We Must Believe God Exists & Rewards Those Who Diligently Search For Him

Today we are continuing on looking at the warnings in Hebrews, starting with chapter 11. As I looked at these passages this morning, I thought of the many preachers of today who give their opinions instead of warning the people. Today it is about health and wealth, name it and claim it, and God wants you to prosper. After you look at these passages which warn us, please go back to chapter 11 and read about the heroes of faith. You will not hear any talk about "health and wealth, name it and claim it, and God wants you to prosper". Most of these heroes suffered as most of God's children across the world are doing as I write this.

Hebrews 11  ISV This chapter tells us the meaning of faith and lists heroes of the faith from the past. 

• 6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him.
• 13All these people died having faith". 

Hebrews 12  ISV

• 12Therefore, strengthen your tired arms and your weak knees, 13and straighten the paths of your life,j so that your lameness may not become worse, but instead may be healed.
• 14Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. 
• 15See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up and causes you trouble, or many of you will become defiled. 16No one should be immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17For you know that afterwards, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he could not find any opportunity to repent, even though he begged to repentk with tears.

18You have not come to somethingl that can be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, to gloom, 19to a trumpet’s blast, or to a voice that made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. 20For they could not endure the command that was given: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”m 21Indeed, the sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”n 

22Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to tens of thousands of angels joyfully gathered together, 23to the assemblyo of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to a judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of righteous people who have been made perfect, 24to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than Abel’s.

• 25See to it that you do not ignore the one who is speaking. 
• For if the hearersp did not escape when they ignored the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escapeq if we turn away from the one who is from heaven!

 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven.”r 27The expression “once more”s signifies the removal of what can be shaken, that is, what he has made, so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and worship God in reverence and fear in a way that pleases him. 29For “our God is an all-consuming fire.”t