August 02 – The Seekers’ Rewarder

 
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” – Hebrews 11:4 (NASB)

Let’s look at the Hall of Faith chapter found in Letter to Hebrews, 11. Every person (except Cain) who is mentioned in this chapter have a testimony as faith believers. Faith is essential for salvation. Faith is vital and indispensable. If we desire to know God. Even to be able to approach God in prayer, we must have the faith which Enoch had. He was the first person who was “taken up” to be with God was Enoch. By faith Enoch walked with God and pleased God. Without such faith it is not possible for anyone to “walk with God” or “please Him.” Our promise is that knowing God is for those who by faith believe that He is; the emphasis here is on “He,” the only true God. Genuine, a gift from God, does not simply believe that a divine being exists, but that the God of Scripture is the only real and true God who exists. Many people believe in the existence of a Supreme Being and some call Him “the man upstairs” without ever by faith believe that He is the one and only God. Our promise is that He is a rewarder of God seekers.

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May 19 –First Believe, Avoid the Impossible

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6  (ESV)

We all lose things from time to time. They are misplaced is likely the main reason but sometimes just forgetting where it is even supposed to be. We look earnestly, even frantically. How many times do we go to the same places we have already looked because we’re convinced that is where our item is supposed to be?  We keep looking until we find it because we believe we will. We believe it still exists in our world. Seekers who are looking for the Truth will find it where God is and has spoken – like the Bible. But finding God’s Truth requires our belief that He is real, that He exists because He does. Believing in the existence of God and His word is how our search must start.  He is the God of the Bible. So when we believe that the God who reveals Himself in the Bible really exists and is there for us, it pleases God. Then too, we must believe that God responds to our desire to find Truth, to know Him, and He hears our prayers. That also pleases Him and He rewards our faith – He meets our needs. 

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April 10 – Holding Firmly To Hope

“…so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to the hope set before us.” – Hebrews 6:18 (NASB)

“A promise is a promise” we say because just a promise is sometimes not enough to convince others that we are true to our word. We find the need to double down on our promise to tell the truth and not lie. This is because we and humans in general have a history of being untruthful or not fully truthful at least. So our oath when sworn in to testify in court is “to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” An oath puts an end to all arguments, so there can be no argument about the expectation of truth.  God promised Abraham He would make him a great nation, He then confirmed it with an oath by swearing by Himself.  As heirs of the promises, we know they are for us as well. When we read the promises from God, we trust them – at least we should because God’s promises are underscored by two things. First is it impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2); second, His ever truthful Word is supported by His promise sworn on Himself. We have hope in every promise of God. We can know it is real and true.

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October 27 – Believing Him and In Him

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NASB).

It might seem a bit absurd but can you recall a time you looked for something with grave doubt you would ever find it? But your desire and need pressed you on and when you found it, relief flooded over you? You actually did believe you could find it – that’s why the search pressed on for so long. So it happens with people who say they are seeking God. They pretend to know God but actually do not have the faith in God that brings them to really know God. A lifetime of pretending or thinking you are a child of God without ever possessing faith to believe that He is exactly who He says He is in the Bible, results in eternal disaster. Those who want to truly know God and who truly seek Him are those who through faith believing find God. Why seek for something that one does not believe will reward them with fulfillment when found? God will reward all of us, each one who seeks God in true faith and actually believe that what He has promised, He will do for those who believe Him and in Him.  

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April 12 – Essential Faith and Belief

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”  Hebrews 11:6  (ESV)

During this time approaching Resurrection Sunday (Easter)  when we are thinking so much about Jesus dying on the cross and then rising from the dead it is good to think about how because of that, we are able to approach God through faith.  The promise we focus on today is the promise that God rewards those who seek Him.  So how are we to seek God?  Just as our verse says, with faith and believing.  We must believe in God.  We must believe that He exists, that He is real, and He is there when we need him.  If we do not believe that God is real and that He exists, it is impossible to approach Him. He exists as something more “than the man upstairs” and He will respond to our belief when we call on him.  We trust that many of the followers of this blog do believe in God and through faith, have learned how to draw near to Him. For those who have not yet believed, now is the time, God is willing to receive all who believe and seek to draw near to him.   

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