Saturday, 17 March 2012

Hall of Faith Series: Men of Faith - St. Patrick


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Since it is St. Patrick's Day today, I decided 'St. Patrick' would be my character for this week's 'Hall of Faith Series'. If you ask many people nowadays who St. Patrick was, they would most likely not know very much other than the myths and legends that have been weaved and weaved around him for countless generations. These legends have obscured the man behind those legends and made most of us (yes, even us Christians) forget why he became such a legend in the first place.

Patrick (c. A.D. 386-461) wrote very little about himself and no one during his lifetime wrote about him either. However, we are fortunately left with a few of his writings that tells us something of the true Patrick, a holy and humble man of great faith in God with a truly apostolic mission. The most important document is the Confessio or Confession (*I highly recommend reading it*). In it he sketches his life story - how he was captured by Irish slave traders, how he called on the Lord in the day of his distress and was saved, how he miraculously escaped his captivity and returned to his home in Briton, then how he was called back to the people who had enslaved him in order to preach the Gospel to them, and how he obeyed God's call despite the danger and difficulties

Paul Gallico said this about Patrick in his A Steadfast Man: A Life of St. Patrick,

He [Patrick] stands forth as a wonderfully human being, a man with almost all man's failings, yet touched by the divine. The testimony of his own hand exposes one who is not ashamed to admit that he owed everything to God, and that, had it not been for Him, he, Patrick, would have been other than he was.
Out of the pages of the Confessio arises the figure of a man of indomitable purpose and compelling spiritual power, who, as [Bishop] Secundinus [probably a nephew of Patrick] wrote in his hymn, 'in sincerity of heart had confidence in God'.
It is this sincerity, faith, and confidence - the utter subjection of himself to God - that gave Patrick his stature and account for the success that has placed him amongst the saints of the ages. 
 Patrick's trust in God breathes from every page and from every line he wrote. It replaced a confidence that he never felt in himself, for Patrick entertained no illusions as to his initial abilities and talents. But God made everything possible to him, helped him to overcome every obstacle, physical or spiritual, with which his adventurous life was studded. he walked armoured in this faith and nothing could touch him; not the swords and spears of his enemies, or the occasional envy or spite of his friends. 
It was this love for God and his dedication to the life, the work and the word of Christ that gave Patrick his steadfast and unchanging nature. God was Patrick's catalyst who fused and tempered his character. From the time that the boy Patrick discovered Him on the freezing slopes of Mount Slemish, there was not a thought or action that was not first funneled through God. Thus the Saint's line of action ran as straight as an arrow, undeviating, unwavering. It was impossible for him to act other than in concert with his God, who had called him to serve. He had the word of that God and that Christ, spoken through the Scriptures and the Gospels; he lived by them to the utmost of his ability and he asked of those about him and those whom he preached and converted to try to do likewise. And you will see, glittering from some of his paragraphs. like jewels, his joy when he succeeded. (p. 124-125) 


Patrick's faith in God and his obedience to His call to preach to the heathen Irish when nobody else thought it possible, changed the destiny and faith of a whole nation and influenced the development of Christian Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. The monasteries that dotted the Irish landscape became a bastion of learning during the troubled times of the barbarian invasions in Europe. The beautiful calligraphic manuscripts created and preserved in those monasteries awe us all, the Book of Kells, being a chief example. 
There is so much more to learn about Patrick, his faith and his work for the Lord, maybe I'll leave that for another post for now. Until then, however, I highly recommend watching the docu-drama Patrick (narrated by Liam Neeson), which tells Patrick's story really well and it's very encouraging. 



I'd like to end with this: 

A Poem by St.Patrick
Written by St. Patrick in 377 A.D.

Lorica
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.     

God Bless, 

Sarah
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References and Further Reading: 
- St. Patrick, Confession (available  online at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.ii.html )
Patrick Docu-Drama
- Paul Gallico, The Steadfast Man: A Life of St. Patrick, London: Michael Joseph, 1958.
- Mary Wilson, Builders and Destroyers, God's Hand in History A.D. 300-700, Book IV, London: Blandford Press, 1968, pp. 60-8

Saturday, 10 March 2012

Letter in a Wallet and God's Amazing Providence




Today I've decided to share something that I'm also sharing on Not An Average Girl. I came across an amazing and touching story in the really good book, The Grand Weaver by Ravi Zacharias. He found that story, 'Letter in the Wallet' by Arnold Fine, in the September 1980 issue of the Reader's Digest. Here is Zacharias' retelling of it and I hope it amazes and encourages you as it did to me. 

