Praise the Lord for
the gift of faith the Lord bestows on us. Faith is a common denominator among
all persons. Every one alive daily expresses faith in something or somebody. No
one can live a single day without exercising faith – at least faith in the
physical world. Faith is also expressed in the spiritual realm. Each of us,
regardless of our background, or education, social status or talent can express
faith. ,The difference between the faith we exercise in our daily routine and
our spirtual faith is the object of that faith. Again, everyone places their
faith in something or someone. The humanist put his faith in himself. The
follower of religion puts faith in his own good works. vNone of these can save,
because in each case the object of faith is wrong.v Our faith is only as good as
the object in which we place our faith. vThe Bible insists that we personally
put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 says, “Nor is there salvation
in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which
we must be saved.”
I love to read the " Faith Chapter " in Hebrews 11. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”
True faith is confident obedience to God’s word in spite of circumstances or consequences. Faith is described in a two-fold way. It is the “substance of things hoped for,” and “the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is the foundation that gives the believer the confidence to stand. In other words, “faith is the confidence of things hoped for.” This confidence was well illustrated in the life of the missionary to China, Hudson Taylor. “When Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary, first went to China, it was in a sailing vessel. Very close to the shore of cannibal islands the ship was caught in a calm., and it was slowly drifting toward the shore …and the savages were eagerly anticipating a feast. The captain came to Mr. Taylor and sought him to pray for the help of God. ‘I will,’ said Taylor, ‘provided you set your sails to catch the breeze.’ The Captain declined to make himself a laughing stock by unfurling the sails in a dead calm. Taylor said, ‘I will not undertake to pray for the vessel unless you will prepare the sails.’ And it was done. While engaged in prayer, there was a knock at the door of his stateroom. “Who is there?” The captains voice responded, ‘Are your still praying for wind?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Well,’ said the captain ‘you better stop praying for we have more wind than we can manage.’” [Paul Lee Tan. Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations. (Rockville, Maryland: Assurance Publishers, 1979). # 1493]
“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” The story of Noah’s generation is the story of the degeneration of humanity into sin. (Gen 6:5-7). “The wickedness of man was great… every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Gen 6: 5, 11) It is also the story of the marvelous grace of God, in saving Noah, who believed, and his family. Noah stood alone against the whole world. Jesus used the “days of Noah” as representative of the condition of the world before his own second coming (Matt. 24:37-39). He indicated that his followers should be prepared to face the same kind of scornful hostility that Noah met day after day.
Noah built an Ark because he believed God. Every tree he felled shouted faith. Every board he sawed shouted faith. Every swing of his hammer was an exercise in faith. Every seam to which he applied pitch evidenced his faith. Do our works reflect our faith? Faith will make us work. Only Noah's steadfast belief in God kept him faithful for the 120 years cutting the trees and planning the construction of the Ark.
The ark was 450 feet long, 75 ft wide and 45 ft. high, which means that it was one and a half times the length of a football field and more than four stories high, it could hardly hide from the ridicule of the scoffers. Imagine the mockery and jeering that Noah must have faced on a daily basis as he built this huge ship. It was a hundred miles from the nearest ocean and far too large to move closer to water. Though all the people around him refused to believe Noah’s witness concerning the coming flood he, in faith, went right on working and witnessing, building the ark and warning of the coming judgement. Then, as a final act of faith, he and his family stepped into the ark and closed the door.
Noah was a man of faith and his life continually showed his faith. Can the same be said of us? Noah worshiped God faithfully as Abel had, he walked with God faithfully as Enoch had, and he worked for God faithfully.
I love to read the " Faith Chapter " in Hebrews 11. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”
True faith is confident obedience to God’s word in spite of circumstances or consequences. Faith is described in a two-fold way. It is the “substance of things hoped for,” and “the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is the foundation that gives the believer the confidence to stand. In other words, “faith is the confidence of things hoped for.” This confidence was well illustrated in the life of the missionary to China, Hudson Taylor. “When Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary, first went to China, it was in a sailing vessel. Very close to the shore of cannibal islands the ship was caught in a calm., and it was slowly drifting toward the shore …and the savages were eagerly anticipating a feast. The captain came to Mr. Taylor and sought him to pray for the help of God. ‘I will,’ said Taylor, ‘provided you set your sails to catch the breeze.’ The Captain declined to make himself a laughing stock by unfurling the sails in a dead calm. Taylor said, ‘I will not undertake to pray for the vessel unless you will prepare the sails.’ And it was done. While engaged in prayer, there was a knock at the door of his stateroom. “Who is there?” The captains voice responded, ‘Are your still praying for wind?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Well,’ said the captain ‘you better stop praying for we have more wind than we can manage.’” [Paul Lee Tan. Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations. (Rockville, Maryland: Assurance Publishers, 1979). # 1493]
“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” The story of Noah’s generation is the story of the degeneration of humanity into sin. (Gen 6:5-7). “The wickedness of man was great… every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Gen 6: 5, 11) It is also the story of the marvelous grace of God, in saving Noah, who believed, and his family. Noah stood alone against the whole world. Jesus used the “days of Noah” as representative of the condition of the world before his own second coming (Matt. 24:37-39). He indicated that his followers should be prepared to face the same kind of scornful hostility that Noah met day after day.
Noah built an Ark because he believed God. Every tree he felled shouted faith. Every board he sawed shouted faith. Every swing of his hammer was an exercise in faith. Every seam to which he applied pitch evidenced his faith. Do our works reflect our faith? Faith will make us work. Only Noah's steadfast belief in God kept him faithful for the 120 years cutting the trees and planning the construction of the Ark.
The ark was 450 feet long, 75 ft wide and 45 ft. high, which means that it was one and a half times the length of a football field and more than four stories high, it could hardly hide from the ridicule of the scoffers. Imagine the mockery and jeering that Noah must have faced on a daily basis as he built this huge ship. It was a hundred miles from the nearest ocean and far too large to move closer to water. Though all the people around him refused to believe Noah’s witness concerning the coming flood he, in faith, went right on working and witnessing, building the ark and warning of the coming judgement. Then, as a final act of faith, he and his family stepped into the ark and closed the door.
Noah was a man of faith and his life continually showed his faith. Can the same be said of us? Noah worshiped God faithfully as Abel had, he walked with God faithfully as Enoch had, and he worked for God faithfully.
In
Christ,
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