Welcome to The Safe Space! Where we last left off in the Bible, we were encouraged to hold tightly to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise. We were reminded that patient endurance is what we need now and that we are not those who turn away from God, but the faithful ones whose souls will be saved. Now, we witness what that faith looks like. Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command. By faith Abel brought a more acceptable offering than Cain. By faith Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying, for he walked in close fellowship with God. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. By faith Noah built a large boat to save his family. By faith Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land. He went without knowing where he was going, living there as a foreigner while looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. By faith Sarah received the power to conceive a child because she believed that God would keep His promise. All these people died still believing what God had promised. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth, looking for a better place—a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham was ready to offer Isaac. By faith Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and the people of Israel trusted God's promises. By faith the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after the people had marched around them for seven days. By faith Rahab welcomed the spies and was not destroyed. How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith they overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, received what God had promised, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, escaped death by the edge of the sword, were made strong in weakness, and became mighty in battle. Others were tortured, faced jeers and flogging, chains and prison, were stoned, sawed in half, killed with the sword, and wandered in deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us. Verse of the Day: Romans 8: 16-17 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Question of the Day: How does suffering play a part in your opportunity to bring glory to God?