[Arnold] Fine tells how one bitterly cold day he stumbled upon a wallet on the street. It had just three dollars in it and a crumpled-up letter that obviously had been carried around for many years. The letter was dated sixty years earlier and began, "Dear Michael". The beautifully written, sadly worded letter ended a romance because of a parent's demands. The last line promised, "I will always love you, Michael," and was signed, "Yours, Hannah." 

Fine decided to try to track down the owner of the wallet. Using Hannah's address, still legible on the letter, he finally retrieved a telephone number. But when he called it, he was disappointed (though not surprised) to learn that Hannah and her family had long ago moved out of the house. The person on the other end of the line, however, knew the name of the nursing home to which Hannah's mother had gone. So Fine called the nursing home and learned that Hannah's mother was no longer living. When he told them what he he was trying to do, however, they gave him the address and telephone number they had on file for Hannah. He called the number and found out that Hannah herself now lived in a nursing home. Fine asked for the name of the home and found the phone number. Soon he was able to confirm that, yes, Hannah was a resident there. As soon as he could, Fine decided to visit the nursing home and try to talk with Hannah.
The director met him at the door and told him that Hannah was watching television on the third floor. An escort quickly took Fine there and then left. Fine introduced himself to Hannah and explained how he had found a letter in a wallet. He showed her the letter and asked if she was the one who had written it. 
"Yes," Hannah replied, "I sent this letter to Michael because I was only sixteen and my mother wouldn't let us see each other anymore. He was very handsome, you know, like Sean Connery." Fine could see both the twinkle in her eye and the joy on her face that spoke of her love for Michael. "yes, Michael Goldstein was his name. If you find him, tell him that I think of him often and never did marry anyone. No one ever matched up to him," she declared, discreetly brushing tears from her eyes. Fine thanked her for her time and left.  
As Mr. Fine was leaving the home, the security guard at the door asked him about his visit. He told the story and said, "At least I was able to get the last name from her. His name is Michael Goldstein." 
"Goldstein?" repeated the guard. "There is a Mike Goldstein who lives here on the eighth floor." Fine turned around and went back inside, this time to the eighth floor, where he asked for Michael Goldstein. When directed to an elderly gentleman, he asked the man, "Have you lost your wallet?"
"Oh, yes, I lost it when I was out for a walk the other day," Michael answered.  
Fine handed him the wallet and asked if it was his. Michael was delighted to see it again and, full of gratitude to the finder, proceeded to thank him for returning it when Fine interrupted him.
"I have something to tell you," Fine admitted. "I read the letter in your wallet." 
Caught off guard, Michael paused for a moment and then asked, "You read the letter?" 
"Yes, sir, and I have further news for you," Fine continued. "I think I know where Hannah is." 
Michael grew pale. "you know where she is? How is she?" 
"She's fine, and just as pretty as when you knew her." 
"Could you tell me where she is? I'd love to call her. You know, when that letter came to me, my life ended. I've never gotten married. I never stopped loving her." 
"Come with me," said Fine. He took Michael by the elbow and led him to the elevator and down to the third floor. By this time, the director of the building had rejoined them. They came to Hannah's room. 
"Hannah," the director whispered, gesturing toward Michael, "Do you know this man?"
She adjusted her glasses and looked at the man as she searched her memory bank. Then with a choked voice, Michael spoke up. "Hannah, it's Michael." She stood, as he walked over to her. They embraced and held on to each other for as long as they could stay steady on their feet. They sat down, holding hands, and between their tears they filled in the story of the long years that had passed. Feeling as though they had intruded on a sacred moment, Mr. Fine and the director slowly slipped away to leave the two alone to enjoy their reunion. 
Three weeks later, Arnold Fine received an invitation to attend the wedding of Hannah, seventy-six years of age, and Michael, seventy-eight. Fine closed his story by saying, "How good the work of the Lord is." 
Ravi Zacharias, The Grand Weaver, Zondervan, 2007, p.111-113 


What a story! It's got many deep lessons. The greatest one, of course, is God's sovereignty and providence. It was indeed a match made in heaven. He works the little threads of our lives and weaves it to His will. While it is being weaved, it is often difficult to discern the pattern, but God knows and He works everything beautifully and sweetly. 

