>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
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Several years ago,
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one of the world's most
well-known magicians performed
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an illusion in which 13
randomly chosen audience members
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were somehow sensationally
transported from the stage
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in the front of the audience
to the back of the theater
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in which the
magician was performing.
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Of course, the
audience was amazed.
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But one night at the MGM
Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada,
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one of the chosen 13
was apparently injured
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during the trick, and
he sued the entertainer.
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Unsuccessfully,
as it turned out.
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But the entertainer was
forced to reveal the secret
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of his illusion in court, and,
of course, it was no surprise.
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No, the magician was not really
able to miraculously transport
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13 people from one end
of a theater to another.
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¤[playful music]¤
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While a magician might be
able to mesmerize the senses,
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there's actually no power
in a magician to cause people
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to disappear and reappear.
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A magician is just
a clever entertainer.
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So who can do the
impossible, the miraculous,
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the supernatural?
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The Bible says
that "in the beginning
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God created the
heavens and the earth."
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The same book talks
about a global flood.
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It talks about an entire people
group walking out of a country,
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across the floor of a sea,
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as the waters of
that huge body of water
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part to let them through.
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For 40 years those same people
were miraculously fed by manna,
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which just appeared on
the ground six mornings a week
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before evanescing
with the rising of the sun.
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The Bible talks about
water coming from a rock,
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a virgin giving birth,
water turning into juice,
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people walking on water,
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a fisherman catching a
fish with a coin in its mouth,
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and more, with the
most impressive claim of all
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being that the
dead are raised to life.
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And an entertainer claims
that he transported 13 people
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from the front of a
theater to the back?
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If you can't
believe the entertainer,
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then how can you
believe an ancient book
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that claims that people
will one day soon be transported
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from earth to heaven?
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A place, by the way,
that you and I have not seen.
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It all comes down to
one simple little word.
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And we're going to look at that
word as we continue our series,
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"Great Chapters of the Bible."
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Hebrews chapter 11 deals
with the subject of faith,
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and the chapter
opens by defining faith.
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This is Hebrews
chapter 11 and verse 1:
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"Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for,
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the evidence of
things not seen."
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There's a lot about the Bible
that we don't or cannot see.
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There's plenty in the
Bible for which you would say
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that we don't have what
you call proof or evidence.
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No one was there at Creation.
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Neither of us has
been to heaven and met God.
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I don't personally know
a single soul who was there
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when Jesus died on the cross.
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Now, that's not to say
there's no scientific evidence
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for Creation, or that the
Resurrection didn't happen.
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There is, and it did.
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But ultimately you've got
to take someone else's word
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for the reality of
Creation, for the virgin birth,
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for the resurrection of Jesus.
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Now, fortunately,
that someone else is God.
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The evidence for
things we haven't seen,
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the substance of
our hope is faith.
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The basis of this hope is
simply found in the source
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of all creation: God's word.
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"Through faith we understand
that the worlds were framed
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by the word of God, so
that the things which are seen
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were not made of
things which do appear."
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Hebrews 11:3.
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The Apostle Paul,
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who many believe
authored the book of Hebrews,
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tells us in his
letter to the Romans
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that "faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God."
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Romans 10:17.
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The ability of God to
perform any of His promises
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is found in the Word itself.
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"The substance of things hoped
for" is believing what God says
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and believing that what
He says will come to pass.
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In Matthew chapter 8, a
centurion came to Jesus,
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and he said something--
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well, if you read
this thing through,
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it is remarkable what
the centurion said to Jesus.
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"'Lord, my servant is
lying at home paralyzed,
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dreadfully tormented.'
And Jesus said to him,
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'I will come and heal him.'
The centurion answered and said,
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'Lord, I am not worthy that
You should come under my roof.
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But only speak a word,
and my servant will be healed.
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For I also am a
man under authority,
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having soldiers under me.
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And I say to this
one, "Go," and he goes;
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...to another,
"Come," and he comes;
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and to my servant, "Do
this," and he does it.'
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When Jesus
heard it, He marveled,
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and said to those who followed,
'Assuredly, I say to you,
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I have not found such great
faith, not even in Israel!'"
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Great faith.
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The centurion
wanted his servant healed.
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He wanted the Lord to do it.
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But when Jesus said,
"I will come and do it,"
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the centurion said, "No, no.
