Mission Connect Podcast; Episode 36 Notes

Here is another set of notes from Passion to Reach's Misson Connect Podcasts. This one is entitled Money with a Mission, where Finu and Emily interview Mike Crofts on finances. For more podcasts, check them out here.

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MCP 36: Money with a Mission

Matthew 6:21 – “for where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.”

Mike @ 3m25s:

Mike was 14 years old when he went to see “Heaven’s Gates, Hell’s Flames” at a local church, he went with his friends. It literally scared the hell out of him, because everyone that was going to hell portrayed the life he was currently living. He decided that it was time to change, so at the altar call he gave himself to Christ. But he mentioned that the play got him there, but it was the relationships he built (i.e. the youth pastor’s relationship with him, and having his friend at the church) that kept him there.

How did Mike’s life change after this decision? He found that he didn’t struggle with anxiety and depression anymore because he made a choice that committing his life to Christ. He felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His schoolmates would ask him, “why are you always smiling?”, and he often had to defend/share what he now believed.

Finu @ 7m40s:

Pastor Finu mentions for us to never despise a young person, who chooses to come to the altar. They may look a little distracted, or you may think they are not sure about what they’re doing or if they fully understand, but this doesn’t meant God is not moving in their lives. There is a supernatural work the Holy Spirit is doing, that we can’t really explain. There’s a heart change, a life change, a desire for something better... to live life at a higher level.

Mike @ 9m39s:

To someone who is working with young people, while doing their best to influence their life, Mike’s advice is: Don’t give up. They’re listening to you, you’re planting a seed... even if you don’t think they are listening to you, they are.

“You’re planting a seed and it takes time for a seed to grow and for the harvest to come. You plant the seed but you have to continue to water it. Don’t give up. Continue doing what you’re doing. You are influencing a generation that needs to be influenced in the right way.” - Mike

Emily @ 10m45s:

How did you begin to discover what to do next in your life?

Mike @11m10s:

Mike had two passions in high school: skateboarding and music. It took him upwards of six years after high school to get into the music industry.

He believes it was God who had him on a journey; he refers to it as a valley. He started to challenge the things he was taught in the church; critical thinking was developed in his early twenties. Both his theology and character were changing while he was in this season. He mentions that when he was out on the road this development was critical; he says, “Just because you’re on a Christian band, doesn’t mean everyone’s a Christian.” A lot of the time, he felt as though he was ministering to the people behind the scenes, rather than the ones in the audience.

Finu @ 13m50s:

What was the journey between being a musician to becoming a financial coach? It almost doesn’t seem to fit but...

Mike @ 14m10s:

Mike got married to his wife... They had believed that you can use debt to build wealth... and it didn’t work. Then one day Mike just decided they were going to live debt free. In two and a half years they paid off all their debt. They studied what the bible had to say about finances. He wasn’t taught it in church, outside of tithing, and as he studied he learnt that the Bible has more to say about finances than it does about faith or heaven and hell.

God has a lot to say about money, and Mike started to put some of this into practice and it worked for him. Then when people saw it working for Mike, they asked him to help them. At first it wasn’t a job for him, he was just giving people advice. It soon became a passion for him; helping other people to get out of debt, without having to sell products or insurances. So he developed a curriculum for students and adults, he did talks at churches too, on money. He has a course called “The Five Essentials of Personal Finance” which has been very successful.

Finu @ 17m02s:

The bible says a lot about finances, and we don’t seem to talk a lot about it. What is more limiting to a person than not having their finances in order? What do you [Mike] see when you think of money on a mission? God gives us the power to create wealth, and be a steward of wealth. How does that actually play out in a practical sense?

Mike @ 18m37s:

Here are some stats:

• 7 out of 10 Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque.
• The average Canadian owes about $35,000 in consumer debt.
• Canadians are spending $1.69 for every $1 they earn.
• The number one reason for divorce in North America is for money-related problems.

And none of these stats exclude the church.

Mike sees the power of a generous giver. There is a stat that shows only 6% of the Evangelical Christians actually give to support the church.

