From: Ben Kelley

Subject: What follows faith?

I want to put forth a question for your consideration. It's the title I put for this message; What follows faith?

We have a variety of teachings and doctrines adamantly held and espoused by people concerning faith. I'm not going to delve into any of them. I would just like to take you to a Bible chapter that we call, "the faith chapter," or, "the roll-call of the heroes of The Faith," Hebrews 11. If you are not really familiar with it, I suggest you spend some time digging into it, looking at what these verses say after the phrases, "By faith," and, "through faith." You may have an eye-opening experience, or you may not, but you should learn some answers to "what follows faith." Here are just a few examples of what the Scriptures say happened to these "faith heroes," or what they did by and through their strong faith: Noah built the ark, Abraham left his home and offered up his son as a sacrifice, Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God, the Israelites passed through the sea; others: subdued kingdoms, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the burning fire, received their dead, etc. (all good things), and had trials, scourgings, were stoned, sawn in two, slain with the sword, became destitute, afflicted, and tormented, lost their homes (not good things in our eyes). As you look at these and the other things listed in Hebrews 11, remember the Scriptures says ALL of these things were done by and through faith!!!

A search of the Scriptures also gives us another insight into "faith" that I find interesting. Many verses say God-Jesus-the LORD is faithful (full of faith), using the same word (pistos) as is used for our faithfulness, and coming from the same root as the word for our faith.

I pray that each of us will regularly do as the Jews of the Berean synagogue did; as they heard Paul preach, they "received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11)

I hope to encourage you- you may have become discouraged after praying and believing God to work, with the results being bad, in your eyes. You may be hearing one of Satan's lies, such as, (1) "You're too insignificant and worthless for God to answer your prayers." (2) "You've messed up too much in your life, HE can't bless you anymore." (3) "Your faith is too small." (What was that about mustard seed size?)

Sometimes we have seasons in our lives that are deep "valley times." The reason is not necessarily the size or lack of your faith. Those "good" and "bad" things mentioned in Hebrews 11 happened to "heroes of The Faith." God did not consider them insignificant, worthless, too messed up, or lacking in faith. I exhort and encourage you to STAND FAST IN THE FAITH!!! Believe in and on God, let Him worry about what will follow.

                      Ben