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Speak the word only,
and it shall be done."
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Now, what did the centurion
expect would heal his servant?
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The word only.
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Cultivating true faith is
the essence of Hebrews 11.
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And that's never dependent
upon our feelings, emotions,
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or circumstances.
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True faith is found in
the all-powerful, assuring,
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and eternal Word of God.
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The Bible says, "So shall
my word be that goes forth
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from my mouth; it
shall not return to me void,
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but it shall
accomplish what I please,
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and it shall prosper in
the thing for which I sent it."
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That's Isaiah 55:11.
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If God inspired the writing
of the Bible, and He did,
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and if, as
Titus 1, verse 2 says,
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God cannot lie, and He cannot,
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then trusting God's promises
is always the right thing to do
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and will bring enormous
blessings into your life.
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And God has given us a
gold mine of beautiful promises
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that can help us
in every time of need.
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The promises written
in God's Word are for you.
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So take the time to
read or study the Bible,
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and you'll find those promises
from Genesis to Revelation.
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Remember them.
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Write them down. Claim them.
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And have faith that God
will do what He says He will do.
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Hebrews 11 chronicles the tests
and victories of men and women
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that believed in God's word
in spite of their circumstances.
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And although many of them
were weak and faulty people,
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they were champions because of
their unwavering faith in God.
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I want to encourage
you to cultivate faith.
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No. I want to encourage
you to cultivate great faith.
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You absolutely can,
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because faith in God
isn't faith in yourself.
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It isn't faith in your faith,
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and it isn't
faith in your willpower.
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Faith takes God at His
word and believes that the God
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who calmed a storm on a lake
can calm the storm in your life.
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That the God who healed 10
lepers can bring healing today
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to you or your loved one.
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That the God who says He
will supply all your needs
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will actually do so.
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And why?
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Because He is God, and He
has promised that He will.
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So, who were the great heroes of
faith mentioned in Hebrews 11?
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Some of them might surprise you.
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And how did they
manifest faith in God?
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We'll find out in just a moment.
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¤[music]¤
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>>Announcer 1: They're in
the Bible especially for you:
00:08:06.85\00:08:09.75
God's promises, made by a loving
God who wants the best for you
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in this life and
the life to come.
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Get "God's
Promises," our free offer,
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and experience the comfort
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in your life.
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Call 800-253-3000
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or visit us
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Receive the promises today
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by calling 800-253-3000.
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¤[upbeat music]¤
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>>Announcer 2: Planning
for your financial future
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is a vital aspect of
Christian stewardship.
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For this reason, It Is
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free planned giving
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For information on
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or visit our
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Call 800-992-2219.
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>>John Bradshaw: Thanks
for joining me on It Is Written
00:09:07.78\00:09:10.05
as we continue our series,
"Great Chapters of the Bible."
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Hebrews 11 is a monumental
chapter on cultivating faith.
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Let's look at verse 6:
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"But without faith it is
impossible to please Him:
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for he that cometh to
God must believe that He is,
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and that He is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek Him."
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In order to please God, it's
necessary to believe in God,
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that He is sovereign, the
Potter, as opposed to the clay,
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the Eternal One.
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We're to believe that
He is, that He exists.
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And logically, if
we believe in God,
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we expect Him to
be true to His word.
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That's faith:
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expecting God to
be true to His word.
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Which means that
God is looking to people
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to be more than
surface believers,
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to do more than simply
assent that there's a God.
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What God models
here is living faith.
00:10:00.63\00:10:03.53
The heroes of faith
in Hebrews 11 were people
00:10:03.57\00:10:05.70
who were in
close contact with God,
00:10:05.73\00:10:08.07
who were truly connected to God,
00:10:08.10\00:10:10.01
who based their
faith on the word of God.
00:10:10.04\00:10:13.31
They let God into their lives
00:10:13.34\00:10:14.48
and, in spite of
their shortcomings,
00:10:14.51\00:10:16.28
surrendered their lives to Him.
00:10:16.31\00:10:18.28
Now, keep in mind
we're not talking about,
00:10:18.31\00:10:20.08
mmm, fuzzy faith, weak faith.
00:10:20.12\00:10:22.38
We are talking
about living faith,
00:10:22.42\00:10:24.02
not just going through
the motions, not just ritual,
00:10:24.05\00:10:27.66
not just agreeing that a
certain belief system has merit.
