FAITH—It’s What Will Last—FOREVERMORE!
What lasts FOREVER?
This is the question that lands this morning, one that in its heaviness brought me to tears.
And yet, this is the same question that liberates my heart and dries my tears.
WHAT—WILL LAST—FOREVER?
Before we go forward with a single word, let’s put to rest the things that WILL NOT LAST—PAST THIS EARTHLY LIFE. Just for fun, let’s make a list.
- Our favorite pair of tennis shoes—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- That vehicle we love so much—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- The person we call “the love of our life,” sadly will someday die and –will NOT last—FOREVER.
- Our comfy furniture where we like to rest after a long day—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- The BEST day—EVER—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- Our careers—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- Our favorite class of the day that we get to teach—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- Our children, small and dependent upon us—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- The last bite of our favorite ice cream cone—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- That specialty coffee drink we just “had to have”—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- The praise we receive for a job well done—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- Our vacations—will NOT last—FOREVER.
- Our favorite movie & the credits that run at the end—will NOT last—FOREVER.
NOTHING THIS SIDE of HEAVEN—WILL LAST—FOREVER!
But God, in His amazing goodness PROMISES us something GREAT that WILL LAST—FOREVERMORE! In fact, God knows we are slow learners and often forgetful and, truthfully, doubters at times, so God gave us a list of people who demonstrated within their lives—FAITH—in ALMIGHTY GOD!
- THAT WHICH LASTS FOREVER—FAITH—THAT GOD WILL DO JUST AS HE HAS PROMISED!
- THAT WHICH LASTS FOREVER—FAITH—THAT JESUS IS COMING AGAIN!
- THAT WHICH LASTS FOREVER—FAITH—THAT WE WILL REMAIN FOREVERMORE WITHIN GOD’S PRESENCE—FOR ALL ETERNITY!
Truly, nothing on earth will last forever—BUT GOD’S PROMISES!
Nevertheless, do not ever take my word, but please allow yourself time to read the entire chapter of Hebrews 11; you will receive a blessing in reading the list God has given to us as an example that WHAT—HE PROMISES, WILL LAST FOREVER!
“By faith we understand that the world has been created by the [spoken] word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible. . . .
And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.
Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
(Hebrews 11: 3 & 39—12: 1 NASB 2020)
So, what lasts FOREVER?
NOTHING WITHIN THIS EARTHLY LIFE—WILL LAST—FOREVER!
But praise Almighty God:
- OUR FAITH—in GOD & HIS PROMISES!
- OUR FAITH—granted through GOD’S SALVATION HE provided through the DEATH, BURIAL & RESURRECTION of HIS SON JESUS CHRIST!
THAT IS THE ONLY TRUTH THAT LASTS FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HALLELUJAH, then God, in His amazing goodness, gave us a pledge, a seal, a promise to hang onto, His presence to know—so we could walk forward throughout all the days of our lives, throughout all the trials of life we face—secure and purpose—filled, walking within His will.
God gave us His Holy Spirit to dwell within us, to remain within the void that was born within our being, the void that ONLY GOD CAN EVER FILL.
See with me God’s Word as we See God’s Promise.
“Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a pledge.
Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—
for we walk by faith, not by sight—
but we are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. . . .
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
He made Him [JESUS, the SON of GOD] who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
(2 Corinthians 5: 5-8 & 17-21 NASB 2020)
We come to the end of this discussion of FAITH we have enjoyed for this day, and if someone we know is still speculating whether all this is true, then one last verse—
“The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the Word of our God
stands forever.”
(Isaiah 40: 8 NASB 2020)