Steve Webb  0:00  
I have faith, Lord, but how are you going to do it?

Steve Webb  0:10  
Hi there. This is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I'm your OG God Gaster Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we're reading through the entire Bible in a year and today is epistle Sunday, we're going to complete the book of Hebrews with chapters 11 through 13. You've heard of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Well, today we'll read about Old Testament people who are in a sort of faith hall of fame, or Hall of Faith. I'm calling today's episode. What is faith? Today's show notes page is it Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 291. My email address is Steve at Lifespring media.com. And I think it's time to get started.

Steve Webb  0:51  
Hebrews chapter 11. Faith is what makes real the things we hope for it is proof of what we cannot see. God was pleased with the people who lived a long time ago because they had faith like this. Faith helps us understand that God created the whole world by his command. This means that the things we see were made by something that cannot be seen. Cain and Abel both offered sacrifices to God. But Abel offered a better sacrifice to God because He had faith. God said He was pleased with what Abel offered. And so God called him a good man because he had faith. Abel died. But through his faith, he is still speaking. Enoch was carried away from this earth, so he never died. The Scriptures tell us that before he was carried off. He was a man who pleased God. Later, no one knew where he was because God had taken Enoch to be with him. This all happened because he had faith. Without faith. No one can please God, whoever comes to God must believe that He is real, and that He rewards those who sincerely tried to find him. Noah was warned by God about things that he could not yet see. But he had faith and respect for God. So he built a large boat to save his family. With his faith, Noah showed that the world was wrong. And he became one of those who were made right with God through faith. God called Abraham to travel to another place that He promised to give Him. Abraham did not know where that other place was. But he obeyed God and started traveling because he had faith. Abraham lived in the country that God promised to give him. He lived there like a visitor who did not belong. He did this because he had faith. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who also received the same promise from God. Abraham was waiting for the city that has real foundations. He was waiting for the city that is planned and built by God. Sarah was not able to have children. And Abraham was too old. But he had faith in God, trusting him to do what he promised. And so God made them able to have children. Abraham was so old, he was almost dead. But from that one man came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. So many people came from him that they are like grains of sand on the seashore. All these great people continued living with faith until they died. They did not get the things God promised his people. But they were happy just to see those promises coming far in the future. They accepted the fact that they were like visitors and strangers here on Earth. When people accept something like that they show they're waiting for a country that will be their own. If they were thinking about the country they had left, they could have gone back. But they were waiting for a better country, a heavenly country. So God is not ashamed to be called their God, and He has prepared a city for them. God tested Abraham's faith. God told him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham obeyed because he had faith. He already had the promises from God. And God had already said to him, it is through Isaac that your descendants will come. But Abraham was ready to offer his only son. He did this because he had faith. He believed that God could raise people from death. And really when God stopped Abraham from killing Isaac, it was as if he got him back from death. Isaac blessed the future of Jacob and Esau. He did that because he had faith. And Jacob also because he had faith blessed each one of Joseph sons. He did this while he was dying, leaning on his rod and worshiping God. And when Joseph was almost dead, he spoke about the people of Israel leaving Egypt and he told them what they should do with his body. He did this because he had faith. And the mother and father of Moses hit him for three months after he was born. They did this because they had faith. They saw that Moses was a beautiful baby. He, and they were not afraid to disobey the Kings order. Moses grew up and became a man. He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose not to enjoy the pleasures of sin that lasts such a short time. Indeed, he chose to suffer with God's people. He did this because he had faith. He thought it was better to suffer for the Messiah than to have all the treasures of Egypt. He was waiting for the reward that God would give him. Moses left Egypt because he had faith. He was not afraid of the king's anger. He continued strong as if he could see the God that no one can see. Moses prepared the Passover and spread the blood on the doorways of the people of Israel so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons. Moses did this because he had faith. And God's people all walked through the Red Sea as if it were dry land. They were able to do this because they had faith. But when the Egyptians tried to follow them, they were drowned. And the walls of Jericho fell because of the faith of God's people. They marched around the walls for seven days. And then the walls fell, and Rahab the prostitute Welcome to the Israelites by his like friends, and because of her faith, she was not killed with the ones who refused to obey. Do I need to give you more examples? I don't have enough time to tell you about Gideon Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David Samuel and the prophets, all of them had great faith. And with that faith, they defeated kingdoms. They did what was right, and God helped them in the ways he promised. With their faith. Some people closed the mouths of lions, and some were able to stop blazing fires. Others escaped from being killed with swords. Some who were weak were made strong. They became powerful in battle that defeated other armies. There were women who lost loved ones, but got them back when they were raised from death. Others were tortured, but refused to accept their freedom. They did this so that they could be raised from death to a better life. Some were laughed at and beaten. Others were tied up and put in prison. They were killed with stones, they were cut in half. They were killed with swords. The only clothes some of them had were sheep skins or goat skins. They were poor, persecuted and treated badly by others. The world was not good enough for these great people. They had to wander in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the ground. God was pleased with all of them because of their faith. But not one of them received God's great promise. God planned something better for us. He wanted to make us perfect. Of course, he wanted those great people to be made perfect to, but not before we could all enjoy that blessing together. 