Ravi Zacharias also points to the faithfulness of Hannah and Michael to their love to each other. Hannah loved Michael faithfully but chose to honour her parent's wishes, too. Michael also loved her and honoured her desire to please her parents. God honoured that and gave them a sweet and really heavenly romantic reunion, through Arnold Fine who was willing to trouble himself to learn the story. 

God is good and faithful. 

Saturday, 3 March 2012

Hall of Faith Series: Abraham and Sarah (Hebrews 11:8-12, 17-19)


Well, it's time I did another 'Hall of Faith Series' post. It's been a while, hasn't it?  But, here I go now!

Today's Hall of Faith characters are Abraham and Sarah. They are indeed one of my favourites. However, I cannot adequately convey by a long shot the faith of these great characters, considering that the Bible places them as the father and mother of the faithful. Probably, that's why I've delayed so long in writing this post. 

They were not without failings and weaknesses, of course. The Bible records several of these. However, in spite of this, God's grace was made truly manifest in them, with everlastingly glorious consequences in their lives and history. 

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Not An Average Girl

TA DA! Today I'd like to announce the grand opening of a new blog, Not An Average GirlIt is a magazine blog created by seven (up til now) young ladies from Australia: Hannah, Dakota, Mary, Joy, Jessica, Brooke and myself.  God willing, I'll be contributing to it as much as I can. You are all very welcome to view it anytime and find out more about us. Guest posts and other contributors will also be welcome as time goes on. So, please visit, 'follow' (or become a regular reader) and get in contact with us. We pray that it would truly be to the glory of God and be an encouragement to other young ladies who want to grow in their walk with the Lord Jesus. More here...


Click Here!

Be blessed today! And I suppose I should say "Happy Valentine's Day!"



What is True Love?

1 Corinthians 13

New King James Version (NKJV)

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.



Amen! May the Lord grant us to live this. 
God showed us this great love through our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 

'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' (John 3:16)   


God Bless, 

Sunday, 5 February 2012

Hall of Faith: Noah (Hebrews 11:7)



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Today's Hall of Faith character is Noah. Yes, Noah and the Ark! Everyone knows about that! You know, the ark, the animals, the Flood, the rainbow, etc... Since childhood we've all just loved it. But guess what! I think I love this account more now than I probably ever did when I was a little child. That's because I know now how deep and serious it was, as well as amazing.

After Cain killed Abel, God gave Adam and Eve another son. They called him Seth. He grew up to be like Abel - a man who feared God. Now there were two main family lines on earth: the line of Cain (representing those who were of the world, who were ungodly) and the line of Seth (representing those who were children of God). The entire Bible is full of that tension between the sons of light and the sons of darkness. This also continues till today. 

The years pass and those of the line of Cain grew more and more wicked. For several generations there was a difference between the Cain Line and the Seth Line. As time went on, however, the Seth line began to intermingle with Cain's line. They took on their ways and soon became like them. They lost touch with God, their Creator. They forgot God's instructions. They became violent and wicked (see Genesis 6). The only person on earth who kept himself and was not defiled by all of this was Noah. The Bible says that God saw Noah was just, 'perfect in his generation', who walked with Him (Genesis 6:9). What a wonderful thing for God to look and see us perfect in His sight. He sees that when we are clothed with the Righteousness of Christ. Amen! 


When God saw the wickedness, He regretted that He created man (see Genesis 6:6)! However, He wanted to save Noah. So He told him He was going to destroy the whole earth with a Flood. God told Him to build himself a huge ark and take with him his wife, his three sons, and their wives, as well as, two of every kind of animal, male and female, and seven from the clean animals. 

In Hebrews 11:7 it says that 'By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.' 


Noah believed God and obeyed Him when it was not the popular thing to do. Can you imagine! He was the only really Godly man on earth! It reminds me of the words of the song: 'Though none go with me, I still will follow'. 
Noah really had faith in God. He built the ark contrary to all human reasoning. Building a ship on dry land! Yet, he feared God and trusted His Word and that's what saved him, his family, and all mankind. He did not look to the seen and visible, rather he looked to the unseen, which is eternal (see II Corinthians 4:18).


