Hebrews 11:1-3, 6 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 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.
2 Corinthians 5:7 – For we live by faith, not by sight.
Hebrews 11:1 states that faith is the substance of things hoped for. A dictionary definition describes “substance” as real physical matter of which a person or thing consists and which has tangible presence. A look at the original word conveys something that something else is rested upon. The original word speaks of something that supports something else. It is a foundation upon which something else can be securely set upon. Here we see that biblical hope rests on faith. But not any faith. Faith on faith is nothing of value. Faith in God is what our hope rests upon. What we have faith in, or whom we have it in, is the key factor.
Jesus taught that us that everyone who puts their faith on Him and His words is like a wise man who built his house (life) on a solid rock foundation, but the one who builds their house on sand will see their house be destroyed. (Matthew 7:24-27) So faith, in and of itself, has little value. The man who built his house on the sand had faith it would all turn out okay, but that is not what happened. It is what we have our faith is on that matters. Our faith is in the solid rock Jesus Christ. It is on this faith that our house, our lives, and our hope is built upon.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. Faith is what hope rests upon. How do we get faith and how does it grow?
A Bridge Across – The hiker was walking a lonely back trail when he came to a raging river. It appeared that there was no way across the dangerous river. Then he saw an old bridge spanning it. It looked like it had been there forever. He didn’t know if it was safe. He examined it as best he could. Finally he thought it looked solid and was safe to cross. He cautiously stepped on it. Slowly he put more and more of his weight on it. His trust grew that the old bridge was trustworthy so he began across it. Slowly at first. Then as it proved solid and true, he walked on it more confidently. Halfway across he was so sure of it, he stopped to pause and look at the beauty and majesty of the raging river below. Finally, not believing, but knowing that he was safe, he continued across to the other side.
God is our bridge. Jesus is the manifestation of an age old truth that God slowly revealed to the world. Jesus is our bridge. We begin by hearing of Him. We hear of Him and begin to believe in Him. We think that perhaps what we hear is true. So we take the chance and we begin to have faith in the bridge. We start our journey. We begin to realize that we are walking on water. We understand that the truth of our new walk is a miracle in and of itself. Every step, as we look at Jesus, we don’t sink and our faith is built. Once we thought that maybe we could walk on water and then, because of Jesus, we know we can. Every step of the way, as we find that God is faithful and true, and that He loves us, our faith grows. As we walk with Him what was once a wild hope, becomes sure knowledge. Now, no-one can convince us that we don’t know what we most assuredly know that we do know.
Our faith in what we cannot see makes us able to see what the world cannot. Our hope in the Lord becomes something that, with spiritual eyes, we see. The hoped for road becomes a road that we both see and trust.
Family, we have toed the old bridge and now walk upon it. We trust it with everything that we are and everything we will be. We do, because this previously unseen but now seen bridge transforms us to be what we could not have before imagined. God proves Himself daily to us. What was once a hope is now a solid highway. Peace that we once hoped for is now felt and lived in. Guidance and encouragement that we needed so bad now lives within us. Family, our faith is not a baseless hope but a lived out reality. All that by God Almighty through Jesus our Savior and Lord! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”