00:10:27.69\00:10:31.46
Real faith will change your life
00:10:31.49\00:10:34.93
because your life is now being
lived entirely by God's word.
00:10:34.93\00:10:40.04
What did we read in
Hebrews 11 in verse 3?
00:10:40.07\00:10:42.44
We know that God
created the world
00:10:42.47\00:10:44.87
because the Bible
says He did, by faith.
00:10:44.91\00:10:50.48
Not only is there
good science for it,
00:10:50.51\00:10:52.71
but we believe by faith.
00:10:52.75\00:10:54.25
There's enough in the
Bible to convince us that God
00:10:54.28\00:10:56.18
can be trusted, and therefore
we trust that when God says
00:10:56.22\00:10:59.49
He created the
world, that He actually did.
00:10:59.52\00:11:01.86
By the way, the
bottom line is this:
00:11:01.89\00:11:04.56
When you choose to
believe in a different version
00:11:04.59\00:11:06.46
of the Creation story,
you are calling God a liar.
00:11:06.49\00:11:10.20
I wonder if you've
thought about it like that.
00:11:10.23\00:11:12.13
God says He spoke
the world into existence.
00:11:12.17\00:11:15.74
So if you say, "No, I think
we're here because of evolution"
00:11:15.77\00:11:19.37
or some such thing,
00:11:19.41\00:11:20.58
you are declaring
that you don't believe God.
00:11:20.61\00:11:24.48
But faith tells us that we were
made in the image of God by God.
00:11:24.51\00:11:28.88
The writer then mentions Abel,
00:11:28.92\00:11:30.89
who brought his
offering to God by faith,
00:11:30.92\00:11:33.42
and Enoch, who was taken to
heaven without seeing death.
00:11:33.46\00:11:37.36
Both individuals
were people of faith.
00:11:37.39\00:11:41.03
They lived
according to God's word.
00:11:41.06\00:11:43.20
And then verse 7:
00:11:43.23\00:11:44.90
"By faith Noah, being warned of
God of things not seen as yet,
00:11:44.93\00:11:50.24
moved with fear, prepared an
ark to the saving of his house;
00:11:50.27\00:11:54.88
by the which he condemned
the world, and became heir
00:11:54.91\00:11:58.71
of the righteousness
which is by faith."
00:11:58.75\00:12:03.89
So why is this a
great example of faith?
00:12:03.92\00:12:08.72
Well, it had never rained when
Noah started building the ark.
00:12:08.76\00:12:13.06
For 120 years Noah
went about his work,
00:12:13.09\00:12:16.73
and it's clear he met opposition
from his contemporaries.
00:12:16.77\00:12:20.14
How do we know that?
00:12:20.17\00:12:21.07
Well, none of them
joined him on the ark--
00:12:21.10\00:12:23.94
only his family.
00:12:23.97\00:12:25.57
At a time when science
suggested it wouldn't rain,
00:12:25.61\00:12:29.11
in the face of rejection,
00:12:29.14\00:12:30.78
in a world that
was profoundly wicked,
00:12:30.81\00:12:33.01
according to
the book of Genesis,
00:12:33.05\00:12:34.82
there was "evil continually,"
00:12:34.85\00:12:36.79
and the world "was
filled with violence"--
00:12:36.82\00:12:38.72
you read that in Genesis 6--
00:12:38.75\00:12:40.49
Noah stuck to his
task out of love for God.
00:12:40.52\00:12:44.56
To build an ark to
survive a rainstorm
00:12:44.59\00:12:47.30
when there'd never been rain?
00:12:47.30\00:12:49.60
Now, that's faith.
00:12:49.63\00:12:51.07
And why did Noah do it?
00:12:51.10\00:12:53.07
Because God asked him to,
that's why, and that's faith.
00:12:53.10\00:12:58.84
God told Noah about the
wickedness of the world,
00:12:58.87\00:13:01.71
and He planned to destroy it,
00:13:01.74\00:13:03.78
that Noah was to build an
ark and bring animals into it.
00:13:03.81\00:13:07.75
Noah's response is
stated simply in Genesis 6:22.
00:13:07.78\00:13:11.35
"Thus did Noah; according
to all that God commanded him,
00:13:11.39\00:13:15.09
so did he."
00:13:15.12\00:13:16.32
Why would Noah do
something so incredibly extreme?
