September 1-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:29, By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
Observe what it is saying.
This verse should bring us much encouragement because many of those who went out of Egypt with Moses were anything but shining examples of faith in God. However, they must have had some faith to follow Moses through the sea, and this is the attention in which this verse is focused. In Exodus 14, the crossing of the Red Sea is attributed to God and to the east wind that God sent. The author of Hebrews chooses to concentrate on their faith in God that enabled the people to respond to what He had done. It was their faith that led to courage that led to their victory. This story shows the faith of Moses and his followers was enough for God to lead them through the sea. In the midst of tremendous fear of an army closing in, they mustered enough faith, even if it was only the size of a mustard seed, and safely marched through the walls of water. Even in our fear and anxiety, small faith in a big God can accomplish miraculous results.
Relate it to your life.
Jesus said with mustard seed-size faith, God can accomplish more than we could ever imagine through us.
Do something.
Lord God, give me such faith so that I can trust You in all things and at all times to do the seeming impossible. Amen.
September 2-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:30, By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.
Observe what it is saying.
The remarkable story of the crumbling of Jericho’s walls is not a surprising act of faith. What else could account for this supernatural take down? Apart from the conviction that God would act, nothing could have been more ridiculous than the action of those warriors. Rather than attack, they simply walked around the city once a day for six days and then seven times on the seventh. We read what happened after the final march. Joshua 6:20, “When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.” Joshua and the army followed the Lord’s prescription for victory. The taking of Jericho is a striking example of the power of faith, trusting in God and His word to be accomplished just as promised. There was no doubt who gave them the victory. As always, all glory was to be given to God.
Relate it to your life.
Do you have a Jericho story where God did a remarkable act through you to accomplish His great purposes? If so, make sure you give Him praise for using you in such a wonderful way! If you do not have such a story, be open and ready for God to do so!
Do something.
Lord God, all praise be to You for the many and wonderful ways in which You accomplish Your plans. Thank You for using me even if my role is a small act of faith in which I trust in You and Your word. Amen.”
September 3-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:31, By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
Observe what it is saying.
We may have done a double take when reading this verse. How could a prostitute be included in the same list with Abraham and Moses? However, this is a remarkable testimony to what faith will do! She protected the Jewish spies who surveyed the Promised Land before they invaded. James 2:25 gives us this commentary, “In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?” What is even more remarkable is that she is listed in the genealogy of the Lord as the wife of Salmon. She was an outsider in many ways and would have been one who might not be expected to believe in the Lord. Yet, she demonstrated her faith as she "welcomed" the spies. She put her life at great risk for she would have been destroyed by her own people had they known what she was doing. She is contrasted with the "disobedient", which is a way of describing those who do not walk in God's ways. It is significant that among so many giants of the faith, this woman with such a dark background would also be listed as an example of faith. Faith in God forever changes our status and makes our past life irrelevant.
Relate it to your life.
I do not have to worry that anything in my past can keep me from being described as a person of faith when I put my trust in the Lord Jesus.
Do something.
Lord God, thank You for this encouraging word that faith forgives my past and frees me to be included in heaven’s hall of fame. Amen.
September 4-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:32-35a, And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched 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. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again.
Observe what it is saying.
The author of Hebrews shows that his Faith Hall of Fame is far from complete. He does not take the time to spend time with everyone on his list but does mention six more men by name. The first four of these are mentioned only here in the NT. Samuel is mentioned twice elsewhere in the NT. David is mentioned frequently. Though the writer does not go into detail, the OT indicates that each one battled against overwhelming odds so that, humanly speaking, there was little chance of his coming out on top. For people in such positions, faith in God was not a mere formality, but was genuine trust in God when the odds seemed to be stacked against them. They are each worthy examples for all who find themselves in difficult circumstances. It is true that in several of these men, there were serious defects in their faith. We can be encouraged when imperfect people, like us, exhibit faith, we will be heard by God.
Relate it to your life.
I cannot let my past sins be a discouragement from trusting God today for the challenges I face.
Do something.
Lord, thank You that this hall of fame list includes imperfect, flawed people who trusted in You. May the same be said about me. Amen.
September 5-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:35b-38, There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
Observe what it is saying.