Debt limits our opportunities. We have an obligation to pay it back, and it limits us from what we can do. Luke 16 says if you can manage the little God gives you; God will give you more to manage. Mike believes money is a test. We need to be givers.

Finu @ 22m10s:

This is a huge topic. When it comes to generosity and funding the kingdom and the gospel... this includes starting businesses, and being a job creator. You can give if you’re in debt yourself.

Finu recalls the biblical characters of Solomon, and Joseph, and Daniel, and they were all so smart and had Godly wisdom.

You need resources to fulfill God’s mission for your life. If you’re in debt and you make bad choices, you’re going to limit yourself. And things may be delayed because you have to clear up the debt you’ve created.

Finu asks Mike to give some general principles to managing your money to have more available to give and to invest into the kingdom.

Mike @ 23m53s:

There is a clear path for our finances. Proverbs 21:5

1. Good plans are required for finances. Managing your money every month, have a monthly cash flow plan or budget.
2. Debt is dumb. Proverbs tells us a lot about this.
3. Put money away for an emergency.
4. Take care of your own family first. (See 1 Tim 5:8) (i.e. investing for long term goals, insurance)
5. Giving is huge. There is a return with giving. (Keep giving even if there is a cut in income.)

Emily @ 27m26s:

Everything is at our fingertips; credit cards are available as soon as we turn 18.

We need to build, we need to plan. Trusting God in every area, and this is no exception. Seeing where God provides in moments when it’s unexpected.

Mike @ 28m44s:

Christians tend to let their debt have control of their life rather than God having control over their life. This is why Mike has become a financial coach and teacher.

Finu @ 29m14s:

When we take care of our lives: health, relationships, finance, etc... There will be no restrain to live out your mission.

~~~

More on Mike's ministry: mikecroftsdaily.com

Mission Connect Podcast; Episode 24 Notes

I've been given the opportunity to volunteer with an organization, called Passion to Reach, which I have close connections to. At this time I will not go into detail about the ministry outreach, but I would like to share some notes I took on one of their podcasts. Which are available online here.

These are my notes from Episode 24, entitled The Father’s Love.

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Connecting to God’s mission for your life; we are encouraged to use our experience as a testimony. Where some of us may see our past experiences as a painful detour, and sometimes it will try to take us away from God. But God will use what we’ve gone through to lead us to the mission He has for us. He will connect our mission to some aspect of our past experience because that’s where the passion comes from.

There are two types of people: there are people who overcome or there are people who get stuck in the pain and never move on from re-living the event. But “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him…” (See Romans 8:28).

Tabish shares his testimony. His father was Muslim, and his mother was Catholic. Dad was abusive, he would come home to beat him and his mother; Tabish shares a few memories of the darkness that was over his life. He defined his life based on the way his father treated him, he felt worthless and unvalued; and he believe that since his father felt this way, everyone else around him felt the same way. He said it was overwhelming, “even though I was living I felt imprisoned”, this was all his life was. He felt that there was no value to his life; he couldn’t offer anything to the world because he was not valued, and ultimately he felt like an outcast.

But in this pain experience, his mom held on to her faith, and she shared little bits and pieces with Tabish about Jesus when she could. One weekend, when his dad was out of town, Tabish’s mom took him to church, and at one point the pastor was speaking of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Tabish had not heard of the Holy Spirit before, so he was home he sought God. He saw the heavens open and a dove descent down out of the heavens, and what appeared to be a ball of light came from the doves belly and hit his face. In that moment he thought he was blind, but he knew he wasn’t because there was an incredible brightness. He felt loved and a sense of belonging.

Tabish’s perspective had been shifted, from how his father on earth had no value for him, to knowing that the God, the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, loved him and valued him. And in knowing this, Tabish see that he can now add value to others in the world.

“The greatest enemy and friend that we have is our mind… because our mind is kind of interesting. It’s so unique, because while our mind is a battleground, it's also a weapon that we fight with. Even though you can be impression in your own thoughts, your thoughts are the keys to your freedom.” - Tabish

The people around us affect our thoughts. Sometimes we may feel neglected or worthless; these are just lies from the enemy that we think upon. Knowing who we are in Christ is all the difference. What do you believe about who you are in Christ?

Tabish’s new understandings of his value and worth have changed how he is impacting the world. He found this value and worth through reading and knowing the Word of God (the Bible). “Every word [we receive] is a seed” and we have to because with the seeds we allow to take root. Tabish brought the example of when we were born we come into the word with an empty mind, and as we grow up we develop thoughts that are placed in our minds. Whether it be related to how we are treated by others or how we feel about it or what is spoken over us. So the Word of God has changed his thoughts to be full of truth, and we are encouraged to renew ourselves in the Word daily.

Tabish had learned the power of influence. He states that he cannot be like how his father was towards him, but instead he needs to be like how God the Father is to him, when it comes to having an impact in the world. “To love other as I love myself, telling the world that God loves them, and that they belong.”

Tabish has been attending Canada Christian College to equip himself to evangelize. He serves on the media ministry at his church. He has also surrounded himself with positive influences

to water the seed in his own life; discipleship in Tabish’s life has been crucial for the development of his ministry.

Take away thoughts: 

God finds value in you, and He loves you. 

Know who you are in Christ 

in order to live out the mission for your life; 

your past experiences 

will help you find the passion 

that will drive this mission.

Personal Study of Hebrews 11 - Part 4

Let us continue on this journey through Hebrews 11. This post is a breakdown verses 20 to 26. Each verse will be stated from the ESV, followed by connecting scripture references, word studies or other personal thoughts. I continue to hope you find this resource useful, insightful and perhaps even encouraging. Because faith, as I’ve heard it said, is the currency of heaven.

Faith: 

complete trust 

or confidence 

in someone 

or something.

