Can we please God?
Biblical text – Hebrew 11:4-6 “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experienced death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 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.”
Complementary text: Romans 3:21-28.
Biblical text – Hebrew 11:4-6 “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experienced death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 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.”
Complementary text: Romans 3:21-28.
Thought of the Day:
As we read Cain and Abel’s story in Genesis 4 we question ourselves: “Why did God accepted Abel’s offer and rejected Cain’s?” (Maybe a connection can be made between the animal sacrifice and the skins that God gave to these men so that they could stand before Him – something that the fig tree leaves could not do properly. See Genesis 3:7 and 21. Abel followed the “sacred tradition”, while Cain did things his own way.) Despite the meaning sacrifices had in those days, the book of Hebrews deepens this subject even more. It points out to the attitude of Abel: he acted by faith. In other words, even the “right” sacrifice becomes meaningless if the attitude of the heart is not the right one (Isaiah 1:11-17). We can’t impress God with what we do – but we can open our hearts to Him and start a relationship with Him. By having that attitude, Abel – long before Abraham (see Genesis 15:6) – was recognized for his righteousness and Enoch pleased God. If we, just like Enoch, want to “walk with God” (Genesis 5:21-24), we can only do it through faith, putting our lives in God’s hands. The greek translation of Enoch’s story uses the expression “to please God”. Enoch’s faith and trust pleased God so much that God took him away from this life (and we will enjoy the same hope. See Thessalonians 3:13-18). In our encounter with Jesus, we see something similar. Long before Paul explained the meaning of faith as the foundation of a life with God, the Lord recognized and praised the faith of those who reached out for Him (Mathew 8:10,11). He cared about the faithless environment where the disciples were living in (Mathew 8:26; 13:58).
Worship and Thanksgiving
The gift of justice through faith;
Intercession
The guarding of our faith;
Watching for our lives; Our lives should reflect our faith;
Unity among Christians;
Movements of prayer.
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