Enoch

turn your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews chapter 11 we're continuing our series titled broken and we're just looking at how God takes broken people and he fixes him and then he uses him for his glory and so we're going to be looking at the different people listed here in Hebrews chapter 11 and we're going to look today at verses one through six Hebrews chapter 11 beginning with verse number one it says now Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of Things Not Seen for by it the elders do obtain a good report through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so the things which are seen we're not made of things which do not appear do appear by

faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain by which he obtained witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it he being dead yet speaketh by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God but without faith is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is his rewarder of them that diligently seek him so as we look at this passage from Hebrews chapter 11 we're talking of course about faith but we're looking at the faith of many different people in the Bible and how God took people that were broken

and healed them and used them for his glory and and maybe that's your place today maybe you're one of those broken people and you want to know if God can still fix that broken life if God can still use you for his glory last week looked at Abel and talked about his testimony and how he set the standard the record uh established the record for many years to come for us today as well but today we're going to look at verse number five by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation yet this testimony that he pleased God he had a testimony that he pleased God I wonder do you please God now how can we please

God when we think of pleasing God we think well I've got to do all the right things I've got to do what God wants me to do and that's going to please God but in Hebrews chapter 11 in verse number 6 the Bible says without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is his rewarder of them that diligently seek him and what pleases God is what we put our faith in God first of all our faith for salvation in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 9 this is for by grace are you saved through faith and then not of yourselves it's the gift of God not of Works let's say a man should boasts you see we don't please God for salvation by our religion and we don't please God

by our rituals like baptism or catechism or church membership it's not through our own righteousness because Titus 3 5 says this not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he has saved us and so we need to understand that there's nothing that we can do to to please God and uh and to make him lit us to Heaven there's nothing we can do to earn our way into heaven but we have to receive God's Gift of salvation by faith by believing in Jesus Christ the Bible says in Romans chapter 10 and verses 9 and 10 that if Thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and Shall Believe in thine heart that God has raised in the dead thou shall be saved for with the heart

man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation in Romans 10 13 it says for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved and you and I need to put our faith in Jesus Christ as our savior we need to believe that he died that he was buried and that he rose again and that when he died on the cross he did not die for pay his own sins but he died to pay for your sins and for my sins you see Enoch is a unique character in The Bible as you'll see as we go through the rest of Hebrews chapter 11 everybody else that we look at we know that they're Sinners we have Abraham who who uh the Bible says he had faith in God yet he he wavered in that faith

and he and he went and looked for another child outside the promise of God we have Noah who got drunk we have uh David who was a murderer and adulterer and and we have Rahab the Harlot and all of these people we know about their sin but with Enoch we're not told about anything that he did wrong we're not told about any sin in his life but yet we do know this he was a sinner and the reason we know that is because in Romans chapter 3 and verse 23 the Bible says for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and there's no exceptions that you're a sinner I'm a sinner Enoch was a sinner all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and it's because of that sin that we need to put

our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as our savior because of that sin God cannot allow us into heaven because heaven is a perfect place there is no sin in heaven the Bible says in Hebrews 11 6 again but without faith is impossible please him for he that he agreed that cometh to God must believe that he isn't his rewarder of them that diligently seek him and that will phrase rewarder it means the idea of of giving your wage when you go to work and you earn something you get a wage but the the idea of the word rewarder here is he rewards our faith not our works it's the Bible says in Romans 6 23 for the wages of sin is death if you and I get what we've earned if we get what we deserve we're

going to die and go to Hell Without Jesus Christ as our savior but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ Our Lord and so the reward is eternal life when you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ when you realize that I can't earn my way into heaven I can't work my way to heaven I can't be good enough to go to heaven if I get what I deserve I'm going to go to hell and you realize that your only hope is Jesus Christ as your personal savior it is putting your faith and trust in him and so today have you put your faith in Jesus Christ if you want to please God you need to start by putting your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal savior but not only do we need to put our

faith in for our salvation but also for our life look at Hebrews chapter 10 and look at verse number 38 Hebrews chapter 10 verse number 38 now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him see God is not pleased when as Christians we do not put our faith in God we do not put our trust in God and we need to realize that we not only are saved by faith but we also live by faith now this phrase the idea of faith in God is a quote from habakkuk chapter 2 and verse number four and in habakkuk chapter 200 verse number four it says that we need to live by faith and uh and in that passage in habakkuk when he first said that it was not uh in the context of

