Evinda Lepins

Thanks for joining me for our Faith-Filled Friday series. Grab your coffee and come on in.
Last Friday I shared the beauty of answered prayer that was answered in a way that I didn’t recognize at first but when I did, the light went on and let me tell you, I tied another huge knot in my strand of faith. I’m so thankful that He hears me despite me and my whining.
I think I left off with a P.S. so let me get to that and then we can move on to the Biblical Hall of Faith found in Hebrews 11.
“Okay. I believe you had as many hits on your post as Doug and I on ours and you gained us about 60 new subscribers. That is a wonderful testament to your writing and I hope it takes many to your blog. So, are you happy to be put on the list of our guest bloggers? I always give at least three or four days’ notice of when I want copy. Up to you, but I think it would be wonderful.”
I have no idea who or how many on the other side of the world have read what He has given me, but that definitely stirred up my faith. Now, let’s get back to this Hall of Faith! Finally!
So Hebrews 2 says: “For by it” – meaning faith – “the elders obtained a good testimony.” The New American Standard Bible translates that last part as “gained approval.” STOP!
Let’s chew on this for a few. The first thing that catches my eye is the elders, or as the New American Standard translates it, “the men of old.” Does that mean that they were old before they finally got it, the faith-ing (rhymes with bathing and is an Evinda-ism) thing? Or had they been working towards it all along? The latter kind of corresponds to the story I shared with you in the beginning of this series, that my faith didn’t just happened; it was a process. So that will be something for you to keep in mind as we get deeper into this Hall of Faith, because something tells me the answer is right around the corner, not just for those in the Biblical Hall of Faith, but for you and me as well!
Now the second part of that verse is also a bit of a mind bender but proof that faith is a process. They obtained a good testimony, or gained approval. Hmm, a testimony doesn’t just happen; it is the journey of your life and it includes all things, including the bad! That’s right, it includes the mistakes; how else would we be able to see His hand of intervention?
Let’s look that one up in the Greek concordance. We may as well; it’s not like we need to hurry through the Scriptures to get on to something else. Besides, you never know what we’re going to find when we grab our spiritual shovels and dig in the Word of God!
OMG, I found a diamond! So all the forms of this word testimony have a word root that I hope you can recognize: “martur” is one of the Greek translations and then there’s “marturia,” and a couple more. Do you see martyr in there? My hair is standing up on my arms and chills are dancing up and down my spine! I just get so excited when I come across things like this that tie another knot in my string of faith.
Okay, so the definition of this testimony: to bear witness; to be of good report; implying praise or commendation; having good character.
Whew, so does that mean there are no “bad” things that happen within that testimony? No, it simply means a report of a life unmoved away from God by the things of this world!
Okay, so we will move on to Verse 3 in our next Faith-Filled Friday, which will actually be a couple of Fridays from today as you and I will be having Coffee in Cabo next Friday!
Hugs and smiles,
Evinda