In contrast to the heroes of faith and their successes, sometimes, faith worked in another way. Some accepted torture in order that "they might gain a better resurrection." Other forms of torture were severe mockery, floggings, chains, and imprisonment. Stoning was a characteristic Jewish form of execution. To be "sawed in two" was a most unusual form of martyrdom. According to tradition this was the way the prophet Isaiah was killed. While God delivered some from the sword, He allowed others to be slain by it. They trusted God and knew that, whether in life or death, all would ultimately be well. The author next considered the hardships they had to endure. Their clothing was the simplest. They were "destitute" meaning they were without earthly resources. Misery pressed on them as they were "persecuted and mistreated." To all outward appearance, these people of faith were insignificant and unimportant, but in truth they were worth more than all the rest of humanity put together, though they lacked everything. They had no settled homes but wandered in lonely places where their shelters were "caves and holes in the ground." The heroes of the faith did not care for their own comfort but instead looked forward to the eternal blessings that would come one day through the promise of resurrection.
Relate it to your life.
In a world obsessed with comfort and pleasure, how should I hold on to earthly things?
Do something.
Jesus, give me the strength to hold lightly to the things of this world and hold tightly to eternity. Amen.
September 6-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:39-40, These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Observe what it is saying.
The author completes this section with a reminder of the great privilege Christians have. The giants of the faith had done great things for God in their times, and there is no question that all of them "were commended" on account of their faith. But for all the blessing God gave them, these heroes of the faith did not receive "the promise." It is not a question of "the promises" but of "the promise." God made many promises to His people and kept them. But the ultimate blessing, God kept until Jesus came. The promise of Jesus and His kingdom is the “something better” for us. The heroes of faith throughout the ages would not "be made perfect" apart from Christians. Salvation is personal and social; it concerns the whole people of God. As long as the believers in Old Testament times were without those who are in Christ, it was impossible for them to experience the fullness of salvation. It is what Christ has done that opens the way into the very presence of God for them as well as for us. Jesus is the ultimate promise and uniting force for all who put their faith in God.
Relate it to your life.
I am living the promise today that people were given and looked forward to 1,000’s of years ago!
Do something.
Jesus, thank You for the joy and privilege of sharing in the community of the heroes of faith. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:29, By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
Observe what it is saying.
This verse should bring us much encouragement because many of those who went out of Egypt with Moses were anything but shining examples of faith in God. However, they must have had some faith to follow Moses through the sea, and this is the attention in which this verse is focused. In Exodus 14, the crossing of the Red Sea is attributed to God and to the east wind that God sent. The author of Hebrews chooses to concentrate on their faith in God that enabled the people to respond to what He had done. It was their faith that led to courage that led to their victory. This story shows the faith of Moses and his followers was enough for God to lead them through the sea. In the midst of tremendous fear of an army closing in, they mustered enough faith, even if it was only the size of a mustard seed, and safely marched through the walls of water. Even in our fear and anxiety, small faith in a big God can accomplish miraculous results.
Relate it to your life.
Jesus said with mustard seed-size faith, God can accomplish more than we could ever imagine through us.
Do something.
Lord God, give me such faith so that I can trust You in all things and at all times to do the seeming impossible. Amen.
September 2-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:30, By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.
Observe what it is saying.
The remarkable story of the crumbling of Jericho’s walls is not a surprising act of faith. What else could account for this supernatural take down? Apart from the conviction that God would act, nothing could have been more ridiculous than the action of those warriors. Rather than attack, they simply walked around the city once a day for six days and then seven times on the seventh. We read what happened after the final march. Joshua 6:20, “When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.” Joshua and the army followed the Lord’s prescription for victory. The taking of Jericho is a striking example of the power of faith, trusting in God and His word to be accomplished just as promised. There was no doubt who gave them the victory. As always, all glory was to be given to God.
Relate it to your life.
Do you have a Jericho story where God did a remarkable act through you to accomplish His great purposes? If so, make sure you give Him praise for using you in such a wonderful way! If you do not have such a story, be open and ready for God to do so!
Do something.
Lord God, all praise be to You for the many and wonderful ways in which You accomplish Your plans. Thank You for using me even if my role is a small act of faith in which I trust in You and Your word. Amen.”
September 3-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:31, By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
Observe what it is saying.
