Author: missionspaul

The whole purpose of our lives is to please God.

“By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11 v 5-6)

Without faith it is impossible …and so with faith we know we please Him. Not that we should please Him but that we are able to please Him. Let that occupy your mind. We, sinful as we are, failures as we are, can please a holy, righteous God. We may not please our boss or others but we can please Him!

This is a great joy to have the assurance that God is pleased with you.

Enoch pleased God. This is not a goal to be achieved. This is possible, how? By faith. By trusting in God. Then we are told where we put our trust exactly.

• We trust as we walk with Him.
  • Enoch walked with God and the result was that he was out of step with the world. He was in the world but not aligned to it.
  • Enoch walked with God and the result was God was happy to walk with Him and He still is longing to do so, Genesis 3:8; Leviticus 26:12.
• We trust that He exists.
  • This is to believe that God exists even when it looks like He doesn’t.
  • This is to believe God is with you when all around it appears He is not there.
• We trust and that is seen by us earnestly seeking Him.
  • We don’t seek the rewards (His hand) but we seek Him (His face).
  • When we seek Him we are saying that God is better than His best gifts.

He walked with God; he pleased God; he did not die; he was searched for but was not found.

Who is this?

“By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.” (Hebrews 11 v 5)

He completed what Adam failed to do, he walked with God. He did what Noah had done and what Abraham would do. Enoch was I am sure walking by faith. But he was demonstrating an even more beautiful life, he was walking with God, an indicator of intimacy that God still wants from us today.

It was this intimacy that pleased God. Even more so because life was tough for someone walking with God. The environment Enoch lived in was one of sinfulness, arrogance and selfishness. But he walked with God. As was the same for Noah, he “was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.” (Genesis 6:9)

His name means ‘dedicated’. At a time when values were totally broken down and everyone did their own thing, when families were divided and the order that had been created was in chaos, there was a man who dedicated his life and walked with God.

God ‘took’ the man who walked with Him. This was his reward. And whether we die on this earth or we are taken when He comes again, it is the reward for all who walk with Him.

The author wisely takes the believers back to the Old Testament in revealing characters who by their actions and words were looking for the New that was to come. The reason he does this is some believers had already returned to Judaism and the Pastor is showing that if you go back to that old system of works then you will discover in that history people displaying what they were called to live by now and that is of course faith.

So we start with Abel, the second son of Adam, he was a shepherd and his brother Cain was a farmer. They were both believers in God. One day Abel brought an offering to God and it was the firstborn of his best animals that he sacrificed. Cain brought vegetables that he had grown on his farm.

“By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.” (Hebrews 11 v 4)

This was not about animals being better than vegetables. It was about faith. Abel probably didn’t know what his offering was pointing towards. He hadn’t seen how everything in history points to the sacrifice of the Son of God on a cross. Neither had Cain either. They didn’t know about the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. But when these 2 offerings were given God accepted one and rejected the other. We do not know how this was known but maybe it was fire from heaven which generations later would become the norm within the Temple.

Cain brought the work of his hands as an offering. This approach still exists today. It did for the author writing to the community of believers who were being tempted to return to a works based system of worship, Judaism. For us, it still exists also. Cain put his trust in his own reasoning and his own efforts. He thought his work would impress God.

Abel offered his by faith. What does that mean? His was a blood sacrifice. His was a substitute sacrifice, it pointed to Christ of course. His offering had died in order to bring worship to God. This was not about Abel but it was about the animal. There was nothing in Abel that he could bring but his offering was acceptable because of the life in the blood of the sacrifice. Very early in history Abel had understood even in a basic form that approaching God something had to die.

The key point is this: we cannot approach God with our own efforts or in our own strength, but by the blood sacrifice of another. Don’t return to the Old Covenant, the New is far better, because it is fulfilled in the superior sacrifice of Jesus Christ, not by our own works. We never approach God by what we have done but through what He has done for us. This is why I trust in God and this is why Abel still speaks today.

There are some prayers we pray that ask God to take the mess of our lives and form a miracle. He does do that and there are many stories to prove it. But then there are some prayers when we have come to the very end of ourselves and we have nothing in our hands. We don’t have the resources or the know-how to change our situation. Do you know these kinds of prayers?

The author takes us back to the beginning.

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” (Hebrews 11 v 3)

The universe. Yes let’s move from our problem, big that it might be for us, but compared to the universe not so much! It wasn’t there and then it was. There wasn’t matter that God took and formed it. There was nothing. He made from nothing. He formed it at His command, ‘Let there be light’.

You can trust in God because you believe in the beginning.

