"The Holiest of ALL" part CVI

FAITH BLESSING THE CHILDREN.
Hebrews 11: 20-23  By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

Now Continuing with the SECOND HALF-PRACTICAL.
Hebrews Chapters 10:19 - 13: 25
Of a Life in the Power of the Great Salvation.

In the TENTH SECTION
Hebrews 11: 1-40.
The Fulness of Faith.

BY THE REV. ANDREW MURRAY

It is remarkable how much, both in this chapter and throughout all Scripture, trust has to do with the relationship of parents and children. In nature the life of the parents is imparted to the children. In the spiritual world it may be so too; the intercourse of trust with God reaches the children too; the man of strong trusting is a blessing to his children. We have seen in Noah and Abraham and Sarah how largely their trusting was turned into faith by God and how God then had to do with their children. And here we find four more examples.

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau. His blessing on his children was the manifestation of his trusting in the promise of God to his father and himself, and the transmission of the blessing to them. By personal knowledge of God's faithfulness Jacob/Israel blessed each of the sons of Israel, giving each of them their place in the future that was coming. By the same personal knowledge Joseph made mention of the departure of the children of Israel saying, " I die, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land." By faith Moses was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child. Their trusting in the destiny they knew was waiting for the children of Israel (the Hebrews, in the material or external since, the Israel of God in the since as being spiritual, as having passed through death into Life), and in the mercy of God watching over His people, gave them the courage not to fear the king's commandment. In all these cases their trusting became faith and was the secret inspiration of their treatment of their children, and the source of blessing. God's Faith and faithfulness never confines itself to the person of the believer himself, but takes in his house and children.

And how is it that the Christian parent can secure this longed-for blessing for his children? There is but one answer: By trusting God's faithfulness. Our life must be all trusting--- that is, the unseen things must be our life, yes, rather, the unseen God must become our life. The blessing and the Authority and power are His; and it is as we have more of God in our life and in our home, there will be the hidden power resting on our children. Faith does not only mean a Knowing that there is a Covenant promise for our children, and a requesting of it in prayer. This is an exercise of God's faithfulness, and has its great value. But the chief thing is the Life; trust is the making way for God and giving Him first place in our life. And when at times the vision tarries, and the promise appears to fail, trust understands this as only a call to more trusting God more completely and more confidently. As we hold fast our confidence firm to the end, as in patience and long-suffering we become strong in God's faith, giving glory back to God, we shall Know for certain that we shall inherit this promise too. I will be your God and the God of your seed. (Those who have placed their total care and trust in the Faithfulness of God having passed through death into Newness of Life in Christ Jesus. emphasis added)

From the patriarchs we learn what the atmosphere and what the soil is in which there grows such a trust that blesses the children. They were living in the land of promise as strangers and pilgrims, or in Egypt as strangers and pilgrims too, longing for the return to the land and a city not yet known of man. Their whole life was hope in God and what He would do. They were men whom God had taken hold of, to prove in their history how gloriously He would fulfill His promise. And they had nothing to live on but God. It is a law of nature that no body can be in two places at the sametime. This is just as true of the heart. When God took Abraham and his seed out of their country, it was that the land of promise, the land of separation from men and the spirit of the world, of separation unto God (a land not yet in their possession a city not made by mans hands eternal.. emphasis added), might be to them the training-school to develop a trusting in His faithfulness. They went out from the fellowship of home and family, to live in the intimacy of God. It was there they learned by His faithfulness to bless the children.

Separation from the world, a being set apart unto God, the denial of self and its life, the imitation of Abraham in his going out, of Christ in His Self-sacrifice,--- this is the only Way to the Land of promise where the faith-life flourishes. To live wholly for God, to hope alone in God, always to walk with God, in all things to hearken to God,--- this is the New and Living Way into the Inner Sanctuary, in which Jesus our High Priest leads us. What the land of promise was to the patriarchs, as the place for the life of separation and obedience and trusting His faithfulness, that the Holiest of All is to us. That is the place of which God has said to us: Get out of your land, to a place that I will show to you, and I will bless you,--- that is the only place where our trust can grow freely to become faith, and God can prove all His power in us, so that we, like they, can be a display of what God can do. And that is the place where our trust will in full measure be a Blessing to our children.(This is the Canaan Land flowing with milk and honey found only in Christ Jesus our High Priest-King. emphasis added)

It is only by His faith that we can be blessed. God is Willing to Bless us to larger circles than our own house. He is calling for vessels, empty vessels not a few, in which He can multiply His Blessing. He is the only fountain of Blessing; as our trusting grows into faith and yields to God, and allows Him to be all, His Blessing will flow. Let the Christian who would be a blessing be a man of trust first as a receptive one,--- that is, a man who has nothing and is nothing in or of himself, and in whom God has free scope to do His Will and Divine work, and the Blessing will not be wanting. Oh! that God might have the place that belongs to Him in this His own world. And if that may not yet be--- oh, that He might have that place in the hearts of His people. And if it is as if even that will not yet be--- oh, let Him have His proper place, my reader, in your heart and in mine. Let our trust become His faith, then we can see and consent and prove that God is all, and He will prove that He is a God of Blessing for you and all around you.

1. Parent, teacher, worker, the secret of blessing in the work, the power to influence, is simple trusting. Not simply the trust in some promise at times, but the habit of a Holy trusting in God's faith that makes God the All of our life. Have trust in the faithfulness found in God as the God of your life, the God who maintains His Life and presence within you then He will work through you.
2. How blessed to be an instrument in the hands of God, with which He works out His purpose; to be a vessel He fills with His Love.
3. Learn to regard yourself as set to be a blessing, and let trusting have its perfect working unto faith and love mark your whole life.