00:13:17.33\00:13:20.76
Simple answer: faith.
00:13:20.80\00:13:23.10
Noah took his
direction from God.
00:13:23.13\00:13:24.97
What God said was
paramount to Noah.
00:13:25.00\00:13:27.44
God spoke; Noah acted
accordingly, by faith.
00:13:27.47\00:13:32.54
The faith chapter
then mentions Abraham,
00:13:32.57\00:13:34.61
who, like Noah,
did something unlikely.
00:13:34.64\00:13:38.11
Living in Mesopotamia, Abraham
uprooted his home and his family
00:13:38.15\00:13:42.48
and went to--
00:13:42.52\00:13:44.52
well, at the time he wasn't
sure just where he was going.
00:13:44.55\00:13:47.86
This is Hebrews 11 and verse 8:
00:13:47.89\00:13:50.46
"By faith Abraham, when he was
called to go out into a place
00:13:50.49\00:13:54.56
which he should after receive
for an inheritance, obeyed;
00:13:54.56\00:13:58.53
and he went out, not
knowing whither he went."
00:13:58.57\00:14:01.67
Notice how God
connects faith with obedience.
00:14:02.34\00:14:05.24
Faith in God will lead
you to honor and obey God.
00:14:05.27\00:14:08.18
It isn't faith that
motivates you to rebel
00:14:08.21\00:14:10.58
against the God of heaven.
00:14:10.61\00:14:12.58
Then, two more examples
of faith concerning Abraham
00:14:12.61\00:14:15.52
and his family:
00:14:15.55\00:14:16.79
Hebrews 11:11, "By faith Sarah
herself also received strength
00:14:16.82\00:14:22.59
to conceive seed, and she bore a
child when she was past the age,
00:14:22.62\00:14:26.96
because she judged Him
faithful who had promised."
00:14:27.00\00:14:32.13
If you recall the story, you'll
know that both Abraham and Sarah
00:14:32.17\00:14:35.60
found the idea of Sarah
giving birth to be preposterous.
00:14:35.64\00:14:39.71
Who ever heard of such a
thing? She was an elderly woman.
00:14:39.74\00:14:42.74
Writing to the Romans,
00:14:42.78\00:14:43.71
Paul described
Sarah's womb as being dead.
00:14:43.75\00:14:47.92
But ultimately, she didn't
let the seeming impossibility
00:14:47.95\00:14:50.42
of her situation
cause her to disbelieve God
00:14:50.45\00:14:53.59
or to doubt that
what God said He could do,
00:14:53.62\00:14:56.69
He could do.
00:14:56.73\00:14:58.03
And against all odds,
Sarah gave birth to a baby boy
00:14:58.06\00:15:02.03
that she named Isaac.
00:15:02.06\00:15:04.23
Now, right about now
you might be thinking,
00:15:04.27\00:15:06.13
Faith? Sarah?
00:15:06.17\00:15:08.74
How much faith did she have when
she laughed at God's suggestion?
00:15:08.77\00:15:11.77
When she proposed that Abraham
get together with her servant
00:15:11.81\00:15:14.58
and have a child that way?
00:15:14.61\00:15:16.98
Well, right, there
is that, I suppose.
00:15:17.01\00:15:19.21
But Hebrews 11 isn't
the lack-of-faith chapter.
00:15:19.25\00:15:22.58
One of the things that makes
this chapter so encouraging
00:15:22.62\00:15:25.45
is that it speaks of people
who didn't always get it right.
00:15:25.49\00:15:28.69
They grew in faith.
00:15:28.72\00:15:30.49
Sarah certainly did.
00:15:30.53\00:15:31.83
Good old Abraham,
the great man of faith,
00:15:31.86\00:15:34.23
lied about the
identity of his wife,
00:15:34.30\00:15:36.30
claiming Sarah was his sister,
00:15:36.33\00:15:38.33
would have ruined everything
if God hadn't intervened.
00:15:38.37\00:15:42.34
And that's the key
of this whole chapter.
00:15:42.37\00:15:44.81
These heroes of
faith were regular people.
00:15:44.84\00:15:47.48
They were people
who made mistakes,
00:15:47.51\00:15:49.21
but they didn't let
those mistakes turn them away
00:15:49.24\00:15:52.55
from following God.
00:15:52.58\00:15:54.15
Remember, their faith was
in God, not in themselves.
