Heb 11:1 Faith is the Substance of things Hoped for, the Evidence of things not seen.

We read this verse, we quote it, we hear it quoted, but how many really know what it means?

 Firmly established belief is the is the fundamental reality of things desired with expectation, the proof of things not perceived with the eyes.

I wonder how many times I've quoted this verse to others, not understanding quite what it means.

How many of us have used the word faith and didn't have a real belief? How many of us have said that we have a belief in something and we still harbor doubts to its validity? How many of us have spoken the word *hope* when we actually didn't have any hope, because we were not actually expecting something to come out the way we wanted it to?

Do we even regard the word *substance* in this verse? Substance = something real. It's tangible. 

We hope for things but do we hope expecting to receive?

Evidence = proof. Faith is proof.

Not seen is not perceived with the eyes.

Faith is a sense that we don't actually rely on much. We use our other five senses to promote this *sixth sense*. We use sight most of the time to promote faith.

If we get stuck in the mud, we rely on being stuck there. We can't *see* with our heart being free and clear of the mud. We can hope for someone to get us out of the mud, but we don't expect them to.

We refer to doubting Thomas, who would not believe Christ rose from the dead except he see and feel the proof. Many of us are doubting Thomases. WE have to see something to believe it.

We see someone sick. How many of us believe the person is healed? Only a few of us. The others are relying on their eyesight. A doctor says they are going to die. Do we have any doubt that the person will die? No, because a man expressed his opinion. Do we consider the fact that Christ, in His crucifixion, healed us of all diseases? No, because the doctor said the person was going to die and he has the education and knowledge to be able to predict the death. We believe in Christ, and we believe He can heal, but not in this case. We can't see the healing. Therefore, it isn't Christ's Will to heal this person.

We search God's Will continually and He's already told us His Will. We read His Will for us, but what we see doesn't match up with what He has said. So we keep searching. How does that display a belief in His Word?

We are constantly doubting God.

I think it is time we believe ALL THINGS God has said to us.

Blessings....

Rita