The great theme of faith continues as we study the book of Hebrews. We have learned that faith sees the unseen, and we endure in faith and hope when we keep our eyes focused on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Now we turn our eyes heavenward to look into realms of glory in heaven.

I have often wondered why some great men and women of faith die young. Recently a great servant of the Lord named Ruth Heflin died. I personally felt she had many more years of service to offer the Lord here on earth. She wrote a book called Glory.

As I thought about her death, I felt the Lord had revealed the fullness of His glory and the glories that awaited her in heaven. The realms of glory she saw in the Spirit made this earth grow strangely dim to her, so the light of her life was transferred into the light of that city where there is no need of light—the City of Our God, Zion, the New Jerusalem.

The early heroes of our faith could not get near the glory of God. Moses had to be hidden in a rock while God’s glory passed him. When God’s glory burned on the mountain, the children of Israel were warned not to come near the mountain, because truly our God is a consuming fire.

Because of the cross, however, we can now all be friends with God just as Moses was counted as a friend to God. We now have entrance into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and we are welcomed in the assembly of the saints. The thought of seeing some of these great heroes of our faith face to face blows me away. We also experience now the great cloud of witnesses on earth, and an innumerable company of angels surrounds us.

Even though we cannot see these things with our natural eyes, the truth is the kingdom of God is at hand. When we reach our hands up in praise to God, we are able to touch the kingdom of God.

Glimpses of God’s glory are available to us daily. Have you taken a peak lately?

Lord, I know the things that keep me from experiencing Your glory daily are my concerns and cares. There are so many things on this earth to think about, and these things seem to dull my eyesight. Help me not to be nearsighted. Help me to catch glimpses of Your glory daily. I think I caught a glimpse yesterday as I looked at the smiling face of my eleven-month-old grandson. Thank You, Lord. Show me Your glory.

READ: Ezekiel 31:1-32:32; Hebrews 12:14-29; Psalm 113:1-114:8; Proverbs 27:18-20

As a Christian, it’s difficult to relish in thoughts about heaven when you know your husband, children or other family members are not saved. But if you will commit to earnest prayer for your loved ones, the Holy Spirit will move on the heart of every person and give them an opportunity to come to faith in Christ. But don’t take my word for it. Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.'” To receive prayer for your family, click here to listen to podcast.

Prophetess Sharyn Culp is the founder of His Majesty’s World-Wide Prayer Sanctuary, a ministry of His Majesty Ministries in Fort Worth, Texas. The Prayer Sanctuary is comprised of intercessors who pray weekly for people and global needs. Sharyn offers a message of salvation, healing, hope and more “from the heart of His Majesty.” 

As I showered in preparation for our last day of sightseeing, I reflected on many of the places we’ve visited. A list with a one- or two-sentence description would fill the rest of this blog. While each now holds a special place in my heart, and many brought the Bible to life and me to tears, one common thing connects them—fear. Rather, the lack of it.

I’ve realized how much we live in fear in the United States. With crime, murder and rape rates at mindboggling levels, we’re forced to bolt our doors at home, keep our cars locked while in the driveway, and be always mindful of our surroundings. Despite these safety precautions, robbery, theft, murder and rape dominate the nightly news.

Being the curious group we are, someone inquired about the rape statistics in Israel. The response was the number is so minuscule that a percentage doesn’t exist.

How incredible is that? Imagine living in a place where people can hitchhike at night, women no less, and not have to worry about being abducted and/or raped. Think about the peace a parent could have while their three-year-old boy walks into the market with two buddies the same age and not need anyone to occupy them. I’ve seen both during my visit here.

At first you think, at least I did, “Oh, is that safe?” But when you see it numerous times and you ask questions about it, you discover people don’t fear being mugged or kidnapped. Living in that bondage is not part of their daily life.

Granted, there are world leaders who’ve vowed to wipe the country off the face of the earth. That’s a different concern, on a much different level. But walking through life doing the things they love to do, they are able to do so without the fraught or worry that plagues us in the United States.