00:15:54.18\00:15:57.69
And we see that God
works well with faulty people,
00:15:57.72\00:16:02.06
patiently growing them.
00:16:02.09\00:16:04.23
Now, that tells us that if God
can work with Abraham and Sarah
00:16:04.26\00:16:07.20
in spite of their flaws,
and with people like Samson,
00:16:07.23\00:16:10.83
who God mentions in Hebrews 11,
00:16:10.87\00:16:12.93
in spite of his
checkered history,
00:16:12.97\00:16:15.27
and with Rahab, and
Jephthah, and others,
00:16:15.30\00:16:19.14
if God can work with them,
00:16:19.17\00:16:21.68
then God can certainly work
with you and those you love.
00:16:21.71\00:16:25.58
Now, you can grow your faith.
00:16:25.61\00:16:27.22
I've got more examples of
great faith coming right up.
00:16:27.25\00:16:31.05
¤[music]¤
00:16:31.09\00:16:37.09
¤[soft piano music]¤
00:16:39.76\00:16:44.20
>>Man 1: What does the
Bible say about astrology?
00:16:44.23\00:16:47.24
>>Man 2: Why do bad
things happen to good people?
00:16:51.34\00:16:54.44
>>Girl: What color is Jesus?
00:16:59.78\00:17:02.52
>>John Bradshaw: If
you have a question,
00:17:02.55\00:17:03.52
we'd love to find an answer
00:17:03.55\00:17:04.89
for you from the Bible.
00:17:04.92\00:17:06.22
Line Upon Line
00:17:06.25\00:17:07.26
from It Is Written TV.
00:17:07.29\00:17:09.02
>>John: He's been called
the "father of the faithful."
00:17:10.03\00:17:13.43
Even though his life
didn't always give evidence
00:17:13.46\00:17:15.80
of great faith,
00:17:15.83\00:17:17.03
the Bible says that
Abraham was strong in faith.
00:17:17.07\00:17:21.94
Join me on location in
Israel for "Man of Faith."
00:17:21.97\00:17:27.38
You'll discover lessons on faith
and discover how you can be
00:17:27.41\00:17:30.85
a person of real
faith in the God of heaven.
00:17:30.88\00:17:34.68
What is faith?
00:17:34.72\00:17:36.32
The Bible says, "Without faith
it is impossible to please God."
00:17:36.35\00:17:40.19
And God's people in
earth's last days are described
00:17:40.22\00:17:43.96
as having faith,
the faith of Jesus.
00:17:43.99\00:17:47.73
"Man of Faith."
00:17:47.76\00:17:49.43
Abraham, a flawed
man, a faulty man,
00:17:49.46\00:17:53.03
a man prone to make mistakes.
00:17:53.07\00:17:55.64
Abraham, the
father of the faithful.
00:17:55.67\00:17:59.64
Learn how you can have faith,
real faith, grow your faith.
00:17:59.67\00:18:03.48
Don't miss "Man of Faith"
00:18:03.51\00:18:05.85
on It Is Written TV.
00:18:05.88\00:18:08.55
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
00:18:10.72\00:18:13.39
Hebrews 11 really is one of
the great chapters of the Bible.
00:18:13.42\00:18:17.03
Now, that's not to say
that the other 1,188 chapters
00:18:17.06\00:18:19.66
of the Bible are not great,
00:18:19.69\00:18:21.73
but Hebrews 11 is one
of the truly epic chapters
00:18:21.76\00:18:24.43
of the Bible,
00:18:24.47\00:18:25.43
not only because of
the accounts of the faith
00:18:25.47\00:18:27.70
of many of the
luminaries of the Old Testament,
00:18:27.74\00:18:30.44
but because there's
so much to be learned
00:18:30.47\00:18:32.21
from what the chapter says.
00:18:32.24\00:18:33.68
People preparing for eternity
want to grow their faith.
00:18:33.71\00:18:37.88
Faith is something we
ought to know something about.
00:18:37.91\00:18:40.62
The Bible tells us salvation
comes "by grace...through faith"
00:18:40.65\00:18:44.29
in Ephesians 2, verse 8.
00:18:44.32\00:18:46.05
Jesus asked a searching question
about faith in Luke 18:8
00:18:46.09\00:18:50.26
when He asked if He
would find faith on the earth
00:18:50.29\00:18:53.40
when He returned to the earth.
