Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: 2 Kings 15-18
     New Testament Reading: Hebrews 11

Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. … Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:1, 6).

Known as the “faith chapter” of the Bible, Hebrews 11 highlights champions of faith from the Old Testament who trusted and obeyed God in the face of difficult situations. This chapter deals with the vision and endurance of faith. It introduces us to men and women of the OT who had 20/20 spiritual vision and who endured tremendous shame and suffering rather than renounce their faith.

Verse 1 is not actually a formal definition of faith; rather, it is a description of what faith does for us. It makes things hoped for as real as if we already had them, and it provides unshakable evidence that the unseen, spiritual blessings of Christianity are absolutely certain and real. It brings the future within the present and makes the invisible seen.

Faith is more than believing. It is living in a way that shows your trust in God, no matter what is going on in your life. Faith is confidence in the trustworthiness of God. It is the conviction that what God says is true and that what He promises will come to pass.

Faith must have some revelation from God, some promise of God as its foundation. It is not a leap in the dark. It demands the surest evidence in the universe and finds it in the word of God. It is not limited to possibilities, but invades the realm of the impossible. Someone has said, “Faith begins where possibilities end. If it’s possible, then there’s no glory for God in it.”

Without faith, it is impossible to please Him. No amount of good works can compensate for a lack of faith. Faith is the only thing that gives God His proper place and puts man in his place.

Faith not only believes that God exists, but it also trusts Him to reward those who diligently seek Him. There is nothing about God that makes it impossible for men to believe. The difficulty is with the human will.