Friday, October 30, 2015

October 31, 2015

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the worlds were formed at God's command, so that what was seen was made from that which was not visible."Hebrews 11:1-3

I have been talking about courage. What is it and how do you get it? Hebrews 11 answers the courage question more clearly than anywhere else.

Faith is the core of courage and it creation is the foundation of faith because once you believe He spoke the universe into existence you have to believe He can do anything! When you believe that you are ENcouraged! You find the courage you need!

The writer Hebrews declares that truth and then he illustrates with the stories of faith heroes who found courage in God!

In my last post I shared the story of Noah who showed incredible faith and courage because He believed that the God Who created the waters could summon up enough water to cover the earth and if He could do that, He could also help Noah build an ark! Noah took courage and God made Him a ship builder!

Moses was another one mentioned in this hall of heroes!

Image Moses standing with the Red Sea in front of him and the Egyptian army riding down behind him and millions of panicking Hebrews in between. What would he do? What would you do? That's right! He called out to God!

When God answered He told Moses to hold his rod above the sea and He would do the rest. That would require a lot of courage! The people where already turning against him and were at the point of rebellion. What if he lifted the rod and nothing happened? He would be lynched!

If he hesitated too long the Egyptian army would be upon them and the slaughter would begin!

No pressure!

I can only imagine what must have been going through his mind "if God can speak through a burning bush, and if He can defeat Pharaoh with His plagues, and if he can sustain millions of people in a desert then God can open this sea!" So he reasoned "If God did THAT He can do THIS!" He was ENcouraged and lifted his rod!

Go had led Moses there and he had faith God would lead him through!

Do you find yourself in a hard place!

Does there seem like no way out?

Take a deep breath. Use that breath to breathe out a prayer. Remember Who God is and what He has done for you before. Declare that if He did that for you He can also do this!

If he led you to this He will lead you through this!

Be ENcouraged!