Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW019194S
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00:19 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written.
00:21 I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me. 00:24 Several years ago, 00:25 one of the world's most well-known magicians performed 00:28 an illusion in which 13 randomly chosen audience members 00:33 were somehow sensationally transported from the stage 00:37 in the front of the audience to the back of the theater 00:39 in which the magician was performing. 00:41 Of course, the audience was amazed. 00:43 But one night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, 00:47 one of the chosen 13 was apparently injured 00:50 during the trick, and he sued the entertainer. 00:54 Unsuccessfully, as it turned out. 00:56 But the entertainer was forced to reveal the secret 01:00 of his illusion in court, and, of course, it was no surprise. 01:05 No, the magician was not really able to miraculously transport 01:10 13 people from one end of a theater to another. 01:14 ♪[playful music]♪ 01:15 While a magician might be able to mesmerize the senses, 01:18 there's actually no power in a magician to cause people 01:22 to disappear and reappear. 01:25 A magician is just a clever entertainer. 01:27 So who can do the impossible, the miraculous, 01:30 the supernatural? 01:32 The Bible says that "in the beginning 01:34 God created the heavens and the earth." 01:36 The same book talks about a global flood. 01:39 It talks about an entire people group walking out of a country, 01:43 across the floor of a sea, 01:45 as the waters of that huge body of water 01:47 part to let them through. 01:49 For 40 years those same people were miraculously fed by manna, 01:53 which just appeared on the ground six mornings a week 01:56 before evanescing with the rising of the sun. 01:58 The Bible talks about water coming from a rock, 02:01 a virgin giving birth, water turning into juice, 02:04 people walking on water, 02:05 a fisherman catching a fish with a coin in its mouth, 02:08 and more, with the most impressive claim of all 02:11 being that the dead are raised to life. 02:15 And an entertainer claims that he transported 13 people 02:18 from the front of a theater to the back? 02:20 If you can't believe the entertainer, 02:22 then how can you believe an ancient book 02:25 that claims that people will one day soon be transported 02:28 from earth to heaven? 02:30 A place, by the way, that you and I have not seen. 02:33 It all comes down to one simple little word. 02:35 And we're going to look at that word as we continue our series, 02:38 "Great Chapters of the Bible." 02:41 Hebrews chapter 11 deals with the subject of faith, 02:45 and the chapter opens by defining faith. 02:49 This is Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 1: 02:54 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, 02:57 the evidence of things not seen." 03:00 There's a lot about the Bible that we don't or cannot see. 03:04 There's plenty in the Bible for which you would say 03:06 that we don't have what you call proof or evidence. 03:10 No one was there at Creation. 03:12 Neither of us has been to heaven and met God. 03:14 I don't personally know a single soul who was there 03:17 when Jesus died on the cross. 03:19 Now, that's not to say there's no scientific evidence 03:21 for Creation, or that the Resurrection didn't happen. 03:24 There is, and it did. 03:26 But ultimately you've got to take someone else's word 03:29 for the reality of Creation, for the virgin birth, 03:32 for the resurrection of Jesus. 03:34 Now, fortunately, that someone else is God. 03:38 The evidence for things we haven't seen, 03:40 the substance of our hope is faith. 03:45 The basis of this hope is simply found in the source 03:48 of all creation: God's word. 03:52 "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed 03:55 by the word of God, so that the things which are seen 03:58 were not made of things which do appear." 04:01 Hebrews 11:3. 04:03 The Apostle Paul, 04:04 who many believe authored the book of Hebrews, 04:07 tells us in his letter to the Romans 04:09 that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." 04:13 Romans 10:17. 04:14 The ability of God to perform any of His promises 04:17 is found in the Word itself. 04:19 "The substance of things hoped for" is believing what God says 04:23 and believing that what He says will come to pass. 04:27 In Matthew chapter 8, a centurion came to Jesus, 04:30 and he said something-- 04:32 well, if you read this thing through, 04:34 it is remarkable what the centurion said to Jesus. 04:37 "'Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, 04:41 dreadfully tormented.' And Jesus said to him, 04:43 'I will come and heal him.' The centurion answered and said, 04:47 'Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. 04:50 But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 04:54 For I also am a man under authority, 04:56 having soldiers under me. 04:57 And I say to this one, "Go," and he goes; 05:00 ...to another, "Come," and he comes; 05:02 and to my servant, "Do this," and he does it.' 05:05 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, 05:08 and said to those who followed, 'Assuredly, I say to you, 05:12 I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!'" 05:17 Great faith. 05:18 The centurion wanted his servant healed. 05:21 He wanted the Lord to do it. 05:22 But when Jesus said, "I will come and do it," 05:24 the centurion said, "No, no. 05:26 Speak the word only, and it shall be done." 05:30 Now, what did the centurion expect would heal his servant? 05:34 The word only. 05:36 Cultivating true faith is the essence of Hebrews 11. 05:40 And that's never dependent upon our feelings, emotions, 05:45 or circumstances. 05:46 True faith is found in the all-powerful, assuring, 05:51 and eternal Word of God. 05:54 The Bible says, "So shall my word be that goes forth 05:57 from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, 06:01 but it shall accomplish what I please, 06:02 and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." 06:05 That's Isaiah 55:11. 06:08 If God inspired the writing of the Bible, and He did, 06:11 and if, as Titus 1, verse 2 says, 06:14 God cannot lie, and He cannot, 06:17 then trusting God's promises is always the right thing to do 06:22 and will bring enormous blessings into your life. 06:27 And God has given us a gold mine of beautiful promises 06:30 that can help us in every time of need. 06:33 The promises written in God's Word are for you. 06:37 So take the time to read or study the Bible, 06:40 and you'll find those promises from Genesis to Revelation. 06:44 Remember them. 06:45 Write them down. Claim them. 06:47 And have faith that God will do what He says He will do. 06:52 Hebrews 11 chronicles the tests and victories of men and women 06:55 that believed in God's word in spite of their circumstances. 06:59 And although many of them were weak and faulty people, 07:02 they were champions because of their unwavering faith in God. 07:08 I want to encourage you to cultivate faith. 07:10 No. I want to encourage you to cultivate great faith. 07:13 You absolutely can, 07:14 because faith in God isn't faith in yourself. 07:17 It isn't faith in your faith, 07:19 and it isn't faith in your willpower. 07:21 Faith takes God at His word and believes that the God 07:25 who calmed a storm on a lake can calm the storm in your life. 07:29 That the God who healed 10 lepers can bring healing today 07:33 to you or your loved one. 07:35 That the God who says He will supply all your needs 07:38 will actually do so. 07:39 And why? 07:41 Because He is God, and He has promised that He will. 07:46 So, who were the great heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11? 07:50 Some of them might surprise you. 07:52 And how did they manifest faith in God? 07:55 We'll find out in just a moment. 07:57 ♪[music]♪ 08:06 >>Announcer 1: They're in the Bible especially for you: 08:09 God's promises, made by a loving God who wants the best for you 08:13 in this life and the life to come. 08:16 Get "God's Promises," our free offer, 08:18 and experience the comfort and power of His promises 08:21 in your life. 08:22 Call 800-253-3000 08:26 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 08:29 Receive the promises today 08:32 by calling 800-253-3000. 08:36 ♪[upbeat music]♪ 08:39 >>Announcer 2: Planning for your financial future 08:40 is a vital aspect of Christian stewardship. 08:44 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer 08:47 free planned giving and estate services. 08:50 For information on how we can help you, 08:52 please call 800-992-2219. 08:57 Call today 08:58 or visit our website: hislegacy.com. 09:01 Call 800-992-2219. 09:07 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me on It Is Written 09:10 as we continue our series, "Great Chapters of the Bible." 09:14 Hebrews 11 is a monumental chapter on cultivating faith. 09:18 Let's look at verse 6: 09:20 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: 09:23 for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, 09:27 and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." 09:31 In order to please God, it's necessary to believe in God, 09:34 that He is sovereign, the Potter, as opposed to the clay, 09:38 the Eternal One. 09:40 We're to believe that He is, that He exists. 09:43 And logically, if we believe in God, 09:44 we expect Him to be true to His word. 09:47 That's faith: 09:48 expecting God to be true to His word. 09:52 Which means that God is looking to people 09:54 to be more than surface believers, 09:57 to do more than simply assent that there's a God. 10:00 What God models here is living faith. 10:03 The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 were people 10:05 who were in close contact with God, 10:08 who were truly connected to God, 10:10 who based their faith on the word of God. 10:13 They let God into their lives 10:14 and, in spite of their shortcomings, 10:16 surrendered their lives to Him. 10:18 Now, keep in mind we're not talking about, 10:20 mmm, fuzzy faith, weak faith. 10:22 We are talking about living faith, 10:24 not just going through the motions, not just ritual, 10:27 not just agreeing that a certain belief system has merit. 10:31 Real faith will change your life 10:34 because your life is now being lived entirely by God's word. 10:40 What did we read in Hebrews 11 in verse 3? 10:42 We know that God created the world 10:44 because the Bible says He did, by faith. 10:50 Not only is there good science for it, 10:52 but we believe by faith. 10:54 There's enough in the Bible to convince us that God 10:56 can be trusted, and therefore we trust that when God says 10:59 He created the world, that He actually did. 11:01 By the way, the bottom line is this: 11:04 When you choose to believe in a different version 11:06 of the Creation story, you are calling God a liar. 11:10 I wonder if you've thought about it like that. 11:12 God says He spoke the world into existence. 11:15 So if you say, "No, I think we're here because of evolution" 11:19 or some such thing, 11:20 you are declaring that you don't believe God. 11:24 But faith tells us that we were made in the image of God by God. 11:28 The writer then mentions Abel, 11:30 who brought his offering to God by faith, 11:33 and Enoch, who was taken to heaven without seeing death. 11:37 Both individuals were people of faith. 11:41 They lived according to God's word. 11:43 And then verse 7: 11:44 "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, 11:50 moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; 11:54 by the which he condemned the world, and became heir 11:58 of the righteousness which is by faith." 12:03 So why is this a great example of faith? 12:08 Well, it had never rained when Noah started building the ark. 12:13 For 120 years Noah went about his work, 12:16 and it's clear he met opposition from his contemporaries. 12:20 How do we know that? 12:21 Well, none of them joined him on the ark-- 12:23 only his family. 12:25 At a time when science suggested it wouldn't rain, 12:29 in the face of rejection, 12:30 in a world that was profoundly wicked, 12:33 according to the book of Genesis, 12:34 there was "evil continually," 12:36 and the world "was filled with violence"-- 12:38 you read that in Genesis 6-- 12:40 Noah stuck to his task out of love for God. 12:44 To build an ark to survive a rainstorm 12:47 when there'd never been rain? 12:49 Now, that's faith. 12:51 And why did Noah do it? 12:53 Because God asked him to, that's why, and that's faith. 12:58 God told Noah about the wickedness of the world, 13:01 and He planned to destroy it, 13:03 that Noah was to build an ark and bring animals into it. 13:07 Noah's response is stated simply in Genesis 6:22. 13:11 "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, 13:15 so did he." 13:17 Why would Noah do something so incredibly extreme? 13:20 Simple answer: faith. 13:23 Noah took his direction from God. 13:25 What God said was paramount to Noah. 13:27 God spoke; Noah acted accordingly, by faith. 13:32 The faith chapter then mentions Abraham, 13:34 who, like Noah, did something unlikely. 13:38 Living in Mesopotamia, Abraham uprooted his home and his family 13:42 and went to-- 13:44 well, at the time he wasn't sure just where he was going. 13:47 This is Hebrews 11 and verse 8: 13:50 "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place 13:54 which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; 13:58 and he went out, not knowing whither he went." 14:02 Notice how God connects faith with obedience. 