September 3, 2019
And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matthew 10:22
Have you ever read God’s Hall of Fame in Hebrews chapter 11? These men and women of faith did miraculous things. “Who through faith subdued kingdoms.” Hallelujah! “Wrought righteousness.” Praise the Lord! “Obtained promises.” Amen! “Stopped the mouths of lions.” Glory!
And how did they do it? By faith.
“And others [men and women of faith] had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder...And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise” (Hebrews 11:36-37, 39).
What is he saying here? That none of these champions in God’s Faith Hall of Fame, even though they are examples of the best and most faithful, received in this life what was promised to them. God had a better plan.
Some had faith to escape; others had faith to endure. If enduring is God’s will for you, the faith to endure will be the kind of faith God wants you to have. Will God be enough if He lets you walk through the fiery furnace? At a quiet time today, turn to Hebrews chapter 11 and read it.
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”