By faith

By faith… By hoping in something very real, believing in the unseen. Through faith and faith alone!


Heb 11:4 By FAITH Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.


Able's righteousness was proven in the sacrifice he offered to God. Able's righteousness will live on forever and ever, he died in his righteousness through his faith in God. When you die in your faith your righteousness - which is Christ's righteousness - lives on. Faith in God, Faith in Christ, Faith in the righteousness of God brings righteousness to the faithful. It doesn't say- Abel was righteous in and of himself. It doesn't say- Abel's offering witnessed of his righteousness. It says- BY FAITH and by faith unto who? God! Without the faith in God there is NO RIGHTEOUSNESS.


Heb 11:5 By FAITH Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.


By faith- he please God. We can't please God without faith it is impossible!


Heb 11:6 But without FAITH it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.


Heb 11:7 By FAITH Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by FAITH.


By faith- Noah prepared an ark. God warned and Noah believed, Noah had faith that what God warned would come to pass. We have to believe what God warns will come to pass. Through His word God has warned us plenty!


Heb 11:8 By FAITH Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.


By faith- He was called and He obeyed.


Heb 11:9 By FAITH he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.


WE look for a city whose builder and maker is God too! Just as they looked. Just as Abraham looked we look! Aren't you looking for a city whose builder and maker is God?


Psa 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.


Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.


Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world


Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.


Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.


We look for this city! We must look for this city! We must look for Christ our Savior to return to take us to this new city that isn't made by man's hands, but God's! And we look how? By faith!


We must believe!


As children you might have been told if you just close your eyes and wish hard enough for something that it will come true. You are told to make a wish and blow out candles on a cake, and that wish will come true. You are told to throw money into a wishing well and make a wish, and it will come true. As children we believe- as adults we don't believe because the majority of those wishes never, ever come true. Wishing is hoping, hoping is faith. Children have faith and lose that faith. They lose faith in people when they are made promises and those promises don't come to pass. We lose faith in our partners when they make promises and don't keep them. It's easy to lose faith in other human beings because we are not God, we are not infallible, we cannot control things on the same realm as God. Having faith in God and having that faith realized when we inherit the kingdom prepared for us is our hope. Being with our Savior, living with our God, our King is our hope. Eternal life is a real hope, a real faith that will not fail because God will not fail us. Having faith in Him is everything, should be our everything!


Faith.


Without faith it is impossible to please God.


With faith we will be counted among those God will find righteous- in His righteousness.


More tomorrow as we continue to study faith, by the grace of our Lord and our Savior now and forever and ever! Amen. Amen! Amen!