Hall of Faith Series Ending

   “Build a strong faith in God through daily commitment in reading and obeying God’s word” (Lailah Gifty Akita).

   Through this whole series I hope you were able to learn some lessons from people who had faith. One lesson I learned was that it is not easy to have faith. I knew that before I even started this series but it became even more evident as the series went on. The people in the Hall of Faith are there because even when things got tough they trusted God in the end.

   At the beginning of the series I invited you to check out the song Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns. In the song is says “Oh what I would do to have, The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in, Onto the crashing waves.” Peter was asked to do something crazy. It was something that was not possible in our human minds. Yet, he still did it. The song goes on to say, “The waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me… they keep on telling me time and time again, ‘boy, you’ll never win!” When Peter stepped out in faith and kept his eyes on Jesus he was fine. Then he looked at the storm going on around him and started to sink. This is the part where we say Peter failed.

   The people in the Hall of Faith were not perfect. Moses was a murderer, Rahab was a prostitute, Samson relied on his own strength, David was an adulterer, and they all made mistakes. Many times we feel bad and guilty when we mess up. We think that God may never be able to use us again or that he won’t forgive us. That just isn’t true. God can use our weaknesses for his glory. He changes our weaknesses into strengths. We just have to trust in him, grow in him, and have faith. We must listen to the Voice of Truth that says “Do not be afraid! And the voice of truth says, ‘this is for my glory.’” God loves us no matter what we do. The people in the Hall of Faith knew that and loved Him back. They reflected his glory.

   So, what lessons have you learned from this series? What can you do to strengthen your faith in God?

Hebrews 11
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Trials: The Prophets Hall of Faith

   “Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of” (Charles Spurgeon).

   The prophets are the last group of people mentioned in the Hall of Faith. Thinking about the prophets a few come to mind: Elisha, Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, etc. Here’s the thing, all of these men lived a life many of us would not want. They lived in the wilderness, performed miracles, spoke to kings, and followed God. I am not saying we wouldn’t want to follow God or perform miracles but I am sure you would not want to feel like you are all alone in the world.

   Each of the prophets faced trials. They had armies and kings against them but it did not matter. The prophets knew that whatever they faced was worth it because God had a plan. These men told others the word of God fearlessly. They did countless things to reflect God’s glory.

   We may not face the kinds of trials the prophets did. We probably will not have armies against us, kings want to kill us, or be asked to lie on our side for many days. But, God will call us to do things. And, we will go through trials. We just have to be willing to walk through those trials with God and reflect his glory.

   So, will you be willing to do what God calls you to do? When you have to walk through trials will you walk through them with God?

   James 1:12, John 16:33, Luke 10:27

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Listening: Samuel Hall of Faith

   “Listening to God-which is a key part of practicing His presence-is not a method, but a walk with a person” (Leanne Payne).

   Samuel’s story began before he was born. His mother promised to give her son to God if she would be allowed to have a child. Therefore, Samuel was called to ministry before he was born. Samuel was a boy and was taken care of by Eli. Eli was a priest but he did not necessarily follow God.

   Samuel was a boy and he was staying in the house of the Lord. He heard a voice. Samuel ran to Eli; and Eli told Samuel he did not call him. It must be the Lord. Samuel went back and when he heard the Lord call again he said, “Here I am.” Then the Lord spoke to Samuel. From that point on Samuel listened to the Lord and obeyed him.

   Samuel could have chosen to say “I do not want to be a prophet of God. It was not my choice to listen and follow God.” But, Samuel chose to follow God. God may be calling you to do something. You have a choice: you can either listen to God or disobey him. If you disobey then you may end up like Jonah where you run away and God’s plan still comes about. But, if you choose to listen to the calling God gives you, you could reach so many people for his glory.

   So, if God talks to you will you listen? If you are called to do something will you choose to obey?

   1 Samuel 3, John 14:15, John 8:47
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Receiving what Was Promised in God's Time: David Hall of Faith

   “That old law about ‘an eye for an eye’ leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing” (Martin Luther King, Jr.).

   David was probably one of the best kings of Israel. He followed God and chose to obey God’s commandments. David was promised that he would become king. He was blessed by God when he defeated Goliath, he married the King’s daughter, and was a major part of the King’s army. David was set up in Saul’s household. He probably thought that he was going to become king in that traditional way. God had different plans.

