The Cost of a Strong Abiding Faith

The Cost of a Strong Abiding Faith

 

By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them.  They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword.  Their weakness was turned to strength.  They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.  Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free.  They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.  Some were jeered at and their backs were cut open with whips.  Others were chained in prisons.  Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword.  Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.--------Hebrews 11: 35-37

 

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.--------Ecclesiastes 1:9

 

 

The eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews is known as the ‘Faith Chapter’ because it describes to us the FAITH of the different patriarchs of the Old Testament era.  Men of faith, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and all the prophets, by their FAITH, overthrew kingdoms, and ruled with justice, and received what God had promised.  But others paid the ultimate price for their faith.

 

The scriptures tell us that some were tortured, because they refused to TURN AWAY FROM God and be set free. They BELIEVED and HOPED for a better life after the resurrection.   Because of their STRONG FAITH they were tortured.  Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips.  Others were chained in prisons.  Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half and others were killed with the sword. 

 

We have, throughout the ages, been made known of the persecutions of Christians all over this world, at the hands of EVIL and WICKED people that were and still are the minions of Satan, who were and still are trying to choke out the very influence of Christianity from demeaning to slaughtering God’s people.  God’s people have been and still are being persecuted for their FAITH. 

 

We have seen, just recently, where twenty-one Egyptian Christians were beheaded because of their FAITH in God and their refusal to denounce their FAITH.   That is definitely an example of STRONG FAITH. 

 

Could we, as God’s Children stand STRONG on what we BELIEVE and HOPE for?   The persecution and torture could come to us.  Is our FAITH strong enough to refuse to denounce our FAITH? 

 

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, we are told that, ‘What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.’  In other words:  History repeats itself.  And we are seeing this to be true with the persecution of God’s people around the world.  The question remains:  Is our FAITH strong enough to withstand the winds of persecution?  Are we willing to pay the price for our FAITH, should it come to that? 

 

And for the unbeliever, you too are a minion of Satan, because there are only two paths, one leads to an eternity in Heaven, with love, peace, and joy unspeakable, and one leads to all the horrors of Hell, with hatred, torture, and turmoil that cannot begin to be described.  If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus, then you are already on the path to that place known as HELL, but you can change your pathway by: CONFESSING your sins to God and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!