While visiting our sites, we’ve walked, talked, laughed and cried. And not once worried about our belongings or our safety. We’ve walked without fear, something we can’t always do at home.
How sad is that?

Learn more about Israel from Larry J. Leech II in future blogs and updates on Twitter and Facebook.

Believing God’s promises necessitates first knowing God. Our experience of the Father comes through daily prayer, reading the Word and trust. Jesus taught that unwavering faith would be rewarded with heavenly answers. But when doubt comes our way, the Holy Spirit will help build our faith in the Father.

READ

Gen. 13:14-18; Gen. 15:1-6; Ps. 27:4-8; Luke 10:38-42; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 John 3:2-3;
Ps. 52:8-9; Matt. 8:23-27; Mark 9:17-30; Mark 11:22-24; Luke 17:3-6; Rom. 4:18-24.

HEART ISSUE

How much time do you spend daily experiencing God through personal intercourse with Him? Do you struggle with doubt? If so, what do your doubts reveal about your knowledge of the Father?

PRAYER FOCUS

Father, give me eyes and ears to encounter You personally. Make me hungry for You and not just Your fulfilled promises. Please forgive my lack of faith, and help me grow in You so my faith in Your promises will also increase. Amen.

Brenda J. Davis is former editor of SpiritLed Woman magazine and acquisitions editor of Creation House.

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For years singer and author Rebecca St. James has passionately delivered her True Love Waits message about abstinence and purity. Now she is extending that message with a burden for the unborn via her latest movie, Sarah’s Choice. In her first leading role, St. James portrays Sarah Collins, a rising single professional who has to make a life-altering decision when she gets pregnant. Sarah struggles with her new reality and also faces her doubts and frustrations with God.

St. James says God had already given her a pro-life passion before she was even offered this role. Sensing that the Lord was calling her to get more involved with films about faith and family, St. James moved to California a year ago. Through a couple of friends, she got involved with several crisis pregnancy events and recognized an incredible need for movies that support life.

At a fundraiser banquet, she met one of the girls who is carrying her baby to term because of the support of the crisis pregnancy center. Moved by the young woman’s story, St. James sensed that God would give her a song with the pro-life message. A couple months later, the singer was asked to audition for Sarah’s Choice. When she later received word that she had gotten the part as Sarah, St. James says a song came to her in only about half an hour.

“I’m blown away at how God did that,” St. James says. “He lit up my heart, literally impassioned my heart for this [pro-life] message way before I knew anything about the movie.”

Through her research for her role in the film, St. James says she noticed that most young, unwed mothers-to-be live with “a tremendous amount of fear, a tremendous amount of pain and pressure.” St. James says she drew from her own experiences with these emotions in her life to bring her character to life onscreen.

“It’s interesting when you’re going into the role of another person and you study up their exact circumstance, you can bring yourself and your own legitimate emotions to the table,” she says. “I loved the challenge of it.”

Another equally important theme throughout Sarah’s Choice is God’s forgiveness and redemption for those who have had an abortion. St. James says it was crucial for this message to be portrayed. “Obviously everyone wants a redemptive story, but the truth is that 43 percent of childbearing-age women today have abortions; it’s much higher than what most people think,” she says. “People need to know that there is forgiveness and grace and that all of us have made different forms of mistakes and need a lot of grace of God.”

St. James says God has ignited her heart with the pro-life message. “I have two friends who have had abortions but have told me their stories with tears. It’s impacted my life on a personal level. I want to be a part of helping other women from going through that. I want to be used by God to help point people to His forgiveness and hope as well, because we all need that.”

She encourages the Christian community to support faith and family films. “We need more films like Fireproof and Facing the Giants and films like Sarah’s Choice. We want to see this genre move up to more of the standard of The Passion of the Christ, but it’s going to take the Christian community really going out and supporting films like this so the budgets can be stronger and stronger. So I would really encourage families to get behind films like this that have a lot of heart and soul and a good message, and hopefully we’ll see more of them.”