14:05 Faith in God will lead you to honor and obey God. 14:08 It isn't faith that motivates you to rebel 14:10 against the God of heaven. 14:12 Then, two more examples of faith concerning Abraham 14:15 and his family: 14:16 Hebrews 11:11, "By faith Sarah herself also received strength 14:22 to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, 14:27 because she judged Him faithful who had promised." 14:32 If you recall the story, you'll know that both Abraham and Sarah 14:35 found the idea of Sarah giving birth to be preposterous. 14:39 Who ever heard of such a thing? She was an elderly woman. 14:42 Writing to the Romans, 14:43 Paul described Sarah's womb as being dead. 14:47 But ultimately, she didn't let the seeming impossibility 14:50 of her situation cause her to disbelieve God 14:53 or to doubt that what God said He could do, 14:56 He could do. 14:58 And against all odds, Sarah gave birth to a baby boy 15:02 that she named Isaac. 15:04 Now, right about now you might be thinking, 15:06 Faith? Sarah? 15:08 How much faith did she have when she laughed at God's suggestion? 15:11 When she proposed that Abraham get together with her servant 15:14 and have a child that way? 15:17 Well, right, there is that, I suppose. 15:19 But Hebrews 11 isn't the lack-of-faith chapter. 15:22 One of the things that makes this chapter so encouraging 15:25 is that it speaks of people who didn't always get it right. 15:28 They grew in faith. 15:30 Sarah certainly did. 15:31 Good old Abraham, the great man of faith, 15:34 lied about the identity of his wife, 15:36 claiming Sarah was his sister, 15:38 would have ruined everything if God hadn't intervened. 15:42 And that's the key of this whole chapter. 15:44 These heroes of faith were regular people. 15:47 They were people who made mistakes, 15:49 but they didn't let those mistakes turn them away 15:52 from following God. 15:54 Remember, their faith was in God, not in themselves. 15:57 And we see that God works well with faulty people, 16:02 patiently growing them. 16:04 Now, that tells us that if God can work with Abraham and Sarah 16:07 in spite of their flaws, and with people like Samson, 16:10 who God mentions in Hebrews 11, 16:12 in spite of his checkered history, 16:15 and with Rahab, and Jephthah, and others, 16:19 if God can work with them, 16:21 then God can certainly work with you and those you love. 16:25 Now, you can grow your faith. 16:27 I've got more examples of great faith coming right up. 16:31 ♪[music]♪ 16:39 ♪[soft piano music]♪ 16:44 >>Man 1: What does the Bible say about astrology? 16:51 >>Man 2: Why do bad things happen to good people? 16:59 >>Girl: What color is Jesus? 17:02 >>John Bradshaw: If you have a question, 17:03 we'd love to find an answer 17:04 for you from the Bible. 17:06 Line Upon Line 17:07 from It Is Written TV. 17:10 >>John: He's been called the "father of the faithful." 17:13 Even though his life didn't always give evidence 17:15 of great faith, 17:17 the Bible says that Abraham was strong in faith. 17:21 Join me on location in Israel for "Man of Faith." 17:27 You'll discover lessons on faith and discover how you can be 17:30 a person of real faith in the God of heaven. 17:34 What is faith? 17:36 The Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." 17:40 And God's people in earth's last days are described 17:43 as having faith, the faith of Jesus. 17:47 "Man of Faith." 17:49 Abraham, a flawed man, a faulty man, 17:53 a man prone to make mistakes. 17:55 Abraham, the father of the faithful. 17:59 Learn how you can have faith, real faith, grow your faith. 18:03 Don't miss "Man of Faith" 18:05 on It Is Written TV. 18:10 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me on It Is Written. 18:13 Hebrews 11 really is one of the great chapters of the Bible. 18:17 Now, that's not to say that the other 1,188 chapters 18:19 of the Bible are not great, 18:21 but Hebrews 11 is one of the truly epic chapters 18:24 of the Bible, 18:25 not only because of the accounts of the faith 18:27 of many of the luminaries of the Old Testament, 18:30 but because there's so much to be learned 18:32 from what the chapter says. 18:33 People preparing for eternity want to grow their faith. 18:37 Faith is something we ought to know something about. 18:40 The Bible tells us salvation comes "by grace...through faith" 18:44 in Ephesians 2, verse 8. 18:46 Jesus asked a searching question about faith in Luke 18:8 18:50 when He asked if He would find faith on the earth 18:53 when He returned to the earth. 