Give us Lord that faith. To trust you and obey you without wavering and always look to that which is unseen which will last forever. Amen!

Learn More:
I highly recommend watching this classic movie about Noah. It follows the Biblical account closely. Though, I think the actual ark was much bigger, and perhaps a little bit more orderly:) 


Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Nothing Shall Separate Us From God's Love: A Testimony

Today I just want to share a testimony that touched and encouraged me deeply and still does whenever I hear it. It is of a Vietnamese Christian, Hien Pham, during and after the Vietnam War. It really illustrates our Heavenly Father's eternal love, grace, mercy and faithfulness to us, His erring and weak children. Hien is a very close friend of the Godly evangelist and Christian apologist, Ravi Zacharias. Ravi Zacharias loves to relate this testimony in many of his talks and sermons. I quote it here from one his keynote address delivered on the National Day of Prayer, 2008, in Washington, D.C.
Of all the stories I’ve told after thirty years of traveling, this one is nearest to my heart, probably the most moving to me. In 1971, I preached in Vietnam. I was in my mid twenties; my interpreter was seventeen years old. His name was Hien Pham. We covered the length and breadth of the country. The American troops carried us around or we went by motorbike. How our lives were rescued, I don’t know. But we came back safely. A revival broke out in the country through the preaching of these two young men.

Hien was my interpreter. In the city Natrang, I held him close, embraced him, and said, “Goodbye, Hien. I’ll probably never see you again.” I flew to Saigon and on back where I was living at that time in Toronto. 
        Seventeen years later, my phone rang. I was in   Vancouver speaking and the phone rang at 11:00 p.m. 

The man said, “Brother Ravi.” 
There’s only one person who called me with that intonation that way. 
I said, “Hien, is that you?”  

he said, “Yes.” 

I said, “Oh my word! Where are you?” 
He said, “California.” 
I said, “What are you doing here?” 
He said, “Have you got a few minutes?” 
I said, “Yes.” 

He said, “After Vietnam fell, I was imprisoned by the Viet Cong because I’d worked with the Americans, worked with people like you. They put me behind bars, they took away all English from me, took away my Bible from me, tried to knock faith out of me. I was only allowed to read Marx and Engels in French and Vietnamese. After about a year in there, so worn out, I said, ‘Maybe you don’t exist, God. I’m giving up all hope. I don’t believe in you. Tomorrow when I wake up, I’m not going to pray.’   

That morning, he was assigned to clean the latrines. 

He said, “Brother Ravi, it’s the dirtiest place on earth you’d want to be. I bound a handkerchief around my mouth cleaning the wet floor, and I saw a little bin with dirty pieces of paper, with human excrement in it. But something told me as I looked there, there was one paper, a piece of paper with English.” He said, “I hadn’t read English for so long. I washed it off, put it in my hip pocket, waited for everybody to go to bed, to sleep. Lights were out.

I took out my flashlight under my mosquito net. I flashed it. On the right hand corner it said, Romans chapter 8.” He said, “I started reading and cried. ‘Oh, my dear Lord, you didn’t leave me one day without you.’ ‘For all things work together for good to them that love God; to those that are called according to his purpose. For who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Neither things present, nor things to come, nor life nor death.’” 

Hien said, “Next morning I went back to the commanding officer. I said, ‘Do you mind if I clean the latrines again today?’”  

He went there every day. He found another page from the New Testament. The commanding officer had been given a Bible a long time ago. He was tearing out a page every day using it as toilet paper. Hien was washing it and using it for his devotions every day. 
I said, “Where are you now?” 

He said, “I’m at Berkeley doing my business degree.” 
I said, “I can’t believe this, Hien.” 
He said, “I’m in America.” 
I said, “How did that happen?” 
He said, “I was released and I built a boat with 52 others. Four days before my release, before our escape, four Viet Cong came armed to the teeth and grabbed me and said, ‘Are you trying to escape?’ I lied and said, ‘No.’ They said, ‘Are you telling us the truth?’” He said, “Yes.”
They let him go. He got on his knees, and said, “God, I lied. I’m running my own life. I lied. If you really want me to tell them the truth, let them come back again.” He said, “I sincerely hoped that prayer would never be answered. Hours before we left, the four of them came with their machine guns, grabbed me by the collar, rammed me against the wall. ‘You’re lying, aren’t you?’”
Hien said, “Yes, I’m escaping with 52 others. Are you going to imprison me again?” They said, “No. we want to go with you.’

