Hebrews 11:32-40

THE BEST LIFE, THE BEST LIFE, SCARS AND ALLSCARS AND ALL

Do You Remember our starting point?EVERYONE READ ALOUD

Hebrews 11:1-2

The fundamental fact of my existence is that I trust in God. This faith, is my firm foundation, my title deed, for everything that makes my life worth living. It's my handle on what I can't see. This act of faith is what distinguishes me from the crowd.

Sadly, relation-ships are all too often condi-tional

How is it with you?

Are you in it no-matter-what?

Hebrews 11:32-40 Hebrews 11:32-40 (TNIV)(TNIV)

32 32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, prophets, 3333 who through faith conquered who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, lions, 3434 quenched the fury of the flames, and quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. armies.

Hebrews 11:32-40 (TNIV)

3535 Women received back their dead, raised to Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. an even better resurrection. 3636 Some faced jeers Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. imprisonment. 3737 They were put to death by They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— and mistreated— 3838 the world was not worthy of the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. and in caves and holes in the ground.

Hebrews 11:32-40 Hebrews 11:32-40 (TNIV)(TNIV)

39 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. none of them received what had been promised. 4040 God had planned something better for us so God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made that only together with us would they be made perfect. perfect.

GOING INTO THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THESE GOING INTO THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THESE HEROES/HEROINES DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEIR HEROES/HEROINES DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEIR FAITH WOULD COST THEM:FAITH WOULD COST THEM:

Wrestled with lionsWrestled with lions Weakness turned to strengthWeakness turned to strength TorturedTortured FloggedFlogged ImprisonedImprisoned StonedStoned Sawn in twoSawn in two Killed by the swordKilled by the sword Wandered, destitute, in the desertWandered, destitute, in the desert Lived in caves and holes in the groundLived in caves and holes in the ground

WHAT DID THEY THINK OF SUCH TREATMENT, WHAT DID THEY THINK OF SUCH TREATMENT, CONSIDERING THEY DIED WITHOUT RECEIVING CONSIDERING THEY DIED WITHOUT RECEIVING WHAT WAS PROMISED?WHAT WAS PROMISED?

Their relationship with God made it all worthwhile!Their relationship with God made it all worthwhile!

David: “Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them David: “Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, your bless the righteous; you surround surely, O Lord, your bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as a shield.” --Psalm 5them with your favor as a shield.” --Psalm 5

Remembering the Remembering the Suffering of the Suffering of the Cross. Faith is not Cross. Faith is not always easy.always easy.

I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. I choose to follow Jesus as my Lord and trust Him as my Savior.

Returning to God out of our Returning to God out of our abundance. A gift of thanks.abundance. A gift of thanks.

Jesus as friend!

A “no matter what” kind of relation-ship

THE GREAT COMMISSION THE GREAT COMMISSION

(Going into all the world, make disciples!)(Going into all the world, make disciples!)CONCLUDED WITH THIS PROMISE:CONCLUDED WITH THIS PROMISE:

““And, lo, I am with you always.”And, lo, I am with you always.”

Have you taken that to mean a personal Have you taken that to mean a personal relationship?relationship?

IN YOUR DEEPEST IN YOUR DEEPEST RELATIONSHIP, WHAT RELATIONSHIP, WHAT WOULDN’T YOU DO WOULDN’T YOU DO FOR THE ONE YOU FOR THE ONE YOU LOVE?LOVE?

Would you endure prison, flogging, being Would you endure prison, flogging, being scorched and tossed to the lions?scorched and tossed to the lions?

Would you stay connected despite a loss Would you stay connected despite a loss of mental health, poverty or such?of mental health, poverty or such?

WHAT DO PEOPLE ENVISION (REGARDING WHAT DO PEOPLE ENVISION (REGARDING AGING) WHEN THEY MARRY?AGING) WHEN THEY MARRY?

Retiring, twin rocking chairs, travel?Retiring, twin rocking chairs, travel?

What if life deals you something far less?What if life deals you something far less?

Is still worth it if those dreams are interrupted?Is still worth it if those dreams are interrupted?

OUR OLD TESTAMENT HEROES STUCK OUR OLD TESTAMENT HEROES STUCK WITH GOD, DESPITE NEVER SEEING WITH GOD, DESPITE NEVER SEEING JESUS OR HEAVENJESUS OR HEAVEN

Would I?Would I?

WE ARE THE MORE BLESSEDWE ARE THE MORE BLESSED…A MARVELOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD…A MARVELOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD…AND HEAVEN WHEN WE LEAVE THIS PLANET…AND HEAVEN WHEN WE LEAVE THIS PLANET

““GOD HAS PLANNED SOMETHING BETTER FOR US SO GOD HAS PLANNED SOMETHING BETTER FOR US SO THAT ONLY TOGETHER WITH US WOULD THEY BE THAT ONLY TOGETHER WITH US WOULD THEY BE MADE COMPLETE.” Hebrews 11:40MADE COMPLETE.” Hebrews 11:40

We live this side of the cross and the We live this side of the cross and the empty tomb.empty tomb.

We know how the story endsWe know how the story ends…the mystery has been unfolded.…the mystery has been unfolded.

We have a richer relationship with God, the We have a richer relationship with God, the Holy Spirit living within us.Holy Spirit living within us.

Heaven is just a step away.Heaven is just a step away.

HOW ABOUT A TESTIMONY FROM A HOW ABOUT A TESTIMONY FROM A VETERAN BELIEVER, ENTITLED:VETERAN BELIEVER, ENTITLED:

““Why I’d do it all over again with God.”Why I’d do it all over again with God.”

WOULD YOU TAKE SUCH A WOULD YOU TAKE SUCH A LEAP OF FAITH TODAY?LEAP OF FAITH TODAY?

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Go and bless others. Go and bless others. Because, God can do Because, God can do anything, far more than anything, far more than you could ever imagine you could ever imagine or guess or request or guess or request through you toward through you toward others.others.