Lessons for Living: Volume 3: Heroes of Faith

By Bishop Paul H. Evans B.S. Pastor and Natash R. Williams B.S. M.B.A.

Lessons for Living (volume 3)

Heroes of Faith is a curriculum designed to provide a more profound appreciation of the Heroes of Faith as listed in Hebrews 11, an impressive list of remarkable and heroic men and women whose biblical accounts stand out to encourage and strengthen the faith of the reader. The reader will be challenged to reflect on and make an assessment of his/her own faith at various times throughout the study. The contemporary relevance and necessity of faith in the life of the believer will be stressed. Our desire is that these lessons, each outlined with a Key Verse, Discussion Questions, and a Final Thought to Remember, encourage each reader to dig deeper into the Word of God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 8, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512777499

Bishop Paul H. Evans B.S. Pastor

Bishop Paul H. Evans, Sr. is the pastor of Grace Gospel Temple. He has been married to Helen R. Evans since the 14th of June 1959. He is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and has a B.S. in Sociology. Bishop Evans is the leader and vanguard behind the Lessons for Living publication.

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UNIT 1: PATRIARCHS OF FAITH

Lesson 1: An Offering That Is Pleasing to God

HEBREWS 11:1-6; GENESIS 4:1-12

By Eugene Folks, Jr. & Sylvia Folks

Key Verse: And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering (Genesis 4:4).

After completing this lesson, the learner will be able to:

1. Examine self to diagnose and deny selfishness.

2. Identify flaws in personal faith.

3. Understand the need to place God first in every aspect of life.

The story of Cain and Abel, early on in the Bible, is filled with many lessons about the life most of us choose to live, despite the life that God desires and wants us to live. For some, the question of the day is, why did God accept the sacrifice offered by Abel over Cain? Genesis 4:3 reads, And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. What these brothers offered had no relevance to how God received their sacrifices. God looked more at their frame of mind or heart in giving. Cain possessed pride, which is something that we all possess, in varying degrees. Abel, on the other hand, denied his knowledge, skills, and abilities and gave God the very best he had to offer. Do you really think that you have anything to do with all that you own and/or achieved? You have more than enough and then some. Do you really possess the abundance you have? Think again; the Lord God is your Creator, and He is the Giver of all things. Whatever you have does not belong solely to you. You have been given the abundance that you have to continually share with others. The task for all of us to accomplish is to be good stewards of what the Lord has provided. A spirit of stewardship requires sacrificial giving and cannot be rendered properly with an attitude of selfishness. We must share with others and give God the glory He rightfully deserves.

What is faith and why is there so much church hype on the subject? When asked about faith, any church member will rattle off Hebrews 11:1. Surely it is good to know Scripture, but understanding it, applying it and acting accordingly is in a category all by itself. People, in general, have all sorts of thoughts and meanings for faith. Webster’s Dictionary reveals a couple of answers that are similar to Biblical truth, but the answers, for the most part, advocates for one being loyal to duty or to a person; other definitions are exhibiting sincere fidelity to the promises of others, and believing in something with strong convictions. To worship, praise, and serve the one and only wise God, faith in Him and Him alone must be learned, well-understood and consistently applied to every aspect of human life, with much prayer. The necessity for faith is present throughout the entire Bible. It was sheer faith that caused Abel to sacrificially give the very best of what he had, with an unconditional heart, to achieve great respect from God, the Creator.

As individuals, we wholeheartedly cherish what we have earned and especially the things we have been given. We cherish the things that belong to us, with the mindset that they are our possessions, and no one else is entitled to them but the rightful owner. As youngsters, we were taught to keep up with our things and let no one use or borrow what we have. There is no doubt that we are selfish by nature. It is imperative that each of us wholeheartedly seek the truth, the way and the life of Christ. There is supporting Scripture that provides exceptional conditions for putting God first in our lives. Matthew 6:33 reads, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Abel figured out early the importance of putting God first and reaping the rewards. It was all about his attitude and belief. Believers of Christ’s way are obligated to worship God in spirit and in truth, by what they do and how they act, in every aspect of life. God is no man that He should lie. Christian believers must not make it a habit to call on God only when the going gets tough. Believers must be all in or nothing with Christ.