   Saul began to hate David because Saul thought David would take his kingdom. Saul even tried to kill David many times. David had the chance to kill Saul twice. David had an army behind him. He even had people offer to kill Saul for him but David refused. David knew that he would receive the promise in due time. He refused to do what was wrong in order to gain something for himself.

   Nowadays many people say do what you need to do to get ahead. Success is measured in how quickly you can get to the top. It does not matter how you get there or who you have to trample. But, God tells us to do the opposite. We are to love everyone and we are not to repay evil for evil. It is our job to trust God and let him bring about his plan in due time.

   So, if someone wrongs you will you take vengeance upon them? Will you love those who wrong you? Will you trust that God has a plan for you?

   1 Samuel 24, Romans 12:17-21, Luke 6:32-42

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Helping Those who Hurt You: Jephthah Hall of Faith

   “The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others” (Albert Schweitzer).

   Jephthah was a judge of Israel. The funny thing was that Jephthah was kicked out of his family because his mother was a prostitute. He settled in another land. Then one day Israelites came to him and begged him to be their commander. The Ammonites were fighting the Israelites. Now, if you were kicked out of your family would you want to help them out? Probably not, and Jephthah did not want to help them at first. Then he was offered the chance to be the head of Gilead.

   Jephthah could have just looked out for himself. The Ammonites were not fighting him. Yes, Jephthah did receive the reward of being the head of Gilead, but he chose to help the people who wronged him. He could have just gone about his life and let the Ammonites destroy Gilead. Jephthah stepped out in faith and chose to fight against the people who were fighting his people and God was with him.

   We may be called to help people out who hurt us. It is not easy to love our enemies but God calls us to do that. He calls us to love others in faith.

   So, will you help those who wrong you? Will you trust in God if he calls you to help someone you may not want to help? What can you do to help someone today?

   Judges 11, Philippians 2:4, Matthew 5:44
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From Weakness to Strength: Samson Hall of Faith

   “Try to look at your weakness and convert it into your strength. That’s success” (Zig Ziglar).

   Samson is the person we think of when we think of when we think superhero. Yet, Samson is also the epitome of failure. He had it all: looks, family, strength, wit, and God’s blessing. He threw it all away for what? A girl who did not believe in God. Samson failed over and over again. How could he be in the Hall of Faith?

   Have you ever failed? Did you ever sin? I know we all have. Here’s what is important about failure: we cannot give up. We fail and God forgives. In the end Samson went back to God. He prayed and God gave him back his strength. For so long Samson was relying on his own strength. Even though he was the strongest man in the world, he still had many weaknesses. God can use those weaknesses for his glory.

   Samson would never have had the chance to destroy the temple to Dagon if he would have chosen right all the time. God knows we will fail but he can use those failures for his glory, as long as we stick with him and choose him in the end. That’s not to say we should purposefully sin. It is saying that God loves us even when we do sin.

   So, when you fail what will you do about it? Will you choose to use your weaknesses for God’s glory?

   Judges 16, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalm 34:17-20
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Trust and Obey: Barak Hall of Faith

   “When you feel like it’s too hard to obey God, remember that He will never tell you to do something without giving you the grace, power and ability to do it” (Joyce Meyer).

   Deborah was a prophet who was leading Israel. Sisera was harassing Israel at the time. Deborah sent for a man named Barak. Barak was to lead 10,000 Israelites against Sisera. To this Barak says that he wants Deborah to go with him. This does not seem like faith.

   In the end Barak and Deborah go and defeat Sisera. Even though Barak does not obey God right away in the end Barak follows orders. He trust and obeys. Would it have been better for Barak to trust in God right away? Yes, but in the end he chooses to obey God. That is what is important. We need to try to be like Barak. When we are called to do something we must trust and obey God.

   So, will you obey God no matter what he calls you to do? Will you trust that God has a plan?

   Judges 4, James 1:22, John 14:15
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Crazy Odds: Gideon Hall of Faith

   “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor” (Elon Musk).

   Gideon was a simple man and the least in his family when the Lord called him to action. At first, Gideon was unsure that God made the right choice in asking him to take on the Midianites; but, in the end, Gideon did what God called him to do. Now, in the time of Gideon the Israelites had many enemies like the Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern people. Gideon already faced a crazy amount of enemies.

