by Dennis Gladden, By Green Pastures, ©2026
(May 13, 2026) — As we near the end of this guide on faith, I cannot close without speaking to its classic definition in the book of Hebrews.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 1:1).
Faith is not pie in the sky. It begins when our Father in heaven speaks, but its roots are in the dust of the earth, in those God made in His image.
This guide has presented the many evidences of faith—attention to Scripture, worship, serving one another, relishing God’s creation, listening and talking to God in prayer.
When God births faith in a person, these signs of life appear. As the Apostle James wrote, “I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18).
The one who lives by faith lives as Jesus lived.
But the definition in Hebrews introduces a new dimension. Faith is tangible. It is visible. Faith is the evidence and substance of something beyond itself.
We see examples of this in the New Covenant.
- Jesus saw the faith of those who tore through a roof to drop a paralyzed friend at His feet for healing (Matthew 9:2).
- We see the faith of Peter, small as it was, when he stepped out of a boat to walk on the waves of Galilee.
- Paul marveled at the believers in Thessalonica about how their “faith toward God has gone out” (1 Thessalonians 1:8).
Faith is not fluff. It reminds us here and now of things that are not here yet.
Faith sows hope.
What do you hope for?
Really, before you read on, identify two or three of your hopes.
Here are some things I hope for:
- World peace. I don’t mean in the goofy sense that contestants mention in beauty pageants. I hope for a generation where my grandchildren live free of violence and corruption, where they are secure and can prosper.
- The Lord’s prayer answered. One of the prayer’s petitions is, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Our ways are not the Lord’s ways, and the behavior I observe convinces me that life on earth would be immeasurably better if God’s ways prevailed. It would be heaven on earth.
How about things you haven’t seen yet? Anything on your list?
I want to see heaven and Jesus and everyone who’s there.
Now, what grounds do we have for these hopes? Are they the stuff of dreams and fairy tales?
It seems like it. When I see the news and watch my neighbors, things look hopeless.
This is where faith intervenes and says my eyes deceive me. Faith anchors us in God, who “calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Romans 4:17).
God clued Noah into a forthcoming flood before it ever rained. The ark became the substance of Noah’s faith, the evidence of cloudbursts that had never been seen. “I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation,” God said (Genesis 7:1).
Read the rest here.
FYI, what it means, I don’t know but 2-3 days before a “severe stenosis heart operation,” I saw Jesus for less than a trillionth of a second standing next to my hospital bed.
I don’t know if I was awake or dreaming, it happened so fast and was, as you may imagine, more powerful than my mere words can convey.
But surely, you’d know if you were awake or dreaming. Sorry, not in this case and I’ve racked my brain over it; what possible difference would it make anyway?
By the way, the operation was a total success.
Pastor Dunkin
Pastor Dunkin, thank you for your comment. Like you, I don’t know what it means, but certainly you’ve had an experience of a lifetime. Glad to hear the surgery was a complete success.