1. You can please some of the people some of the time… But you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

2. Our Faith Must Please God! FAITH IS NOT… –A blind leap –Uneducated or ignorant –Nominal –Based on experiences –Based on emotions –Based on what others believe 2

3. Hebrews 11:1, 6 FAITH THAT PLEASES GOD –Established upon evidence –Confident of unseen things –Gives substance to our hope 3

4. By Faith You Understand the Divine Design of the Universe (Heb. 11:3) Faith considers evidence and comes to an understanding (Heb. 3:4) –Design shows a Designer –There must be a First Cause Evidence produces faith that God is the Creator (Rom. 1:20) 4

5. By Faith You Understand the Divine Design of the Universe (Heb. 11:3; Rom. 1:20) Faith understands God is Creator –Unseen things include… God and His Word, Psa. 33:6-9 (Jno. 1:3; Col. 1:16) Eternal power, Gen. 1:3, 6, 9 Deity (Godhead) 5

6. By Faith You Obey God’s Commands (Heb. 11:4-7) Abel offered sacrifice, 11:4 Enoch walked with God, 11:5 (Gen. 5:24) Noah prepared an ark, 11:7 –Warned…Moved with godly fear… Prepared an ark 6

7. By Faith You Act On God’s Promises (Heb. 11:8-22) Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph trusted God’s promises A pleasing faith… –Obeys God, 11:8-9, 17 –Trusts God to be faithful, 11:11 –Is sustained by hope, 11:10, 13-16, 22 (6:13-19) 7

8. By Faith You Esteem Christ Above All (Heb. 11:23-26) Not afraid of men, 11:23; 13:6; cf. Jno. 12:42-43; Acts 5:29 Not controlled by earthly advantages, 11:24-26 –Wisdom and power, Acts 7:22 –Position and wealth, Heb. 11:24 (Matt. 16:26) 8

9. By Faith You Esteem Christ Above All (Heb. 11:23-26) Faith is deliberate, 11:24-26 –Counts the cost and pays the price, 11:24-25 (Lk. 14:27-33) –Esteem: “To lead before the mind, to suppose, consider”, 11:26 –Faith considers Christ most important! 11:27 (Matt. 10:28, 39) 9

10. By Faith You Can Overcome Tremendous Odds (Heb. 11:29-38) The victory of faith, 11:29-34 –God’s victory! (Grace and faith) –Personal faith obeys God and overcomes the world, 1 Jno. 5:3-4 (Phil. 2:12-13) 10

11. By Faith You Can Overcome Tremendous Odds (Heb. 11:29-38) The victory of faith comes through the trials of faith, 11:35-38; 1 Pet. 1:3-9 Their faith calls us to greater faith, 11:39-40; 12:1-2 –Patient endurance…Reward of faith! 11

12. Faith that Pleases God (Hebrews 11) By faith these sought God, found God and pleased God, 11:6 Became heirs of “the righteousness which is according to faith”, 11:7 “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) 12