   Gideon took his men and camped near Midian. God told Gideon to get rid of some of his men. Okay, so Gideon already faces so many enemies and God told Gideon to get rid of troops? He has the odds already stacked against him and now he is to have more odds against him? In the end Gideon has 300 men left. They used jars, trumpets, and torches to defeat the Midianites.

   God proved again that he can do what we think is impossible. Gideon must have looked crazy to others and he may have even thought he was crazy. In the end Gideon chose to follow God. Gideon trusted God even though he had crazy odds against him.

   At times we may feel like Gideon. We have incredible odds stacked against us. People are not lifting us up like they used to. Bad things continue to happen to us over and over. Or, we just may not feel like we can go on because of many things happening at once. God works through what we think is impossible. With God everything is possible. If God can defeat a huge army with three hundred men using only trumpets, jars, and torches can’t God defeat what you think is impossible?

   So, will you trust God if he calls you to do something? Do you believe that God can make the impossible possible?

   Judges 6-7, Matthew 19:26, Jeremiah 32:17

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Repenting Faith: Rahab Hall of Faith

   “Repentance means you change your mind so deeply that it changes you” (Bruce Wilkinson).

   Not too many women are mentioned in the Bible, let alone in the Hall of Faith. However, one woman who is mentioned is Rahab. Rahab was a prostitute. Why would a prostitute be in the Hall of Faith? One only has to look at her story to find out.

   The Israelites had just come to the area of the Promised Land. Now they just had to win the area. Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, was a smart tactician. He sent spies into Jericho in order to scope out the area. While the spies were in Jericho they had to find a place to hide. They entered into the house of Rahab. Now, Rahab was told by the King of Jericho to give the spies to him. Rahab could have given over the spies. In fact, she should have. She had no ties to these men and if she would have given the men over she may have been rewarded.

   Instead, Rahab said the men had come to her but they left the city. She then told them that they may be able to catch the spies if they hurry. The men left and Rahab went up to the roof where she had hidden the men. Rahab said she knew that the Lord had given this land to the Israelites. She had heard all the wonders that their God had done and wanted to join them. The spies agreed that she could come with them after they defeated Jericho.

   Rahab seems like an unlikely candidate for the Hall of Faith. However, in Rahab we see the epitome of repentance. She made her living doing something that most men and women despise. She decided that she no longer wanted to live that life. Rahab saw what God had done for the Israelites so she decided to turn away from her past life. She would no longer have money coming in and she would have to leave her home. But, she would gain a life with God. That is why Rahab is in the Hall of Faith. She gave up everything to follow him.

   What about you? Would you be willing to give up your old ways for God? Would you give up everything to follow him?

   Joshua 2, Acts 3:19, 2 Peter 3:9

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Faith in the Impossible: Israelites Hall of Faith

   “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God” (Corrie Ten Boom).

   One group of people who get a bad rap in the Bible were the Israelites. They had this constant pattern of trusting in God and then not trusting in him. When thinking of people who complain in the Bible, it is easy to think of the Israelites. They complained about being taken out of Egypt, they complained about getting manna, they complained about giants that they would need to fights, and over and over again they complained. Why are they in the Hall of Faith then?

   One thing I cannot stand is when people lump groups of people together. Whenever people hear about the Israelites we tend to think of all the complaining. But, not all the Israelites complained. Not all of the Israelites turned away from God. There was always a select few who followed God.

   We also have to put ourselves in their shoes. The Israelites were taken away from everything they knew. They had many crazy things happen to them and through it all they trusted God. When they were at the Red Sea they did not know that God would part the waters. They did not know they would be led by a pillar of fire and a cloud. They did not know that God would provide manna for them from ravens. Over and over the Israelites trusted God when crazy things happened. I mean, how would you feel if you had birds bring you your breakfast?

   We may not have crazy events happen like that today. But, at times, we do have to have crazy faith. God calls us to do many things and some of them may be difficult to do. In those times we need to remember the faith that the Israelites had.

   So, will you choose to have faith in God when the impossible seems to happen?

   Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11
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Doing What You Are Called to Do: Moses Hall of Faith

   “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase” (Martin Luther King Jr.).

   When thinking about faith it is easy to think of Moses as one of the most faithful people in the Bible. He gave up the throne in Egypt to follow God and be with his people. Then he listened to a burning bush and went back to Egypt. While he was there it was far from easy for him. His own people were against him, he had to go back to Pharaoh’s court, and he was performing miracles against people which made others dislike him even more.

