The Nature of Faith

Hebrews 11  shows different ways people expressed their faith in God, because there is not just one way to demonstrate faith in God:

• Abel shows us that faith is giving our best to God.  He deserves our first and our best.

• Enoch shows us that faith is walking with God.  It is living a life in constant connection with God, even when you can't sense or feel Him.

• Noah shows us that faith is making preparations as though Christ is coming back today, even when there is seemingly no evidence.

• Abraham shows us that faith is obeying God, even though you may not know where He is leading you.

• Sarah shows us that faith is receiving God's promise, even when public opinion says, "No way!"

• Moses shows us that faith is living life in light of eternity, and allowing that focus to affect all of life's decisions.

Commit today to live this life of faith. If you do, you will truly please God!

How Waiting Prepares Us

But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. — Genesis 39:21

Joseph had been doted on by his father, sold by his brothers into slavery, bought by Potiphar, and eventually promoted to manage Potiphar's entire household. He was doing a great job. Then he was falsely accused of rape and thrown into prison.

But Genesis 39:21 tells us, "The LORD was with Joseph."

In typical Joseph fashion, he was so diligent and hardworking that he was soon running the place. Enter the butler and the baker. They had been working for Pharaoh, but now they were in prison. Joseph saw them one day and basically said, "Hey guys, why are you so sad? Why the long faces?" That's an amazing statement for someone in a dungeon to make to other people in a dungeon. But there was a cheerfulness about Joseph. He was always thinking of others.

So the butler and the baker told Joseph about the dreams they had. Joseph told them, "Interpreting dreams is God's business. . . . Go ahead and tell me your dreams" (Genesis 40:8).

The butler was the first to explain his dream to Joseph. Then Joseph said, "Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer. And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place" (verses 13–14). But two years passed before the butler remembered Joseph.

Has it ever seemed as though you were just spinning your wheels and not going anywhere? How easily Joseph could have felt that way. Yet we never read of him complaining, even for a moment.

Joseph's life serves as a reminder that everything we go through is preparation for something else. God is preparing each of us for something.