Hebrews 11

http://www.esvbible.org/Hebrews+11/

I love Hebrews 11:1: "Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see." God accepts people because of their faith. Faith convinces us that God created the world through His word. This means that everything that can be seen came from what cannot be seen. (Scientists have recently discovered that the universe most likely came from anti matter, meaning that what can be seen came from what cannot be seen. Science is catching up to faith.) Faith led Abel to offer God a better sacrifice than Cain. Faith allowed Abel to receive God's approval. Faith enabled Enoch to be taken instead of dying. God took Enoch because He was pleased with him. No one can please God without faith. Whoever goes to God must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. Faith led Noah to listen to God when He warned him about the future things he could not see. Through faith, Noah condemned the world and and received God's approval. Faith enabled Abraham to leave his own country and go to the place that God told him would be his inheritance. Faith allowed Abraham to live as a foreigner in tents, like his son and grandson would also, waiting for the great city of permanent structure that God promised him. Faith allowed Abraham to become a father despite his old age and the fact that his wife, Sarah could not have children. He was as good as dead, but his descendants are more numerous than the stars in the sky or the sand on the beach. All these people died with faith. They lived as strangers, with no permanent home. They did not receive great things immediately but rejoiced for the things that they knew were coming because of faith. If they had wanted to, they could have gone home and lived insignificant lives, but they never thought of home because they were searching for their own country, a heavenly country. God is not ashamed to be called their God. When God tested Abraham, faith led Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. God had already promised Abraham that he would have a great many descendants, so Abraham had faith in God that this would happen in some way. Faith led Isaac to bless Jacob. While Jacob was dying, faith led him to bless Joseph's sons. Faith also led him to speak about the Israelites leaving Egypt and left them instructions. Faith led Moses's parents to hide him as a baby for three months because they knew that God had something special planned for him. Faith led Moses to live among God's people instead of as a son of Pharaoh's daughter. He suffered with the Israelites instead of enjoying the luxury of sin for a short time. Faith led Moses to leave Egypt without being afraid of the king. Faith led Moses to establish Passover and spread the blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not claim the Israelites' first born sons. Faith caused the people to walk on the Red Sea as if it was land while the lack of faith caused the Egyptians to drown. Faith caused the walls of Jericho to tumble down after the Israelites walked around them for seven days. Faith caused the prostitute Rahab to welcome the spies as friends, and she was not killed with the faithless people in her city. The author of Hebrews said that he could keep going and tell so many more great stories of faith that he does not have time to tell. Stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.Through faith they conquered kings, did what God approved of, and received what God had promised. They did the impossible. They had strength though they were weak. They had power ion battle. They received loved ones back from the dead. They were tortured but refused to give up what they believed because they knew that they would receive eternal life. They were killed, had to disguise themselves, were poor, abused, and mistreated, but they did it all because they let their faith lead them. All these people were known for their faith. All of the great heroes and people we can name from the Bible, even the Old Testament were great because of faith. If they had not had faith, they would have been done as soon as they died as all of the others who we don't know did. If we have faith, maybe we can leave a lasting impressions like these great people did. Live by faith and just see what God does through you.