   When Moses first went to Pharaoh, Pharaoh made the work for the Hebrews harder. In fact, even after the plagues started the Hebrews suffered the first three plagues along with the Egyptians. Moses was probably not the most popular person on top of he probably had doubts about his ability to deliver the Hebrews. But, here’s the thing, Moses wasn’t the one delivering the Hebrews, God was. Moses was just the person God used to deliver the Hebrews. God didn’t stop there. He guided Moses’ steps toward the Promised Land.

   In our lives we may be called to do things we don’t want to do or things that may make people upset. We must remember that God has a plan through it all. Even though Moses and the Hebrews had to go through plagues and other problems God always had a plan. God will always help us through our problems, just maybe not in the way we expect.

   So, when God calls you to do something hard will you choose to do it? Will you trust God even when difficulties come your way?

   Romans 8:28-30, 1 Corinthians 1:26, Colossians 2:23-24

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Facing Death: Moses' Parents Hall of Faith

   “Pray, and let God worry” (Martin Luther).

   An interesting group of people in the Hall of Faith is Moses’ parents. We all knew what Moses grew up to do but without Moses’ parents he would not have existed to be the deliverer. Moses’ parents risked the wrath of Pharaoh. They could have been killed because they hid a baby boy, which was a direct order against the king. They hid him for three months and then Moses’ mother did something every mother fears. She let her child go. She made a basket, put her child in the basket, and put the basket in the river.

   Moses’ parents faced many challenges at this time. They had to work as slaves, take care of their children, hide their youngest child from the guards, and all the while they faced the fear of death. Could you imagine facing all of that? Then you also had to give up your child! Through it all they trusted in God.

   We may not face death today but we do face a lot of stress. We also have to give up different people, places, and things. When we give up those things we need to remember that God opens and closes doors for a reason. If Moses’ parents had not let Moses go in faith then he would never have become the deliverer of the Israelites. When we face pressure and lose things we must remember that God is always by our side.

   So, would you have the kind of faith Moses’ parents had when facing pressure? What will you do when you face challenges? Do you believe that God has a plan for your life?

   James 1:12, Romans 12:12, Romans 5:3
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Forgiving Faith: Joseph Hall of Faith

   “There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love” (Bryant H. McGill).

   Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob. He was good with dreams, handsome, and Jacob’s favorite son. His brothers hated him for obvious reasons. In fact, some of them hated him so much they wanted him dead. Instead of death, Joseph was sold into slavery. Because of his brothers Joseph became a slave, was tempted, was falsely accused, was thrown in prison, and was forgotten by people he helped.

   According to the world's standards, Joseph had every right to be upset with God and with his brothers. He could have given up and not done his best. But, because he did his best the Lord was with him (Gen.39.2). Joseph had test after test in order to make sure that he would trust in God through it all.

   Joseph became second in command in all of Egypt. He was put in charge because he trusted in God. Joseph could have taken an army against his brothers when he was first put in command but he did not. He just wanted to move on and forget about them. But, God has a tendency to not let past hurts go untouched. Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt. Joseph had all the power and I am sure no one would have questioned him putting these men in prison or even killing them.

   In the end Joseph tested his brothers and saw their hearts had changed. He was betrayed in the worst way and yet he still forgave them. He did not forgive them on his own though. He forgave them by the grace of God. He realized that God meant this plan for good. Joseph had faith in God and his plan. Without that Joseph would not have become the man with one of the greatest comeback stories in the Bible.

   So, will you trust in God’s plan? Will you choose to forgive others even when they betray you?

   Mark 11:25, Ephesians 4:32, Genesis 50:20

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Never Give Up: Jacob Hall of Faith

   “Never give up on your dream… because you never know what the Lord can bless you with” (Kelly Rowland).

   Jacob was quite an interesting person in the Bible. When he was young all he seemed to care about was power. He was a trickster. He tricked his brother, Esau, into giving up his birthright. Jacob then went to Laban’s home where he wanted to marry Rachel, Laban’s daughter. The irony was that Laban tricked Jacob into working 14 years for him rather than 7. Jacob ended up marrying Leah and Rachel. Even though Jacob sinned against his fellow man and God, God blessed him.