 ~~~

Hebrews 11: Part 4 – Verses 20-26

²⁰ By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 

Who is Isaac? He was the son of Abraham and Sarah. In relation to the verse, Isaac was nearing the end of his life, and he was to bless his children before he died; and the eldest to receive the better blessing. In Isaac’s family, Esau, although he was a twin, was born first, and in order to receive the blessing his father wanted to give him, Esau would have to “hunt some wild game” and preparing tasty food for Isaac to eat (see Genesis 27:2-4).

We see in Genesis 27, Jacob, with the help of his mother (Isaac’s wife), deceived his father into thinking that he was his brother Esau. Isaac, nearing his death, was pretty much blind and relied on his other senses to identify with his surroundings. Ultimately, although Isaac heard Jacob’s voice, his hands, nose and mouth, told him that Esau had completed the task Isaac had sent him to do, and Isaac blessed Jacob in Esau’s place (see Genesis 27:27-29).

When Esau got back from hunting and prepping the wild game for his father, there was much confusion, Isaac said: “Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him – and indeed he will be blessed!” (Genesis 27:33 NIV). Much weeping from Esau followed, but nothing could reverse what Isaac had blessed Jacob with. In faith, Isaac did was he needed to do as a father by blessing his son. As I read on, as devastating as this story is, Esau received a blessing as well, not nearly as wonderful as his bothers (see Genesis 27:39-40).

²¹ By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

Who is Jacob? We were introduced to Jacob in the last verse, and his story spans from Genesis 25 to 50. Jacob’s story is merged in with his son’s Joseph, along with many other biblical characters. There are many aspects of it, which I will not be studying and discussing at this time.

Who are Joseph’s sons? Manasseh and Ephriam. “Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” The name of the second he called Ephriam, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” (Genesis 41:50-52).

Joseph presented his sons to his father, Jacob (Jacob’s new name was Israel): “And Joseph took them both, Ephriam in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephriam, who was younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn)” (Genesis 48:13-14).

I find it so shocking that Jacob, who had deceived his own father took his older brothers blessing, is now blessing his grandchildren, and Jacob crossed his hands so the younger would have the blessing of the firstborn child. Jacob’s eyes were dim (Genesis 48:10), but I honestly believe Jacob may had a soft spot for the younger son of Joseph (being the younger child,himself). Only God truly knows Jacob’s motive.

