Now faith is the substance
Of the things we hope for,
The evidence of the things
That as yet we cannot see.
So that faith is a substance
As real as my circumstance,
God provides the evidence
By His faithful providence.
By faith the elders of old
Received a good report,
Worlds by a word from God
Exist through His support.
By faith we accept all this
We were not there then,
But the Bible says it’s so
And dares to tell us when.
In the beginning God…
First cause of everything,
Nothing made without Him
Through Him all is existing.
Abel offered unto God
By faith his sacrifice,
And obtained the witness
That pointed to the Christ.
Enoch was translated
By Faith he did not die,
By his godly testimony
Death he would defy.
Without faith it’s impossible
To please the Great I AM,
Any one that comes to Him
Must believe or be damned.
For He is the Rewarder
Of all who seek Him out,
Who come to Him by faith
Hallelujah! Hear the shout!
By faith Noah was warned
Of things he had not seen
By faith he trusted God
In the ark he was redeemed.
Not only Noah alone
But seven in his family,
Would build the world anew
By faith through God Almighty.
Abraham was told to go
To a place he did not know,
By faith he obeyed and went
Knowing God had told him so.
God gave him Isaac and Jacob
Heirs of the same promise,
He looked for the city of God
There are many on that list.
By faith Sarah received
Strength to conceive his seed,
Delivered a child in old age
By faith, God’s word in deed.
Out of Abraham’s loins
A man who was good as dead,
Came forth a great multitude
By faith in the word that God said.
These all died in faith
The promise they didn’t receive,
But having seen afar off
They embraced and also believed.
They also sought a country
Unlike from which they came,
By faith they looked to heaven
By faith in Jesus’ name.
Abraham was severely tried
By faith he offered Isaac,
And almost slew the little lad
But God stopped him in his track.
Isaac was the promised seed
In whom all would be blessed,
By faith he blessed his two sons
Before he took his rest.
By faith when he was dying
Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons,
By faith Joseph before he died
Told of deliverance to come.
By faith Moses was hidden
In the great river Nile,
Raised in Pharoah’s courts
Yet never was defiled.
By faith he forsook Egypt
Fearing not the wrath of the King,
Trusting Him Who is invisible,
He who can do anything.
By faith he kept the Passover
And sprinkling of the blood,
And passing through the Red Sea
Experienced that God is good.
By faith Rehab the harlot
Hid the spies from being found.
By faith the walls of Jericho
Came crashing to the ground.
There is more that can be said
Of Barak, Jephthah and Gideon,
Of David, Samuel and Samson
Who by faith subdued kingdoms.
These stopped the mouths of lions
Quenched the violence of fire,
Escaped the edge of the sword
And out of weakness were inspired.
Women received their dead
Raised to life again,
Others for a better resurrection
Endured all the pain.
Others were cruelly mocked
Some stoned and sawn asunder,
Some imprisoned yet with bonds
Some in sheepskins wandered.
Destitute, afflicted and tormented
Of whom the world was not worthy,
They wandered in deserts and dens
But kept their spiritual integrity.
And having obtained a good report
Received not the promise then,
God provided something better
By faith we can be perfect in him.
Stewart Russell © 2014
