SWHW Bible Reading Plan: August 2021Sample

Top Takeaway from Michelle Myers:

I can barely sit still, I'm so excited after reading Hebrews 11, being reminded of testimony after testimony of God at work throughout history in the lives of His people. 

What does everyone who is mentioned have in common? Faith. They were not perfect, but they were faithful. 

Here's the verse that jumped out at me as I read:

"All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them at a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." - Hebrews 11:13

Basically, every person listed in this chapter lived before Jesus came. They lived their life in obedience to God, knowing that He was real and that He would make a way, but they didn't live to see His plan come to fruition. 

Each of these men and women was regarded as radical during their time. They took risks that those around them didn't understand. They were outsiders to the world. 

But they were each living for something greater than themselves. Their hope in the Lord moved them to confident action, so much so that thousands and thousands of years later, their faith not only made a difference in the brief life they lived, but their legacy of faith provides us with hope for today. 

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith for us as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Faith is both our confidence in God's promises and our conviction that it's 100% true. It's our assurance of salvation through Jesus, our anticipation of His return, and what has yet to be fulfilled.

Does this mean we'll never have questions or moments of doubt? No. But like my pastor says many times, "Keep walking with Christ so you learn to doubt your doubt." 

If you can, at some point today, read through Hebrews 11 one more time. And this time, let every story sink in and deepen your confidence in how God has kept His promises to His people. See His realness. See His fullness. Seek the confident hope we can have in Him.

And a reminder from verses we read recently on the difference Jesus makes for us:

"Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins, but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting for that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet." - Hebrews 10:11-13

Before Jesus, the priest's work was never finished and because of Christ's work on the cross, it is finished. The priests had to stand, and Christ sat down. And He didn't just sit anywhere. He sits right now, at this very minute, at the right hand of God, waiting for His return when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Yes and Amen. 

God, thank You for keeping Your promises. Lord, let Your past faithfulness prove Your future faithfulness to me. Give me that unwavering confidence and conviction. Help me to live with both assurance of what Jesus has done and anticipation of what He will do. Lord, help me doubt my doubt and put my full trust in You. Thank You for Jesus. Thank You that He's coming back. Never let that truth get far from my mind. I love You. Amen.