The Hall of Faith

Read Hebrews 11

Faith is as important to a Christian as is water to a fish. In times like these, when world events challenge our faith every day, we need to draw inspiration from Biblical heroes and heroines, including Noah.

While it is good to read about Noah's faith, it is important to understand the role of faith in our walk with God, because faith is not just intellectual assent but a confident trust that leads to action and obedience.

We tend to look at faith from afar, but up close it may have very different connotations.

Hebrews chapter 11 is often called the "Hall of Faith" because it beautifully recounts the stories of numerous individuals throughout the Old Testament who demonstrated remarkable faith in God. Their stories teach us what faith is all about. Think of it as a powerful testament to what it means to live by belief rather than by sight.

Why is faith so important to us that a whole chapter was devoted to it by Apostle Paul?

The role of faith is absolutely central to the Bible, permeating both the Old and New Testaments. It's not just a passive belief, but an active trust and reliance on God, His promises and His word. It is :

1. The Foundation of our personal Relationship with God because it is the fundamental way humans connect with God. Hebrews 11:6 states, "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." Therefore, it is through faith that we acknowledge God's existence, His character, and His power.

2. Faith is the Means of Salvation:

The New Testament clearly teaches that salvation is a gift received through grace by faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). It's not earned by works but freely given to those who believe in Jesus' atoning sacrifice and resurrection.

3. Faith is the Key to Righteousness:

In the Old Testament, Abraham was declared righteous because of his faith (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3). This sets a precedent that righteousness before God comes through believing His promises.

Faith is not just about believing that God is, but also believing in what He says and acting on it. Noah did it, Abraham did and so many more, as called out in the Hall of Faith.

4. Source of Power and Miracles:

Throughout the Bible, faith is linked to God's miraculous works. Jesus often told those He healed, "Your faith has made you well" (Mark 5:34).

How does all this concern us as Christians? Because we are called on to live by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7). This means trusting God even when circumstances are unclear or challenging. It involves making decisions and living life based on God's Word and promises, even when they seem contrary to human reasoning.

As we said in the last post, our own intelligence and reasoning is our worst enemy as it tends to dilute what God has asked of us. We "rationalize" situations, as we do His word. We interpret according to our convenience and logic. In effect we question God and maybe put words in His mouth. In the last post of the Rudderless Boat, I am sure many many of us would have advised God that He forgot the rudder and the sail.

Finally, faith is evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as "confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." It's the conviction that what God has said and or promised is real and will come to pass, even if it's not yet visible.

The Hall of Faith is about all those people who actually lived by faith in what God wanted them to do.

Faith, in the Bible, is not a blind leap into the unknown but a confident trust in God who we know.

It's a dynamic and active reliance on the unseen God and His unfailing Word.

The Rudderless Boat

Genesis 6 

Would you ride in a car that had no engine, no steering wheel and no brake? 

When we read about the great flood and Noah and his ark, we mostly read Genesis 6 without much thought. Yes, he built a boat and saved countless animals etc. etc.

But verses 15 onwards tell us that it was no ordinary boat. It was made according to God's specifications. That was one special boat.

Why did God give the exact measurements?

There may have been multiple reasons but before that remember the objective this boat had to fulfil.

1. It had to accommodate a huge number of passengers

2. It had to float. Unlike the Titanic It was not mean to travel or go from point A to point B. It had to be built for the successor world to not drown but float and survive.

While the Bible doesn't explicitly state why those exact measurements were chosen, the most likely reasons relate to the Ark's functional requirements for stability, capacity, and survival, all that was necessary to keep a three-story building afloat. 

But The level of detail in the instructions emphasizes that the Ark wasn't meant to be a haphazard construction. God provided specific guidance, highlighting his intentionality and control over the process. Just as God meticulously designed creation, the design of the Ark was also a deliberate act.

But for this deliberate act to happen, someone had to follow instructions without any deviation. Noah had unwavering faith and a spirit of obedience - which meant he never even thought about questioning God or His instructions.

Now comes the shocker: The boat had no sail and no rudder. Strange!

Noah would have realized that fact when building the boat, yet he did not question. He did not add, nor did he subtract from God's direction. He would have realized this that he and his family would have had no control over the Ark's direction; they were entirely reliant on God's provision and the movement of the floodwaters. That's faith and trust. Hence our question of today: Would you get into a car which had no steering wheel, no engine and no brakes?

How many times, when we follow God's given directions, do we add to it or subtract from it based on our own so called wisdom - not remembering -

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts".

If we were in Noah's place, would we have not said - "Hey Lord you forgot the sail and the rudder"?

Yet, we are alive today because of that rudderless boat that God designed.

Ocean Ministries relates what happened then to what we need to do now.

