THE HALL OF FAITH
I want to encourage those who know Christ to begin praying like never before. The scriptures tell us that, “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” 1 Peter 4:7 (NIV) While things are getting worse in the world, brighter days are ahead for Christians. When we mix our prayers with faith nothing is impossible for the one who believes. The Bible says that one believer can set a thousand to flight and that two believers can set ten thousand to flight. Since God is into multiplication we cannot even begin to imagine what hundreds, thousands, and even millions of believers can do when we set our hearts to prayer. But again we must remember that God is not moved simply by our circumstances. He is moved by our faith. “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (1Chronicles 16:9a) In other words, those who are looking to Him in faith. So we must not approach God with the attitude, “I guess I’ll just try this thing called prayer. Maybe it will work. Maybe it won’t.” We must mix our prayers with faith. His Word says that. “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
We must begin to believe and speak the Word and pray with a boldness like never before. Jesus said we, the believers, would do even greater works than He did during His earthly pilgrimage. Remember, He raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, blessed the dumb to speak, made the crippled to walk delivered people from evil spirits, and a host of other things. Below Jesus shows us how He defeated the devil in one of their encounters. Please note that He did it by using scripture. He spoke the Word of God in faith.
Luke 4 (NIV)
The Temptation of Jesus (Note: Please see the MEDITATION PAGE for Matthew’s account of these same events.)
1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone. 5The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7So if you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.9The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10For it is written: ” ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 12Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test. 13When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
We too can speak the Word with boldness and see tremendous results. The same Holy Spirit by which God, the Father, raised Christ from the dead, dwells in us who believe.
Questions and Answers:
Q. What is faith?
A. The Bible says that, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Q. What do I do or think when I pray?
A. The Bible says “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Mark 11:23
When you pray you must believe that you have the answer even though you do not see it in the natural yet. God made us in His image and when we are properly aligned with Him we can do what He designed us to do. By faith, He spoke the world and all that we see into existence. We must operate in the same realm of faith. If we can believe God, all things are possible.
A closing thought:
Many great athletes compete and perform with the hope of winning championships, and of one day making it into the hall of fame. I respect and appreciate the God given talents bestowed upon them. But, if they are not in proper relationship with God, they compete and work for temporary rewards. Everything in this world is transitory , temporary, soon passing away. So all that anyone accomplishes in this life from selfish ambition cannot be taken with them beyond the grave. The Egyptians were in error to think that the deceased pharaohs would be taking the buried treasures along with them beyond the grave. This has been proven whenever archaeologists have exhumed their burial sites. Notice that I said the treasures as opposed to their treasures. Because nothing belongs to us in this world. Naked we come into the world and naked we leave. Only what is done for Christ will last. So while it is nice to receive honors for a job well done in this world, it would be better to have one’s name written in the lamb’s Book of Life, and in the Hall of Faith, than to have received a million accolades in this life and spend eternity in hell.
The following is found in the Book of Hebrews:
Hebrews 11:3-7
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
The following are they who opted to live for God rather than to enjoy a few moments of notoriety in this corrupt world system.,
*********************The Hall of Faith*********************
Hebrews 11:8-40
8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age-and Sarah herself was barren-was enabled to become a father because he[a]considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring[b] will be reckoned.”[c] 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
23By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea[d] as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.[e]
32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned[; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated- 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Jesus loves you.