LEARNING DAILY

 

Hebrews 11:35b, “But others trusted God and were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free.” (NLT)

 

It is exciting and makes us feel good about those mentioned in Hebrews 11 to see how their faith in God led them to do great things.  Read the rest of the chapter and you will see that others who lived for God, enjoying His presence and His favor experienced great suffering and trouble.  By faith one was delivered from death while another died.  “Sincere faith will not only lead believers to do great exploits for God (V. 33-35), but will also at times bring them into suffering, persecution, hardship, and destruction (v. 35-39).” (LSSB).

 

Few of us enjoy reading about Christians around the world who are being persecuted and killed for their faith.  It is happening around the world every day.  Extreme ideology of other religions who hate Christianity; sounds like the devil who has “come to steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10) is in the news every day.  Christians in this country may have experienced some hate but nothing like Christians around the world.  When was the last time your faith in the Lord was really tested?   How would we act if real persecution comes?  Perhaps that is why it is easy for many to call themselves Christians, go through the motions, and believe all is well – their faith is never tested.

 

“Faithfulness to God does not guarantee comfort or deliverance from persecution in the world.  But it does assure us of God’s grace, help and strength in times of persecution, trials or suffering.” (LSSB). Read Hebrews 11:39-40.  The writer of Hebrews leaves us with some words to consider and be encouraged with.  The people who believed God in Biblical times – and I would add those who believe Him today – lived their lives in faith.  They might not have seen God’s promises fulfilled in their life time but they did all they could to walk on the narrow way that leads to God’s kingdom and eternal life.  The Bible is so important for us to study because it gives the hope and the strength to live the way God wants us to live.  That empowers us to trust that God has “provided something better for us and we will receive the prize when we finish the race” (Hebrews 11:40).  That promise is one of redemption and resurrection for the one who has given their life to follow Jesus Christ.  David Jeremiah writes, “The Old Testament saints had only the shadows and the promise; New Testament Christians have the substance and the fulfillment – Christ.”

 

Here is the hope and encouragement I want you to share with me.  The Lord Jesus Christ said He had to return to His heavenly home to prepare a place for all who believe in Him and walk on the narrow way.  You and I will be with all these saints mentioned in the Hall of Fame of Faith.  There will be such glorious times.  I use my “sanctified imagination” to imagine being able to talk with Enoch, Elijah, Daniel, the three Hebrews who were in the fire, Stephen from the book of Acts, and so many more.  And, I will see the Lord, King Jesus face to face.  In this place, children will walk with lions and play near snake dens.  The promise of no more pain, no more crying, no more death, and no more sin is a promise great enough to keep each of us on the narrow way to eternal life with the Lord! 

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB