>>  Give me the Bible 
>> Today, we are blessed
with a wonderful gift from God,
the Bible.
This book is God's living word.
In its pages,
we are told for the word
of God is living and powerful
and sharper
than any two-edged sword.
It is in this book of books
that we find the answers to all
of men's questions and meaning.
This morning,
your area churches
of Christ welcome you
to a program committed
to that perfect law of liberty--
 Thy light shall guide me 
 In the narrow way 
>> -- as we present
The Living Word.
>>  Precept and promise 
 Law and love combining 
 Til night shall vanish
in eternal day 
>> Now here's your host,
Ray Sullins.
>> Solomon once proclaimed,
a word fitly spoken is
like apples of gold and settings
of silver.
How are you and your words
as you speak this day,
and how are they perceived?
We thank you
for joining us this morning
for The Living Word program,
and it's always a privilege
to have you with us
for this time of offering
to our God.
And we welcome you to this
service before our very creator.
Today we have the opportunity
together to worship
and to praise our God,
and today we will glorify Him
through songs of praise,
the study of His Word,
as well as speaking
to our God in prayer.
So I want you to do
everything that you need to do
and to behave in such a way,
and to act in such a way
that all that we do might be
found acceptable in his sight.
As we approach our God then
at this time,
let's begin by speaking
to Him in prayer.
Our God and Father in heaven,
we are thankful
for this another day of life
and the many great blessings
that you give us daily.
Father, for we know
all spiritual blessings,
and all physical blessings
come from you.
We also thank you Father
for the great gift of Jesus
and we know that
through His sacrifice
we were able to be found
justified this day,
and ultimately found
justified eternally.
Ultimately, through your grace,
love and mercy,
to receive not only the promise,
but that reward of that heavenly
mansion with you someday.
And Father, therefore,
help us to live every day,
giving you the glory and praise
and doing everything that we can
according to your perfect will,
that we might always be known
and found as faithful
in your sight.
Father, we thank you
for the avenue of prayer,
once again the gift of Jesus,
and in his name we pray, Amen.
As those who love God,
do we hear, believe,
and act on the words
of our master daily?
Well, if not, we need to learn
to heed the words of our Savior.
Are you willing to give
your very best to God today?
If so,
then why not join in
with the congregation
as we sing together,
I'll Live For Him.
>>  My life, my love
I give to thee 
 Thou Lamb of God
who died for me 
 O may I ever faithful be 
 My Savior and my God 
 I'll live for Him
who died for me 
 How happy then
my life shall be 
 I'll live for Him
who died for me 
 My Savior and my God 
 I now believe
thou dost receive 
 For thou hast died
that I might live 
 And now henceforth
I'll trust in thee 
 My Savior and my God 
 I'll live for Him
who dies for me 
 How happy then
my life shall be 
 I'll live for Him
who died for me 
 My Savior and my God 
 O thou who died on Calvary 
 To save my soul
and make me free 
 I'll consecrate
my life to thee 
 My Savior and my God 
 I'll live for Him
who died for me 
 How happy then
my life shall be 
 I'll live for Him
who died for me 
 My Savior and my God 
>> How many times have you
said something that you regret?
When was the last time
you said something,
even that you wish you
could take back?
Oh, words are so very important.
However, we often throw
words around and we say things
as really they aren't
worth much at all,
or not even sometimes
those things
that would be worth repeating.
On the other hand,
words can do so much good
and can accomplish so much
because they encourage
and edify the hearer.
While on the other hand,
we find that words
might tear down or harm,
we can also say those things
that build up in the church.
This is exactly what
Paul was speaking
to the church
about the Ephesian brethren
when he said, Let no corrupt
word proceed out of your mouth,
but what is good
for necessary edification,
that it may impart grace
to the hearers.
That's found in Ephesians
Chapter 4 and verse 29.
There we have it well summed up.
Our communication should be
only for one benefit,
those who hear it,
making them better people,
encouraging them,
and helping them to strive
themselves to know Christ
or to be more Christ like.
Also, notice the idea
that is mentioned here
of the undeserved favor
that is mentioned in the verse.
We read the idea that we're
to impart grace to the hearer,
which is that idea
of imparting that which is good,
whether they deserve it or not.
There's also a final reason
why our words are so important.
Read with me what Jesus said in
Matthew Chapter 12 and verse 37.
Here he says,
For by your words you
will be justified,
and by your words you
will be condemned.
Also, look back in verse 36, of
the same opening where he adds,
but I will say to you,
that for every idle word
that men may speak,
they will give an account
of it in the day of judgment.
There you have it.
