November 19 – Hebrews 11:4-12. Heritage of Faith

November 19 – Hebrews 11:4-12. Heritage of Faith

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. 


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. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 


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. 


By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

The author of Hebrews takes us into the great Hall of Faith.

Even though these first men have died, notice how their faith continues.

Abel died, but he still speaks to us.

Enoch was taken away, but he believes that God exists and will reward those who earnestly seek him.

Noah became heir of the righteousness.

Abraham produced descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

How will your faith continue?

I look back through my father’s genealogy and find a heritage of faith.  His father was a pastor his mother was an incredible Christian woman.  There was no one more loving and forgiving than that woman and she had a lot of children to love and a lot of hurt in her life that she quietly forgave.

She was so forgiving that it drove her children crazy, but she refused to live with anger in her life.  Her faith in God’s hand on her life was greater than anything else in this world and that faith was what supported her in everything she did.

Her parents were strong people of faith and that faith went back through the generations.

Even if you can’t look back through generations of faith in your family – what are you teaching your children and grandchildren?  Will they be able to look at you and mark events that changed your lives due to your faith?