CHURCH OF GOD FAITH FELLOWSHIP
  • Home
    • Spring Feast 2022
    • FOT 2018 >
      • Feast Schedule
      • Feast messages
  • Essays
    • Psalms of Ascent >
      • Psalm 120
      • Psalm 121
      • Psalm 122
      • Psalm 123
      • Psalm 124
      • Psalm 125
      • Psalm 126
      • Psalm 127
      • Psalm 128
      • Psalm 129
      • Psalm 130
    • Yes, There Is Good News!
    • Timely Comments - Blog
    • Christian Walk
    • Holy Days >
      • Passover >
        • children's lessons
      • Days of Unleavened Bread >
        • children's lessons
      • Pentecost >
        • children's lessons
      • Trumpets >
        • children's lessons
      • Atonement >
        • children's lessons
      • Feast of Tabernacles >
        • children's lessons
      • Eighth Day >
        • children's lessons
    • Holidays
  • Current Sabbath School
    • Sabbath School 2023
    • Sabbath School 2022
    • Sabbath School 2021
    • Sabbath school 2020
    • Sabbath School 2019
    • Sabbath school 2018
    • Sabbath School 2017
    • Sabbath School 2016
    • Sabbath School - 2015
    • Sabbath School 2014
    • Sabbath School: July-December 2013
  • 2023 Calendar
    • 2022 Calendar
    • 2021 Calendar
    • 2020 Calendar
    • 2019 Calendar
    • 2018 Calendar
    • 2017 Calendar
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
  • Newsletter
    • 2023 Newsletter
    • 2022 Newsletters
    • 2021 Newsletters
    • 2020 Newsletters
    • 2019 newsletters
    • 2018 Newsletter archives
    • 2017 Newsletter archives
    • 2016 Newsletter archives
    • 2015 Newsletter archives
    • 2014 Newsletter Archives
    • 2013 Newsletter archives
  • Hebron
    • Hebron - 2014 >
      • April 2014 - Michael Deering's visit >
        • Photos from Michael
      • May 2014 - Tom Benzen's visit >
        • Gardening photos
      • July 2014 - Apples >
        • More Apple Photos
      • August 2014 - New orphans
      • September 2014 - Education >
        • September photos
      • October 2014 - Cyclone
      • December 2014
    • Hebron - 2015 >
      • January 2015
      • March 2015
      • April 2015 - Passover
      • October 2015 >
        • Ice Cream photos
    • Hebron - 2016 >
      • January 2016 photos
      • Passover 2016 >
        • Passover photos
      • Pentecost photos 2016
      • July 2016 - Evening Prayers
      • Apples - July 2016
      • Aug 2016
    • Hebron Building Project >
      • photos of building project
    • Hebron 2017 >
      • Pentecost 2017 photos
      • July 2017 lunch photos
      • Nursing/regular students
      • Lunchtime - Oct 2017
      • Feast of Tabernacles photos
      • October Thank You
      • Nursing Students
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2018 >
      • Passover 2018
      • Baby boy!!
      • Feast of Tabernacles 2018 >
        • Feast photos
    • Hebron 2021 >
      • Photos January 2021
      • February photos
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2022
  • Career Direct

Yes! There Is Good News!

Bill Rollins has been publishing each week a column in the local Elk Horn, Iowa paper for the past several years.
Note the original publication date on each blog post

Yes! There is Good News!                       10.28.17

1/7/2021

0 Comments

 
We have been considering Abraham “our father” in the past few articles, and truly there is much more to visit about this one who is called “the father of the faithful.” In the book of Hebrews we find what many have called “the faith chapter” or others call “the hall of fame of the faithful.” And yes, Abraham is found there.

Following faith statements concerning Abel, Enoch and Noah, we read in Hebrews 11:8, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went out even though he did not know where he was going.” Can we have some fun for a moment and listen in on the conversation God had with this man of faith? “Abram, I need you to move your household.” “OK God, shall I find a house across town?” “No, I will require you to make a much longer journey.” When all was said and done, God had His servant Abram pack up all his possessions and move approximately 1000 miles. That is about the distance from our town of Elk Horn to Atlanta Georgia and he and his household traveled by camel and donkey. “Are we there yet, Father?”