One word. That’s all it took. He had nothing in His hands.

So back to your problem and look at what is in your hands.

If you cannot see how then that’s okay. He can.

Here we are! Who has never turned to this chapter for help when hurting and for encouragement when wanting to give up? Probably the one who has never opened the Bible! We could stay in this chapter for the rest of our life and we would be okay, we would make it!

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ² This is what the ancients were commended for.” (Hebrews 11 v 1-2)

Faith is being sure and it is to be certain. These two positions enable us to keep going!

We are sure that this season we are in is temporary. There is more. God has not done with you yet! We are moving through this moment. We know this not because of the cheap and flaky promises of the world but because of what God said He would do, we are sure He will and that is what we call hope. We are not wishing things be different but we have a biblical hope which has confidence in what God has said in His Word. We have His promises. He can do it. He said He would and we are sure.

We are certain that no matter how difficult life gets, He is with us. We might not see Him but we have assurance He is here. This is not dependent on us but again it is on His Word that He would never leave nor forsake us. The voices may be loud and the mountains may be huge but faith is the conviction that He will make a way because He is here right now.

Being sure and being certain is faith. It is how it always has been. The ancients held on to this and now it is our life-turn. Don’t drop that baton. Don’t turn back. Trust in God.

In the last sentence before the author launches into what has to be the most wonderful chapter for every follower of Jesus this Pastor reminds the community of believers of his confidence in them.
“But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” (Hebrews 10 v 39)
But we … That’s also you and me as followers of Jesus.
We are not like those who have turned back to religious traditions. We do not go back to striving with duties and performing to impress man or God. But let me go further. We are not of those who say ‘enough is enough I’m giving up’. We don’t throw in the towel.
No.
You are a person who endures. You will not allow disappointment to shift you from the path you are on. You are a person who knows that nothing can separate you from the love of God. You know you have been saved, are being saved and will be saved. You know no one can snatch you from His hand. You have faith, are in the faith and will continue to step forward in faith.
You belong! You belong to the better group. So ignore all the voices that are trying to drown you, pull you down, they are lies. Get ready, it’s a new day coming, new seasons are here. God hasn’t finished with you yet. Step forward into a new chapter of faith.

A woman rushed up to famed violinist Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) after a concert and cried: “I’d give my life to play as beautifully as you do.” Kreisler replied, “I did.”

If you plant a Chinese bamboo seed, it will sit in the ground for five years and appear to not be making any changes. Then, over a six-week period, it will grow 90 feet.

There is a giant Himalayan lily which spends most of its life looking like nothing at all but then after 5-7 years it grows to 9-10 feet tall and produces the most amazing delicately shaped flowers.

The national tree of Sri Lanka is the talipot, it is a palm tree that grows to a height of 82 feet. It only flowers once but it happens some time when it is between 30 – 80 years old.

Hang in there! It’s worth it. That’s the message.

In view of the many trials the community of believers were facing, seeing others fall away and return to Judaism and on top of that facing an uncertain future the Pastor exhorts them:-

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. ³⁷ For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” ³⁸ And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” (Hebrews 10 v 36-38)

Using Isaiah and Habakkuk there is a hint that one of the difficulties the believers were having was that it wasn’t looking like Jesus was indeed returning. The setting of Habakkuk was not dissimilar to what they were going through. He lived at a time of unrighteousness and on crying out to God for help the response was to be patient.

Hang in there!

Whatever you are facing today. You may wonder if you will get through.

“May the God who gives endurance …” (Romans 15 v 5)

Mark 13: 13 “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” The Message “Stay with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved.”

Where God is everything changes. He takes the bitter and makes them sweet; He takes the broken and heals their hearts; He picks up the fallen; He energises the tired; He cleanses the stained; He revives faith; He refreshes anointing; He renews His relationships; He encourages what is not there to be there.

You can hang in there! He believes in you far more than you do. He is always speaking well of you before you have even done anything of merit. Your actions don’t bring His praise, you do, without doing anything.

So get up if you have been knocked down. Get ready and have another go. Serve Him where you are right now, to serve Him is to serve others. Lay your own agenda of what your life should be or what others expect and to live it out for Him alone.

For in doing so you will receive what He has promised.

Some are asking that question today. I guess we all have at some point.

Waiting for God to fulfil His promises that are being held on to can lead to this question.

Lives that feel like they’re simply treading water, years being wasted as they wait for God to step in and do what they have declared He can do.

What if He doesn’t? Will this have been worth it? This faith; going to Church; believing for something.