Steve Webb  7:48  
Hebrews chapter 12. Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us. So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew later on, he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right hand of God's throne. So keep your mind on Jesus who put up with many insults from sinners, then you won't get discouraged and give up. None of you have been hurt in your battle against sin. But you have forgotten that the scriptures say to God's children, when the Lord punishes you don't make light of it. And when he corrects you, don't be discouraged. The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own. D patient when you're being corrected. This is how God treats his children. Don't all parents correct their children, God corrects all his children. And if he doesn't correct you, then you really don't belong to Him. Our earthly fathers correct us and we still respect them. Isn't it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual father correct us? Our human fathers correct us for a short time. And they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good because he wants us to be holy as He is. It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time, it is always painful. But if we learn to obey God by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace. Now stand up straight, stop your knees from shaking and walk a straight path, then Lane people will be healed instead of getting worse. Try to live at peace with everyone. live a clean life. If you don't, you will never see the Lord. Make sure no one misses out on God's wonderful kindness. Don't let anyone become bitter and cause trouble for the rest of you. Watch out for immoral and ungodly people like Esau, who sold his future blessing for only one meal. You know how later he wanted it back but there was nothing he could do to change things even though he begged his father and cried, you have not come to a place like Mount Sinai that can be seen and touched. There is no flaming fire or dark cloud or storm or trumpet sound. The people of Israel heard a voice speak, but they begged it to stop because they could not obey its commands. They were even told to kill any animal that touched the mountain. The site was so frightening that Moses said he shook with fear. You have now come to Mount Zion and to the heavenly Jerusalem. This is the city of the living God, where 1000s and 1000s of angels have come to celebrate. Here you will find all of God's dearest children whose names are written in heaven. And you will find God himself who judges everyone. Here also are the spirits of those good people who have been made perfect. And Jesus is here. He is the one who makes God's new agreement with us. And he has sprinkled blood says much better things than the blood of Abel. Make sure you obey the one who speaks to you. The people did not escape when they refused to obey the one who spoke to them at Mount Sinai, do you think you can possibly escape if you refuse to obey the one who speaks to you from heaven? When God spoke the first time, his voice shook only the Earth. This time he has promised to shake the earth once again and heaven to the words once again mean that these created things will someday be shaken and removed, then what cannot be shaken will last. We should be grateful we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom, we please God by worshipping him and by showing him great honor and respect. Our God is like a destructive fire. 

