The next kind of faith that the writer of Hebrews tells us pleases God is faith that walks in obedience to God and His moral laws when the present governing authorities are asking us to do just the opposite. The writer of Hebrews first example of this is Moses’ parents, who, in defiance of Pharaoh, did not kill their baby Moses, but kept him alive in obedience to God. The writer of Hebrews then tells us about Moses' defiance of governing authorities by protecting a Hebrew brother and then fleeing Egypt because he chose "rather to endure ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin" (Heb 11:25). The writer of Hebrews tells us that Moses did this because he believed in the invisible Christ and in heaven and in the life to come and that if he walked in obedience to God that he would receive a reward in heaven.

The writer of Hebrews then goes on to tell us about men of faith who were pleasing to God because they endured affliction, ill-treatment and destitution as a result of their walking in obedience to God. There is a lie in our land today that states that if you really have faith then you won't lack anything, you won't suffer anything. That is not what the writer of Hebrews tells us. The writer of Hebrews tells us that these men who had nothing, that were destitute, ill-treated and afflicted had their faith approved by God. This is what Jesus was talking about in John 7:24 when he said, "Do not judge according to appearance but judge with righteous judgment."

Why am I sharing all this with You? There is another kind of faith Jesus talked about many times that pleases God that most Christians do not practice. This is a faith that says,

I Believe that if I invest in Jesus’ Kingdom now by using my life, free time, money, talents and resources to share the Gospel with others, that God will reward me ONE-HUNDRED TIMES MORE in Heaven than what I could possibly accumulate in this temporary life now.

The first thing Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19-21 is that to invest in and store up treasures on this earth is a bad investment.  The reason is because thieves will steal it and rust and time and moths will destroy it. The Apostle Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:7 that this earth will be destroyed with fire when Jesus comes back. The point being that any investment we make in this life will not last. It is only temporary.

Jesus, however, goes on to tell us that if we invest in His Kingdom that He will give us treasures in Heaven that will last forever, never to be destroyed by anything: not rust, moths, times or thieves. This is because there are no thieves in Heaven.

So, if a person claims to be a born again Christian, a believer in Heaven and Hell, that Heaven is more real than this earth; but then invests only in this earth and not in Heaven, does that person really believe what he is professing with his mouth? That person is saying to Jesus, I do not believe You. It is not true that if I invest in your kingdom that it will assure an eternal reward for me one-hundred times better than anything this life has to offer, so I better invest in this life now!

Do You want to know why America has become a pagan nation? It is because they see Christians claiming one thing with their mouths, but in life-style professing just the opposite. When a Christian invests in this life only, he or she does not demonstrate to the world that they have faith or that Heaven is more real than the earth. They tell the world the same thing the world believes: That this life is all there is so grab for everything you can now. That person tells the world and Jesus that they do not have any faith at all. But when a Christian confesses that Heaven is more real than earth not only with his mouth but through his investing all that he has in Jesus' Kingdom in this life now, that person shows that they really do have faith in what Jesus said and to the world as well. This is the kind of faith that pleases God. This is what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 7:20 when He said, "So then, you will know them by their fruits." What is the fruit of your life? What are you demonstrating through the way you live and invest with what God has given to you? This is the kind of faith James is talking about in James 2:18 when he says,

"But someone may well say, ‘You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’"

James tells us in this chapter that faith without demonstrated works is useless, dead. If you say You believe Heaven is more real than this earth but then only invest in this earth, do you really have faith? James says no.

In another passage Jesus said,

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, shall receive many times as much, and shall inherit eternal life." (Matt 19:29).

Jesus says that the one who will give Him their time and resources to reach out to the lost, hurting and scattered, that He will give that person a hundred times as much in the life to come. Again I ask the question, if a person claims to be a born again Christian and that he has faith in Jesus and in what He says, but then does not give Jesus time in his or her week to go out and share the love of Jesus Christ with men, does that person have faith? That person calls Jesus a liar. That person says that they are an unbeliever. That person says, It isn't true that if I invest in Jesus' Kingdom, I will have a better life in heaven forever with riches and rewards forever; so I better invest in this life now because when it is over it is over. That person has no faith at all.

Many times when I share this with a person they will say, I am saved by faith, not by works. I am not talking about saving faith here. I am talking to born again Christians who claim that Jesus is good and true and can be trusted. If you say you believe that, then why don't you take Jesus at his word and get involved in the Battle of the souls of men and invest in Heaven where you will receive a one-hundred times more than anything this life has to offer?

Do you ever wonder why Jesus gave Paul so much space in the Bible? Could it be He wanted us to learn and copy his example of the Christian life? Paul was a real believer. Paul believed Heaven was more real than this earth. Paul proved this by investing all that he was and had into the kingdom of God, even his very life. Do You know what Paul said about believers who make this life and this life only their focus? This is what he said,

"For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things." (Phil 3:18-19).

Paul tells us that these kind of Christians are enemies of the Gospel, not friends. Paul goes on to tell us why,

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Phil 3:20)

Paul tells us that we are no longer citizens of earth but of Heaven. So why do we live as if we are of this world only with no future in Heaven? Paul tells us that when we make this life and the things of this life our focus we literally become enemies of the cross of Christ because by our life-style in this way we are telling mankind that this life is more real than heaven, that this life is more important to invest in than heaven. That kind of life style says to man, Don't turn to Jesus and serve Him! You are a fool to do so! Invest in this life and this life only, because this life is all there is! That is why that kind of Christian is an enemy of the Gospel. He says with his mouth he is a believer, but in life-style that he is an unbeliever.

Am I saying that if you follow Jesus you will not suffer loss in this life, persecution, loss of jobs, wives, husbands, homes, possessions? No. But what did Jesus again say about all this? Jesus promised this:

"Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matt 5:11-12).

Again Jesus tells us that we will have reward in heaven, an investment that will last throughout eternity. Brothers and sisters, it is really true! Really, really, really!

When we invest in Jesus' Kingdom rather than in this temporary life, we show that we really do have faith in Jesus and His promises and when we demonstrate this kind of faith, we demonstrate faith that is pleasing to God.

When we fully invest in the kingdom of God to bring other men and woman to Jesus, we are witnessing to the world that heaven is more real than this earth and eternally permanent and thus a sure and good investment, and we are pleasing God with our faith. We are pleasing God with our faith because we are telling God by this kind of life-style that He is a good God who will more than compensate us in heaven if we will wholly give ourselves to Him now in this life, even if it means the loss of everything. Believe me, it will. I know because in the thirty-four years I have walked with God and shared the Gospel with others in America, I have at various times suffered the loss of all this life has to offer. That is because Satan is the God of this world and rewards only those who serve him (2 Cor 4:3-4).

How about you? Do you want to please God? When You invest your life, resources and gifts into His kingdom, you are demonstrating faith, not saving faith which only comes through Jesus’ shed blood, but you are demonstrating faith that pleases God and says to God,

This is the kind of faith that pleases God.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it." (Matt 13:44-46).