It’s HOT! I mean sizzling Hot!!!

The kind of heat that does not leave you questioning if you could indeed fry an egg on the sidewalk! All kinds of records have been broken this week all over the United States with record breaking high temperatures! The worst part for many is the consecutive days of heat, where you feel no relief and no end in sight!

This reminds me of our Christian Life when we hit trials and difficult days. It can feel like there is no end in sight! It can seem like no one else “gets it.” And if they do “get it”, it still feels like we are a part of the ‘Weak and Weary Club.’ We feel our strength drain from us. We look around and feel like no one is on our side. Our days seem long and our nights even longer! We grow weary of doing good, and long for our heavenly home. We find ourselves thinking of Heaven, and may even on occasion, ask God to take us there.

Trials are tough, perseverance is difficult, and we may find ourselves desiring to be this weeks Hero!

“It was by Faith that Enoch was taken up to Heaven without dying – He disappeared, because God took him.”  Hebrews 11:5a

WHAT? SIGN ME UP!
I mean, what a way to go! Pain free, no hassle, no doctors, no meds, no messiness whatsoever, just “taken up to Heaven without dying.”

You heard me right! God took Enoch to Heaven with Him without Enoch having to die!

Now, before you get too jealous and a bit of envy sets into your spirit, read the rest of the verse with me…

“For before he was taken up, he was know as a person who pleased God.”

Hebrews 11:5b

This was not a “free ride!” This was not an old fashioned “E ticket” at Disneyland that got you on all of the best rides! This was a life lived to please God! This was PERSEVERANCE, for a life time! Listen to the dictionary definition of PERSEVERANCE:

“A steady PERSISTENCE in a course of action, a purpose, a state etc…

Now catch this last part…

“especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.”

This Hero of ours stayed the course! He “Walked the Walk, and didn’t just talk the talk!”
He became an Action Hero of the Faith because he “pleased God,” in what he did, not just what he said!

The Theological definition of PERSEVERANCE is “Continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.”

Boy, did this prove true for our Hero! He continued, PERSEVERED, walking in close fellowship with God all of his life, and God took him home to heaven with him without dying first!

God “took him.” Genesis 5:24

Now, if you are thinking…”easy for him,” stop right there!
Nothing about our Hero, Enoch’s life was “EASY!” The Bible tells us that in order to “PLEASE GOD” we are required to;
“Fear the Lord our God, and live in a way that please Him, and love Him and serve Him with all of our heart and soul. And always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees.” Deuteronomy 10:12-13

That’s all our Hero had to do, No Big Deal!

Are you kidding me? I think I mess up on the first two before I’ve stumbled my way down the stairs to pour my first cup of coffee!

What truly sets our Hero apart, and makes him a True Action Hero of the Faith, is that he did it for 365 years!

“Enoch lived for 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God.” Genesis 5:23-24

Again, this is inspiring! I struggle daily to “keep on keeping on,” to “walk humbly with my God.” Enoch did this PERSISTENTLY for 365 years!

If you and I are going to live Action Hero Lives then we must be PERSISTENT!

TRUTH BOMB

ACTION HEROES ARE PERSISTENT!

Enoch walked closely with God for 365 years! It can be done friends! You and I can walk closely with God if we will Persist, Not Give Up, Keep On Getting Up When We Fall, and ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE PERSISTENT!

Stay the course, be purposeful and be gracious along the way!

This is the mark of an Action Hero of the Faith!

Speak Truth Love