Steve Webb  11:40  
Hebrews chapter 13. Keep being concerned about each other as the Lord's followers should be sure to welcome strangers into your home. By doing this, some people have welcomed angels as guests without even knowing it. Remember the Lord's people who are in jail and be concerned for them. Don't forget those who are suffering, but imagine you are there with them. Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage. Don't fall in love with money. Be satisfied with what you have. The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us. This should make you feel like saying the Lord helps me. Why should I be afraid of what people can do to me. Don't forget about your leaders who taught you God's message. Remember what kind of lives they lived and try to have faith like theirs. Jesus Christ never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Don't be fooled by any kind of strange teachings. It is better to receive strength from God's gift of undeserved grace than to depend on certain foods. After all, these foods don't really help the people who eat them. But we have an altar where even the priests who serve in the place of worship have no right to eat. After the high priest offers the blood of animals is a sin offering. The bodies of those animals are burned outside the camp. Jesus himself suffered outside the city gate, so his blood would make people holy. This is why we should go outside the camp to Jesus and share in his disgrace. On this earth, we don't have a city that lasts forever, but we are waiting for such a city. Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus. But don't forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. This too, is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God. Obey your leaders and do what they say. They are watching over you, and they must answer to God. So don't make them sad as they do their work. Make them happy. Otherwise, they won't be able to help you at all. Pray for us. Our consciences are clear. And we always try to live right. I especially want you to pray that I can visit you again soon. God gives peace and he raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death. Now Jesus has like a great shepherd whose blood was used to make God's eternal agreement with his flock. I pray God will make you ready to obey Him, and that you will always be eager to do right. May Jesus help you do what pleases God. To Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever. Amen. My friends, I've written only a short letter to encourage you. And I beg you to pay close attention to what I have said. By now you surely must know that our friend Timothy is out of jail. If he gets there in time, I will bring him with me when I come to visit you. Please give my greetings to your leaders into the rest of the Lord's people. His followers from Italy send you their greetings. I pray that God will be kind to all of you.

Steve Webb  14:48  
Chapter 11 is sometimes called the faith hall of fame or the Hall of Faith. Now why do you suppose the author of the book found it necessary to write this particular chapter? Of course we know that the author wrote it because he was inspired to do so by the Holy Spirit. But beyond that, I think that the reason God gave this message for the Hebrews was because they were used to relying on the ongoing sacrifices to make them right with God. They were relying on their efforts to conform to the Mosaic law. In the previous chapters, the Jews were told that Jesus offered himself as the one sacrifice for all time, and that it was faith in him that cleanses a person from sin. Well, this notion of faith was kind of a new concept for many of them. And so we have this chapter. I like the way this translation of the Bible we use today explained what faith is. Faith is what makes real the things we hope for, it is proof of what we cannot see. Now, the word hope, as it is used here is not the kind of hope that a child has when he says, I hope I get a new bicycle for Christmas. That kind of hope is a sort of childlike wish. The hope spoken about here in Hebrews is the sort of hope that carries with it, and assured anticipation of what will be in the future. I don't wish that Jesus will someday return. I know he will. And it is that hope that allows me to have an unshakeable peace. When I think about the future, I have no doubt that it will happen. Why don't I doubt? Well, because I have the kind of faith spoken about in this chapter. Some people have little faith, some people have great faith, those who have little faith, if they asked for more will receive it. I know this because at one time I had very little faith. But the faith I had told me that the one in whom my faith rested, was real. So God in His matchless Grace brought events into my life that made me see that whatever faith I'd put in him, was well placed, oftentimes, my faith was tested. And when you think about it, when our faith is tested, it's often God who's being tested. God says, Do you have faith that I will do this? And I say, I believe but Help my unbelief. And then he proves himself worthy of my faith in that instance, thus causing my faith to grow. Like God delivering the people of Israel from Pharaoh's army. God says to Moses, do you have faith that I will provide a way of escape? And Moses says, I have faith, Lord, but how are you going to do it? And then God does the unthinkable by parting the Red Sea, Moses faith was tested. But it was God who did the miracle, it's important to understand that our faith is not something that we whip up ourselves. It is God who gives us the faith in the first place. And it is God who increases our faith, our part in the process is to believe and trust him. And at the beginning of the process, we can't see the end, not with our eyes, and not with our reason. But by faith, we know we have the hope that God will do as he says, He will believe me, I'm not a man of faith because of some great thing that I've done. It's not because of me, or my parents or the church I attend. The faith I have is because I responded to his call to trust Him. And when my trust was challenged, and then responded with, Yes, Lord, I will trust you. He did something that made me see that yes, he is there, and he is trustworthy. Now I have to rush to say that No, I don't have a perfect score. I've often failed when given the decision to trust or not. And every time that's been to my detriment, but even in those times, God has proven that he was there. And then he says, are you ready to trust me now? Shall we try again, he doesn't give up on us when we fail. He just takes us back to school because he knows where he wants to take us. And he knows the person he wants us to become. Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of that which we cannot see. God doesn't have to hope because he does see the end and He lovingly and patiently brings us along until we reach where he already is. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 291. Tomorrow's Monday, which is the day we read from one of the books of the law. We'll begin the book of Deuteronomy by reading chapters one through three boost.