Our words are
of the utmost importance,
for it is by our words that
we ultimately will be judged
in accordance to
how we are standing
or obeying the Word of God.
Either found justified
before God,
and therefore he might be
able to say that we are faithful
and give us the rewards,
or as one who certainly is
not doing what God would command
or ask of each of us.
So what about this morning?
Are you one who is striving
to do what it is
that God has asked you to do?
Are you one who is striving
to be a good man,
and therefore out of the good
treasures of your heart,
that you might bring
forth good things?
Or are you an evil one,
who out of the evil treasures
might bring forth evil things?
Again, words of Jesus Himself,
found in Matthew Chapter 12.
May we be challenged then
to use our words wisely
to do those things that
bring glory and honor to God,
and ultimately,
help others to know God,
that they might
not only want to know him
but obey him
unto eternal life as well.
This morning we'll be
continuing our series entitled
The Better Things
From the Book of Hebrews.
Our lesson today deals
with a better trust.
So please stay with us and
through our next song together,
and in just a few minutes,
I will be returning
with this study from God's word.
It's now time to join in
our second Hymn of the morning,
the name of the song,
There is a Habitation.
>>  There is a habitation 
 Built by the living God 
 For all of every nation 
 Who seek that grand abode 
 O Zion, Zion 
 I long thy gates to see 
 O Zion, Zion 
 When shall I dwell in thee? 
 A city with foundations 
 Firm as the eternal throne 
 Nor wars, nor desolation 
 Shall ever move a stone 
 O Zion, Zion 
 I long thy gates to see 
 O Zion, Zion 
 When shall I dwell in thee? 
 Within its pearly portals 
 Angelic armies sing 
 With glorified immortals 
 The praises of its King 
 O Zion, Zion 
 I long thy gates to see 
 O Zion, Zion 
 When shall I dwell in thee? 
>> We're so glad that you've
continued with us this day,
as we now go to God's word
and look at another lesson
in relationship
to our series from the book
of Hebrews.
I hope that you all
have been gaining a lot
from the study
that we've considered.
As we've been trying
to maybe pull a few things
that are unique
about each chapter out
and also dealing with
what is maybe the obvious
but yet also unique
about each Chapter,
and trying to challenge
ourselves to be better servants,
better workers in the kingdom
of God.
And today we look at Chapter 11,
which obviously
is generally referred to
as the great faith chapter, and
the reason is obvious as to why.
If you go into the very
first verse of that chapter,
the Bible says,
Now faith is the substance
of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.
In relationship
for that statement that is made,
we know that there are two
things emphasized about faith.
Faith is something that
really people are desirous of
or hoping for,
that they have that expectation
of things that are real,
and that can happen
because God has given
us those hopeful expectations.
But on the other hand,
it's also based on things
that sometimes we've
not yet ourselves seen
or experienced.
That's not so strange.
I know that every day I believe,
and I hear things
that I am able to believe
because I know of others
who have experienced it.
I often go to Africa,
and when I come back,
I tell people about the trip
to Africa,
and they are able to have
belief or faith
in the fact
that the things I tell them
and the pictures I show
them are real
and that those things all exist
and they're true.
And so in a relationship to God,
it's not strange that we
would have expectations or hopes
in relationship
to spiritual matters,
and relationship to things
that we ourselves have
not experienced or seen.
We weren't there at the cross
with Jesus.
We weren't there in
relationship even before that
when the flood took place
in Noah's day.
But yet we believe,
and we know
that God has given us His word
to reveal the truth
concerning all these things.
Therefore we believe,
we have faith and we're
putting that belief into action.
And that's really what
the concept of faith is.
From the original Greek
it is the same word as belief,
the idea
of pisteuó or pistos there.
But it is really that word with
the word "the" in front of it,
the belief,
which means the concept
or is translated as faith.
So it's not just a matter of,
oh, I believe there is a God,
but that belief is an action
in my life.
Now how do we know that?
Well, let's first then drop
down to verse 6,
that will also help us to see
kind of what our focus will be
for a few minutes this moment,
this morning rather.
The verse 6 says,
but faith without --
or rather, but
without faith it is impossible
to please Him, that is God,
for he who comes
to God must believe that He is,
and that He is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him.
You see, belief requires
that there is a foundation
of something that I
not only understand or have accepted, but that I act upon.
And so if you'll notice here,
what is the thing
that is being mentioned here?
Number one,
I have to have faith or belief,
the concept of a system of what
God has given me that belief
from scripture,
because it's impossible
to please God
if I don't have faith.
But then he says this.
I must believe what?
That God is.
I'm must believe
that there is a God
and that Jesus is his son
and was God in the flesh,
there was the Holy Spirit God.