"doesn’t the Ark preach the very foundation of the Gospel? We are called to a childlike faith, a faith that hands our lives over completely to the will of a Good Father. He sent His only Son to be the Ark of salvation for His children"

When you follow Jesus into the spiritual Ark you are giving up your rudder & sail and saying I trust you to sail my life to the places you so desire. I give up control.

Adam's Legacy

Read Genesis chapter 5 & 6

What Adam and Eve started, God ended with the great flood. A complete destruction of the World.

The state of the world before and during Noah's time, according to the Biblical account in Genesis, was one of extreme wickedness and violence. Several key aspects characterized this period:

* Widespread Corruption: The text states, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). This suggests a pervasive moral decay affecting all aspects of human life.

* Prevalence of Violence: The earth is described as being "filled with violence" (Genesis 6:11). This indicates a breakdown of social order and rampant aggression among people.

* Ungodliness: People lived their lives with no regard for God or his ways. They were consumed by their own desires and pleasures, seemingly oblivious to any impending judgment.

* Normalcy on the Surface: Interestingly, Jesus compared the days before the flood to the time preceding his own return, noting that people were "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage" right up until the day Noah entered the ark (Luke 17:26-27). This suggests that outwardly, life appeared normal, even as deep moral corruption festered.

Some interpretations of the Genesis account also mention the intermingling of the "sons of God" (maybe fallen angels) and the "daughters of men" (Genesis 6:1-4), leading to the birth of the Nephilim, which is sometimes associated with increased wickedness and the corruption of the gene pool.

While the Bible doesn't give a precise population count, some estimations based on lifespans suggest a potentially large population. Despite this, the narrative emphasizes that only Noah and his family found favor in God's eyes due to the overwhelming depravity of the rest of humanity.

In essence, the world in Noah's time was characterized by a profound moral and social breakdown, marked by pervasive wickedness, violence, and a general disregard for God, even as daily life continued in its usual patterns for most.

These are not just Bible stories. Evidence of some of what is mentioned has been found.

The Book of Enoch, the one who walked with God and did not die, though not considered scripture (that is, writing not inspired by God) is very informative as a historical document, describing the nature and deeds of the fallen angels, among other things.

Enoch was so close to God that He took Enoch into confidence and shared the judgements of the future- of things to come.

Such was Adams legacy that depravity, crime, and sin became everyday life - grieving the creator to the extent that He regretted having made man.

The union between the spirits and women caused such a huge disruption in a world which was supposed to be based on order - that God took the final decision. Nothing less than full scale destruction to stop this depravity.

In the event of such a destruction Noah was the succession plan.

Today, when we try and fully understand what happened, we can well imagine it because we see some of it happening even now. Adultery, polygamy, murder, violence, sexual depravity, war, terrorism, corruption and injustice - you name it and its there.

With limited knowledge man tries to play the role of God in this world and the universe. We defied gravity, defied space, and defied Gods laws of creation to replicate His work. Our works have not glorified God - they have competed. Our works have not pleased God - they have grieved His spirit. Every newspaper account, every page, paints a picture of a world similar to the one before the great flood.

Genesis chapter 6 verse 3 is a chilling verse, no matter how you interpret it. We have, once again, vexed Gods spirit. Pray that we turn from our ways so that His Spirit does not give up on us.

Adams legacy was death. Praise God for Jesus because of who we have the promise of Life.

Abandoned by God?

                                  
"You said You'd come

And share all my sorrows

You said You'd be there

For all my tomorrows

I came so close to sending You away

But, You came to stay"

Have you ever felt alone, lost and abandoned by God? Have you ever cried out to Him, like Mary did when she saw Jesus and fell at His feet, saying " Lord if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died"? 

It's easy to feel that way when we are going through difficult times. We question God's presence and His plan for us. But the truth is God is always with us, even in our darkest moments, speaking to us through His word and through His spirit. We just need to be quiet and attentive, because sometimes He just whispers.

God understands our pain and our sorrows and our fears. He knows the brokeness of this world and He sees every tear that we shed. And just like He did for Mary and Martha, He weeps with us. He is not distant or uncaring, but rather, He is right beside us, holding our hand and carrying us through.

When we feel abandoned by God, its important to remember His plans are higher than ours. We may not understand why we are going through what we are, but God does. He is using our struggles to shape us, to strengthen us and draw us closer to Him. We may not see it now, but one day we will look back and see how God used our pain for a greater purpose.

So today, if you are feeling alone and abandoned byGod, remember that He loves you. He is always with you and carrying you through your struggles so trust in His plan, even when it doesn't make sense. And know that one day, you will see how he used your pain for His glory.

He will use your struggle for a greater purpose.

"And Jesus said

Come to the water

Stand by My side

I know you are thirsty

You won't be denied

I felt ev'ry tear drop

When in darkness you cried

And I strove to remind you

That for those tears I died".

This post is based on a KJV Devotional and the song - "Come to the Waters" by Marsha Stevens- Pino