We may have done a double take when reading this verse. How could a prostitute be included in the same list with Abraham and Moses? However, this is a remarkable testimony to what faith will do! She protected the Jewish spies who surveyed the Promised Land before they invaded. James 2:25 gives us this commentary, “In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?” What is even more remarkable is that she is listed in the genealogy of the Lord as the wife of Salmon. She was an outsider in many ways and would have been one who might not be expected to believe in the Lord. Yet, she demonstrated her faith as she "welcomed" the spies. She put her life at great risk for she would have been destroyed by her own people had they known what she was doing. She is contrasted with the "disobedient", which is a way of describing those who do not walk in God's ways. It is significant that among so many giants of the faith, this woman with such a dark background would also be listed as an example of faith. Faith in God forever changes our status and makes our past life irrelevant.
Relate it to your life.
I do not have to worry that anything in my past can keep me from being described as a person of faith when I put my trust in the Lord Jesus.
Do something.
Lord God, thank You for this encouraging word that faith forgives my past and frees me to be included in heaven’s hall of fame. Amen.
September 4-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:32-35a, And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched 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. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again.
Observe what it is saying.
The author of Hebrews shows that his Faith Hall of Fame is far from complete. He does not take the time to spend time with everyone on his list but does mention six more men by name. The first four of these are mentioned only here in the NT. Samuel is mentioned twice elsewhere in the NT. David is mentioned frequently. Though the writer does not go into detail, the OT indicates that each one battled against overwhelming odds so that, humanly speaking, there was little chance of his coming out on top. For people in such positions, faith in God was not a mere formality, but was genuine trust in God when the odds seemed to be stacked against them. They are each worthy examples for all who find themselves in difficult circumstances. It is true that in several of these men, there were serious defects in their faith. We can be encouraged when imperfect people, like us, exhibit faith, we will be heard by God.
Relate it to your life.
I cannot let my past sins be a discouragement from trusting God today for the challenges I face.
Do something.
Lord, thank You that this hall of fame list includes imperfect, flawed people who trusted in You. May the same be said about me. Amen.
September 5-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:35b-38, There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
Observe what it is saying.
In contrast to the heroes of faith and their successes, sometimes, faith worked in another way. Some accepted torture in order that "they might gain a better resurrection." Other forms of torture were severe mockery, floggings, chains, and imprisonment. Stoning was a characteristic Jewish form of execution. To be "sawed in two" was a most unusual form of martyrdom. According to tradition this was the way the prophet Isaiah was killed. While God delivered some from the sword, He allowed others to be slain by it. They trusted God and knew that, whether in life or death, all would ultimately be well. The author next considered the hardships they had to endure. Their clothing was the simplest. They were "destitute" meaning they were without earthly resources. Misery pressed on them as they were "persecuted and mistreated." To all outward appearance, these people of faith were insignificant and unimportant, but in truth they were worth more than all the rest of humanity put together, though they lacked everything. They had no settled homes but wandered in lonely places where their shelters were "caves and holes in the ground." The heroes of the faith did not care for their own comfort but instead looked forward to the eternal blessings that would come one day through the promise of resurrection.
Relate it to your life.
In a world obsessed with comfort and pleasure, how should I hold on to earthly things?
Do something.
Jesus, give me the strength to hold lightly to the things of this world and hold tightly to eternity. Amen.
September 6-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:39-40, These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Observe what it is saying.
The author completes this section with a reminder of the great privilege Christians have. The giants of the faith had done great things for God in their times, and there is no question that all of them "were commended" on account of their faith. But for all the blessing God gave them, these heroes of the faith did not receive "the promise." It is not a question of "the promises" but of "the promise." God made many promises to His people and kept them. But the ultimate blessing, God kept until Jesus came. The promise of Jesus and His kingdom is the “something better” for us. The heroes of faith throughout the ages would not "be made perfect" apart from Christians. Salvation is personal and social; it concerns the whole people of God. As long as the believers in Old Testament times were without those who are in Christ, it was impossible for them to experience the fullness of salvation. It is what Christ has done that opens the way into the very presence of God for them as well as for us. Jesus is the ultimate promise and uniting force for all who put their faith in God.
Relate it to your life.
I am living the promise today that people were given and looked forward to 1,000’s of years ago!
Do something.
Jesus, thank You for the joy and privilege of sharing in the community of the heroes of faith. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals