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The only way out of the painful ambiguity of life in this world is to hear a message from the higher world, the Heavenly Voice, that brings hope to our aching and troubled hearts: "Faith comes by hearing the word of Messiah" (Rom. 10:17). And yet what is the meaning of this message if it is not that all shall be made well by heaven's hand? Amen. There is hope, there is hope, and all your fears will one day be cast into outer darkness, swallowed up by God's unending comfort... "Go into all the world and make students (talmidim) of all nations" (Matt 28:19), and that means sharing that what makes us essentially sick – our depravity and despair – has been forever healed by Yeshua, and that we can escape the gravity of our own fallenness if we accept his invitation to receive life in him. "For it is You who light my lamp; the LORD my God outshines my darkness."
Exercising faith means actively listening to the Eternal Voice, the Word of the LORD that calls out in love in search of your heart's trust... To have faith means justifying God's faith in you, that is, understanding that you are worthy of salvation, that you truly matter to God, and that the Voice calls out your name, too.... Living in faith means consciously accepting that you are accepted by God's love and grace. Trusting God means that you bear ambiguity, heartache, and darkness, yet you still allow hope to enlighten your way.
Therefore "we walk by faith, not by sight" – as if the invisible is indeed visible. We must stay strong and keep hope, for through hope we are saved (Rom. 8:24). Faith is the conviction of things unseen (Heb. 11:1). Do not be seduced by mere appearances; do not allow yourself to be bewitched into thinking that this world should ever be your home. No, we are strangers and pilgrims here; we are on the journey to the reach "the City of Living God, to heavenly Jerusalem, to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven" (Heb. 12:22-23). Therefore do not lose heart. Keep to the narrow path. Set your affections on things above since your real life is "hidden with God" (Col. 3:1-4). Do not yield to the temptation of despair. Look beyond the "giants of the land" and reckon them as already fallen. Keep pressing on. Chazak, chazak, ve-nit chazek - "Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened!" Fight the good fight of the faith. May the LORD our God help you take hold of the eternal life to which you were called (1 Tim. 6:12).
Hebrew Lesson:
כִּי־אַתָּה תָּאִיר נֵרִי
יְהוָה אֱלהַי יַגִּיהַּ חָשְׁכִּי
kee-at·tah · tah·eer · nei·ree
Adonai · E·loh·hai · ya·gee'·ah · chosh·kee
"For it is you who light my lamp;
the LORD my God will outshine my darkness."
(Psalm 18:28)
Hebrew Study Card
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