“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” –Heb. 11:1 (NIV)

• Faith is what we are sure of and certain of. We are often put in a position where we have to act upon something we “do not yet see.”
• Faith is acting on what you cannot see.

Three Faith Actions

1. “Abel Offered” (Our Giving)

1. “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain…” –Hebrews 11:4
2. “Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard.” –Genesis 4:2-5
   1. This is the first offering in the Bible. The first murder was over an offering! Satan hates your offering.
3. Abel brought the first and best sheep to be sacrificed. Cain brought “some of his crops.”
   1. Abel gave the best IN FAITH. God does not accept an offering that is not by faith. You can see a person’s faith in their offering because they are seeing the invisible God they are bringing it to.
4. The Lord has made it free-will.  If you don’t want to do anything, that shows a heart problem. Don’t be ashamed of a small seed because something beats nothing every time. It is acceptable if it is offered in faith.
5. “Abel gave the first.” It is an indicator of our heart when we put ourselves at the end.
   1. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.”
   2. It’s not, “Do I have anything left?”
6. People who give in faith are happy to tithe and give generously to the Lord. They are absolutely certain that God will reward their generosity and bless them beyond their wildest dreams.

2. “Enoch Walked” (Our Devotions)

1. “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” –Genesis 5:24 (ESV)
   1. To “walk” with someone means to walk up and down and be conversant. Enoch had daily time alone with God for over 300 years.
2. Private devotions alone with God is “acting by faith.” You cannot see God. Satan tells you that you are wasting your time, that no one is listening.
3. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who (diligently) seek him out…” –Hebrews 11:6
4. Our prayer life is a statement of our faith. Just like our money offered to God, our time with God speaks loudly of being “certain of what we do not see.”

3. “Abraham OBEYED” (Our Calling)

1. “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…” –Hebrews 11:8
2. “When he was called…” Abraham was called to bless the entire world and bring the Messiah into the world. His faith journey began when he “stepped out in faith.”
   1. God has a calling upon your life. You have a mission to accomplish.
3. “Not knowing where he was going.” Obedience in faith is when you step out not knowing where you are going.
   1. You don’t have to know all the details of the end to obey in the beginning. God wants you to trust Him.
4. We have to get out of our comfort zone. We hear God speaking in our prayer time, then we obey Him regardless of understanding the end of where He is guiding us.
   1. “We walk by faith, not by sight.”
5. Abraham’s greatest obedience came when he put his son Isaac on the altar.
   1. God provides when you step out (ram in the thicket, Jehovah-Jireh).
   2. God has a calling upon your life, but He wants to see if you will obey Him and trust Him even when you don’t understand.
   3. He has it all figured out!