Stay in the Now
We are told that we are to live by faith, Hebrews 10:35-11:3 says “cast not away
therefore your confidence, which has great recompence (promise) of reward. For
you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might
receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and
will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, My soul
shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back to perdition;
but of them that believe to the saying of the soul. Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a
good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the
word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do
appear”.
Jesus said to His disciples “whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it,
but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospels, the same shall save
it” (Mark 8:34b-35). Jesus made us a promise in Mark 10:29-30, which says “and
Jesus answered and said, verily I say to you. There is no man that has left house;
or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My
sake, and the gospels. But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time,
houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with
persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life”.
Then in Romans 15:4 we read “for whatsoever things were written aforetime were
written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures
might have hope”. We get hope from the word of God. So let us look at the hero’
s of faith in Hebrews chapter 11. They stayed in the now and did mighty exploits
for God.
Enoch – Enoch walked so closely with God that God translated him and he did not
see death (Genesis 5:21-24) “and Enoch lived sixty and five years, and fathered
Methuselah. And Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah three
hundred years, and fathered sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch
were three hundred sixty and five years. And Enoch walked with God and he was
not, for God took him”. And in Hebrews 11:5 the Bible says “by faith Enoch was
translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had
translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased
God”. Enoch walked so close to God, his relationship with God was such, that
God let him go home with Him.
Noah – Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord Yahweh. Noah was a just man
and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. Before the flood “God
looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its
way upon the earth. And God said to Noah, the end of all flesh is come before
Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them, and, behold, I will destroy
them with the earth. Make you an ark of gopher wood; rooms shall you make in
the ark, and shall pitch it inside and outside with pitch. God told Noah, and,
behold I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh,
wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the
earth shall die. Noah followed the instructions of God and built the ark as God
had commanded him (Genesis 6:6-22). “Noah by faith, being warned of God of
things not seen as yet, moved with fear, reverence prepared an ark to the saving
of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the
righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7). It took Noah a long time to build
the ark and he tried to warn the people, but they didn’t believe him (II Peter 2:5)
“and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of
righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly”.
Abraham – Abram who was later called Abraham, got a word from God and he
obeyed it (Genesis 12:1-4) “Now, the Lord Yahweh had said to Abram, get you
out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father’s house, to a
land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you,
and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. And I will bless them that
bless you and curse him that curses you, and in you shall all families of the earth
be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord Yahweh had spoken to him, and Lot
went with him; and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of
Haran”. And in Hebrews 11:8-10 it says “by faith Abraham, when he was called to
go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and
he went out, not knowing where he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of
promise, as in a strange country; dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the
heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which has
foundations, whose builder and maker is God”.
Joshua stayed in the now and saw the walls of Jericho fall down (Joshua 6:2-5)
“and the Lord Yahweh said to Joshua, see, I have given into your hand Jericho,
and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor. And you shall compass the
city, all you men of war; and go round about the city once. Thus shall you do six
days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns;
and the seventh day you shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall
blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long
blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the
people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat,
and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him”. Joshua obeyed
(Hebrews 11:30) says “by faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were
compassed about seven days”.
Daniel says in (Daniel 11:32b) “the people that do know their God shall be strong
and do exploits”. Daniel knew this first hand, he lived in the now with God and
God gave him favor with the enuchs as he was taken into Babylon. Daniel
purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, and eat
only vegetables and drank water; and God caused him and the others with him to
be found more healthy than those that ate of the kings food. Again, he refused to
be corrupt in his behavior (Daniel 6:3-7) “then this Daniel was preferred above
the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king
thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought
to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find none
occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or
fault found in him. Then said these men, we shall not find any occasion against
this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. Then
these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus to
him, King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors,
and the princes, the counselors, and the captians have consulted together to
establish a royal stature, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a
petition of any god or man for thirty days, save you, O king, he shall be cast into
the den of lions”. The king did establish the decree and Daniel was thrown into
the den of lions, and God shut the mouth of the lions and spared Daniel.
There are many others like Elijah who caused it not to rain for three and a half
years. And then called down fire from heaven upon the false prophets of baal,
and caused Israel to return to the Lord Yahweh. David who defeated Goliath, and
was later made king. Moses who led the Israelites out of Egypt to go to the
promise land.
Now let us look at Romans 15:4 again, so that we may through patience and
comfort of the scriptures might have hope to stand on the word of God and be
used to do mighty exploits for the kingdom of God. Ephesians 6:10-18 says
“finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on
the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places. Wherefore take to you the whole armor of God, that
you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand
therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of
righteousness. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in
the Spirit, and watching thereto with all perseverance and supplication for all
saints”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 22, 2011
We are told that we are to live by faith, Hebrews 10:35-11:3 says “cast not away
therefore your confidence, which has great recompence (promise) of reward. For
you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might
receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and
will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, My soul
shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back to perdition;
but of them that believe to the saying of the soul. Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a
good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the
word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do
appear”.