18:55 And in the book of Revelation, 18:56 those who were described as the saved at the end of time 19:00 are said to "keep the commandments of God 19:03 and the faith of Jesus." 19:06 The faith of Joseph is mentioned in Hebrews 11:22. 19:11 "By faith Joseph, when he died, 19:14 made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; 19:17 and gave commandment concerning his bones." 19:21 So why was that an example of faith? 19:23 Well, look at Genesis 50:24 and 25. 19:27 "And Joseph said to his brethren, 'I am dying; 19:29 but God will surely visit you, 19:31 and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore 19:34 to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.' 19:38 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, 19:41 'God will surely visit you, 19:43 and you shall carry up my bones from here.'" 19:48 Israel had been in Egypt for years, 19:50 but here was Joseph telling his people that 19:52 in spite of appearances, there was absolutely no question 19:55 in his mind that the children of Israel would exit Egypt 20:00 and make it to the land promised them by God. 20:03 You see, that's faith: 20:04 believing what God has said simply because God has said it. 20:09 Joseph was saying, "As grim as things look, 20:13 I believe we're getting out of here because God has said so." 20:17 And then Moses is discussed in Hebrews 11. 20:20 First his parents' faith in preserving Moses' life: 20:24 They had faith that God would save their baby boy. 20:27 And then this: Hebrews 11:24 and 25, 20:32 "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, 20:34 refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 20:38 choosing rather to suffer affliction 20:40 with the people of God, 20:41 than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." 20:46 Again, this is interesting because the way Moses got away 20:49 from Pharaoh's household was hardly a prime example 20:52 of faith in God. 20:53 He took a man's life. 20:56 But he identified with God's people 20:57 after years of being raised in Pharaoh's household. 21:01 He had everything a person could want in this world, 21:04 but he chose the service of God. 21:06 And notice the phrase, 21:08 "rather than [enjoying] the pleasures of sin for a season." 21:12 Now, that's worth remembering. 21:14 You might find sin pleasurable, enjoyable, 21:17 but it's "for a season"; it's temporary. 21:21 Faith in God is forever. 21:24 And Moses understood that. 21:27 Verse 27: 21:28 "By faith he forsook Egypt, 21:30 not fearing the wrath of the king: 21:33 for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible." 21:37 He lived by faith. 21:39 Experiences like the one he had with the burning bush 21:41 would have fueled his faith. 21:43 Moses endured. 21:45 He hung in there with God. 21:46 When Israel was stubborn, he clung to God. 21:49 When they worshiped the golden calf, 21:51 Moses turned to God. 21:53 When there was rebellion, Moses fell on his face before God. 21:56 Faith endures. 21:57 It doesn't quit, 21:59 because faith knows that God doesn't quit. 22:02 Faith is easy when life is good. 22:04 But when there's an accident, or a loss or a death or a betrayal 22:09 or a financial collapse or a job loss or an illness, 22:14 what then? 22:16 That's when faith reminds you that God is still on His throne, 22:20 that His promises are still real and reliable no matter what. 22:25 Faith believes and trusts in spite of circumstances 22:28 and appearances, because it recognizes that nothing 22:31 changes God and that His word is always true. 22:36 Let's look together in Hebrews 11 and verse 28: 22:39 "By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, 22:42 lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them." 22:45 That's right. 22:46 God said, "If you do this, you'll be protected 22:48 from the plagues, 22:49 and the destroying angel will pass over you." 22:52 Their faith in God was demonstrated by their actions. 22:56 "Faith" is an action word. 22:58 It moves you to act, to live out, 23:00 to demonstrate your faith. 23:02 Verse 29: "By faith they passed through the Red Sea 23:05 as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, 23:09 were drowned." 23:11 God told them to walk across the seafloor. 23:14 Reason might have said that was crazy. 23:17 But God's leading was clear, and they acted upon God's word. 23:21 Next verse references the fall of Jericho. 23:23 Same principle. 23:24 Who in the world would expect a military victory 23:26 when the plan of attack is to walk around a city and shout? 23:31 But that's faith. 