(To be honest, I couldn’t find the specific verse were Jacob is bowing in worship over the head of his staff. If anyone finds it, please let me know, and I will update this post! Thanks.)

²² By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

Genesis 50:25 –“Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”

Exodus 13:19 – “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”

Joshua 24:32 – “As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.”

²³ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 

First of all, at the time Moses was born, there was a king over Egypt (Pharaoh) whom wanted all Hebrew baby boys to be killed by being thrown into the river (see Exodus 1:22) because the Hebrews lived in the land of Egypt and they were multiplying rapidly and Pharaoh feared they would become too mighty for Egypt (Exodus 1:9). However, the Israelites multiplication was a promise from the Lord to Abraham back in Genesis 22:17 (also see Hebrews 11:12).

Now in Exodus 1:15-17, we meet the midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, and we see their faith in their reverent fear of God. They did not do as the king of Egypt It is shown that when we fear the Lord He will deal well with us (see Exodus 1:20-21).

Who were Moses’ parents? Moses’ parents are Levi and his mother, who was also a Levite, was not named in the bible. In Exodus 2:1-3 we see his mother conceive and give birth to Moses. She sees that he is a beautiful child and hides him for three months. Ninety days of hiding a little crying baby must have been hard because of the threat hanging over every new-born male life! But this section of scripture shows us the faith of Moses’ parents, because after having hid Moses, and being no longer able to hide him, Moses’ mom put him in a basket and “placed it among the reeds by the river bank” (verse 3).

Moses’ sister, Miriam, also showed great faith. She followed the basket down the river (Exodus 2:4) and was prompt in letting Pharaoh’s daughter know she knew a Hebrew woman who could nurse the child (Exodus 2:7)!

The faith of Moses’ parents was almost immediately rewarded when Pharaoh’s daughter agreed to let Miriam take the child to this Hebrew woman to nurse him (see Exodus 2:8-9). And, incredibly, Moses’ mother was given wages! She was paid to raise her own son! Only God could work that out.

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 

The following scripture shows that Moses identified with the Hebrews as his own people (and, technically, he was one of them):

Exodus 2:11-12 NIV – “One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.”

²⁵ choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 

Instead of being recognized as an Egyptian, Moses identified with being a Hebrew, which he was. As an Egyptian, he would have had access to anything he wanted; the best food, the best entertainment, the best education, the best living quarters, the best girls... Moses was raised to be a prince of Egypt, since Pharaoh’s daughter found him and took him in as her own (Exodus 2:10).

But Egypt did not fear God; they did not serve God; they had no regard for the living God. I truly believe, that even though Moses was raised to be the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, his own parents taught Moses about the fear of the Lord. And this faith is evident, since Moses wrote the Torah (or Pentateuch; the first five books of the Bible; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).

Quote: “Jesus, the Bridegroom suffered for His Bride, the new Israel, just as Moses suffered for God’s Bride, the holy nation of old Israel.” ... Now “because of Moses’ faith, his suffering to fulfil God’ plan for Israel was joined to the suffered of the Redeemer-Messiah, the One who would bring the ‘reward’ Moses had his eyes fixed upon, eternal salvation.”

Source: http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/Exodus/Exodus_Lesson_2.htm

Romans 5:3-5 – Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because Gods love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 4:17 – “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison”

²⁶ He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

To be honest, I was completely stubbed on what “the reproach of Christ” meant. So I looked into it... I listened to this sermon: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/let-us-go-with-jesus-bearing-reproach

So, what is the reproach of Christ? The word reproach is an expression of disapproval, or disappointment. When I think about the reproach of Christ, I think about joining in with Christ’s sufferings, to experience the opposite of comfort, to not be accepted by the standards of the world. 

For example, where the world expresses the approval of having multiple partners throughout the course of someone’s life prior to marriage, there may be an expression of disapproval when someone has “saved themselves” for the one they are hoping to marry. The world says take a test drive, it’ll be fun, where the standard of Christ is to live pure and holy, and doing so will only hurt your own soul. (Sorry if that example was a little deeper than expected.)

