True Joy

This morning I have been in that great faith chapter specifically in Hebrews 11:13-16 and I am reminded that the life of faith is a journey with God that begins at the moment we get saved and continues until we die and leave this walk of life. It's about learning to give up control of those things we never really controlled in the first place. Through this chapter the writer has been dealing with faith, extolling the faith virtues of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah in (Verses 4-12). Then he opens this chapter by telling us what faith is in (Verse 1). Then He comes to (Verse 13) as if to say I'd better explain the faith virtues of these people. He wants us to consider why certain people did what they did. Why they decided to live in a way that was different from the rest of the world. You see, Back in (Hebrews 10:32-34) you will find in the early days of the Church, new believers encountered enormous hardships because of their faith. 

*They remained faithful in spite of terrible suffering. 

*They were exposed to public ridicule. 

*They were persecuted. They helped others who suffered the same way. They showed sympathy to those in prison. They lost all that they had. But here's the kicker, they accepted it with JOY. It's a hard thing to do when life sometimes comes down on you and it feels like the whole world is caving in around you, to say I'm gonna stand steadfast and keep my eyes on Jesus and follow Him no matter what. I'm not going to give up when quitting would be easier. I was blessed this morning with (Hebrews 10:34) "Knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." in other words we endured this because we know we have something better coming, something that will last forever. Heaven and seeing Jesus will allow us to keep on keeping on no matter what we face or go through as we live and walk by faith. Faith does not demand an explanation, it just rest on the promises of God.