**Daily Devotional** **May 16** *14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. - Heb 11:14-16 (KJV)* This is talking about Abraham and Sara, and they were following God’s leading and seeking a new country (heaven). We should all be looking forward into the future and not behind as Paul wrote (Philippians 3:13-14). This verse tells us that if Abraham and Sara had thought about the country they had left, they might have had the chance to return to it, and that would have been going against what God told them to do. This would have been sin for them. If you think about this verse it is saying that you can not sin unless you first think about it (Proverbs 4:23). Otherwise you can’t do something unless you first think of it. This means if we can control what we think about, we won’t sin – it’s that simple. Don’t think it and you won’t do it. God was not ashamed to be called their God, as they had a lot of faith, and faith is what pleases God (Hebrews 11:6). Abraham had a tremendous amount of faith, and he was not perfect by any means, but he was single minded upon the promises of God, and controlled what he thought about so much that he wasn’t tempted to sin against God by disobeying Him. God had promised him that his seed (Jesus) would be as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore, and Abraham believed God. If we would have the strong faith of Abraham in the promises of God, and obeyed Jesus (Hebrews 5:9), then He would not be ashamed of us. We have the faith (Galatians 5:22-23) – just use it. Devotional by Pastor Joe W. Green, www.infinite-faith.com