curg17

Can You Reach God

Lesson Seventeen: by turtle

A few years ago my first Bible study was on Hebrews 11. First Bible study i did on line. I actually
have it on file somewhere, but not on my site. Though it was my first Bible study I took each verse
and each section week by week an spent about thirteen or more lesson on this one chapter. Now that
is a lot of lessons. However these studies were short compared to these I do now. It was more like
my devotionals. However I am not pulling out my old study to write this. A fresh look at scripture is
needed every time one does a study. Old studies are beneficial, but a fresh take a fresh look and listen
to God and His word is needed. After all the focus of these studies is can you reach God? Fact is not
by our own means. God has to reveal Himself to us and He does through first His creation and the
works of His hands. Yet it takes more then just seeing His wonders to know God exist. Faith is a key
factor. However to have faith one has to hear from God or see the works of God. When one hears
from God, one has to obey God and take Him at His word, or in a sense test God’s word, through
obedience to it. Some people would say it takes extraordinary event to convince one to believe in
God. I for one can tell you God small still voice probably spoke more to me, then a train wreck, a
disease and being healed from chronic pain. These things should of moved me to action, yet it is God’
s word speaking to me that weighs volumes. God speaking not necessarily in audible voice, but
speaking through seeing things and relating it back to Him, through His word, through everyday
lessons in life and through just subtle reminders of His grace. Faith has no value if there is no hope.
Noah had hope before the flood that he be saved from the rain. Abraham had hope that there would
be a promise land, not knowing because he saw it, but because he received the promise of it from
God speaking to Him. Just like His promise of having a male heir through Sarah his wife.

Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV
(1) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(2) For by it the elders obtained a good report.
(3) Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things
which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

We take it on faith that God word is true and that He created the worlds, worlds meaning not other
earths, but eras in the since of ages to come. Elders heard the reports of those that follow God and
gave reports of the work of God that the word of God spread to people that would believe. Those
that believe were consider righteous by God. For even Abel though he was killed by Cain, his blood
still cried out to God from the ground. His sacrifice being a testimony of faith to us and the promise
of hope.

Hebrews 11:4 KJV
(4) By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained
witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Enoch had such faith, that God did not allow him to taste death. Not even in the physical since. It is
the hope we have in the resurrection to come and the rapture of the church.

Hebrews 11:5 KJV
(5) By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had
translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Without faith one can not expect God to reward. It almost has if a child who enters not into a contest,
because of a lack of faith he will win. Yet in the contest there is no losers. Without faith one can not
be righteous before God. One can not be sanctified or justified by Christ. One will stand on judgment
day before God and said oh you do exist. And God will say go to hell, you had opportunity to believe.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV
(6) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

God told Noah to build an ark. An ark that would hold ever kind of animal. Told Him he would take
his family. Noah preached salvation and people scoffed at him. Said he was nuts, crazy, nothing like
he imagined was going to happen. It was not Noah imagination, it was the word of God that
convinced Noah to build the ark. It was God’s voice that told Noah to go into the ark. It however was
Noah faith that said what God spoke to Him was true. No one else listened and no one else was
saved.

Hebrews 11:7 KJV
(7) By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark
to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the
righteousness which is by faith.

2 Peter 2:5 KJV
(5) And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness,
bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Abraham went to the promise land God spoke to him about not know where it was, went anyway.
Only to later to discover his wife being barren and childless and only the promise of God that Sarah
would have a son, yet it seemed impossible to him that he laughed as well as Sarah. Yet he believe
God because God had shown him the promise land that was his and had provided all those years for
him. He dwelt in a tent with his offspring Isaac and Jacob. Heirs of the promise of God. Heirs who
believed in God through hearing from God as well as from hearing the testimony of Abraham. Yet
Abraham did not receive the promise heir that would saved the nations of the world. He knew the
hope was far off. He knew that a promise would come. Sarah having the same hope died without the
promise to come, but the hope there of to pass to future generations.

Hebrews 11:8-16 KJV
(8) By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
(9) By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with
Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
(10) For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
(11) Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child
when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
(12) Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in
multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
(13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and
were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on
the earth.
(14) For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
(15) And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might
have had opportunity to have returned.
(16) But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be
called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Abraham would obey God even to taking his son to sacrifice him to God. Yet God would provide a
sacrifice for Abraham. Yet Abraham believe God could resurrect the promise heir. Isaac was the
promise child to Abraham and Sarah, who would carry on the hope of the Savior to come.

Hebrews 11:17-19 KJV
(17) By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises
offered up his only begotten son,
(18) Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
(19) Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he
received him in a figure.

Though little is known about Isaac, we know he meditate on God in the field. We know he was a
man of faith and He blessed his sons Jacob and Esau. Though Jacob relationship with God seemed
rocky at times, he believed and blessed Joseph’s children and Joseph blessed his grandchildren and
promised to take Jacob’s bones back to the promise land to be buried.

Hebrews 11:20-22 KJV
(20) By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
(21) By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning
upon the top of his staff.
(22) By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and
gave commandment concerning his bones.

Moses story a bit long started from when he was a babe. His parents full of faith, put him in a basket
in the shape of an ark and placed him in a river, only to be discovered by pharaoh’s daughter who
wanted him. Yet he was breast feed by his own mother and taught at her knee the truth of God, that
when he became much older forsook the teachings of pharaoh and follow God. Who took the
children of Israel out of slavery to just outside the promise land. Yet scripture tells this story better
then I do. Read Exodus to Deuteronomy for yourself.

Hebrews 11:23-31 KJV
(23) By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he
was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
(24) By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
(25) Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for
a season;
(26) Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect
unto the recompence of the reward.
(27) By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who
is invisible.
(28) Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the
firstborn should touch them.
(29) By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do
were drowned.
(30) By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
(31) By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the
spies with peace.

There are so many old time leaders in the Old Testament as well as people Moses meet that we could
spend a life time talking about it and never finish telling and retelling the stories of faith and how God
moved man to do extraordinary things.

Hebrews 11:32-40 KJV
(32) And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of
Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
(33) Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought 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, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
(35) Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting
deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
(36) And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and
imprisonment:
(37) They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they
wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
(38) (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens
and caves of the earth.
(39) And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
(40) God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

The stories of old told that even those without any hope but the promise before them of life with God
in the here after was willing to pay the price by being slaughter in war, for persecution of faith. Some
went to the lions den and others face execution. The people of faith wonder all over the world to tell
their story of Jesus and His love. Of God and His love for you and me. Yet none received the
promise of Christ until He came as a babe. Now our hope is not in just who Christ is but the promise
of life eternal with Him. We receive that hope the minute we receive Christ. The minute we die is the
minute we live eternally with God. Believers wait on the hope of seeing the rapture of the church, yet
even so know whether they are present at the time of the rapture or die with the hope they will be
with God for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. God provides for the believer
more hope then ever before. Yet we must believe the old stories to know of God’s saving grace for
all that believe.