Hey wow, it´s december 2.

ok, so, thursday nights are our cell group and this past thursday it was my turn to teach. I talked about Hebrews 11, the faith chapter, because that´s what I´ve been working on memorizing this week. (Finished memorizing it on friday) So this is what I talked about.

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (11:1) This means not worrying about the future because we have faith that God will take care of it. And being certain that God is God, even though we can´t see him face to face. Or, as my youth pastor put it, Faith is confidence that God is who he says he is and that he will do what he says he will do. Hebrews 11 lists off all the great people from the bible and how they were commended for being faithful people. Like Abraham, after he was finally able to have a son, was told to sacrifice him, literally, to God, even though God had told him "it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." So, Abraham, trusted and had confidence that God is God and that God would do what he had promised todo, such as make Abraham´s descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. So, if you dont knoe the story, God was only testing Abraham´s trust and faith in him and did not require him to go through with the sacrifice. And so Abraham was commended as one who pleased God.

It says in verse 6 I believe that without faith it is impossible to please God because everyone who comes to him but believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Later it says everyone mentioned in Hebrews 11 was still living by faith when they died and so pleased God.

Then I went on to James 2 where it talks about faith without action is dead. Like you can´t see someone who is hungry and cold and tell them "Good luck! I hope things get better for you!" and not do what you can to help them. Such faith, if not accompanied by action is dead.

So we must live by faith and trust that God is God, and then put our faith into action by helping those around us. Meanwhile, when they ask why we are helping them, we have the opportunity to proclaim God to them.

so, that´s what I´ve been learning and teaching about this week. I will be home in fewer than 2 weeks. (hey mom, how´d you like that grammatical goodness?) thanks for the prayers, and I can´t wait to see everyone!