How to be a Hero of Faith

For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle... ~ Hebrews 11:32-34

Persecution for Christians persists today just as it did in the early church. In Egypt, the Sudan, China, Christians around the world must hide reading the Bible. If they gathered together to attend a church service, they would make the ultimate sacrifice, and lose their lives. 

Another pastor is quoted as declaring that he prays for the church in America to encounter persecution because without persecution, there will be no depth in the church. This is an interesting prayer. 

I, as a pastor, do not generally pray for you to encounter persecution. I generally pray that you are filled with God’ Spirit to proclaim the Gospel and experience all that God has for you as His child. I pray that you would be men and women of integrity, so to be examples to others. However, if persecution is what it takes to have depth in our lives, then may we endure!

The writer of the book of Hebrews describes groups of men and women who display the qualities of a Hero in Faith. When we come to Christ, and we have faith in Him, we have the opportunity to be Heroes. These men and women displayed the key qualities of obedience, service, and courage. 

To be a Hero of Faith, we first must be obedient to God under pressure. When God commanded Moses to sacrifice a lamb and sprinkle the blood on the doorposts of their house so that the Angel of the Lord would Passover their house and no one would be harmed, anyone who obeyed was saved! When the Israelites were commanded to cross the Red Sea while the Egyptian army approached, they obeyed. The key here is obedience. In both of these situations, obedience is of utmost importance, even when times were tough or doubts persist. To be a Hero of Faith, obey God and His Word! 

Secondly, Heroes of the Faith display service through the Power that God supplies. Hebrews lists leaders such as Gideon, David, and Samuel, who did amazing feats of strength and might in the power and to the glory of God. When we come to Christ in faith, we must be willing to serve, not in our own strength, but, as commanded in 1 Peter 4:11, “If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified.” When we are weak and feel like quitting, we must continue to serve in God’s strength and power. In our weakness, He is strong. 

A Hero of Faith displays courage in the face of imminent danger, and even death. Through the ages, men and women have stood up in obedience in service to God and have endured persecution. How can we do this? With the hope of the life to come. This life is brief, yet how we live this life will determine eternity. If we live this life in obedience to God and service to others, we will live abundantly, both now and in the life to come. 

God is looking for men and women who will lead, who will do great things in the power of His Spirit. Is there something God is calling you to do, that may cost you something? 

I am just beginning to understand that it is through our sorrow and pain, that God moves greatly. Will you obey, serve and have the courage to stand for God?

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him...”

Blessings, 

Robert Furrow

Shedding Light on the Work of the Holy Spirit

“You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be of hammered work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece. And six branches shall come out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side. ~ Exodus 25:31-32

In the Presence of God on Mount Sinai, Moses receives specific instructions on constructing the tabernacle, and the temple. Unique and prized, this tabernacle was the dwelling place of God among the children of Israel. The physical tabernacle no longer exists; it has been destroyed. Now, the spiritual tabernacle of God is among His people and one day, we will be in His Presence forever: “ ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God’”(Revelation 21:3).

The golden lampstands were to illuminate the temple. This lampstand or candlestick represents the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. Whereas the physical temple housed these golden lampstands, now we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The seven branches represent complete perfection in the work of the Spirit. Even the decorative almond blossoms are significant because they are the first plants to bloom and produce fruit in Jerusalem. Thus, the work of the Spirit is to be the first fruit of our lives.

In Acts, after Jesus is glorified and ascends to Heaven, the Holy Spirit is given first to Jews, and then to all. This is a fulfillment of Joel 2:28, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also on my menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” After Pentecost, the floodgates are opened and the Spirit is available to any follower of Christ, regardless of position, ability, culture, or gender.

The Holy Spirit’s main role is to bring all, Jews and Gentiles, to Jesus. He does this in three distinct ways. Before salvation, the Holy Spirit is with a person, convicting or convincing of the need for salvation. Upon salvation, the Holy Spirit dwells IN the believer for sanctification. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit is to transform the believer from a person acting in the flesh and its desires, to a person acting by the Spirit of God and His desires every day. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit comes UPON the believer to empower and equip that person to preach the Gospel and influence others for the kingdom of God.