Yes, Abraham was an obedient servant of God!! Hebrews 11:9, “By faith he made his home in the Promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.” One thing we find out about Abraham is that he was an extremely wealthy man and yet his life in this land of promise was to him as living in a foreign country. And throughout his life he dwelt in tents. Genesis 13:2 tells us that “he had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.” How long did he live in tents? The bible tells us that he was 75 years old when he made this 1000 mile journey and he lived to a very ripe old age of 175 – his tent dwelling days were 100 years!!

My friends, by definition a tent is a temporary dwelling. If we would understand our father Abraham’s example we should perhaps come to grips with this life we are now living and ask ourselves the question, “Are we living here today as strangers in a foreign country?” Do we understand that this amazing body we have been given by God is also just a temporary dwelling?

As we continue on reading in Hebrews 11, let us go on to verse 10, “For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” There is a song that we sometimes sing in our worship service, perhaps you are familiar with it, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.” I think of this song when I consider Abraham’s lesson for us.

Are you looking to this world for the fulfillment of your dreams? Or are you like “Father Abraham,” looking forward to that “city with foundations whose architect and builder is God?”

That is where the reality of the good news lies.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Bill Rollins resides in Elk Horn, IA, with his wife, Sally, and has pastored the Church of God of Omaha, NE for more than 35 years.

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
    • Spring Feast 2022
    • FOT 2018 >
      • Feast Schedule
      • Feast messages
  • Essays
    • Psalms of Ascent >
      • Psalm 120
      • Psalm 121
      • Psalm 122
      • Psalm 123
      • Psalm 124
      • Psalm 125
      • Psalm 126
      • Psalm 127
      • Psalm 128
      • Psalm 129
      • Psalm 130
    • Yes, There Is Good News!
    • Timely Comments - Blog
    • Christian Walk
    • Holy Days >
      • Passover >
        • children's lessons
      • Days of Unleavened Bread >
        • children's lessons
      • Pentecost >
        • children's lessons
      • Trumpets >
        • children's lessons
      • Atonement >
        • children's lessons
      • Feast of Tabernacles >
        • children's lessons
      • Eighth Day >
        • children's lessons
    • Holidays
  • Current Sabbath School
    • Sabbath School 2023
    • Sabbath School 2022
    • Sabbath School 2021
    • Sabbath school 2020
    • Sabbath School 2019
    • Sabbath school 2018
    • Sabbath School 2017
    • Sabbath School 2016
    • Sabbath School - 2015
    • Sabbath School 2014
    • Sabbath School: July-December 2013
  • 2023 Calendar
    • 2022 Calendar
    • 2021 Calendar
    • 2020 Calendar
    • 2019 Calendar
    • 2018 Calendar
    • 2017 Calendar
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
  • Newsletter
    • 2023 Newsletter
    • 2022 Newsletters
    • 2021 Newsletters
    • 2020 Newsletters
    • 2019 newsletters
    • 2018 Newsletter archives
    • 2017 Newsletter archives
    • 2016 Newsletter archives
    • 2015 Newsletter archives
    • 2014 Newsletter Archives
    • 2013 Newsletter archives
  • Hebron
    • Hebron - 2014 >
      • April 2014 - Michael Deering's visit >
        • Photos from Michael
      • May 2014 - Tom Benzen's visit >
        • Gardening photos
      • July 2014 - Apples >
        • More Apple Photos
      • August 2014 - New orphans
      • September 2014 - Education >
        • September photos
      • October 2014 - Cyclone
      • December 2014
    • Hebron - 2015 >
      • January 2015
      • March 2015
      • April 2015 - Passover
      • October 2015 >
        • Ice Cream photos
    • Hebron - 2016 >
      • January 2016 photos
      • Passover 2016 >
        • Passover photos
      • Pentecost photos 2016
      • July 2016 - Evening Prayers
      • Apples - July 2016
      • Aug 2016
    • Hebron Building Project >
      • photos of building project
    • Hebron 2017 >
      • Pentecost 2017 photos
      • July 2017 lunch photos
      • Nursing/regular students
      • Lunchtime - Oct 2017
      • Feast of Tabernacles photos
      • October Thank You
      • Nursing Students
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2018 >
      • Passover 2018
      • Baby boy!!
      • Feast of Tabernacles 2018 >
        • Feast photos
    • Hebron 2021 >
      • Photos January 2021
      • February photos
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2022
  • Career Direct