Sunday, February 3, 2008

Not Long Remembered or Never Forgotten

Hebrews 11:33-38 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
These verses are extracted from the “Hall of Faith”, Hebrews 11, describing the trials and challenges the Old Testament Saints encountered and who “obtained a good report through faith.” These men and women were examples to their contemporaries, but also to those who followed after them millennia later. They were a people of action, “doers of the word”, and not just of empty words.
Living By Faith
2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:6 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.

From the Gettysburg Address: “But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.”
Will the things we have done be not be long remembered? Could a chapter of Holy Scripture be dedicated to our steadfastness in the faith? To our devotion? To our actions?

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