23:32 Faith doesn't ask what seems likely. 23:36 Faith asks what God has said, what God has promised, 23:40 and believes that. 23:43 And the Bible writer rounds out the chapter 23:45 with this soaring passage starting in verse 32: 23:51 "And what more shall I say? 23:54 For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak 23:56 and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel 24:00 and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, 24:04 worked righteousness, obtained promises, 24:07 stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, 24:12 escaped the edge of the sword, 24:14 out of weakness were made strong, 24:16 became valiant in battle, 24:18 turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 24:21 Women received their dead raised to life again. 24:25 Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, 24:27 that they might obtain a better resurrection. 24:30 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, 24:34 yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 24:36 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, 24:39 were tempted, were slain with the sword. 24:42 They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, 24:45 being destitute, afflicted, tormented-- 24:47 of whom the world was not worthy. 24:51 They wandered in deserts and mountains, 24:53 in dens and caves of the earth." 24:57 In all, at least 15 people of faith are mentioned by name, 25:00 while others, such as Daniel and his three friends 25:02 are referred to. 25:04 From the Flood to the Exodus, 25:05 from martyrs to people resurrected-- 25:08 every one, every experience was a manifestation of faith. 25:13 Ordinary people who did or experienced extraordinary things 25:17 because they had simple faith that God could do 25:21 what He said He could do. 25:24 So how is it with you? 25:26 How's faith working out in your life? 25:28 When you take time to know God, 25:29 you'll be convinced that He's all He says He is, 25:32 and that He can do all He says He can do. 25:34 The centurion was convinced. 25:36 Noah was convinced. 25:37 So were Abraham and Sarah, eventually, 25:40 and David and Gideon and Samuel, they believed; 25:43 they trusted; they expected God to come through. 25:45 They saw God do amazing things. 25:47 It wasn't easy. 25:49 But no one ever said that faith is all plain sailing. 25:52 Let God work for you. 25:54 Know His promises. Believe them. 25:57 And expect God to do great things in your life. 26:01 As Jesus said in Mark 11:22, "Have faith in God." 26:08 >>Announcer 1: They're in the Bible especially for you: 26:11 God's promises, made by a loving God who wants the best for you 26:15 in this life and the life to come. 26:17 Get "God's Promises," our free offer, 26:20 and experience the comfort and power of His promises 26:23 in your life. 26:24 Call 800-253-3000 26:27 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 26:31 Receive the promises today 26:33 by calling 800-253-3000. 26:38 >>John Bradshaw: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 26:40 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 26:43 To support this international life-changing ministry, 26:47 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 26:51 You can send your tax-deductible gift 26:52 to the address on your screen, 26:54 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:58 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 27:01 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 27:05 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 27:09 >>John Bradshaw: Let's pray together now. 27:10 Father in heaven, I pray that You'd increase our faith. 27:14 Thank You for the examples of these great men and women 27:17 of old, recorded in Scripture as having had faith, 27:22 having trusted You, having believed in You, 27:24 having expected You to do what You say You would do. 27:28 Dear Lord, grow us. Bring us to Your Word. 27:32 As we read Your promises in the stories of what You did of old, 27:36 develop in us a steadfast faith, a solid belief 27:40 that You truly are a rewarder 27:41 of those who diligently seek You. 27:44 We thank You today for the gift of faith. 27:47 Find it in our lives, we pray and thank You. 27:51 In Jesus' name. 27:53 Amen. 27:54 Thanks so much for joining me. 27:55 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:58 Until then, remember: 27:59 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 28:03 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 28:08 ♪[theme music]♪ |
Revised 2020-03-04