what we can’t see or perceive.} 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. NKJV What made the Light on the first day of Creation? God’s Word. No sun or stars until the 4th day, Gen 1:1-19. God spoke and it existed. What framed the worlds? God’s Word.

The Power of His Word 2 Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same Word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. NKJV

His Word Controls it ALL 2 Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same Word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. NKJV The heavens and earth are preserved by the Word of God. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. NKJV

Oh, to Have Greater Faith! Luke 16 ends with the account of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Luke 17:1 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him." NKJV

Oh, to Have Greater Faith! Luke 17:1 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him." 5 And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." 6 So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. 7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? 8 But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'" NKJV

The Heavenly Hope Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. NKJV

By Faith They Overcame Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. NKJV

By Faith They Overcame Hebrews 11:35…Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented — 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. NKJV

By Faith WE Overcome Hebrews 11:39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. NKJV

What is Faith? Acts 8:36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" 37 Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may.” NKJV Hebrews 3:16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. NKJV

What is Faith? Acts 8:36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" 37 Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may.” NKJV Hebrews 3:16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. NKJV

What Does Faith Look Like? Mark 2:1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said… NKJV Luke 17:11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" 19 And He said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well." NKJV

Faith is… Doing what is within our powers to resolve a situation and leaving the things beyond our control in the hands of the Lord God Almighty. Study of God’s Word – what is God’s Will? He shows us what He wants us to do and it may not be what we’ve decided it should be! Prayer – Thanksgiving and asking God for help. If God made all of this for our existence and shows us that this world is beyond our control, (but inherently within His), why would we not ask for His help? Carpe Diem – Seize the Day. Do what we can, while we can…while it is still in our hands to do something.

Of Which Faith are You? Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. NKJV

Faith in Action In the 1880’s, Charles Blondin walked a 1,100 ft tightrope stretched 160 ft above the roaring waters of Niagara Falls. When he arrived on the other side, the cheering crowd greeted him with great enthusiasm. “Who believes in the Great Blondin?,” he asked the cheering crowd, to which their cheers grew much stronger. As he made a point of asking who had faith in his ability, the crowd all showed tremendous approval. “Who, then, wants to ride on the back of the Great Blondin on the way back across?”

“What Must I Do To Be Saved?” Hear The Gospel (Jn. 5:24; Rom. 10:17) Believe it (Jn. 3:16-18; Jn. 8:24) Repent Of Your Sins (Lk. 13:35; Acts 2:38) Confess Jesus as Christ (Mt. 10:32; Rom. 10:10) Be Baptized (Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16) Remain Faithful for Life (Jn. 8:31; Rev. 2:10) For The Erring Child of God: Repent (Acts 8:22), Confess (I Jn. 1:9), Pray (Acts 8:22)