I must believe what
the Bible teaches me,
I must believe that God is,
I must have faith that God is,
and that God is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him,
those who do something
to follow Him.
Not those who just believe
that there's a God
or those who might be
good people who say,
well, yeah, there might be a God
and there might not be a God.
No, it says here clearly, those
who are diligently seeking Him,
and those who believe
in Him, those are those
who then are demonstrating
faith.
And that's why --
Although we're not going
to look at a lot of those today.
That's why this chapter
deals with what each
of these individuals did
for the sake of God
because they believed.
And the wording that we see over
and over again
in the text is obvious.
By faith Noah built,
there's something that
each one did
because of their belief
and action for God.
So again, backing up now
and understanding,
no wonder that we go here,
back to verses 2 and 3.
Verse 2 says, well the elders
obtained a good testimony.
They had a good faith because
they also believed the elders
of old and those elders
of the day.
But then notice verse 3,
By faith we also,
most likely Paul being
the author,
we also understand that
the worlds were framed by who?
God.
The Word of God itself.
Let there be light
and there was instantly light.
So then the things
which are seen are what?
The things which were seen were
not made of things
which are invisible.
You see again -- are visible.
The idea is again that
we weren't there at creation,
we didn't see God at creation,
we didn't see God say,
Let there be light,
but we can read about
those things,
and we believe that a God
that we did not see visibly
is someone who did what
we now do see in creation.
By faith, we believe that,
therefore we act upon that.
So hopefully these things are
beginning to help you understand
that the great faith chapter
truly does identify
for us the heart
of what faith is,
that is that ability
to hope for things
that really we ourselves have
not seen.
And there are so many who
have done it before us,
verses 2 and 3,
and the Old Testament
and the New Testament,
and all the examples found
in Hebrews Chapter 11.
And therefore we can have
faith as well,
so that we'll please God,
because it's impossible
to please God without what?
Faith.
So, what does that mean again
to have that faith and believe?
That we believe that He is
and that He is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him.
Those who are doing something.
So how does that play
into action?
Well, it plays into action
because, for instance, of Abel.
Notice the first example
with me there, verse 4,
By faith Able offered.
Do you notice the action?
He did something.
He didn't just say, I believe
in God and I might sacrifice,
I might worship him later.
By faith, he offered to God
a more excellent sacrifice
than his brother Cain,
through which he obtained the
witness that he was righteous.
So because he did what God said,
and he did the right sacrifice
in the right way,
it says that he obtained
a greater witness,
and therefore was righteous.
His actions, his belief
that led him to action,
proving his faith are
what caused him to be seen
as righteous in the eyes of God.
Wow, what a wonderful example.
But then it says,
his own gifts testified that he
now speaks even from the dead,
that when we do what is right
in worship,
or in worshiping God according
to the will of God,
that also our, our gifts would
be acceptable to God in worship.
Well, that's a whole nother
discussion for another day.
But it shows us again
why Abel was someone who was seen as righteous.
Because he offered,
according to the will of God,
his gifts were right or good.
His belief led him
to do what God said.
Not just say there's a God,
not just think about it,
but to do it,
and then do it in the right way,
the right reason,
the right heart,
and therefore it was righteous.
What about Enoch?
Enoch is mentioned next in verse
5 -- By faith Enoch was taken,
so that he did not see death
and was found.
Why?
Well, we can find that
out easily,
not only in this text,
but if we were to go back
to Genesis.
Back in the book
of Genesis we find there
that Abel is discussed
as being the one in Chapter 5,
as being the one who walked
with God.
So if we put that
within our discussion here,
as he also will reiterate
that here, notice he says,
Enoch was taken, he never died,
he did not see death,
because he was one who was what?
Pleasing to God, verse 5.
But then in verse,
the very next verse, 6,
what do we have affirmed?
What we've already read.
He must have been
diligently seeking God,
he must have believed that he is
and that he is a rewarder of the
one who diligently seeks Him.
He believed, not only in God,
but what God said and what God
promised and what God commanded.
Therefore, he what?
He did what God said,
he walked with his God.
You see, Abel and Enoch,
both righteous men,
men who walked with God,
believed in God
and that provoked them to do
what God said, and therefore,
God could see what?
Their faith in demonstration.
I remember what James says
in James Chapter 2.
There in verse 18 and 19,
he talks about even
the devil's believing,
but he says, you show
me your faith without works,
and I'm going to show
you my faith by works,
because that's how God knows,
that's how others know
that I'm committed to God,
I love him,
and I'm going to obey Him.
You see,
that's how it's demonstrated.
That's how people see
the diligence of my faith,
my belief in action.
