5-Qualities Every Christian Should Have

5-QUALITITES EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD HAVE

Hebrews 11:13-16

13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

American novelist Thomas Wolfe once wrote a novel entitled: “You Can’t Go Home Again.” But boy was he wrong… Often we gather in church for a time of Fellowship, Fun, Singing & Devotion. As Christians - We look forward to spending time together away from the cares of this world. As Christians - We enjoy coming together, forgetting for the moment, in the least, all of our troubles. All too often, this world can cause us, times of; Pain, Heartache, Sufferings, Sorrow, Disappointments & Even Death. We drag our heavy hearts in to the altars of the church only to return yet again out into the realities of this world. But no matter what we go through in this life, we should live as if we are indeed, “headed home!” You see, we will encounter hardships, but we don’t have to live in them… For the Christian - There’s more good-times ahead! For the Christian - We are headed to an Eternal Home!

I would like to remind you that this is not all there is! Some of you reading this manuscript may be feeling defeated. Listen, you may be down, but there’s no reason to stay down… I would like to give to you a can’t miss on how to recover during such times…

Now then, I speak to you today out of Hebrews Chapter 11. This particular chapter is one of my Favorites. Not only does it strengthen my Faith, it also gives me many lessons for the Christian life… It appears that the Hebrews writers too had an audience. One in which had: Been discouraged; Even had Considered turning back from the Christian Faith. And he is trying to motivate them into regaining their Spiritual Strength.

I recall as a young boy, not being too great in Baseball. I recall how bad I felt when a little fellow even smaller than myself had more success hitting the ball than I. And I remember how I felt trampled / like giving up playing at all. Have you ever felt like you had been trampled by someone or something in life? Maybe, the Boss Trampled over you Maybe, someone that you thought was your Friend, Trampled over you Perhaps, your Spouse Trampled over you and made you feel small, insignificant. The writer of the Hebrews apparently had ran into such people. So he gathers the names of some who had; Faithfully endured this world to the end. Who had kept the Faith in spite of their circumstances. He talked about great Men & Women such as;

Abel - Who offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain

Enoch - Was translated that he might not see death

Noah - Who predicted rain though it had never been seen

Abraham - Who went out not knowing where he was going

Sarah - Who in her old age conceived and birthed a child

Isaac - Who blessed Jacob & Esau concerning things to come

Jacob -Who worshiped though he leaned upon his staff

Joseph - Who dying, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

Moses - Who refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Rahab - Who perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Gideon

Barak

Samson

Jephthah

David

Samuel

The writer says, he couldn’t mention them all that kept their faith in spite of the great sacrifices that they had to endure… They all, each of them had to endure some tough times. But in this list of the Faithful, the writer gives us 5-qualities that is manifested in their lives. 5-Qualities they each had in overcoming all in which they encountered…

Verse 13..,

13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

The first Quality they each had was;

CONFIDENCE!

We must have confidence!

13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them,