Salvation we use it in the context of Salvation and the New Testament does as well but at that time the nation of Israel was under attack and they were about to be overrun by the Chaldeans and uh and and habakkuk said listen you need to realize that no matter what happens in our nation in our lives we need to have faith in God no matter what happens in our lives we need to have faith in God no matter how bad it gets you see in habakkuk chapter 3 and verses 17 and 18 listen to what it says it says although fit the Fig Tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines the labor of the olive shall fail and the field shall yield no meat the flocks shall be caught off cut off from the

fold and there should be no herd in the Stalls yet I will rejoice in the Lord I will joy in the god of my salvation you see when the Bible says that we live by faith it means that no matter what happens in our lives sometimes we go through sickness because we live in bodies that are corrupted by sin sometimes we Face financial disaster because we live in a world that's facing financial disaster sometimes we go through some difficult times and trying times in our lives and it's when we face those times we need to have faith in God to believe that God can take even the bad times and make them good and that God will never leave us nor forsake us and will always be with us you see we need to trust in God you see a lot of us our faith is based on what happens to us you know what we call that we call that happiness happiness is based on what happens to you turn your Bibles to Psalms chapter 144 put a marker in Hebrews 11 we're going to come back there but go to Psalms chapter 144.

Psalms chapter 144 and look at verses 12 through 15. Psalms 144 beginning with verse number 12. it says that our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth that our daughters may be as cornerstones polished after the similitude of a palace that our Garners may be full affording all manner of store that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets and that our oxen may be strong to labor that there be no breaking in no going out that there be no complaining in our streets happy is that people that in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord you see when everything is happening right then we can have happiness but when things are not going right

that's when we can have joy see happiness is based on our circumstances Joy is based on our relationship with God and to live by faith he says listen it's easy to live by faith when everything's happening good when everything is going well but it's hard to live by faith when everything is going wrong when there's no crops in the field when there's no cattle in the in the barn when there's when there's no money in the bank he said that's the time that you need to have faith in God and so Enoch please God because he walked by faith he lived by faith and you and I need to have faith in God if we want to please God now we also need to realize that that please is something we need to say to God

now with your children have you ever said some phrase like this to him what's the magic word you know and what is the magic word please can I have a cookie please can I go out and play please now why do we want them to say please because we understand that they're asking for something not demanding but they're asking for something that they cannot do and they have to have your permission and your help to do that you see we need to learn to say please to God in Philippians chapter 4 and verse number six it says be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God too many of us prayer is demanding God but it's not a demand of God it's a request of God it's a supplication you see prayer go to James chapter 1.

the Book of James chapter one right after Hebrews the Book of James chapter 1 and look at verses 5 through 8. James chapter 1 verses 5 through 8 if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God they give it to all men liberally and a braineth not and it shall be given to him and let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavers like the way of the sea driven with the wind the toss for let not that man think to receive anything of the Lord a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways you see for a little child they they think of that word please like a magic word if I say that word I'm going to get what I want please they give you that little little baby eye look you know please but

that's not what the word pleases for the word please is understanding that if I'm going to get what I want it's because you want to give it to me and we need to realize that faith is not just saying to God this is what you're going to give me it is saying God please give me what's good for me and sometimes it's not good for my child to go have a cookie sometimes it's not good for my child to go outside and play it's not sometimes not good for my child to go and do what he wants to do maybe there's other responsibilities or something's better for him and we need to realize that we come to God and we say please we ask we pray supplication in Psalms 143 verses 1 and 2 it says Hear My Prayer O

Lord give ear to my supplications and thy faithfulness answer me in thy righteousness and enter not into judgment with us with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified you see I am supplicating I realize that this is not what I can do for myself but this is only what God can do for me and it's not my choice it's God's choice and God I'm coming to say please I'm coming to say please don't let your prayers demand of God faith does not demand of God but Faith does say please God and so do you please God Enoch the Bible says he pleased God but it also says that he walked with God go to the Book of Genesis chapter 5.

