“But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” (Heb. 11:16)
By faith in words, actions and deeds, by faith in trials and tribulations, in suffering, grief and sorrow, by faith in pain, temptations, in patience.
The poor are trapped in a cell that encompasses little more than the geographical area they live in, the wealthy can travel the world at will, yet it still remains a prison cell. If one could travel to distant planets, you would be no less a prisoner than if you never left your house.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)
The wicked that the wrath of God abides on attempt to live their lives within a moral construct of sin that they refuse to recognize as such, believing that if they remain within the world’s ideology of correct behavior, they will also be pleasing in the eyes of the Living God.
The right of the world is not the right of the Lord.
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4)
Mankind is easily deceived, their faith is in their own goodness, in what the nation they live in has set as decent and correct, even to the localized area they reside in. Adhere to these rules, and you will be accepted, but not by God.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
The faith of those who have been born-again is in direct contradiction to the world, no matter where you live, we obey the Living God because we love Him, they stay within the rules of the world imposed upon them because of the fear of personal retribution, we have faith that His promises are true, they see His Word as a hindrance to their freedoms, we enter that cell of faith by choice, we stay in His light, while their consolations are only realized in the darkness.
Faith comes by hearing only to those who have been blessed with ears to hear by the Holy Spirit. To the wicked, faith is foolishness, the Scriptures are either nothing more than good words to live by, or an imposition upon the desires they want to attain to.
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ gives little thought to the flesh, whether it be pleasures attained or pain received, it gives little consideration of the things of the world, whether they are achieved or lost.
By faith obeys the will and Word of God, solely for the glory of God, with no consideration to oneself.
Abraham left to go to a place he did not know the way to, Noah had never seen rain, yet he built an ark, at almost one hundred years old, Sarah believed she would have a child.
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1st Cor. 1:18)
None of these saw with their eyes, they walked by faith, as we are to do also.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)
“For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Heb. 11:10)
By faith, my friends we know this world lies in evil, by faith we reach out to those who are still trapped by its lies, who believe a good life deserves the riches of heaven, who believe good works will grant them entrance into the city that awaits us.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Eph. 2:8)
We were saved by His grace through faith, we are being sanctified by His grace through faith, and we have the full assurance of faith that we will be glorified by His grace. Faith does not doubt, faith accepts all that the one we have faith in offers.
Faith’s foundation my friends is love, and He who offered that love is always faithful.