1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. 3 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,759 Speaker 1: You're listening to daily devotions with Pastor John I'm john 4 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: Stongey and today's devotion is inspired by Hebrews Chapter eleven, 5 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 1: verse one, which says, now, faith is the assurance of 6 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:33,240 Speaker 1: things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Walking 7 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: by sight is the natural inclination of every human. By nature, 8 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: we tend to trust our eyes. Our confidence is often 9 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 1: in what we can see and what we have previously experienced. 10 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: But real life goes far beyond natural sight. When we 11 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: come to trust in Jesus Christ and receive his gift 12 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: of salvation, we are spiritually granted a new mind and 13 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: new eyes were blocks, with the ability to see things 14 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: like He sees them and perceive things like He perceives them. 15 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: Faith pleases the Lord. It's his desire that his children 16 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: walk through every day with confident reliance on him. The 17 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: faith that he has prompted us to express assures our 18 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: hearts of things we cannot naturally see. By faith, we 19 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: confidently look forward to a future where Christ will reign 20 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: on this earth and restore his creation. By faith, we 21 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: believe the scriptures that tell us we will one day 22 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: be granted a new sinless body. By faith, we are 23 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: certain that sorrow and pain are temporary conditions, and the 24 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: future of all those who trust Jesus will ultimately be 25 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 1: filled with abundant joy. Walking by natural sight isn't God's 26 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: ultimate desire for us? Living by faith, however, pleases him greatly. 27 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and 28 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege that it is to 29 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: be able to look at this portion of scripture together 30 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 1: today from the Book of Hebrews. And Lord, as we 31 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: look at this portion of scripture, you make it clear 32 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: to us that faith is a priority that you want 33 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: us to emphasize. You tell us that faith is the 34 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things 35 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: that as of yet we cannot see. And Lord, we're 36 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: grateful that, by the power of your spirit, you enable 37 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: us to respond to you with that kind of faith. 38 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: You give us the privilege to walk throughout the course 39 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:42,799 Speaker 1: of our lives trusting in You and trusting in your goodness, 40 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,959 Speaker 1: and believing that you have our lives all planned out, 41 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: and a good future awaits all of us. Who trust 42 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: in your son, Jesus Christ. So Father, we pray that 43 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: in the midst of all circumstances, wherever we are and 44 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: whatever we're doing, we pray that it would be obvious 45 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 1: that we trust you. We pray that we would walk 46 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: by faith and have complete confidence in your goodness and 47 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: your compassionate nature. Lord. We also thank you for the 48 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: seasons when our faith is tested and stretched, because you 49 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: make our faith stronger, and you remind us in your 50 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: word that faith pleases you. So we pray that more 51 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,559 Speaker 1: and more our lives would be lived as an expression 52 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 1: of that kind of faith, and that as you demonstrate 53 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: faith through our lives, that more and more people would 54 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: come to know you through your son Jesus Christ. We're 55 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: grateful for this all, and we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.