Hebrews 11:1-3
What is Faith
There once was a tourist who came too close to the edge of the Grand Canyon, lost his footing and plunged over the side, clawing and scratching to save himself. After he disappeared out of sight; and, just before he fell into open space, he stumbled upon a scrubby bush which he desperately grabbed with both hands. Filled with terror, he called out toward Heaven, "Is there anyone up there?"
A calm, powerful voice came out of the sky, "Yes, there is." The tourist pleaded, "Can you help me?" The calm voice replied, "Yes, I probably can. What is your problem?" "I fell over the cliff and am dangling in space holding on to a bush that is about to let go," he replied. "Please help me!" The voice from above said, "I’ll try. Do you believe?" "Yes, yes, I believe," came the response. The voice from above said, "Do you have faith?" "Yes, yes, I have strong faith," came the reply. The calm voice said, "Well, in that case, simply let loose of the bush and everything will turn out fine." There was a tense pause, followed by the tourist yelling, "Is there anyone else up there?"
It is one thing to talk about faith;
• But it’s a completely different thing to act on faith!
• Today I would like us to take a little time and discover what faith really is;
• And, just how faith can help us in our struggle to be everything that we can be in Christ!
Today we are going to look at Heb. 11:1-3
• And as we study the text
• We’re going to look at six different statements that are derived from that text:
(1) Faith is believing when we don’t see it;
(2) Faith is obeying when we don’t understand it;
(3) Faith is giving when we don’t have it;
(4) Faith is persisting when we don’t feel like it;
(5) Faith is thanking God before we receive it;
(6) Faith is trusting God even if we don’t get it!
Heb 11:1 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.
Heb 11:2 God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith.
Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
In the first verse of our text, Hebrews 11:1 (NLT), we read: "What is faith?
• And we are told that Faith is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.
• It’s the evidence of things we cannot yet see."
• Now this almost sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it?
However, the Bible – we know is the written Word of God –
• And it teaches us that faith is imagining the future now - in the present!
• It’s being sure of what we do not see –
• It is seeing it in advance!
• Mankind says, "Seeing is believing," But God says: "Believing is seeing!"
• In 1960, the 35th President of the United States of America, John F Kennedy (1917 - 1963), said,
• "Let’s put a man on the Moon before the end of the decade."
• When he made that statement, the technology for putting a man on the Moon
• Hadn’t been invented;
• But, some things have to be believed in before we can see them!
• Just nine (9) years later, in 1969,
• Neil Armstrong (Born: 1930), became the first man ever to step foot upon the surface of the Moon.
We have got to believe things in advance
• Everything that has ever happened in our lives was an impossibility
• Before it became a reality;
• And, someone had to believe in it first!
• Faith is nothing more than trusting God to turn our dreams into reality!
• We have to have faith that it is going to happen in order for it to happen
• We have to be certain that God can and will do these things in our lives!
The writer of Hebrews, in Hebrews 11:8, tells us:
"It was by faith that Abraham 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."
• I think we all know the story or have at least heard it once
• About how Abraham, was living in the land of Ur,
• He was 75-years old ,
• And God tells him that He is going to send him on a journey –
• Now God doesn’t tell him where he’s going
• And He doesn’t tell him how far he’s going to be traveling
• Now I have to stop and ask the question
• If we were in Abraham’s shoes and God came and gave us this message
• What would we do
• "Would we go? Would you and I go?"
• Faith we know is obeying God even when we don’t understand!
There are many of us who want to be guaranteed success
• Before we try anything;
• And to an extent I can understand this (ELAB – Nobody wants to fail)
• But,sometimes God says: "NO!"
• Because faith always involves risks
• God wants to force us to trust Him!
• Faith is doing the right thing even when it seems insane!
• Did you know that giving and faith go hand in hand?
• You can’t separate one from the other
• They are "Inseparable Twins" - they simply go together!
• God uses our finances to test our faith all the time!
• Have you ever made a decision whether to pay a bill or to tithe?"
• This is a test
• God is testing us to see just how much we trust Him!
• We can either give by faith or we can give by fear!
• Giving by fear is when we say, "How much can I afford to give?"
• Giving by faith is when we say, "How much does God want me to give,
• Whether I have got it to give or not?"
• It is one thing to give when we have money to spare
• But it’s completely different to give when we don’t know
• Where the money is going to come from when to pay the bills!
We are living in a society that believes that everything we do
• Depends on how we feel about doing it.
• In other words, if you feel like doing it - do it;
• If you don’t feel like doing it - don’t do it!
• This is a guaranteed formula for immaturity
• Because immature people build their lives on feelings rather than on commitments!
When we live our lives based upon how we feel,
• We end up being controlled by our moods
• We flip-flop around because we feel different from each moment to the next
• Day to day - month to month - year to year!
• One of the true tests of maturity
• Is when we live our lives by commitments; and, not by feelings!
• The truth of the matter is I don’t always feel like doing what is right - do you?
I don’t always feel like being nice to people –
• I don’t always feel like spending time with my family
• I don’t always feel like praying and reading my Bible.
• The issue, however, is not what do we feel; but, do we do the right thing?
• The real key to success is that "successful people
• Do what most people don’t feel like doing! –
• Successful people develop habits that unsuccessful people don’t feel like developing
• Successful people use their time wisely
The writer of Hebrews, in Hebrews 11:27 tells us:
• "It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt,
• He was not afraid of the king,
• Moses kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the One who is invisible."
• We can only accomplish the impossible when we see the invisible!
• If we keep our eyes on God, He will give us the power to "keep on keeping on!"
Faith is an essential of hope
• Hope is the promise that allows us to live expecting Eternal Life
• Hope is expecting all the blessings of that God has promised us
• Purpose allows us to remain focused on Eternal Life and those blessings
• Perseverance teaches us to remain committed so that we can experience Eternal Life and all the blessings of God –
• And finally , Prosperity is the reaping of the harvest!
• This is the blessing!
We need to thank Almighty God for receiving our blessings
• Even before we receive them- that is faith!
• If we wait to thank Him until we receive it – that’s gratitude!
• We need to Thank God for answered prayers - before the answer comes!
Finally, as I begin to close, faith is trusting Almighty God
• Even if we don’t get what we want!
• God always hears us and He always answers us
• But He does not always answer prayers the way that we want Him to!
• Sometimes His answer is "YES"
• Sometimes His answer is "NO"
• And, sometimes, His answer is "WAIT!"
God answers prayer in many different ways!
• He tells us "NO" because He loves us!
• God isn’t a vending machine
• Where we put a prayer in and get out whatever we want!
• Sometimes vending machines will give us "stuff" that will kill us!
• God only gives us what is for our benefit!
In Hebrews, Chapter 11, in the "Faith Hall of Fame,
• We find a list of people who suffered for their faith
• Some of them got their heads cut off
• Some of them were burned at the stake
• Some of them had their eyes gouged out
• Some of them were drowned
All kinds of gruesome "stuff" happened to these people;
• But each one of these people were "Heroes of Faith!"
• And I feel that it is important to add that living by faith doesn’t mean that we are going to live a life free from problems
• I know from experience that as a True Christian believer,
• I have the same problems that I had before I got saved!
• As a True Christian believers, we have the same problems that sinners have
• The only difference is that we now have the ability to help us deal with them!
• Now we have a Comforter to help us cope –
• To handle the stress - as we deal with everyday living!
We have to understand that we gain character
• When we go through tough times
• Tough times are the experiences that God allows to transform us
• Into a person of integrity, a person of stability; and, a person of values!
• We need to realize that God is all that we need
• And He is all that we have!
