Week 51: By Faith
Weekly Reading:
Hebrews 1 - I Peter 5
Opening Prayer
Father God,
Sometimes I struggle to put my full faith in You and I try to lean on my strength and power. I know that when I do this I am doubting You. I put my trust in things, like my phone, when I spend more time on social media than in my Bible. Father, guide me in Your love and correct me to be more like You every day.
Amen
Study
I find it difficult to write about faith without copying the entirety of Hebrews, chapter 11 Into the study this week.
Starting with the definition of faith
"Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see."
Hebrews 11:1 NLT
Paul reminds the Hebrew believers in Christ those who stepped out in faith or others did not
Abel
Enoc
Noah
Abraham
Sarah
Isaac
Jacob
Joseph
Moses
Israelites at Passover
The Israelites leaving Egypt
The Israelites Conquering Jericho
These were people of incredible faith who believed in the promises of what was yet to come, not even in their lifetime but in their future generation's lifetimes.
"All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth."
Hebrews 11:13 NLT
By living in faith, they kept their eyes on God, knowing that this earth was not their home, not the kingdom of God's promise. By surrendering to our faith in the unseen, we know that God has so much more in store for us.
"It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel's offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith. It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—"he disappeared, because God took him." For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith. 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. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them. All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth."
Hebrews 11:4-13 NLT
Closing Prayer
Father God,
I know that You have great things in store for us and all that You ask from us is our faith in God and our Lord Jesus Christ. We sometimes rely on ourselves rather than on You. We look at our works rather than at Your provision. Father, thank You for your love and provision.
Amen
Homework
Where do you struggle with your faith? Is it in what you should do rather than what you do?
Where can You give more of yourself to God today?