And then finally,
there in verse 7,
as far as our discussion
this day, we see Noah.
What did Noah do?
Well, he believed in God,
yeah, I believe there's a God,
no, more than that.
Yeah, I believe there's a God
and I'm going to build a ship
in the middle of a desert.
What did he do?
It says here,
"By faith Noah,
being divinely warned."
God had warned him.
It says that he prepared an ark.
In action, he did what?
For over 100 years built an ark
in the desert,
or a desert as region as we
might would think of it today,
and he did that knowing
that the flood was coming
because he had been
divinely warned.
What was the reaction again?
Righteousness.
Because he not only knew God,
but his belief
in God caused him to know
that God was going to do
exactly what he said.
You see, my friend, today,
and brethren,
and perhaps those who are
in even denominations,
I challenge you to think
about that important concept
of the faith demonstrated
in this chapter.
And now that every case
and example
gives us time and time again,
the idea of how one can be,
guess what, trusted.
Trusted. God is trusted.
See, by faith, they trusted
the promises of God,
they trusted that he was,
they trusted that they
should diligently seek Him,
and that God would always do
what He said
and give them the reward
and deliver them from the flood
or from this or from that.
Over
and over again they trusted God.
Ultimately so that what?
We might also show our trust
in Him,
that He therefore might know
that we not only love Him
and trust Him,
but that he can trust Ray
to do what He has commanded.
Because it is that proof
through trust
that shows to my God and others
that I am not only trustworthy
before God,
but they can see God in me,
and therefore,
they see the faith that
I have demonstrated before God.
Therefore, I've always thought what a beautiful thing
to read the book of Hebrews,
and read Chapter 11 there
and the great faith Chapter,
and as I'm reading along and
I get near the end and I say,
and have you considered
the faith of Ray?
Who's Ray?
Well, nobody in comparison
maybe to all the other things
on earth
and that have happened
in the world,
but to God, the faith,
that which has been seen,
that which is known.
Why not demonstrate such a faith
today that God knows your faith,
and that you were able
to have eternal life given
by God in the end.
>>  Come, let us all unite
to sing 
 God is love 
 Let heaven and earth their
praises bring 
 God is love 
 Let every soul
from sin awake 
 Each in his heart
sweet music make 
 And sing with us for
Jesus' sake 
 For God is love 
>>  God is love 
>>  God is love 
>>  God is love 
>>  God is love 
>>  Come, let us all unite
to sing 
 That God is love 
 O, tell to earth's remotest
bound 
 God is love 
 In Christ we have
redemption found 
 God is love 
 His blood has washed
our sins away 
 His Spirit turned our night
to day 
 And now we can rejoice
to say 
 That God is love 
>>  God is love 
>>  God is love 
>>  God is love 
>>  God is love 
 Come, let us all unite
to sing 
 That God is love 
 How happy is
our portion here 
 God is love 
 His promises
our spirits cheer 
 God is love 
 He is our sun
and shield by day 
 Our help, our hope,
our strength and stay 
 He will be with us
all the way 
 Our God is love 
>>  God is love 
>>  God is love 
>>  God is love 
>>  God is love 
 Come, let us all unite
to sing 
 That God is love 
>> Let me thank you again
for choosing to be
with us today
for The Living Word program.
It is my hope and trust that
together we've all benefited
from out time together.
But let me invite you to join
us every Sunday morning at 7:30
as we regularly give this time
to God, our Creator.
But for now, let me ask you
if you have any questions or comments about today's lesson.
Maybe you'd like
a free transcript,
or a free CD or DVD
of the program,
or possibly we could assist you
with free Bible materials
or free Bible
correspondence courses.
No matter what your need is,
please feel free to contact us
at the following address,
The Living Word,
2540 North Kansas Expressway,
Springfield, Missouri, 65803.
Many of these items are
also available on our website,
that address
thelivingwordprogram.com,
or if you prefer,
you may call us at 417-869-2284.
How blessed we are
to be able to trust in God fully
and that all that we do and
say is going to allow us someday
to be recipients
of his promises.
There is no one in life
more trustworthy than our God.
Therefore, may we do all that
God says and respond in love
by showing him that we are
trustworthy to him as well.
>> Our prayer is
to help the world know more
about God
through this television program.
The Living Word has been brought
to you
under the oversight
of the elders
of the Kansas Expressway
Church of Christ
in Springfield, Missouri,
with the assistance
of the following area
churches of Christ.
>>  To seek and save the lost 
 Give me the Bible 
 Holy message shining 
 Thy light shall guide me 
 In the narrow way 
 Precept and promise 
 Law and love combining 
 Til night shall vanish...