John Piper made a few points I would like to share... to paraphrase:

Moses had given up all the access to every single thing anyone could have ever wanted, to join in with the people of Israel (God’s chosen) in looking forward to the promises of God (“looking to the reward” aka a heavenly home).  We are called to do the same. “The radical call of Jesus to join him on the Calvary road... to bear his reproach with him - can always be caricatured and ridiculed and made to look foolish... [but] it frees you to go on in the way of an empty, shallow, comfort-seeking routine that some people call life.” There is no joy in the world, but there is joy in Christ. John Piper also said “there’s a massive vacuum in the soul” and if we think we can fill it with these temporary fixes, we are wrong.  

The reproach of Christ isn’t something we do all on our own: Jesus is with us in this. We are to hold on to the hope of a greater reward than what this world has to offer, looking to the reward of a heavenly home with Christ (see Hebrews 11:10, 14-16). In 1 Peter 5:10 it says: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

The Apostle Paul summed it up so perfectly in his letter to the Philippians when he said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). 

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More to come!

Personal Study of Hebrews 11 - Part 3

Welcome back!

The following is a continuation of the breakdown of Hebrews 11, this time we will look through verses 13 to 19. Each verse will be stated from the ESV, followed by connecting scripture references, word studies or other personal thoughts. I continue to hope you find this resource useful, insightful and perhaps even encouraging. Because faith, as I’ve heard it said, is the currency of heaven.

Faith: 

complete trust 

or confidence 

in someone 

or something.

 ~~~

Hebrews 11: Part 1 – Verses 13-19

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Sometimes you don’t get what you’ve been promised, yet you hold on to the hope that you will receive, because your faith has seem the possibility and assurance from afar (see Hebrews 11:1).

This verse follows the mentioning of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah... which makes me wonder if the “all of these” related to the bible characters listed above. For example, Abraham was promised to be the father of many nations, but he only saw Ishmael, Isaac, and his other children (see Genesis 25:1-8). He didn’t see the multitudes of nations which God had promised, yet he died in faith that God would fulfill His promise.

¹⁴ For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

As mentioned in verse 13, “having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth”, I believe it is in reference to a longing for a heavenly home. It reminds me of what Paul wrote in the second letter to the Corinthians, “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down, we will have a house in heaven an eternal body made for us by God and not by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT).

¹⁵ If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.

Perhaps they were mentioning this in regards to Ur or Egypt.

Either way, if we look back, and keep our minds fixed on what WAS, we might miss out on what is directly ahead. 

¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

See verses 10, 13 and 14, of Hebrews 11. This finally confirms the idea of a heavenly city in which these biblical characters, and ourselves, are looking forward to. We all have access to this promise through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,

So we’ve met Abraham back in verse 8. We saw the promises God has made to him and his offspring, but it doesn’t end there. In Genesis 22:1, God tested Abraham’s faith. He asked Abraham to give up, through the act of sacrifice, to see Abraham’s capacity to obey God.

In the act:

The fear of the Lord was in Abraham, and as I mentioned in verse 7 with Noah, when we have reverent fear of God we will honour him through how we live by being obedient to His commands... even when it doesn't make sense.

¹⁸ of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

Genesis 17:19 – “God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.”

Now God was asking Abraham to sacrifice his only son? You might be thinking; how can an everlasting covenant be everlasting if it were to end so quickly?

¹⁹ He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

When Abraham went to sacrifice his son, he brought two of his young men (most likely servants) with him, and when they arrived close to the place God had instructed him to go (the land of Moriah to one of the mountains there), Abraham said, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you” (Genesis 22:5). Abraham declared that both him and Isaac would go, and come back again, even though Abraham would follow through with God`s instructions to offer up Isaac as the sacrifice.

And just as Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son, an angel of the Lord called from heaven saying, “Abraham, Abraham! Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld you son, your only son, from me” (Genesis 22:10-12). 

Thank God Abraham was listening, someone when we are told to do something, by our parents or a loved one, we may close our ears even though we still do as we’re told. Abraham had great faith to follow through with God’s instructions, but was sensitive enough to know when God intervened and changed directions. 

Genesis 22:13-14 goes one to say, “And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” 

~~~

And this concludes part three of my personal study of Hebrews 11. More to come!