This is not just in 2024 but it was definitely in the first century. The author is pleading for the Christians to stand firm and not return to Judaism. It seems some have already done so. They have been told to remember what they have received and what they have endured. On the basis of that:-

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” (Hebrews 10 v 35)

Today God is crying out to us through His Scriptures such as this one, ‘Don’t give up!’ Into a multitude of voices trying to convince you through lies, disappointments, hurts and doubts it is His voice that we need to hold on to. “Don’t cast off, throw away, don’t walk away now, you will cheapen everything you have stood for and all that you have endured.”

If the battle for your mind is intense right now then just maybe it is because you are about to enter into something new. Keep your confidence, your boldness, your fearlessness, hold on to the promises of God, to God Himself. The reward will come.

The author begins to pastorally lead this community of believers to the great hall of faith and then finally to the author and ‘perfecter’ of this faith, Jesus Christ, the One who concludes an amazing line-up of faith life-stories.

It is clear some of the community have already left, they have deserted this faith and others are wondering if they should follow. We all know people who have done so and we perhaps know some who are on the edge. What do we say to them? How can we help them not to abandon ship?

“Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. ³³ Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. ³⁴ You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” (Hebrews 10 v 32-34)

There are times in all our lives when to come aside is essential. To turn back is better than to go ahead because we need to rest and reassess the path that we have taken. The decision needs a lot of wisdom and often not to be taken in isolation. However, there are also times when we need to press on because looking back on the story of our life we see how far we have come but also how God has helped us endure. These Scriptures and others have become important for us:-

Isaiah 41: 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 121: I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? ² My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

The Pastor appeals to the believers to look back on what they have endured. To walk away now would be a waste of how far you have come and all God has done to enable you to stand firm.

• You went through a great conflict.
• You were publicly exposed – the world looked on as you suffered.
• You aligned yourself with those who were also publicly exposed.
• You put yourselves at risk by actively involved with those imprisoned.
• You have been robbed of your possessions and the security they bring.

We can make our own list up. We may not have gone through persecution but we have had to endure various difficult seasons. So whatever you are facing today that is calling you to back down or walk away is not as overwhelming as we might think.

We don’t have to abandon our faith, walk away from church and distance ourselves from God. We don’t have to make that choice. Remember how you have endured in the past and so today you can endure again. When it was tough you didn’t give up instead you rose to the challenge. You cheered others on to do what you were doing yourself, enduring.

This is how we help others to stand firm and how we help ourselves.

Yesterday we looked at the warning to the apostates (10 v 26-31) and today through the next verses we are answering the question: how do we warn those who are on the verge of turning away from the Christian faith?

The author begins to pastorally lead this community of believers to the great hall of faith and then finally to the author and ‘perfecter’ of this faith, Jesus Christ, the One who concludes an amazing line-up of faith life-stories.

It is clear some of the community have already left, they have deserted this faith and others are wondering if they should follow. We all know people who have done so and we perhaps know some who are on the edge. What do we say to them? How can we help them not to abandon ship?

“Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. ³³ Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. ³⁴ You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” (Hebrews 10 v 32-34)

Tell them to remember.

These are the words that you could say:-

Remember what you have received. Remember the light that shone in the darkness of your soul. Look back on what has been taught you over the years. Remember the day you gave your life to Jesus. Remember the baptism of water. Remember the songs, the worship times when you experienced the presence of God. Bring to the surface the shaping of God in your life. Those high moments when the Spirit came on you and the Word directed your life. Don’t let go of the past victories.

Retain what you remember. If your present life as a Christian is less than what it was yesterday then get it back. Refresh. Set the renew button. Hold on to what you had, retain it. If you believed for revival and a powerful move of God in the past retain it now. If you were passionate for Jesus in the past then keep that passion now. If the Church or the Christian is worse than its past then it lost something but it can get it back. Retrace your steps as you remember what you have received and heard and then take hold again and this time retain it.

Remember the one who passed the baton to you. They may have died some time ago. But remember how they influenced you and the story of your life. Look behind you for a moment, who is there? There will be people you have forgotten. Their acts of kindness, neighbours, old friends, work colleagues, church believers, their words of comfort, cards and letters written. They are innumerable. They did it to pass the baton on. And you have been running with that since those days doing exactly the same thing. Living your life unselfishly, thinking of others that you too can pass the baton of the good news to.

Repent means to change your thinking. Often we only think it means to change our behaviour. But if we don’t change our thoughts then our behaviour will not move an inch well not permanently anyway. Our thoughts are the default of our life. It all starts there and it all ends there too. You can choose what occupies your mind. You can think differently. You can remember what you have received.