Study Desk

Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see.

Noah was warned by God about things that he could not yet see. But he had faith and respect for God, so he built a large boat to save his family. With his faith, Noah showed that the world was wrong. And he became one of those who are made right with God through faith.

Abraham was waiting for the city that has real foundations. He was waiting for the city that is planned and built by God.

When people accept something like that, they show they are waiting for a country that will be their own.

But they were waiting for a better country—a heavenly country. So God is not ashamed to be called their God. And he has prepared a city for them.

And the mother and father of Moses hid him for three months after he was born. They did this because they had faith. They saw that Moses was a beautiful baby. And they were not afraid to disobey the king's order.

He thought it was better to suffer for the Messiah than to have all the treasures of Egypt. He was waiting for the reward that God would give him.

And the walls of Jericho fell because of the faith of God's people. They marched around the walls for seven days, and then the walls fell.

The world was not good enough for these great people. They had to wander in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the ground.

God planned something better for us. He wanted to make us perfect. Of course, he wanted those great people to be made perfect too, but not before we could all enjoy that blessing together.

We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne.

You are struggling against sin, but you have not had to give up your life for the cause.

Our fathers on earth disciplined us for a short time in the way they thought was best. But God disciplines us to help us so that we can be holy like him.

Be careful that no one commits sexual sin. And be careful that no one is like Esau and never thinks about God. As the oldest son, Esau would have inherited everything from his father. But he sold all that for a single meal.

Be careful and don't refuse to listen when God speaks. Those people refused to listen to him when he warned them on earth. And they did not escape. Now God is speaking from heaven. So now it will be worse for those who refuse to listen to him.

Don't let all kinds of strange teachings lead you into the wrong way. Depend only on God's grace for spiritual strength, not on rules about foods. Obeying those rules doesn't help anyone.

The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place and offers that blood for sins. But the bodies of those animals are burned outside the camp.

Here on earth we don't have a city that lasts forever. But we are waiting for the city that we will have in the future.

Obey your leaders. Be willing to do what they say. They are responsible for your spiritual welfare, so they are always watching to protect you. Obey them so that their work will give them joy, not grief. It won't help you to make it hard for them.

Continue praying for us. We feel right about what we do, because we always try to do what is best.