   Jacob went back to his homeland. On the way he was worried about what Esau would do to him. Jacob stayed on one side of the river while his family was on the other side. During the night Jacob wrestled with a man till daybreak. The man even touched Jacob’s hip so it was wrenched while he was wrestling with him (Gen. 32.22-31). The man said “let me go, for it is daybreak.” Jacob refused to let the man go until the man blessed him. The man blessed Jacob.

   Jacob did make many mistakes but he never gave up. That is why God never gave up on him. Jacob had faith in God. It took Jacob a little bit to grow into his faith but that’s the beauty of it. Once we know God, we don’t stay like babies in our faith. Our faith grows. Jacob grew and never gave up. We can learn this lesson from a trickster. Never give up on God because he never gives up on you.

   So, do you need to grow in your faith? How can your faith in God grow today? Will you choose to never give up event though it is hard?

   Genesis 28-32, Galatians 6:9, 1 Peter 2:1-25

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Teaching Children the Ways of God: Isaac Hall of Faith

   “The family should be a closely knit group. The home should be a self-contained shelter of security; a kind of school where life’s basic lessons are taught; and a kind of church where God is honored; a place where wholesome recreation and simple pleasures are enjoyed.”~ Billy Graham

   The Bible does not mention Isaac much. We see him when Abraham is required by God to sacrifice him. I am sure that was a major experience for him. But, then the story somewhat goes on to talk about Isaac’s wife, Rebekah. Then it moves on to discussing Isaac’s sons, Jacob and Esau.

   Does that mean we cannot learn lessons from Isaac? No! Isaac is mentioned in the Hall of Faith for a reason. Isaac followed God and his commandments. Did he make some mistakes along the way? Yes, he favored one son over another. But, in Hebrews 11 we find out Isaac blessed his sons. Isaac taught his sons to love God. He brought his children up in a home where they were taught right from wrong.

   Children are our future. Isaac knew this and made sure to teach his children the ways of God. Isaac knew his job was to teach his children the ways of God. But, Isaac could not make his children believe. His children did fail in certain ways, but eventually they learned right from wrong. Thus, why Isaac is in the Hall of Faith: Isaac teaches us to bring up children and teach them the way of the Lord.

   So, will you teach children the ways of God? How can you bring your children up in the ways of God?

   Genesis 25:19-Genesis 27, Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 29:15

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Giving Up Your Glory: Sarah Hall of Faith

   "What are you really living for? It's crucial to realize that you either glorify God, or you glorify something or someone else. You're always making something look big. If you don't glorify God when you're involved in a conflict, you inevitably show that someone or something else rules your heart” (Ken Sande).
   One person in the Hall of Faith that may confuse some people is Sarah. Sarah was the wife of Abraham. She followed her husband and helped him make some not so good choices. Why would she be in the Hall of Faith?
   In Genesis 15 Abraham receives a covenant with the Lord. He is told that he will have a son and his descendants will outnumber the stars in the sky. In Genesis 16 Sarah tells Abraham to sleep with Hagar so that Abraham would receive what God promised. Now, this seems like Sarah isn't having faith in God because she's not waiting for God to work. However, Sarah was doing something many people now days would not do: reflecting God's glory. 
   Sarah could have said to Abraham that she did not want Hagar to have a child. Sarah could have been selfish and said, "I must be the one to bear the child of promise." Instead Sarah sacrifices her place as the head of the household and let's Hagar bear her child.  
   Now, we all know the rest of the story. Hagar mistreated Sarah, Sarah mistreated Hagar, God says Sarah will have a child at the age of ninety, Sarah laughed, Isaac is born, and Ishmael and Hagar are sent away. It kind of sounds like a soap opera. But, the point we need to take from all this is Sarah is in the Hall of Faith for a reason. She had faith and would have given up her glory in order to make sure the covenant was fulfilled.
   So, will you choose to reflect God's glory? Will you choose to follow God's plan and trust in him?

   Genesis 16, Genesis 21, 1 Corinthians 10:31

Giving Up Everything For God: Abraham Hall of Faith

   "Imagine what God would trust you with tomorrow if you trusted Him more today...” (Simon Lawton).
   Abraham was the start of the nation of Israel. However, when God chose Abraham he was far from perfect. Abraham worshiped other gods but when God called him to leave all he knew Abraham went.
   On this journey Abraham learned many things and was given great promises from God. God promised him land, children, and blessing. Abraham had to go through many trials before he received the promised child: Isaac. 
   Abraham loved Isaac as evident in Genesis 2:2 "Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac" He finally received what he was promised then God said this: "go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you."
   Abraham was asked to give up his most precious possession just because God asked him to. Abraham could have said no. It is evident from other passages that Abraham did not always trust God. This was Abraham's final test to see if he would trust Him. Abraham took Isaac and did what God called him to do. He stepped out in faith and trusted that God had a plan to keep the covenant He had with him. Would you be willing to give up your most precious possession for God? That's the kind of faith Abraham had.
   So, would you be willing to give up everything for God? Will you trust that God has a plan for your life?