Jesus said to His disciples “whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it,
but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospels, the same shall save
it” (Mark 8:34b-35). Jesus made us a promise in Mark 10:29-30, which says “and
Jesus answered and said, verily I say to you. There is no man that has left house;
or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My
sake, and the gospels. But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time,
houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with
persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life”.
Then in Romans 15:4 we read “for whatsoever things were written aforetime were
written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures
might have hope”. We get hope from the word of God. So let us look at the hero’
s of faith in Hebrews chapter 11. They stayed in the now and did mighty exploits
for God.
Enoch – Enoch walked so closely with God that God translated him and he did not
see death (Genesis 5:21-24) “and Enoch lived sixty and five years, and fathered
Methuselah. And Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah three
hundred years, and fathered sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch
were three hundred sixty and five years. And Enoch walked with God and he was
not, for God took him”. And in Hebrews 11:5 the Bible says “by faith Enoch was
translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had
translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased
God”. Enoch walked so close to God, his relationship with God was such, that
God let him go home with Him.
Noah – Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord Yahweh. Noah was a just man
and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. Before the flood “God
looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its
way upon the earth. And God said to Noah, the end of all flesh is come before
Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them, and, behold, I will destroy
them with the earth. Make you an ark of gopher wood; rooms shall you make in
the ark, and shall pitch it inside and outside with pitch. God told Noah, and,
behold I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh,
wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the
earth shall die. Noah followed the instructions of God and built the ark as God
had commanded him (Genesis 6:6-22). “Noah by faith, being warned of God of
things not seen as yet, moved with fear, reverence prepared an ark to the saving
of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the
righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7). It took Noah a long time to build
the ark and he tried to warn the people, but they didn’t believe him (II Peter 2:5)
“and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of
righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly”.
Abraham – Abram who was later called Abraham, got a word from God and he
obeyed it (Genesis 12:1-4) “Now, the Lord Yahweh had said to Abram, get you
out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father’s house, to a
land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you,
and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. And I will bless them that
bless you and curse him that curses you, and in you shall all families of the earth
be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord Yahweh had spoken to him, and Lot
went with him; and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of
Haran”. And in Hebrews 11:8-10 it says “by faith Abraham, when he was called to
go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and
he went out, not knowing where he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of
promise, as in a strange country; dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the
heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which has
foundations, whose builder and maker is God”.
Joshua stayed in the now and saw the walls of Jericho fall down (Joshua 6:2-5)
“and the Lord Yahweh said to Joshua, see, I have given into your hand Jericho,
and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor. And you shall compass the
city, all you men of war; and go round about the city once. Thus shall you do six
days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns;
and the seventh day you shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall
blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long
blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the
people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat,
and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him”. Joshua obeyed
(Hebrews 11:30) says “by faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were
compassed about seven days”.
Daniel says in (Daniel 11:32b) “the people that do know their God shall be strong
and do exploits”. Daniel knew this first hand, he lived in the now with God and
God gave him favor with the enuchs as he was taken into Babylon. Daniel
purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, and eat
only vegetables and drank water; and God caused him and the others with him to
be found more healthy than those that ate of the kings food. Again, he refused to
be corrupt in his behavior (Daniel 6:3-7) “then this Daniel was preferred above
the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king
thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought
to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find none
occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or
fault found in him. Then said these men, we shall not find any occasion against
this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. Then
these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus to
him, King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors,
and the princes, the counselors, and the captians have consulted together to
establish a royal stature, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a
petition of any god or man for thirty days, save you, O king, he shall be cast into
the den of lions”. The king did establish the decree and Daniel was thrown into
the den of lions, and God shut the mouth of the lions and spared Daniel.
There are many others like Elijah who caused it not to rain for three and a half
years. And then called down fire from heaven upon the false prophets of baal,
and caused Israel to return to the Lord Yahweh. David who defeated Goliath, and
was later made king. Moses who led the Israelites out of Egypt to go to the
promise land.
Now let us look at Romans 15:4 again, so that we may through patience and
comfort of the scriptures might have hope to stand on the word of God and be
used to do mighty exploits for the kingdom of God. Ephesians 6:10-18 says
“finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on
the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places. Wherefore take to you the whole armor of God, that
you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand
therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of
righteousness. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in
the Spirit, and watching thereto with all perseverance and supplication for all
saints”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 22, 2011