Just as the candlestick was adorned with almond blossoms, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is to be evident in our daily lives, not only at church or Bible study, but when we are working, driving, watching television, and posting on the internet. If we lose control and get angry when we are driving, this may be an indication that we have not given everything to the Lord.

Experience the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. How? Just ask and it will be given to you (Matthew 7:7) Hold your life before the Lord and watch what He will do in and through you to illuminate the dark world around you!

Blessings,

Robert Furrow

Faith to the Next Generation

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.

 ~ Hebrews 11:23

You hold a unique position in the lives of your children. Statistics show that children of strong Christians are more likely to stay committed to Christ, whereas children of nominal Christians are more likely to walk away from Christ. Kid's watch their parents, don't they? And kids can easily spot hypocrisy in the lives of their parents. On the other hand, when parents are committed to Christ, this excellent example is one they want to follow.

Hebrews illustrates three examples of Godly Parenting Principles. The first is that Isaac and Jacob blessed their children with an eternal perspective. We bless our children today by praying for them, by encouraging them and by showing them Jesus. Christianity is much better caught than taught. Your children see you all the time, they will see from observing you what Christianity is about, and if you are really serious about Jesus. 

Joseph displays the second principle of godly parenting in speaking and encouraging his children in the Word of God. Mothers, parents, instill your children with the Eternal Word of God. By faith, Joseph gives and reminds his children of the prophecy that they would not stay in Egypt forever and he gave them instructions to take his bones to the promised land. 

Find ways to build your children in the eternal word. Speak, sing, and show Bible verses around your home. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

The last godly principle to impart to your children is boldness in the Eternal God. Jochebed, the mother of Moses, shows complete faith in the Lord when places her beautiful baby in a basket and sends him down the river. She bodly places her son in the hands of God and watches Him work miraculously! We must lay everything at His feet, even our children and He will give us back what He wills. 

When you read the Word of God and let it change you, your children will see and follow you. Let it be your, our children who change the world for Jesus. Give your children the Word of God and watch it transform your children and the world.

Blessings, 

Robert Furrow

Choosing in Faith

By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. ~ Hebrews 11:24-26

Faith is the substance of things that are not seen. Faith is how we get our hands around things that we need to believe. This is opposite to our usual system. We believe when we see. This is displayed in the court system. Witnesses and lawyers present evidence to persuade beyond a reasonable doubt.  

Faith is believing before you see the evidence. It is the way that God moves in your life. Faith and confidence are not the same things. You can doubt and struggle and still be a strong man or woman of faith, the important thing is that you diligently seek God no matter how you feel. You make the decision to seek Him and to serve Him in the areas of your life. This becomes the faith, the substance of your life. By faith we choose to seek truth and trust God. By faith, we choose God and enter into heaven. 

Moses displays faith in three difficult choices. He chose to suffer affliction; he chose to sacrifice; and he chose to see God. 

Moses, for the Hebrew people, was the father of their faith. He was the leader who gave them the law by which they knew God. As a child and young man, he was trained in the ways of Egyptian leadership. When he saw the Hebrews, his people, suffering as slaves, he chooses to suffer with his people- and God used this to shape Moses into the deliverer of the Hebrews. In order to live by faith, we identify no longer with the world. Rather, we identify with the sacrifice, the suffering of Christ.

Secondly, Moses exhibits faith by choosing to sacrifice, by choosing to forsake the passing pleasures of Egypt. This is faith. Trusting God enough to sacrifice. Are you willing to give up everything to do what God wants you to do? It is through our suffering that Christ shines. In reality, when we sacrifice the world, we gain everything in Christ; we see our Creator, God. 

Moses also chose to see God. Rather than live in the passing, temporary pleasures of Egypt, he chose eternity. He chose to do what God had called Him to do. He would have never become the deliverer of the Hebrews had he not chosen in faith to see God. 

I gave my life to Jesus when I was a young teenager, but when I was 18, I pursued the passing pleasures of the world. Through a series of events, I found myself empty and hopeless. God was calling me to return to Him in faith. When I did this, it was a sacrifice. Only after this sacrifice, I began to do that which God had called me to do. I met my wife, Lisa, I began to teach the Bible and live an adventure with Jesus. Yes, suffering and trials meet us as we chose faith in Christ. Yet, the emptiness of sin and death are defeated in the power of Christ and eternity.

