A Bright Future...TODAY!

Download the December issue of The Harvest Times.

At the threshold of a new year, these words from missionary David Woods are a good reminder for all of us who want to see God move in 2017.

Painting by Zenia Woods

Our hearts thrill as we read through the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11. We wish to dare such exploits for God. But verse thirteen almost seems discouraging. These heroes died in faith, not receiving the promise. But the writer's point is not to discourage us, for he goes on to say that these saints saw the promises and greeted them even afar off.

This enhances our understanding of the first verse of this chapter: "Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see" (GWT). Even though the future is not yet real, we experience it as real today … through faith.

In other words, we must no longer view our future hope as some distant promise, but instead, through faith, begin to live it today. Do we believe our church can grow? Then we view life and act as if our church is growing today! Do we believe sinners will be saved? Then we must work today to reach them! Do we want to see believers equipped for ministry? Then we must train them today for God's service!

Our church can have a bright future; it starts TODAY!