If you want more information about how you can help the unborn, contact Care Net at care-net.org. Sarah’s Choice will be available on DVD on Nov. 17. Bonus features include trailers, commentary and more. Click here to purchase this film.

In his first book Shaken Not Shattered, author Matthew Hagee challenges readers to “make a decision, and go for it!” in life. But for some Christians, that’s easier said than done. Are you afraid to make choices that require you to abandon your comfort zone for the unknown? Though you are passionate about God and want to advance His kingdom, your decisions will determine your destiny, not chance. To discover why faith not fear must govern the choices we make, listen to podcast below.

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Matthew Hagee is the executive pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. He lives in San Antonio with his wife, Kendal, and three children. To purchase Shaken Not Shattered, click here.

Ever wonder how multitudes of people were able to hear Jesus speak even though He had no megaphone to help project His voice? When He delivered His famous Sermon on the Mount, He sat down on the mountainside and taught the people, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:1-5, NKJV). When Jesus spoke, the wind did not wisk away His words. The Holy Spirit carried them from heart to heart, and the listeners were transformed forever. To see one of Israel’s natural outdoor theaters, click below to watch the videos.

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Israel. The mere mention of the word conjures up a favorite memory for those who’ve been, and a longing for those who haven’t. After being here three days, it’s difficult to pinpoint that one “a-ha” moment. It might be because those enlightening moments have been nearly nonstop since stepping off the plane in Tel Aviv.

Our group of seven has stood in the river bed where David picked his stones to slay Goliath, spent time in the Dead Sea, climbed the hills where David hid from Saul, explored the ruins of Masada (Herrod’s palaces) and had a special military escort take us to the Jordan River where we baptized each other at the spot where it is believed John baptized Jesus.

Those are just a few of the places we’ve laughed, cried, praised God and felt a stirring deep in our souls. Imagine trying to cram 48 hours’ worth of sight-seeing, Bible reading, emotional hugs, and mere minutes of sleep into 24 hours. Well, that’s been us for the first 72 hours.

Starting in the desert might have seemed an odd place to start our journey. Yes, a journey. This is more than a visit. Coming to Israel is more about seeing sites, standing where events in the Bible took place, or walking where Jesus walked. Traveling through this small, yet powerful nation awakens something inside you.Those who’ve been understand. They are quick to share that one big moment, the revelation that changed their life.

For a sampling of life-changing moments, check out the October issue of Charisma for an article on the “10 Ten Places in Israel You Must See Before You Die.”

While that one big moment changes a person’s life, the series of “small” moments shouldn’t be overlooked. In nearly everything we’ve seen, every place we’ve been, the Lord has pricked our hearts, our spirits. We’ve walked away changed. On many different levels. You can tell by the deep contemplative looks on faces, followed soon by a smile of enlightenment. The look of joy and pure adoration has never looked better.

Keep track of the last four days of Larry J. Leech II’s travels in Israel by following him on Twitter or becoming a friend on Facebook.

Perhaps there is no other portion of the Torah so filled with vital stories than the section in Genesis 18:1-22, 24. Called Vayera, it includes the stories of three men who visited Abraham; of God’s promising to give him and his wife, Sarah, a son; and of angels visiting Lot and urging him to leave Sodom—fast—since judgment was coming.

Unlike some characters we read about in Scripture, Abraham was a good man. He cared about his nephew. According to the Torah, the future patriarch of the Jews talked with God about His decision to destroy Sodom, pleading with Him to spare the city for the sake of the righteous.

When the sinful men of Sodom made sexual advances toward God’s messengers, the two angels struck them with blindness, and told Lot to gather his family and get out of Sodom and don’t look back. Judgment was inevitable.

The text says, “The Lord caused sulfur and fire to rain down upon the two wicked cities. He overthrew those cities” (19:24, 25) and their sin.

As the family fled the fiery rainstorm, Lot’s wife looked back, and it wasn’t some slight, over-the-shoulder glance. But why?