“Brother Ravi, if it weren’t for them we would never have made it. They knew how to navigate the ocean on that boat, get us safely to Thailand. I was then listed as a United Nations refugee. I’m here in America now doing my business degree.”

He runs a financial planning company now in California. He came and visited us, wanted me to officiate at his wedding, and he looked at my kids and said, “Don’t ever think God is far away from you. That intimate relationship is the greatest thrill of anyone’s life, for He seeks such to have fellowship with Him.” 
May God bless our nation and may God call us to prayer. May the greatest days be ahead...God bless you.

 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose...
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Romans 8:28, 31-39)


May it bless you today as it has blessed me. Nothing can separate us from His love. Amen! 


God Bless,


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This Testimony is also found in Ravi Zacharias' book: Deliver Us From Evil

Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Faith




When you think your heart is broken, 
And your very soul seems crushed, 
When the darkness closes 'round you, 
And the voice of God seems hushed, 
Lift your eyes toward the heavens, 
Toward the vastness that is there, 
Tell your troubles to your Maker, 
He will understand and care. 

Others sick have drowned their sorrow, 
Struggled onward to success, 
There's a chance with each tomorrow, 
Face about, He'll do the rest. 

Elizabeth Greer Waite 
(Quoted from the book I Serve the God of Miracles: 80 years of the Miraculous by Edith Ward Heflin)


God bless, 

Thursday, 12 January 2012

Hall of Faith Series: Abel and Enoch (Hebrews 11:4-5)


Welcome to the first post in the Hall of Faith Series. 
I hope you'll be blessed.
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Abel offering a
'more excellent sacrifice than Cain'
The list of characters in the Hall of Faith of Hebrews 11, starts from the early beginnings of history with righteous Abel, who was the first one on earth to ever experience death and death by violence. 

"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being dead yet speaketh" (Hebrews 11:4) 


As we all know the account from Genesis, he was the second son of Adam and Eve. Unlike his brother Cain, Abel took heed to what his parents said God required of them after their fall in the Garden of Eden. This was now the only way to approach God as sinners - offering a blood sacrifice. It was, of course, looking forward to Christ, the Saviour, who was to come and be '...the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world' (John 1:29). God gave Abel true saving faith. 


Abel was a shepherd, but Cain was a farmer (see Genesis 4:2). The Bible say in Genesis 4 that one day Cain and Abel decided to offer a sacrifice to God. Cain decided to offer fruits and vegetables he has grown. This does not sound too bad at first. However, he totally missed the whole meaning of the offering. He had no faith in it. It is was just a duty to him.


Abel on the other hand understood by faith what the offering represented. The blood of the blameless lamb was to be his substitute before God for his sins. Through faith he saw his Redeemer. That was what he brought to God - '...the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof' (Genesis 4:4). It was also his best. The Bible says that 'the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect' (Genesis 4:4-5). God looked into Abel's heart and found faith and saw him as righteous. But He did not find it in Cain. 


Cain, of course, was angry with God and Abel and so, murdered his own brother! In 1 John 3:12, it says why he slew him: 'because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.' Even in his death he still speaks faith to us. 


May the Lord give us the faith of righteous Abel! 

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The next character in the Hall of Faith is that of Enoch. We know so very little about him, except for these precious words: 

"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him:  for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (Hebrews 11: 5). 


Enoch and Elijah, were the only ones on earth to ever experience this: not tasting earthly death.


God did this for Enoch because he pleased Him. That is indeed a precious thing to have that said about you. But without FAITH it is impossible to please God (see Hebrews 11:6). When we approach God we must believe '...that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him' (11:16). Therefore, Enoch was full of faith in God. 


The only other place in the Bible where we know something more about Enoch's faith is in Jude 1:14-16, where Enoch is said to have prophesied, saying that '...the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that ungodly among them of their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him...' 


This is just a glimpse of the godliness and faith of this man of God. 
May the Lord grant us the faith of Enoch that causes us to please God always. 


Thank you for joining me on this journey. My presentation here is very poor. But I know it will be a learning journey for me and am being blessed with it as I hope it will bless you, too. 




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Learn More
Genesis 4:1-16
Hebrews 11: 4-6

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