Will you please meditate on Hebrews 11 with me?
I would like to encourage and exhort all who claim the name Jesus. It's a very short exhortation. I pray that this exhortation will move you to meditate on Hebrews 11, allowing His word to examine you and spur you on.
Every time I read Hebrews 11 I get so deeply moved with such great love and encouragement on hearing of the Elect's faith in God. Godly men and women who have forsaken all because they truly believed in a better reward that's in Christ Jesus! Their life shows they BELIEVED IN HIM.
If we say we believe in God surely it will show in our life. Just like Abraham who was called out and left his family, home, all that he was familiar and comfortable with to go to a place he's never been, not knowing from the beginning where God was leading him, but went anyways because he believed God's words. By faith Moses forsook the pleasures of sin, he forsook Egypt (the world), esteeming the reproach of Christ because he BELIEVED in Him who is invisible. By faith many disciples of Christ went through many mocking's, trials, imprisoned, severe persecution, wandering around in deserts, hiding in caves, being destitute, hungry, afflicted. Oh, they could have stayed comfortably at home, with their family, preaching a soft man pleasing gospel but they chose to take up their cross, to declare plainly that they seek a homeland that is in heaven, choosing to suffer the same reproach as Christ because they BELIEVED in a better resurrection! They were hated by the world because their speech and their lifestyle were contrary from the world. The world hated them but God was not ashamed to be called their God (Heb.11:16).
Tell me, do you believe God would say the same thing to you? That He is not ashamed to be called your God because your life shows that you believe in Him. Just like Abraham who left his home, Noah whom I'm sure was considered a mad man for building the ark, taking God's warnings seriously , Moses who left the pleasures of sin, Paul who endured much persecution and was greatly despised by his own.....? Tell me, is your faith like the Elect in Hebrews 11? Have you forsaken all, endured trials and mockings, fellowshipping in His sufferings because you believe in Him and are looking for a better reward that is in heaven?
Oh, if the professing church truly had faith like the Elect they would not care about the comforts of this world, nor look to please themselves on earth. They wouldn't care about making a nice comfortable home here, living the American dream because they see that their true home is in heaven! If we have faith like the Elect we would joyfully take up our cross, forsaking our comforts, family, friends, home, work (Luke 14:26-27, 33)..... whatever it may cost us because we truly believe in Him and a better ressurection. Oh, we would see that Jesus is worthy of all our lives! Our desires would become Christ like in that we would desire to see Christ glorified in us and Christ proclaimed here and through out the nations no matter the cost! Yes, to have faith of the Elect we would gladly take up the same cup as Jesus. The cup He said all His disciples will take (Mark 10:38-39). The cup of sufferings(lonliness, loss of reputation, despised, rejected, forsaken by friends and families, persecution....)! To have the faith of the Elect will bring us to the end of ourselves (our dreams, ambitions, reputation, comforts.....) and a life full in Christ(joyfully obeying Him and going wherever He leads us)!
Sadly today many professing Christian look nothing like the Elect in Hebrews. Many professing Christian churches have conform to the world and not to Christ. The churches today are conformed and depended more to the ways of the world because they believe in the world's principles (humanism) more than God's word to change lives. Many churches today have adopted and are deceived by humanistic teachings because they do not want to bear the cross and take up the same cup as Christ. Many do not believe like the Elect in Hebrews who looked forward to the rewards and home in heaven. But, many professing Christians are wanting the rewards now on earth. There life shows that they have made their home comfortably on earth. Many have not loss their life for Christ, but have saved it for the world's pleasures.
Brethren, let us meditate on Hebrews 11 and allow the word to examine us. Do we have the faith of God's Elect? It is the Elect who are chosen and enter into the kingdom of God.
2 Peter 1:10
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure.....
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