00:18:53.43\00:18:55.46
And in the book of Revelation,
00:18:55.50\00:18:56.83
those who were described as
the saved at the end of time
00:18:56.87\00:19:00.34
are said to "keep
the commandments of God
00:19:00.37\00:19:03.91
and the faith of Jesus."
00:19:03.94\00:19:06.78
The faith of Joseph is
mentioned in Hebrews 11:22.
00:19:06.81\00:19:11.58
"By faith Joseph, when he died,
00:19:11.61\00:19:14.85
made mention of the departing
of the children of Israel;
00:19:14.88\00:19:17.95
and gave commandment
concerning his bones."
00:19:17.99\00:19:20.99
So why was that
an example of faith?
00:19:21.66\00:19:23.63
Well, look at
Genesis 50:24 and 25.
00:19:23.66\00:19:27.10
"And Joseph said to
his brethren, 'I am dying;
00:19:27.13\00:19:29.70
but God will surely visit you,
00:19:29.73\00:19:31.37
and bring you out of this land
to the land of which He swore
00:19:31.40\00:19:34.87
to Abraham, to
Isaac, and to Jacob.'
00:19:34.90\00:19:38.37
Then Joseph took an oath from
the children of Israel, saying,
00:19:38.41\00:19:41.44
'God will surely visit you,
00:19:41.48\00:19:43.68
and you shall carry
up my bones from here.'"
00:19:43.71\00:19:47.42
Israel had been
in Egypt for years,
00:19:48.12\00:19:50.62
but here was Joseph
telling his people that
00:19:50.65\00:19:52.62
in spite of appearances,
there was absolutely no question
00:19:52.65\00:19:55.92
in his mind that the children
of Israel would exit Egypt
00:19:55.96\00:20:00.46
and make it to the
land promised them by God.
00:20:00.50\00:20:03.16
You see, that's faith:
00:20:03.20\00:20:04.83
believing what God has said
simply because God has said it.
00:20:04.87\00:20:09.57
Joseph was saying,
"As grim as things look,
00:20:09.60\00:20:13.01
I believe we're getting out of
here because God has said so."
00:20:13.04\00:20:17.81
And then Moses is
discussed in Hebrews 11.
00:20:17.85\00:20:20.75
First his parents' faith
in preserving Moses' life:
00:20:20.78\00:20:24.59
They had faith that God
would save their baby boy.
00:20:24.62\00:20:27.89
And then this:
Hebrews 11:24 and 25,
00:20:27.92\00:20:32.09
"By faith Moses,
when he was come to years,
00:20:32.13\00:20:34.93
refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter;
00:20:34.96\00:20:38.47
choosing rather
to suffer affliction
00:20:38.50\00:20:40.07
with the people of God,
00:20:40.10\00:20:41.54
than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season."
00:20:41.57\00:20:46.41
Again, this is interesting
because the way Moses got away
00:20:46.44\00:20:49.48
from Pharaoh's household
was hardly a prime example
00:20:49.51\00:20:52.41
of faith in God.
00:20:52.45\00:20:53.95
He took a man's life.
00:20:53.98\00:20:56.48
But he
identified with God's people
00:20:56.52\00:20:57.85
after years of being
raised in Pharaoh's household.
00:20:57.89\00:21:01.36
He had everything a
person could want in this world,
00:21:01.39\00:21:04.59
but he chose the service of God.
00:21:04.63\00:21:06.36
And notice the phrase,
00:21:06.39\00:21:08.43
"rather than [enjoying] the
pleasures of sin for a season."
00:21:08.46\00:21:12.33
Now, that's worth remembering.
00:21:12.37\00:21:14.20
You might find sin
pleasurable, enjoyable,
00:21:14.24\00:21:17.61
but it's "for a
season"; it's temporary.
00:21:17.64\00:21:21.58
Faith in God is forever.
00:21:21.61\00:21:24.75
And Moses understood that.
00:21:24.78\00:21:27.15
Verse 27:
00:21:27.18\00:21:28.95
"By faith he forsook Egypt,
00:21:28.98\00:21:30.95
not fearing the
wrath of the king:
00:21:30.99\00:21:33.15
for he endured, as
seeing Him who is invisible."
00:21:33.19\00:21:37.83
He lived by faith.