Discussion Questions

1. Believing and confiding in a person, place, or thing that cannot be physically seen, heard or touched does not pass the common sense test. How does the spiritual concept of faith work?

2. In both 1 Corinthians 11 and 2 Corinthians 13, the Bible tells us to examine ourselves. What criterion do you use to conduct your examination?

3. We all have much to do and we mean well, with good intent to get it done, but what we consider 1st, 2nd, 3rd, …. requires us to prioritize what is important. For the sake of a personal assessment, where does living a godly life fit into your priority list right now? Why?

Thought to Remember

The key to living life on earth while preparing for heaven is to continually examine self, identify shortcomings, and prioritize what is absolutely right and necessary.

Lesson 2: Walking With God by Faith

GENESIS 5; HEBREWS 11:5-6

By Eugene Folks, Jr. & Sylvia Folks

Key Verse: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him (Genesis 5:24).

After completing this lesson, the learner will be able to:

1. Establish a closer walk with God.

2. Examine faith and its impact on their life.

3. Assess their faith and degree of pleasing God.

To walk with God requires one to be alert, pay attention to detail, and not deviate from the God-designed path prescribed. Surely this statement alludes to two human beings walking together from one point to another, but walking with God refers to a spiritual discipline that manifests in every physical thought and action. One old gospel hymn says it best in stressing the importance of walking with God:

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

The Bible asks a question - Can two walk together, except they be agreed (Amos 3:3)? Take a look at Enoch’s extraordinary and inspiring true story of exemplifying a dedicated walk with God. Enoch did not just talk the talk, but he walked the walk with the Lord, on a level that was favorable in God’s eyesight. Enoch prayed for a spiritual connection with God that required him to follow God, listen to God’s every word, watch God’s every move. Enoch walked with God wherever He took him, resulting in an intimate and personal relationship with the Lord. Enoch was deliberately thoughtful and active in his commitment to the truth, the way, and the life of the Lord. The faithfulness of Enoch coupled with fervent prayer caused God to move on Enoch’s heart and renew a right spirit within him. The Lord transformed Enoch’s way of thinking and his character, from the doing things according to the ways of the world and to obeying the ways of God. A closer walk with God means discarding personal agendas and instead seeking to know and follow more and more of God’s agenda. The key to getting closer to God is earnest prayer - not from the head nor the lips, but from the heart.

Now, let us review how the Bible defines faith - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Enoch did not have any special powers. He did not work harder, smarter or better than anyone else to gain much favor from the Lord. His faith was the sole cause of his obtaining much favor and profound attention from the Lord. Enoch was a man of strong convictions. The result of any person’s strong convictions stemming from righteousness, holiness and Godliness is the finished product of a man, woman, boy, or girl who is fit for the Kingdom of God, both here on earth and in heaven. In other Scripture, the Bible says that anyone who possesses faith the size of a mustard seed will not encounter an impossible task (Matthew 17:20). Due to his steadfast, unmovable and abounding walk with God, his faith grew larger than a mustard seed. He sought the Lord, by faith, in every aspect of his life, regardless of its importance. Enoch would have never walked with God if he didn’t have faith in God. He believed in the deity and divinity of God. Here is a question - how do we measure up in believing almighty God? Are we allowing material things in our lives to take precedence over giving God the glory He deserves? God forbid! Songwriter Erica Campbell keeps it personal in A Little More Jesus. We all need a little more Jesus. It is the fast-paced motion, love of money and media popularity of the world that has and continues to obscure the blood-stained banner of Jesus. We would all do well to stop believing in what we have and believe more in who is responsible for what we have - but most of all in who we are. The practical application of faith in Jesus is the only way to God. Warning: Do not waste any more time thinking, talking, procrastinating, fearing, faking, etc., because faith in God is so important to each of us. Faith is critical to our well-being now, and we do not have time to wait. There is absolutely no way to please God without faith. How does your faith stand up to the test of time in these contemporary times?

