In this Prayer challenge I am working through chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament of the Christian Scriptures. I am excited to take this challenge with you, and hope it blesses us both.
Scripture for Today:
Read Hebrews 11:7
By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
If you have time to read all of chapter 10 and 11. Then go for it.
Read Genesis 6-8
Thoughts to Ponder for Today:
I love the story of Noah. It is hard to imagine a world so evil that God decided to wipe it clean. Even harder to imagine is being chosen as the guy who God uses to save mankind. It is my desire to please God, but I fail all the time. We know that Noah wasn’t perfect either, yet his heart was pure and God saw him as righteous. In this Hebrew passage it says, Noah had Godly fear. Often we hear faith and fear are opposites. But, in the Bible it talks about fear of God being the beginning of wisdom.
What does that mean? Are we to be afraid of God?
Let’s take a look at this word. Here is some information from the Strong’s concordance
eulabeomai: to be cautious
Original Word: εὐλαβέομαι Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: eulabeomai Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-lab-eh’-om-ahee) Definition: to be cautious
Cognate: 2125eulabéomai (from 2126/eulabḗs) – “showing pious care, reverent circumspection” (M. Vincent). See 2126 (eulabēs).
Word Origin
from eulabés Definition
to be cautious
reverence
When we realize that this word is better translated as “reverence, or caution” we get a better understanding of what the writers of the Scriptures are trying to teach us. To know God, and to place Him in the proper place of “awe” is the beginning of true faith, and also of true wisdom. God doesn’t want us to be afraid of Him, in fact I think God wants to be our friend, like He was with Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses.
But to be a true friend, we must know Him and realize who He truly is our Creator, God of the universe, and God of our every breath of life.
Prayer for Today:
Lord, Today, I want to be moved with awe and wonder of who You are, to act in obedience to Your Word and Command. I want to be like Noah, and realize that no one and nothing is going to stop me from doing what You direct me to do. Give me courage and bravery to build a boat even if it takes a hundred years. Give me the stamina and endurance to get up each day at stick to the task. Find me righteous like Noah. Amen
Shalom
Hebrews 11
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. For by this, the elders obtained testimony. By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.
By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.
By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God. Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went. By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised. Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son, to whom it was said, “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac,” concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.
By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.
By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.
By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them. By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up. By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days.
By faith, Rahab the prostitute didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.
What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.
These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, didn’t receive the promise, God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
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