Text: Hebrews 11:7

Key verse: “It was faith that made Noah hear God’s warnings about things in the future that he could not see. He obeyed God and built a boat in which he and his family were saved. As a result, the world was condemned, and Noah received from God the righteousness that comes by faith.”

How did the one hundred and twenty believers in the upper room turn the world upside down post-Pentecost? They simply obeyed Jesus’ last words. Obedience is so powerful, it is the true reflection of your heart and the evidence of your faith. James spoke these words, But someone will say, “One person has faith, another has actions.” My answer is, “Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions.”

The true test of faith is obedience, people only see your faith by the things you do daily. In the wilderness, God divinely feed the Israelites with manna which was delivered daily, they were asked to take enough on the sixth day and not come out on the Sabbath, many still came out on the Sabbath. Each family was allowed to take as much as they needed and avoid hoarding, many of the Israelites woke up to a bad smell in their homes because the extra manna they kept back out of fear that they may not have for the next day, stank.

Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it for tomorrow .” But some of them did not listen to Moses and saved part of it. The next morning it was full of worms and smelled rotten, and Moses was angry with them. Exodus 16:19-20.

Noah earned his righteousness by his obedience to God’s instruction. He believed the warning that judgment was imminent, so he took actions to save himself and his family. He had no one to learn from, and there was no natural evidence to rest his faith on (there had been no rain yet on the earth at that time). We are not told he had any building skills, but he set out to obey God’s word.

What warnings do you hear from God? Do you truly believe there will be judgment for sins after death? Have you warned your family and friends to ensure they escape this judgment? The message of the Cross may look like foolishness to many, just as the Ark Noah built was a laughing stock. But we know who laughed last, don\’t we?

God\’s word always contains the details you need, obey it to the letter. The difference between who lives and thrives in the days we live in will be determined by timely obedience to God’s word. All who came to enter the Ark after the door was shut had become believers, only at the wrong time.

To the heads of families reading this; Have you received the blueprint for your family’s salvation? What plans are you making to lay aside supplies for the rainy day? Show your faith by your actions, start gathering your building materials and tools.

He made you go hungry, and then he gave you manna to eat, food that you and your ancestors had never eaten before. He did this to teach you that you must not depend on bread alone to sustain you, but on everything that the Lord says. Deu.8:3

God’s commandments are for a reason; our lack or hardships can also be a learning point if we chose to listen to the Spirit and not our emotions. What you believe is important but obedience is what counts!

Roses & Thorns