Though Moses’ faith, he chose suffering, rather than pleasure. He sacrificed pleasure to eternal riches. He chose to see God, both on earth and into eternity. We are all faced with choices. Choose faith, and see the Eternal God! 

Blessings, 

Robert

The Faith to Walk

 But without faith it is impossible to pleaseHim, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ~ Hebrews 11:6

You feel sick. You visit a doctor you hardly know. He makes a diagnosis and gives you a prescription of which you have never heard. You go the pharmacy and trust that they fill your prescription appropriately. Then you take the medicine. This is faith: believing and trusting without seeing!

There are countless examples of faith in modern day life. We walk and sit beneath a balcony without really knowing the level of support. 

Faith is greatly misunderstood. Faith is not telling God what you want. Faith is not getting what you want from God. Faith is simple. When we go back to the root words, it means trusting in what someone says. 

DL Moody is quoted as saying, “I prayed for faith and thought that some day faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." I had up to this time closed my Bible and prayed for faith. I now opened my Bible and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since.”

If you are having a difficult time believing and trusting in God, begin to read God’s Word. God stands behind His Word and when we devote ourselves to it, it will change us. Jesus said in Mark 4:20, “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.” 

Are you living by faith? Scripture commands us to be generous. Do you believe God enough to give to the poor? Do you trust God enough to be generous and trust that He will provide for you?

Say to the Lord, “I trust you. I will do what You say and go where You lead!” If you say this, your life will be dynamic! 

Faith is the substance by which we grab hold of the promises found in the Word of God. In faith I apply Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” When I lie awake at night in my bed, anxious over a problem or circumstance, faith tells me to do what God says in His Word. Instead of worrying, I need to pray to the Lord with thanksgiving for the things that I do have, and then God’s peace will guard my heart and mind. Faith is how I hold onto God’s Word and live by it. 

Faith is not always synonymous with confidence. For example if a New Yorker meets a person from a remote tribe in front of an elevator, the New Yorker is confident that the elevator works. This is not faith. Having faith in the word of the New Yorker, the person from a tribe steps on to the elevator, not knowing how or why it works. This is faith. 

Faith is doing what God has said. What has God said? Read His Word and discover how to live. 

Imagine what God might have in store for you if you just trust Him. 

Blessings, 

Robert

The Three R's of Endurance

 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. ~ Hebrews 10:35-36

When we enter the race of Christ, we endure to the finish line. No one wants to run a marathon to drop out after the first mile or first lap! The end of the race will come at different times for each of us. But we know that whether we die, or are caught up in the sky to meet Jesus, the end of this life will come.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

If Jesus came back today, would you be ready? If your race was finished today, would you be ready? Are you running with endurance?

Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators, finished his race at the age of 50. His headstone reads, “He lived to save others...Dawson Trotman, always lifting others up.” What a legacy! He ran his race with endurance until the finish line. 

Here are the three “R” words to ensure endurance to the finish line:

Rally. We need each other. God does not want us to run the race alone. To endure and make it to the finish line, we need to rally together and help each other. In the difficult seasons of life, we can encourage one another with Scripture, service, and words of encouragement. 

We rally together and serve one another by ministering with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. God has given each one of us a gift. 1 Peter 4: 10-11 says, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies...” If you do not know what your gift is, ask the Lord, or step out in faith into an area of need and see how God uses you. If you are interested in children’s ministry, or prison ministry or missions, go! Get involved and see how God moves. 

Sometimes, we want to isolate ourselves because people can hurt us. However, we must step out and make relationships if we want to endure unto the end. Though relationships expose us to pain, they can also bring great joy in helping one another. To endure, we must encourage each other and rally together. 

Remain. If we do not remain or endure, we will not make it to the finish line. The only way that we know that we are saved is if we remain until the end. We will battle against sin and the flesh in this life. We will never stop struggling with sin, but the key is that there is a struggle. If we walk, and live in sin, then we are not remaining in Jesus. If we run with endurance, and stumble in sin, but confess it, we are forgiven. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Jesus uses an analogy of a vine to describe remaining in Him. In John 15:4-5, Jesus says,“‘Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.’” If we walk with Jesus, we remain. 