00:21:37.86\00:21:39.56
Experiences like the one
he had with the burning bush
00:21:39.59\00:21:41.80
would have fueled his faith.
00:21:41.83\00:21:43.47
Moses endured.
00:21:43.50\00:21:45.13
He hung in there with God.
00:21:45.17\00:21:46.80
When Israel was
stubborn, he clung to God.
00:21:46.84\00:21:49.64
When they
worshiped the golden calf,
00:21:49.67\00:21:51.47
Moses turned to God.
00:21:51.51\00:21:53.24
When there was rebellion, Moses
fell on his face before God.
00:21:53.27\00:21:56.75
Faith endures.
00:21:56.78\00:21:57.91
It doesn't quit,
00:21:57.95\00:21:59.38
because faith knows
that God doesn't quit.
00:21:59.41\00:22:02.05
Faith is easy when life is good.
00:22:02.08\00:22:04.55
But when there's an accident, or
a loss or a death or a betrayal
00:22:04.59\00:22:09.09
or a financial collapse
or a job loss or an illness,
00:22:09.12\00:22:14.83
what then?
00:22:14.83\00:22:16.16
That's when faith reminds you
that God is still on His throne,
00:22:16.20\00:22:20.20
that His promises are still real
and reliable no matter what.
00:22:20.24\00:22:25.21
Faith believes and
trusts in spite of circumstances
00:22:25.24\00:22:28.41
and appearances, because
it recognizes that nothing
00:22:28.44\00:22:31.55
changes God and that
His word is always true.
00:22:31.58\00:22:36.08
Let's look together in
Hebrews 11 and verse 28:
00:22:36.12\00:22:39.22
"By faith he kept the Passover
and the sprinkling of blood,
00:22:39.25\00:22:42.72
lest he who destroyed the
firstborn should touch them."
00:22:42.76\00:22:45.73
That's right.
00:22:45.76\00:22:46.76
God said, "If you do
this, you'll be protected
00:22:46.80\00:22:48.80
from the plagues,
00:22:48.83\00:22:49.76
and the destroying
angel will pass over you."
00:22:49.80\00:22:52.67
Their faith in God was
demonstrated by their actions.
00:22:52.70\00:22:56.50
"Faith" is an action word.
00:22:56.54\00:22:58.21
It moves you to
act, to live out,
00:22:58.24\00:23:00.84
to demonstrate your faith.
00:23:00.88\00:23:02.58
Verse 29: "By faith they
passed through the Red Sea
00:23:02.61\00:23:05.78
as by dry land, whereas the
Egyptians, attempting to do so,
00:23:05.81\00:23:09.68
were drowned."
00:23:09.72\00:23:10.99
God told them to
walk across the seafloor.
00:23:11.02\00:23:14.02
Reason might have
said that was crazy.
00:23:14.06\00:23:17.59
But God's leading was clear,
and they acted upon God's word.
00:23:17.63\00:23:21.53
Next verse
references the fall of Jericho.
00:23:21.56\00:23:23.83
Same principle.
00:23:23.87\00:23:24.90
Who in the world would
expect a military victory
00:23:24.93\00:23:26.80
when the plan of attack is
to walk around a city and shout?
00:23:26.84\00:23:31.41
But that's faith.
00:23:31.44\00:23:32.74
Faith doesn't ask
what seems likely.
00:23:32.77\00:23:36.01
Faith asks what God has
said, what God has promised,
00:23:36.04\00:23:40.88
and believes that.
00:23:40.92\00:23:43.52
And the Bible writer
rounds out the chapter
00:23:43.55\00:23:45.82
with this soaring
passage starting in verse 32:
00:23:45.85\00:23:51.79
"And what more shall I say?
00:23:51.83\00:23:54.10
For the time would fail me
to tell of Gideon and Barak
00:23:54.13\00:23:56.93
and Samson and Jephthah,
also of David and Samuel
00:23:56.97\00:24:00.50
and the prophets: who
through faith subdued kingdoms,
00:24:00.54\00:24:04.34
worked righteousness,
obtained promises,
00:24:04.37\00:24:07.48
stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the violence of fire,
00:24:07.51\00:24:12.35
escaped the edge of the sword,
00:24:12.38\00:24:14.48
out of weakness
were made strong,
00:24:14.52\00:24:16.62
became valiant in battle,
00:24:16.65\00:24:18.49
turned to flight the
armies of the aliens.
