Radically Pursue

Have I got a blog for you..
A friend called today and suggested that I read Hebrews 4, 11, 12-- to go hand in hand with what God has been speaking to me lately.
It was some serious RICH stuff-- very exciting to read! Thanks Bernie!

Okay so the biggest part about all this reading was Hebrews 11. I started making a big connection with our faith and God's promises to us. I mean Hebrews 11 is pretty much ALL about it.

Our faith is the foundation of us radically pursuing God's promises.


Let me show you what I mean (all from Hebrews 11)--
NOAH built an arc IN FAITH for a flood when it had never flooded before-- to radically pursue God's promises.
ABRAHAM went IN FAITH to a land without knowing where he was going-- to radically pursue God's promise for his land of inheritance.
Sarah/Abraham continued IN FAITH to believe that they were going to have a child, even though, they were both too old to have children and Sarah was barren-- to radically pursue God's promise, that they would have a child named Isaac.
Abraham went IN FAITH to offer his son as a sacrifice to the Lord, even though God has promised him, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.." BUT "Abraham assumed that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again." Abraham was going to see his son sacrificed-- to radically pursue God's promise, that a whole nation would come from him.
Joseph IN FAITH commanded the Israelites to carry his bones with them when they left Egypt-- because he radically believed and pursued God's promise that God was bringing the people out of Egypt.
Moses IN FAITH "commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle the blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons."-- Moses radically pursued God's promise to see the people of Israel set free, and brought others along with him.

How cool is that?!
Notice how these people didn't just sit around and bank on God's promises. They actally had to step out and do these radical things in faith to see these promises come into being.
Not just simple, non-sacrificial things, RADICALLY sacrificial things.

Oh yeah, and to add on to this:
"All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them (in full), but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed the promises of God. They agreed that they were no more than foreigners and nomads here on earth."- Heb. 11:13
"That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a heavenly city for them." -Heb. 11:16b

Doesn't that add on to how much more radical they were. They pursued (an adjective/action- the definition being- to try to find, get, win, strive for, seek after) God's promises even though they didn't see the full fruit. Talk about strong faith and selflessness.

I will leave you off with this:
"By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and recieved what God had promised them. They shut mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death.
But others trusted God and were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free. They placed their hope in the resurrection to a better life. Some were mocked, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in dungeons. Some died by stoning, and some were sawed in half; others were killed with the sword. Some went about in skins of sheep and goats, hungry and oppressed and mistreated.
They were too good for this world. They wandered over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
All these people we have mentioned received God's approval because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God has promised. For God has far better things in mind for us that would also benefit them, for they can't receive the prize at the end of the race until we finish the race."- Hebrews 11:33-40

-It takes faith to follow God's promises.
-You can't just sit on your butt and wait for God's promises to come to you-- radically pursue them.
-This is not our home-- our prize is in heaven.

Alright, now get up and go.

Deep Peace.
J.I.