Steve Webb  19:31  
Our associate producer today is Cindy Gardner. She said a $100 check in the mail. Yeah, I have I'm holding in here in my hands here a letter that she wrote. She said, Steve, I've been wanting to contribute for a while but I have a very tight budget and have not been able to do so. In June. I'll be getting an extra paycheck. So I wanted to be sure to send a check to show my appreciation. Blessings to you and LeeAnn as you continue in ministry. She signed, Cindy. Well Cindy God Bless you, my sister. Thank you so very much. I appreciate it. And I certainly know what it's like to have a tight budget and I thank you for this gift. And then brother Paulo Seattle commented on the episode yesterday, X seven and eight, the message spreads. If you haven't heard that, then you'll want to go back and listen to brother Paul's comment that I read on that show in my response to it. And what he commented today was, oh, the Holy Spirit that makes total sense. I totally forgot about that very huge distinction between the Age of Grace and the previous ways God revealed Himself to people. Thanks for the reminder and he and he put his smiley face. Well, Brother Paul, you're welcome. for that. I'm glad it made sense to you.

Steve Webb  20:55  
On this date in church history, June 19, the year 325, the Council of Nicaea closed by the end of the month long assembly the church's first Ecumenical Council called by Pope Sylvester the first and Roman Emperor Constantine the first the 300 assembled bishops had formulated the Nicene Creed condemned the Arian heresy, which denied the deity of Christ and established the method for calculating the date of Easter. And on this date in church history, 1834 Charles Haddon Spurgeon was born, the English Baptist preacher that I've quoted many times on the show and one of the greatest public speakers of his day, his London congregation grew to 6000 members and his published sermons fill more than 50, large volumes, happy birthday, Charles Spurgeon.

Steve Webb  21:52  
Let's pray, our heavenly Father, it is good to be yours, it is good to know that you're the same yesterday, today and forever. And because of who you are, we can have a confident faith in the fact that you love us and want us to have a relationship with you. Thank you, for your word, Lord, and for the accounts of the people from the past who were imperfect, yet had faith in you and because of their faith, righteousness was credited to them. Because of their stories. We know that when we've placed our faith in Jesus, that same accounting applies to us. You see us as righteous despite our imperfections. Oh, thank you, Lord. Father, we look forward to hearing you say, Well done good and faithful servant. You've been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your masters happiness. I pray God that you would bless the Lifespring family today. In each of our lives, grow our faith. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise, go to prayer dot Lifespring media.com.

Steve Webb  23:04  
Comment on the show at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 291. Send me an email at Steve at Lifespring media.com Thank you to Kirsty John of San Pedro and Denise I couldn't get it all done without you. Thanks to today's associate producer Cindy Gardner, and thanks to brother policy Atul, for his comment. Thank you, beloved, for inviting me into your life today. Support the show if you receive value from it, go to Lifespring media.com/support Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye

Transcribed by https://otter.ai