November 4 | By Faith Noah Was Obedient

Series | The Life of Amazing Faith

Scripture | Hebrews 11:7, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.”

Lesson 4 | By Faith Noah Was Obedient

Noah is one of the most famous people in the entire Bible.  Most people know the story of the flood and how God commanded Him to build an ark to save the animals along with his family (his wife, three sons, and their wives- 8 in total).  As a matter of fact the story of Noah’s ark is probably the most retold Old Testament story in Sunday school.  Teachers love to have children color the pictures of the animals going in the ark.

However, what most people forgot is that millions of people died because of their sin.  The Bible records in Genesis 6:5-8, “5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”  

Therefore, Noah was not only righteous in his walk with God when everyone around him was evil, but he was also obedient to build an ark to save the whole human race and the entire animal kingdom.  The author of Hebrews stated that his faith was so outstanding in comparison to the faithlessness around him that his faith literally “condemned the world.”  In other words, because he was faithful and others were not, God was totally just in destroying everyone else because it was their choice to reject God’s commands.

We can learn from Noah three very important things, (1) To always follow God’s commands- even if no one around us does; (2) Guard and preserve our families from the corruption of the world; and lastly, (3) Serve God faithfully with holy fear.  Therefore, in view of Noah’s faith, I challenge you in this wicked and perverse end time generation to live a life of faith being fully obedient to God!     

Reflection | Are you obedient to everything God has commanded you to do?

Action | (1) Repent if you have not been obedient to all of God’s commands, John 14:15. (2) Read God’s Word daily and follow all that He gives you to do. (3) Lastly, by faith, live a life of total obedience to God’s commands and plans. 

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Ezekiel 10:1-11:25, Hebrews 6:1-20, Psalm 105:16-36, & Proverbs 27:1-2. Click here to read online.

November 3 | By Faith Enoch Pleased God

Series | The Life of Amazing Faith

Scripture | Hebrews 11:5, “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.”

Lesson 3 | By Faith Enoch Pleased God

Enoch, which means “dedicated,” was a very mysterious person in the Bible.  His entire life is only mentioned in three verses found in Genesis 5:22-24, “22 … Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

The author of Hebrews makes mention of Enoch in the New Testament as an example of great faith because he so pleased God that He “took him” up to heaven to be with Him!  Most scholars believe Enoch was an example of being raptured.  Meaning, his physical body was transformed into a heavenly body and brought directly to heaven, 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. 

Enoch was someone who most likely lived in a time when serving God was not popular because approximately 100 years after his departure only Noah and his immediate family were found to be righteous.  I imagine that while people were worshipping idols based on myth, nature, or their ancestry- Enoch was worshipping and making sacrifice to God.  Thus, we can safely assume that either Enoch lived in a time of great spiritual decline or at its beginning stages.  Either way I believe Enoch stood out because he had “walked faithfully with God” when others didn’t.

As a result, Enoch serves as a great example for us today of someone who had a faithful relationship to God.  God doesn’t desire our religious practices based on imaginations- He wants a genuine personal relationship with us.  Therefore, by faith walk with God daily and please Him in all you do.     

Reflection | Do you want to be in a faithful and intimate relationship with God? In other words, do you want to faithfully walk with God?

Action | (1) Repent if you have made loving God about religion rather than a relationship. (2) Seek God in prayer and ask Him to walk with you everyday. (3) Lastly, live your life as a friend of God (like Enoch)- walking with the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:25.    

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Ezekiel 7:1-9:11, Hebrews 5:1-14, Psalm 105:1-15, & Proverbs 26:28. Click here to read online.

November 2 | By Faith Abel Gave God His Best

Series | The Life of Amazing Faith

Scripture | Hebrews 11:4, “By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.”

Lesson 2 | By Faith Abel Gave God His Best

Most people know the story of Cain and Abel; however, the only part some know is just that Cain murdered Abel.  What has been lost in modern times is the reason why Cain wanted to kill his brother in the first place.  In the above passage the author of Hebrews reminds his readers that by faith Abel “brought God a better offering than Cain.”  Thus, Cain killed Abel out of jealousy because of his brother’s offering!

Genesis 4:3-7 records, “3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

The reason why Abel’s offering was accepted is because he gave God the best from his flock- the first born.  And the reason why Cain’s offering was rejected was because “in the course of time” he gave God whatever he had leftover from his fruits.  Consequently, God told Cain that if did what was right like Abel (give his first and best), He would bless him too.  However, if he allowed the sin of jealously to stay in his heart it would master him.  Eventually, we know that Cain refused to do what Abel did and thus was conquered by his sin and murdered his own brother, Genesis 4:8.

The lesson of faith we can learn from Abel is: to always put God first in our finances and give Him our best.  The modern way of doing this would be in your tithes and offerings.  By faith, always give God 10% of your total income and prayerfully give an offering above that from your remaining 90% to sow seed into God’s kingdom.        

Reflection | Do you have faith in God to give Him your best when it comes to money?

Action | (1) Read what God teaches about tithes and offerings in Malachi 3:6-12. (2) Put your full trust and belief in what God says concerning your finances in regards to tithes and offerings. (3) Lastly, by faith, be a committed giver of tithes and offerings to your local church and receive God’s blessings like Abel did, Matthew 6:19-21!    

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Ezekiel 3:16-6:14, Hebrews 4:1-16, Psalm 104:24-35, & Proverbs 26:27. Click here to read online.

November 1 | Heroes of the Faith

Series | The Life of Amazing Faith

Scripture | Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Lesson 1 | Heroes of the Faith

The Bible is full of inspiring stories about ordinary people that did extraordinary things because God was with them.  The book of Hebrews in chapter 11 lists many of these great men and women of faith to encourage the reader to have the same kind of faith in God that they had.  In other words, if we have faith in God and do what they did- we can see what they saw!

For inspiration the author of Hebrews mentioned the offering of Abel (11:4), the intimacy of Enoch (11:5), the righteousness of Noah (11:7), the obedience of Abraham (11:8), the promised child of Sarah (11:11), the blessing of Isaac (11:20), the dreams of Joseph (11:22), the leadership of Moses (11:23), the help of Rehab (11:31), and many more (11:32).  And what did all these awesome men and women have in common?  Faith in God. 

The book of Hebrews defines faith as, “… confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see,” Hebrews 11:1.  Also, Paul said in Romans 10:17, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”  And James wrote, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead,” James 2:17. 

Therefore, biblical faith starts by first hearing the Word of God, then second believing what God has spoken, and lastly acting on what God said.  As a result, according to Hebrews, “This is what the ancients were commended for,” Hebrews 11:2.  

All of us can do great things and have amazing faith- we just need to read God’s Word, believe what it says, and then act in obedience!

Reflection | Do you want to live your life with amazing faith?

Action | (1) Make time everyday to pray and read God’s Word. (2) Put your full trust and belief in whatever God says. (3) Lastly, act on God’s Word and watch what He will do on your behalf!  

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Ezekiel 1:1-3:15, Hebrews 3:1-19, Psalm 104:1-23, & Proverbs 26:24-26. Click here to read online.