00:24:18.52\00:24:21.52
Women received their
dead raised to life again.
00:24:21.56\00:24:25.06
Others were tortured,
not accepting deliverance,
00:24:25.09\00:24:27.86
that they might
obtain a better resurrection.
00:24:27.86\00:24:30.80
Still others had trial
of mockings and scourgings,
00:24:30.83\00:24:33.97
yes, and of
chains and imprisonment.
00:24:34.00\00:24:36.77
They were stoned,
they were sawn in two,
00:24:36.81\00:24:39.57
were tempted, were
slain with the sword.
00:24:39.61\00:24:42.41
They wandered about in
sheepskins and goatskins,
00:24:42.44\00:24:45.18
being destitute,
afflicted, tormented--
00:24:45.21\00:24:47.72
of whom the
world was not worthy.
00:24:47.75\00:24:51.12
They wandered in
deserts and mountains,
00:24:51.15\00:24:53.69
in dens and caves of the earth."
00:24:53.72\00:24:57.13
In all, at least 15 people
of faith are mentioned by name,
00:24:57.16\00:25:00.70
while others, such as
Daniel and his three friends
00:25:00.73\00:25:02.90
are referred to.
00:25:02.93\00:25:04.40
From the Flood to the Exodus,
00:25:04.43\00:25:05.73
from martyrs to
people resurrected--
00:25:05.77\00:25:08.24
every one, every experience
was a manifestation of faith.
00:25:08.27\00:25:12.97
Ordinary people who did or
experienced extraordinary things
00:25:13.01\00:25:17.75
because they had
simple faith that God could do
00:25:17.78\00:25:21.62
what He said He could do.
00:25:21.65\00:25:23.59
So how is it with you?
00:25:24.59\00:25:26.42
How's faith
working out in your life?
00:25:26.45\00:25:28.42
When you take time to know God,
00:25:28.46\00:25:29.86
you'll be convinced
that He's all He says He is,
00:25:29.89\00:25:32.59
and that He can do
all He says He can do.
00:25:32.63\00:25:34.36
The centurion was convinced.
00:25:34.40\00:25:36.46
Noah was convinced.
00:25:36.50\00:25:37.67
So were Abraham
and Sarah, eventually,
00:25:37.70\00:25:40.17
and David and Gideon
and Samuel, they believed;
00:25:40.20\00:25:43.30
they trusted; they
expected God to come through.
00:25:43.34\00:25:45.87
They saw God do amazing things.
00:25:45.91\00:25:47.58
It wasn't easy.
00:25:47.61\00:25:49.14
But no one ever said that
faith is all plain sailing.
00:25:49.18\00:25:52.11
Let God work for you.
00:25:52.15\00:25:54.72
Know His promises. Believe them.
00:25:54.75\00:25:57.89
And expect God to do
great things in your life.
00:25:57.92\00:26:01.76
As Jesus said in Mark
11:22, "Have faith in God."
00:26:01.79\00:26:07.50
>>Announcer 1: They're in
the Bible especially for you:
00:26:08.50\00:26:11.30
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God who wants the best for you
00:26:11.33\00:26:15.20
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00:26:15.24\00:26:17.91
Get "God's
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00:26:17.94\00:26:20.11
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00:26:20.14\00:26:23.41
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00:26:23.45\00:26:24.45
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>>John Bradshaw: Thank you for
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00:26:54.18\00:26:58.15
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:26:58.18\00:27:00.98
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
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or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
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>>John Bradshaw:
Let's pray together now.
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Father in heaven, I pray
that You'd increase our faith.
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Thank You for the examples
of these great men and women
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of old, recorded in
Scripture as having had faith,
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having trusted You,
having believed in You,
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having expected You to do
what You say You would do.
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Dear Lord, grow us.
Bring us to Your Word.
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As we read Your promises in the
stories of what You did of old,
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develop in us a
steadfast faith, a solid belief
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that You truly are a rewarder
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of those who
diligently seek You.
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We thank You today
for the gift of faith.
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Find it in our lives,
we pray and thank You.
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In Jesus' name.
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Amen.
00:27:53.23\00:27:54.54
Thanks so much for joining me.
00:27:54.57\00:27:55.64
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:55.67\00:27:58.21
Until then, remember:
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"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
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but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
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