   Genesis 2, Galatians 2:20, Matthew 19:21
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Faith During Criticism: Noah Hall of Faith

   "To learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings." George Mueller
   Noah was on the earth during a time of great wickedness. God looked throughout the earth and found only one righteous man, Noah. Could you imagine that? If you were Noah how would you feel? It would be neat for God to say you are righteous. But, then you would be alone in your faith. I don't know bout you but if I did not have godly friends I am not sure I could face some of the trials I go through. 
   Then, after God finds Noah faithful, God tells Noah to build an ark. Mind you, there may not have been rain before this time and God told Noah to build an ark on land. If you were a bystander what would you be thinking? You would probably think Noah was crazy, especially because he is building a large ark on land. More than likely Noah received criticism for what he was doing. 
   This is a time when no one believes in God, Noah is building a boat on land that is huge, and it probably took years to build this ark. Just picture what physical, mental, emotional, and even spuritual pain Noah and his family must have gone through. But, if Noah had not followed God in faith what would have happened? We would not be here today. Without Noah being willing to follow God we would not exist. 
In life, we may be asked to do crazy things. But, we must remember to be like Noah and follow God's plan no matter what criticisms we get.
   So, would you have been willing to do as Noah did even through the criticisms he probably received? Will you be willing to do what God calls you to do no matter what trials you face?
   Genesis 6-8, Psalm 119:133, James 1:12
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Walking With God: Enoch Hall of Faith

   “Those who walk with God, always reach their destination” (Henry Ford). 
   Enoch is one member of the Hall of Faith that we do not know much about. What we do know is that he lived to be 365. In today’s standard that is pretty impressive, but back then it was not that impressive. Many people lived to be anywhere from 700-1,000 years old back then. Why is Enoch in the Hall of Faith if all he did was live 365 years?
   Genesis 5:24 says: “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” That still does not seem that special unless you dig into the words. The Bible goes into detail in a lot of genealogies. The reason behind that is important but in this case we need to pay special attention to the wording. “God took him away.” Enoch was so faithful to God that Enoch did not have to die.
   I am not sure I could imagine being so faithful to God that I would not have to die. Other than that we don’t know much about Enoch. We do know that he “pleased God” (Heb.11.5-6). He walked with God so much that he was able to reach his destination: Paradise with God, without having to go through the pain of death. Now that’s what I call faith. 
   How can we walk with God? We need to spend time with him.  The way to do that is pray and dig in the word. Just because we do that does not mean we will not have to die. What it does mean is that we will be doing what we are called to do: walk with God in faith.
   So, will you choose to be like Enoch and walk with God? Will you spend time with God? Will you have faith and trust in him?
   Deuteronomy 5:33, Hebrews 11, Genesis 5:21-23
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Giving God Your Best: Abel Hall of Faith

   "No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving something behind" (George Washington Carver).
   Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had learned their lesson in the Garden. They taught their sons to love God and obey him. 
   Abel loved the Lord with all his heart. He loved God so much that he was willing to give God his very best. He trusted that God would provide why he needed to survive. 
But, Abel's story seems to end in sadness. His brother, Cain, was jealous because God seemed to love Abel more than him. In anger Cain killed his brother. It seems like Abel's story ends there. If your dead you can't do much more on earth right?
   Wrong, Abel's story is a testament to us. In Hebrew 11:4 it says: "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." Did you catch that? Abel still speaks even though he is dead. He followed Mr. Carver's quote: he left something behind. He taught us to love God and always give your best. 
   This is the lesson for us... even in the darkest times we need to give our best. God speaks through our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Even though his life was cut short we still learn a lesson from his life. God is at work even when it seems hopeless. Trust in his plan.
   So, will you choose to give God your best? Will you trust in God's plan?
   Genesis 4, Colossians 3:23-24, 2 Timothy 2:15
   Image from here.