Perhaps she was bemoaning the destruction that befell her city, her friends or the unholy life she might have been living. The text is clear; instead of focusing on the future, one in which God would be central, she longed to go back and it cost her dearly.

The Hebrew translation of the word “look” is naw-baht and it means to “look intently, to regard with pleasure, favor and care.”

This theme is seen elsewhere in the Bible. When some of those who had been delivered from Egypt got bored with the manna God had provided for them or lost their vision for the Promised Land the Father had promised them, they accused Moses of leading them into the wilderness to die. They cried to God to be returned to the place of their enslavement. They too were looking back.

When Messiah was gathering His disciples, one man said to Him, “Sir, first let me go and bury my father,” to which Yeshua replied, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead” (Matthew 8:21-22). He wasn’t telling this man to just let his father rot. No, his father was still alive, but was spiritually “dead.” Yet, it seems this follower didn’t want to drop everything, as did some of the others and follow the Lord. He wanted to go back.

The important lesson is obvious. We’re all called to go forward. It’s not that looking back isn’t instructive or God would not remind Israel from time-to-time of her past sins. Anyone who has been through some sort of psychotherapy knows that to deny events of the past may lead to repeating the same negative behavior in the future.

History helps us chart our direction for the future. Looking back has its place. But getting stuck in the past, does not.

Lot’s wife was stuck in the past. Whatever the appeal of Sodom, she wasn’t able to trust God or her husband to quickly escape the coming destruction, although she did have a choice.
Those who followed Moses into the wilderness, trusting that he was leading them to a better place, lost patience and started distorting reality, accusing Moses of self-aggrandizement, lording over everyone, and even deliberately causing them pain. Their lack of trust caused them to look back.

We don’t know what happened to the disciple who wanted to bury his father, but it seems reasonable to believe that he didn’t follow Yeshua. He instead went back home until his father died, which could have been many years. Was he afraid of leaving home? Was he afraid of being unpopular? Was he unwilling to grow spiritually? All these reasons may have motivated this student to drop out of Yeshua’s training school.

What about us? Do we encounter times in which we need to make a choice to go forward or “look” back?

When two people decide to marry, they choose to believe in a good future. To look back at past relationships, other than for instruction, could lead to loss. If a new job is presented to us, do we prefer staying within the comfort zone of our present, perhaps not-so-wonderful position, or are we willing to press on and try something new?

A final thought: Compare the way Abram responded when God called him to leave his land (his business, his family, his entire life). He went to a land he knew nothing about.

The writer to the Hebrews says “he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations, of which the architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Lot’s wife, by contrast, looked back, unwilling to follow God. The focus of her attention should have been on the future, not the past.

Rabbi Baruch Rubin is president of Messianic Jewish Communications (www.messianicjewish.net) and Rabbi of Emmanuel Messianic Jewish Congregation (www.godwithus.org) both of Clarksville, Maryland.

What’s holding you back from fulfilling your godly purpose? Have you fallen prey to some sin and now you’re afraid God doesn’t love you? Do you listen to the enemy’s lies about who you are? Whatever the cause, fear is keeping you from your destiny.

When you see fear coming or sense its presence, face it. Fear is rooted in deception. But when you discover the truth of God’s Word, you begin to see yourself as God sees you. The Holy Spirit wants to change the way we think.

Scripture says: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12: 1-2, NKJV).

When we open up our lives to fear, it won’t be long before despair and even disobedience comes in. We start to rely on self and not faith in God.

Romans 8:5 says, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit” (NKJV, emphasis added).

When we walk in the Spirit, God changes our thinking and empowers us to live according to His directives, not our feelings.

We don’t have to live lives characterized by fear. We can live confidently and carry out His will in the earth. God hasn’t given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound, well-disciplined mind (see 2 Tim. 1:7). So whatever you’ve been called to do for Christ, step out in faith knowing He will order your steps to the pathway of destiny.