Without faith it is impossible to please him. – Hebrews 11:6
The people in Hebrews chapter 11 were not perfect. For example, Abraham made some bad choices. His conduct to Hagar on two occasions was painful. His departure from Canaan into Egypt during the famine was not an act of faith. Abraham also lied twice regarding his relationship to his wife Sarah. But Abraham so loved Yahweh that he was willing to give up his only son. He was willing to surrender the seen for the unseen.
As an Old Testament character, Abraham was not saved based on his perfect life but by his faith in his Heavenly Father’s promises. Even without the New Testament revelation, he knew that the Lord had promised to bless him, he believed that promise and he was justified because of that belief. Abraham was saved by grace, through faith.
God has always saved His people by the gift of His grace and through faith. Faith works like a rope. He lowers it down to people, enabling them to firmly grasp it and hold on tight until they join Him in Heaven. And when their grip on faith may loosen, His grip will not.
Remember you cannot live the Christian life through your own self-efforts, despite how hard you try. Your only hope for victory, power and fruitfulness is to trust Christ to live His resurrection life in and through you. It is your faith, not your efforts, that pleases Him. However, as a result, your faith will produce good works. So, draw close to the Savior today. And as you pray, ask Him to produce flames of faith in the hearts of America’s leaders so their lives will glorify Him.
Today’s Verse: Hebrews 11:6
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.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Hebrews 11:8-19
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
