Day 24 - Hebrews 11:31 - 11:40

Hebrews 11:31-40 

31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

32 How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 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. 35 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. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 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. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.


Tori's Comments -

By faith we receive what God has promised us. 

I really like this section. Especially near the middle when he begins listing all the things God has done through man.

I feel... I feel...



via GIPHY

If God is for us, who can be against us?

I just have to have faith.

Terrie's Comments - 

Clearly living by faith is not necessarily and easy life this side of heaven.  It is living keeping your focus on what is to come.  Knowing that what we have been promised is worth anything we go through or have to sacrifice here on earth for the sake of our faith in Jesus Christ.  So where is my focus?




Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 23 - Hebrews 11:21 - 11:30

Hebrews 11:21-30 

21 It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.

22 It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.

23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.

24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.

29 It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.

30 It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.


Terrie's Comments - 

More examples of how faith is powerful only when people of God act on what He says to them.  It is important to learn to listen to God's voice so you know what you need to act on.  The more time we spend meditating on God's word the easier it is to recognize His voice and drown out our fear.


Tori's Comments - 

I feel like verse 27 answers my question from yesterday a bit. "He kept his eyes on the one who is invisible." But how do we do that? How do we stay so focused on the reward God has promised?

I'm inspired, but at the same time uncertain of so much.

Ponder time again...

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 22 - Hebrews 11:11 - 11:20

Hebrews 11:11-20 

11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

20 It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.


Tori's Comments - 

"who was as good as dead" BAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA that's hilarious.

If I tried describing someone that way, they would smack me. Maybe if I told them I was quoting the bible. Of course, I need to meet someone close to one hundred first, but...

Terrie, when you are old, be ready. 

What I'm getting from all this is that faith inspires God's blessings. Without faith, He won't bless us. It also makes me think of James 1:6-7 where he says, "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. He will not receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

Sadly enough, the second verse sounds more like me than the first.

A big thing I'm learning from this whole study is that when you really meditate on scriptures, they can strip you raw and bring up problems in your life you didn't know you had.

I like that God is chiseling at me, but it's beginning to hurt.

My question is how you hear God. Obviously these biblical people God chose to work through knew what God was going to do through them. How are you so fine-tuned with the Holy Spirit that you know what He wants you to do?




Terrie's Comments - 

I want to focus on the middle of today's passage...

13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

I would love to say that my focus is not on things of this world.  I must admit all too often the things that knock me to my knees are because my focus has once again shifted to the things in the world and not on heavenly places.  I need to be reminded that it is okay to live like a nomad and a foreigner here on earth.  To not understand the customs of this world completely.  I am glad that I can enter the shelter of the throne room of my King at anytime boldly because I am an ambassador of the country that I am looking forward to.  It may be in the distance but I believe in the promise that I can look forward to a better place... my heavenly homeland because I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and my High Priest.


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 21 - Hebrews 11:1 - 11:10

Hebrews 11:1-10 

11 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.


Terrie's Comments - 

We learn so much about faith through the passages we read in Hebrews.  

Hebrews 11:11 is a well known verse on faith - 
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see

God had faith forming the universe that we see out of what is not seen.  

Enoch trusted that if he diligently sought God that God would reward him.  (v6  And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.)  It always strikes me that it says it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith.  It doesn't say it is hard it says you CANNOT please God without faith.  This whole chapter is all about faith and what it looks like in action.  Faith is an action.  Real faith requires action because if you believe that God is real and you believe that His word is true and you believe that He will do what He says He will do then you will live your life like you believe it.  All of the people mentioned in today's passage acted on God's word to them and it pleased God.  

What does my faith look like?  Is there anything that God has asked me to do that I have not acted on yet?  hmmmm something to think about... but not too long... perhaps it would be more appropriate to say hmmmm something to act on :-)   

Tori's Comments -

It's crazy to me just how much can be drawn from the Old Testament stories. How they're all a "shadow" of what's to come (I've been paying attention real well!).

And faith is such a hard topic for me. I can say that I know something without a doubt, but in reality, I'm just trying to ignore that twinge of fear inside. How do you get rid of that? How do you know something so completely and believe it 100 percent? I know that God created the whole world, that He gave Abraham a kid, that He was there with David when he threw the stone, that He did all those things through Elijah.

My real doubt is whether he can do those things through me. If I'm completely honest, I'm all too aware of how terrible a person I can be. And yes, I know that I can never out sin God's grace, but it's one of those 'know it in your head, not in your heart'. 

Just another dragon I have to slay. Actually, just another giant I have to slay. Anyone experience anything similar? 


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!