Although sad to say, the majority of us fall into the notorious category of people pleasers. We, the people of this great nation, are prone by nature to fit in - wherever we go so as not to be rejected. The majority of us are quick to reach the sell-out point, for the sake of popularity. Faith in Christ and His way of doing things mandates believers to act, react, respond, and live according to His way. More times than not, the ways of Christianity subjects people in general and especially believers to constantly make a choice between doing what is right or accepting the non-favorable norm. The norm is whatever it is made out to be - could be good, could be bad, or maybe even indifferent. The best possible solution and outcome to a good life is to please God the Father first and foremost, versus pleasing the way of the crowd. Enoch’s view of people, places, and things was a little different. He was always about the business of pleasing God. The way he lived, how he treated others, and most of all how he walked by faith as a follower in relationship and friendship with God won him the crown’s rewards of God. Like Enoch, all of us must personally do all that is necessary to please God. The pursuit of happiness is not in man - because man will sin first before God and the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).

Discussion Questions

1. God is always near, I could reach out to Him anytime - really, do I need to walk with Him?

2. How is faith acquired and can it be measured?

3. List three ways, with explanations, of how to please God.

Thought to Remember

There are numerous ways to please man, but there is only one way to please God - faith.

Lesson 3: Rainbow Ribbon in the Sky

GENESIS 6:5-22; HEBREWS 11:7

By Eugene Folks, Jr. & Sylvia Folks

Key Verse: And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth (Genesis 9:17).

After completing this lesson, the learner will be able to:

1. Gain a deeper understanding of required faithfulness to God.

2. Examine his/her personal walk with the Lord.

3. Resist world-class distracters from ministry.

We all have heard the story of the Ark that Noah built. Surely it reads well, in a world of storytelling, but there is more to the story than a man building a boat. This story has a powerful plot that is motivated by blatant disrespect for God. The main thought of the story relies on God’s intention for the Ark He asked Noah to build. Back in the Bible days of Noah, mankind allowed evil to take ultimate control of all things. Reverence for God had been deduced and faded to nothing by the people and caused God great grief, disappointment, and regret. The Bible says that God saw that the wickedness of man (all mankind) had become great in His eyesight. The people were continuously evil and wicked in their ways, and it was to such a point that they’d gotten God’s attention (Genesis 6:5-6). The people conducted themselves so badly that God had no choice but to wipe them all out and repopulate the earth, with His faithful remnant, Noah (Genesis 6:7-8). Because God loves His creation so much, He made a lasting covenant that no matter what, He would not wipe the people out with a flood and restart again. It is because of that covenant that you are able to read this lesson right now. Take a moment to reflect and summarize your thoughts about the world we live in today. Aren’t you glad that God sent His only Son to save the world?

Noah is the main character in this Bible story. What’s so special about Noah? He was one man among many who lived in a world full of sin and corruption, but adamantly practiced faithfulness in God. In this case, we clearly see God’s Word about how He looks at the heart of man for His assignments vs. what he or she is physically capable of performing. If Noah walked among us today, He would boldly respond with the commonly used church comeback of I am blessed and highly favored. The Bible tells us that despite the chaos and turmoil, God found favor in Noah. Why? God saw Noah as a righteous man, who had a clean record of accounts. Noah was blameless in his generation (Genesis 6:9). Noah had not only heard about or knew of God; he had a personal relationship with God. Noah walked with God, in every aspect of his everyday life. At the end of the day, only what any of us do for Christ will amount to anything. Regardless of what everyone else is saying, doing, mimicking, mocking, etc. the one who is steadfast, unmovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord will stand the test of time.

What a story about the condition of the people, who lived during the days of Noah, that caused them to be completely annihilated from the face of the earth due to sin. There are a few theories circulating as to sins committed. There is an indication that one or more of the three most prevalent sins - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and pride of life, were culprits (1 John 2:16). The minds, hearts, and eyes of the people were so obscured and diluted that they could not hear Noah’s continuous preaching that it was going to rain. It is one thing to hear someone talk about things happening in the future, but to see them going to great physical and spiritual lengths in