Do you remain? Do you abide with Jesus. Wake up in the morning and open the Word of God. Talk to Him throughout your day. Meditate on His truth, His promises. Remain.

Remember. Finally, in order to endure to the end of the race, we must remember all from which Christ has saved us. Remember the goodness of God, the grace of Jesus. Think realistically about what your life would be without Christ. 

Also, we must remember that Jesus is coming. “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come” Hebrews 10:37. The reward if we remain: The Presence of God forever.

“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” ~ Revelation 21:3-5

Blessings, 

Robert

A Trip from Heaven to Earth

“‘ Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,

But a body You have prepared for Me. 

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin

You had no pleasure.

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—

In the volume of the book it is written of Me—

To do Your will, O God.’”

” Exodus 9:12

A Sunday school teacher posed the question to her class, “How many of you kids would like to go to Heaven and be with Jesus.” All the children in this class raised their hands in affirmation, all except one boy. The teacher addressed this young boy, “(Johnny), you do not want to go to Heaven?” The boy answered, “Yes, I want to go to Heaven! I just thought you were asking if we wanted to go right now!” 

Many of us feel the same way at many points in our lives! We want to go to heaven...eventually. We may feel that there is more in life for us to experience or accomplish, even for the Lord. However, life is short and the trip to Heaven for the believer approaches with every day of life. Jesus made the trip to Heaven possible, by taking a trip from Heaven to Earth. 

Now in my life, I desire Heaven. I want to be in Heaven and looking at Jesus. A few weeks after my wife died, I had a nightmare in which my wife said, “Look what you have done to me.” I felt guilty, that in some way, I had contributed to her sickness and eventual passing. A few weeks after this, I had a better dream. This time, I was sitting next to my wife and she was looking out. She turned to me, her face was glowing and she said, “You’re crazy!” This is a phrase she would often say, not to imply literal insanity, but that something was irrational. I knew the Lord was telling me that it was not my fault and that she was now in the Presence of Jesus and her face was glowing. 

Heaven is a place where we will always be in the Presence of the eternal Light of Jesus. 

Psalm 34:5 says, “They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.” 

Life is not about what you have, it is about who you know. Heaven is not about the place, it is about the Person.

Jesus, God’s Son, left His perfect dwelling place to come down to earth and make a way for us to go to Heaven and be with Him forevermore. The Old Testament required sacrifices of animals repeatedly to atone, or pay for sins. This was insufficient. It never actually paid the full debt for sin. Jesus’ sacrifice of His life paid the full price for sin. He showed the ultimate gesture of love in sacrifice. Now, we are not only able to go to Heaven, but we also can know Him and love Him. 

John 15:12-14, 15 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Jesus is a compelling individual. The greatest thing that we can do, is to lift Jesus up, to glorify Jesus and share Jesus to the people around us. People will be compelled to seek after Jesus. Now, there are many in our society that do not understand the person of Jesus, why He lived on earth, and why He died. 

When we seek Jesus and walk with Him, we are changed and renewed. The law is no longer just actions on the outside, it is a change of the heart enacted by the Holy Spirit. 

Consider the following illustration of sanctification and forgiveness of Jesus. Two men are given a new pair of shoes. Jesus tells them to run a race through a field which contains mud puddles, but they need to keep their shoes clean. The first man runs well, and avoids many of the mud puddles, but slips a few times. He comes to Jesus and apologizes with humility, "I'm sorry. I tried to be pure, but I slipped." Jesus quickly cleans off the shoes perfectly. "That's why I died. I forgive you." The second man starts off the race well, but quickly hits a mud puddle. Since he hit one mud puddle, he gives up trying to be clean. He even tries to hit a few mud puddles. When he arrives at the end, he says, "Here, Jesus. Clean my shoes." This man's pride is almost sickening. The warning remains that we need to seek Jesus, do those things which glorify Him, and ask Him for forgiveness immediately. 

Seek Heaven, where Jesus dwells eternally....They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.

Blessings, 

Robert Furrow