Broadcast date: October 3, 1999

Some people say that the Bible is nothing but a bunch of fairy tales. How are things like: creating out of nothing a whole universe, walking on top of the water, surviving a night in a den of hungry lions, killing one thousand men all by oneself, walking through fire and not being burned, dying through an illness and then rising to life again... possible? Such people dismiss the Bible with the thought that it's not real; and they think that Christians who believe such things should get real, too.

I am a Christian, and the Bible is to me a most beautiful book. I don't believe it's just a collection of far fetched stories. No, on the contrary, it is the true account of God's wonderful deeds amongst His people. I honestly believe that all those miracles I just listed really happened - and many more besides.

Let me read with you a portion from Hebrews chapter 11. This is a well known chapter in which many people are listed who lived by faith. It is what I would like to talk with you about today: By faith all things are possible, for faith is complete reliance on the power and promises of God.

Why don't you read along with me Hebrews 11:30-39. (Announcer: read vs. 39 as "....and all these obtained a good testimony through faith." STOP)

This, dear listeners, is the story of the power of faith! The Bible is full of such stories. These examples are reported so that you and I will place all our trust in God. We must rely on Him so completely that the only fear we could possibly have is the fear of being faithless to Him. Those who live by faith... live!

To further illustrate this point I want to share with you a story from the Old Testament. It's a favourite among young children and adults alike. Though I won't be reading directly from the Bible, the story is found in Daniel chapter 6.

Daniel was an Israelite. He, along with all the other Israelites now lived in Babylon. Because of their disobedience they had been sent into exile by the Lord God Himself. They had a lesson to learn - a hard one. One day when the Lord considered it time, they would return to their own country - a humbled nation. Meanwhile they had become part of the Babylonian people. Some even held very important positions in the King's court. Daniel was one of these. The King had recognised his leadership qualities when Daniel was still a young man. He became one of the esteemed "wise men" who counselled the king; and, in time, a new King arose who made Daniel governor of his kingdom.

The other servants were very jealous of this Israelite and plotted against him. They watched Daniel very closely to see if he would do anything which would put him out the king's favour. But Daniel was a very faithful man. He worked hard as an obedient servant - he did so because of his great love for the Lord.

Busy as he was, however, he always found time to pray to his Lord. This he did three times a day, kneeling unashamedly in his room in front of an open window. He longed to go back to Jerusalem, where the beautiful temple once stood, to build it up again, and to worship God there. this was his hope and prayer as he looked out of his window in the direction of Jerusalem.

The other servants noticed that Daniel prayed every day. It gave them an idea. They quickly went to the King and persuaded him to set a new decree for all people living in Babylon. In order to show respect to him, the King, alone, no one was allowed to pray to anyone or any god, no one was allowed to ask anything of anyone, except from Darius, the King. This became the law, then and there! If anyone disobeyed he would be punished most severely and thrown into a den of lions.

Daniel was in a trap! He knew that this new law meant that he was not allowed to pray to his God any more. But Daniel loved the Lord and although he was the King's most respected servant, he continued to pray to God three times a day.

It wasn't long before his enemies caught him at it and they hurried to the king to inform him that Daniel was disobeying his command, and so he must be thrown to the lions. Darius, the king, now saw how foolish the new law was - he did not want Daniel to be executed. Daniel was such a faithful servant and it harmed no one that he was also a faithful servant of his God.

All day long he tried to think of ways to save Daniel, but there was nothing to be done. He was trapped by his own law that could not be amended or repealed.

When evening came, Daniel was brought to the lion's den. "Daniel," said the king, "I cannot do anything for you, but may your God who you serve continually, rescue you!"

The king then returned to his home. But all night he tossed and turned, he could neither eat nor sleep; and very early in the morning, as soon as the new day began to dawn, he hurried to the lion's den.

And what about Daniel? He spent a much more peaceful night among those ferocious lions than the king had spent on his bed. "My God sent his angel," he reported to the king, "and He shut the mouths of the lions..." He had spent a tranquil night. He'd put his trust completely in God Almighty. And God gave him peace and security, whilst the king who wasn't even in the lion's den himself, spent a night in unrest.

The king was overjoyed to find Daniel alive and unharmed. "Take him out of there immediately," he ordered the guards. When he realised he had been tricked into making this law, he had the servants who plotted against Daniel arrested and thrown into the den of lions in his place. Then Daniel was put in an even more honoured position than before. In addition, Darius made it law that everyone in Babylon should serve and worship the God to whom Daniel prayed, and who had saved him from the lions.

Friends, what an amazing story! A fairytale? Absolutely not! Possible? Absolutely! Remember how I began this broadcast. By faith all things are possible for faith is complete reliance on the power and promises of God.

Daniel had FAITH! That absolute trust in God gave him complete peace and security in the midst of fearful circumstances. As a result he was not afraid of his enemies who plotted to kill him; he did not fear the king's decree; he was not scared of the hungry lions.

The only fear he would have had was the fear of being faithless to his Lord and Master! Thus he did everything in his power not to let this happen. Such is the assurance of faith my friends!

A Christian who truly believes, has God's rich promises to live by. One such promise is found in Isaiah chapter 43: 1-3. There the Lord says to His people: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour."

These are beautiful words, listeners. It had to be promises like that which motivated all those people listed in Hebrews 11. Do you still remember those texts? We read about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets:"who through Faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to fight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again..."

In another place the apostle Paul writes; "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

So how is such faith possible? Hebrews 12: 1-2 gives the answer. "Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us... run with endurance the race that is set before us, Looking Unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Friends, living a Christian life is like running a race. We must be encouraged and instructed by the "cloud of witnesses" who "by faith" ran and obtained the prize. And, above all, our eyes must be fixed on Jesus.

When it comes to faith and endurance, HE is the one who has showed us how. All those witnesses mentioned in chapter 11 of Hebrews give us plenty of incentive. But Christ is faith's trailblazer, and He Himself ran the race from start to finish. We should look to Jesus, and see how his whole life was characterised by His faith in God. He endured a lot of pain and suffering, finally dying on the cross. It was a matter of obedience to the Father for Him, and of reaching the joy, the end of the race.

And He did all this so that we, His children, could be saved.

That's the beauty of it all. He died so that we could be saved! He gives faith. He inspires and encourages us to run with endurance, to walk in godliness, until we share His glory.

Friends, are you prepared to let Jesus do this for you, too? Are you prepared to repent from your sins, to turn to God, to live in faith, and receive all the beautiful promises you heard so much about today? I pray that the Lord will so work it in you that you too could be counted as God's people - each and everyone of you - that you'll become men and women of faith! Then you'll need to be afraid of nothing, for God has redeemed you.

Remember, friends, that those who live by faith...truly live!

Last modified: November 23, 1999