Living by faith implies that we must do something most of us don’t want to do…WAIT - pushing away from temporary satisfaction of sin, in favor of waiting for the eternal benefits of obeying our Savior as modeled by the ancient Hebrew heroes of the faith.

It is by this kind of faith that the Hebrew ancestors were approved and modeled for others like us to follow.

Noah warned about something he had not yet seen - a great flood. By faith (trusting God) Noah built an ark that saved his family. 

Like Enoch, Noah walked with God (Gen 6:9), living like God exists and God rewards those who seek Him. But others on the earth were corrupt in God’s sight (Gen 6:11), so the Creator decided to start over, to reboot life on earth with Noah, his family, and the animals God would bring to him.

God shares His plan and gives Noah the blueprint for building the ark - 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high - with 3 decks (1.5 football fields long, and half it’s width). Noah and his family begin the massive task which would have taken many years (the Scripture doesn’t tell us how long).

Noah must have warned others of what was coming, and probably faced ridicule and persecution for it, since no one besides his family joined them. While others went on like judgement was never coming, Noah and family were preparing and, by faith, trusting God for the yet unseen flood.

Noah lived by faith - trusting what God said, while the world around him refused to respond to God’s warnings. So while the rest of mankind faced the judgement of God, Noah and his family were saved through the judgement   …all because they had genuine faith - living like God exists and God rewards those who seek Him.

Would YOU leave your family and friends just because God told you to…without any details? God promised to bless Abraham by giving him a family that would bless all people on the earth (Gen 12:1-3). 

Leaving his home and friends, Abraham went to a place to live among people he did not know. Instead of building a huge home and settling down, he and his family continued living in tents, as if they were just on a journey rather than making this their home. Why was he willing to do that? Abraham was living to see the city that was built by God. He was looking forward to an ETERNAL HOME rather than just an EARTHLY HOME. Abraham lived BY FAITH - sure of what he hoped for, and convinced of what he did not yet see. 

Abraham had Genuine faith - living like God exists and God rewards those who seek Him.

Is that TRUE of YOU? 

While we live in this world, do we really recognize that this world is NOT our home? Do we long for the new creation (no sin, sickness, or death…) WITH the God who exists - the One we know will reward us with eternal life?

Hebrews 11:11–12 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful. Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.

God had years earlier promised to multiply His family like the stars of the sky (Gen 15:5), but it was years later before that occurred. 3 strangers come to talk with Abraham (1 is Yahweh in skin).

The Scriptures tell us Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 years old (Gn 17:17) at this point! This elderly woman who couldn’t have children her whole life is quietly chuckling about the possibility of such an incredible promise.

Sarah’s laughter later turned to wonder and excitement as she PUT FAITH IN the One who was faithful to fulfill His promise - Who did give them them Isaac, through whom the Hebrew people, and the Hebrew Messiah, would come.

These Hebrew Heroes lived by Faith, living like: 1) God exists and 2) God rewards those who seek Him.

And while God was gracious to fulfill many of His promises during the life of Abraham and Sarah, there were some promises that would not be fulfilled until AFTER they died. 

They didn’t get to see this Promised Land become their own - still foreigners, living in tents, in the land God had promised them.

They didn’t get to see their family become a mighty nation, beyond some grandkids and great-grandkids.

Just like us, these Hebrew heroes had not SEEN this heavenly place that God had prepared for them…but they TRUSTED GOD…they LIVED BY FAITH…they were sure of what he hoped for, and convinced of what they did not yet see.

They were willing to wait...

...living like God exists and God rewards [those who seek Him

So until we see our God and the place He prepares for us…we will patiently wait and passionately obey what He has told us to do.

FEET2FAITH

Memorize & Marinate on Philippians 1:27a.

Philippians 1:27a As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ...

Read Hebrews 11 and the cross references - like we did today. Your Bible often has SUPERSCRIPT LETTERS - go back and read those OR look up the person’s name in the CONCORDANCE (back of Bible) or SEARCH and read more about them.

Listen to “While I’m Waiting” by John Waller and let it become the prayer of your heart. [www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gjXBMC8-oM]