Personal Study of Hebrews 11 - Part 2

Hello again, welcome to 2018.

Continuing on from my last post, I will proceed to breakdown verses seven through twelve of Hebrews 11. Each verse will be stated from the ESV, followed by connecting scripture references, word studies or other personal thoughts. Once again, I hope you find this resource useful, insightful and perhaps even encouraging. Because faith, as I’ve heard it said, is the currency of heaven.

Faith: 

complete trust 

or confidence 

in someone 

or something.

~~~

Hebrews 11: Part 2 – Verses 7-12

⁷ By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Who is Noah? 

Maybe this joke will help... 

“Need an ark? ~ I No-ah guy.” 

Terrible joke, I’m sorry. 

We meet Noah in Genesis chapters 6 through 9. Now in the time of Noah the world was evil, and God was sorry He created man because of their wicked hearts. God literally wanted to wipe man off the earth... “but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (see Genesis 6:5-8).

 Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation and he walked with God (Genesis 6:9). Noah exerted faith, and even though he could not see the rain to come, in reverent fear, Noah obeyed God’s instructions and constructed an ark, and in turn, Noah saved his whole household, a set of every animal God had created, and even food (Genesis 6:19-22) from the great flood waters God sent.

Reverent fear is not being scared or afraid in a negative way towards God, but having great respect for and awe of Him. When we have reverent fear of God, we will do all that we can to honour Him and respect Him as we should – showing this in how we live our lives; in how we act, think and speak. A quote from Joyce Meyer’s book “Living Courageously”: “Being a victorious child of God, who is successful in life, is quite easy once we have this loving, reverential fear and decide to promptly obey God.”

Noah obeyed God in reverent fear. And in doing so, Noah “became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”

More on the righteousness that comes by faith:

Romans 1:17 – “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “the righteous shall live by faith.”

Philippians 3:9 * - “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that come from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith...”

We are welcomed to become co-heirs with Christ through our faith in Him.

Romans 8:16-17 – “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if we are children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

⁸ By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Who is Abraham? Originally called “Abram” his story can be read on and off from Genesis 12 through Genesis 25.

In Genesis 12, God called Abraham out from where he was living - where he was comfortable, where he felt secure - to go to a place in which he did not yet know. And Abraham went (see Genesis 12:4).

More often than not, God will ask us to do something we don’t know all the details for. And, in faith, we must obey and trust that God will lead us and bring us to where he wants us to be. There is, of course, a whole set of events that will happen in between us leaving our starting point and arriving at our destination; this is where we will have to trust God to provided us with the wisdom to overcome and He will see us through (an example is Abram and his wife Sarai in Egypt found in Genesis 12:10-20).

 ⁹ By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 

We see in Genesis 13:12a that Abraham settled in Canaan, a foreign land that had been given to him by God.

The covenant between God and Abraham is found in Genesis 17, and it is multi-generational, as Abraham’s offspring is mentioned. This includes Abraham’s son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob, and all of their offspring, because God is inclusive.

God’s covenant with Abram stated in Genesis 17:4-8 – “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you through their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your offspring after you. And I will give to you and your offspring after you the land of the sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

¹⁰ For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 

This city could be even a reference to heaven, which I think it is, but in literal terms, Abraham was looking towards the promise land. God said to Abram, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess” (Genesis 15:7).

¹¹ By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 

Sarah received power to conceive because she considered God faithful to keep his promise:

Genesis 18:10 – “The Lord said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Genesis 21:1-7 – “The Lord visited Sarah as he has said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.””

¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

God is faithful, and although Abraham was old and dying, God allowed him to have Isaac and ultimately have descendents as numerous as the stars of heaven. God said to Abraham more than once the following promise: In Genesis 15:5, “Look toward heaven, and the number of stars, if you are able to number them... so shall your offspring be.” And again in Genesis 22:17a, “I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.”

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This concludes my personal study of Hebrews 11:7-12. More to come!