Good morning. Today we're going to look at verse one of the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews: now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. King James says the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. A child hopes he will get a new bicycle for Christmas. The bicycle is the substance, the hope has no substance. It is a wish - it does not exist in reality at this moment. If he actually possessed the bicycle, he wouldn't need to hope for it. He would actually possess it in his hands. Our faith is that bicycle in our hands. It's as real to us as that physical bicycle would be. The fact that we had that faith is the evidence of the bicycle not seen. On all these crime shows evidence is what they are looking for. It shows what happened and who did it. We can't see it but we know that it's real. So too is our faith. We can't see what we hoped for; but the fact that we have the faith is the evidence that we possess the bicycle. What are you hoping for? Is it substance or merely wishful thinking? Do you see the bicycle in your hands? From Romans 8:24: hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Are you waiting eagerly for what He promised, are is it merely wishful thinking? Do you see that bicycle in your hands? Father help the reader to see that promise in his/her hands; to have the faith for what he/she has hoped for.

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