Genesis chapter 5 this is where we read the story of Enoch in Genesis chapter 5. Genesis chapter 5 and verses 21 through 24. Genesis chapter 5 beginning with verse number 21 and Enoch lives 60 and five years and begat Methuselah and Enoch walked with God after he begapped Methuselah 300 years now remember back then they lived a lot longer in fact 300 years wasn't very long for that age for the that time period but I want you to notice something first of all in verse number 21 it says that he lived 16 five years and begat Enoch or begat Methuselah and Enoch walked with God after he began Methuselah now the phrasing of that we're not sure if that means that whether he really walked with God

before he had Methuselah but you know I have found a lot of people when they have children they realize you know what we need to get God back in our lives we need to get right with God because now we've got a responsibility we've got somebody that we need to raise and help them to know who God is in their life and many times that's a good incentive but whether he was already walking with the Lord or whether it was after he had his baby he started walking with the Lord the Bible said energy Enoch walked with God after he began Methuselah 300 years and begat sons and daughters and all the days of Enoch were 365 in five years and Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him Enoch

walked with God what does it mean to walk with God in verse Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse number one the Bible says furthermore then we beseech you Brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as you received of us how you ought to walk and to please God so you would about more and more so you need to understand how you should walk and to please God now we please God by faith when we're saved by faith when we live by faith trust in him not based on our happiness our circumstances what happens to us but realizing that whatever happens in my life I can trust God that's pleasing God but what does it mean to walk with god what does it mean to walk with God you know when we talk about

walking what does it mean Ricky stand up here Ricky is going to demonstrate for us how to walk so right across right go ahead and walk walk how to walk um no try again no no that's not working either no try one more time Ricky sit down Sid you sit down now the reason he was wrong is because we don't just walk focused on our walk you don't go around saying well I gotta walk right because everybody's looking at me now and I got to do this right you know you know that's not how we walk how do we walk we walk with a goal I'm going to walk over to the piano I'm going to walk over here to a brother and Fred we have a goal we have a a purpose we have a direction you see a lot of us were so focused

in the Christian Life that I've got to do this and I've got to do that right and all the things we're so focused on what we're doing that we're not walking when you walk you don't think about walking you just think about I'm going from here to there I've got a goal I've got a direction I've got a purpose the Bible says in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 17. this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that your hands forth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minds the word vanity means empty lacking purpose lacking Direction and too many of us are Christian Life we wake up every day we don't have a purpose we don't have a direction we don't have a goal in the Christian Life for that day so we're not walking with the Lord because there's no goal there's no purpose and so we need to have a goal we need to have a purpose go to Psalms chapter 37.

The Book of Psalms chapter 37 and look at verses number 23 and 24. Psalms chapter 37 verses 23 and 24 it says the steps of a good manner are ordered by the Lord and he delightest in his way though if only shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholded him with his hands now when the Bible says the steps of a good Lord again you hear somebody some preachers say well you need to take a step of faith now how many of you walk like this we don't do that do we we don't just take it one step and stop we take steps we've got a direction to go and I've got to take these steps to get where I'm going and so it's not just taking a step of Faith it's walking by faith it's it's has a Direction

having a purpose in Psalms 37 verses 3 through 5 it says trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shall be fed Delight thyself also the Lord he shall give the desires of thy heart commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and shall bring it to pass because I'm I'm going God's way I'm going God's direction I've got a plan I've got a purpose in a way that I'm going don't just wander through life with no goals or no purpose that's the problem for lives Christians we have no goals no purpose we have no long-term goals we have no short-term goals we wake up no more we don't have any goals for that day in our Christian Life we just wake up we go through the day we go to bed there's no goals there's no purpose and to walk with the Lord and and to please God we've got to have goals we've got to have purpose in our lives go to Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians chapter 3 and look at verses 15 through 18. Philippians chapter 3 beginning with verse number 15. it says let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded if anything be you otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you nevertheless where to have you all retained let's walk by the same rule let's mind the same thing Brethren be followers to me and mark them which walks so as you have us for example for many walk of whom I've told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are enemies of the Cross of Christ you see we need to stay on the path if we want to walk with the Lord we've got to stay in the path you've got to keep your eye on the mark you've got to keep

your eye on the Mark um I'm going to get a couple of guys to help me out Alex would you help me out here and Garrett would you help me out here if you would I want you guys coming up here both of you come right up here on his side of me and we're going to have a race okay so we're gonna race Ready Set Go you ready see what's the problem yeah yeah exactly you don't know what the goal is you don't know where you're racing to all right come on back up here now we're gonna have a race to the back wall and back to the back wall and back Ready Set Go come on back all right so you got to have a goal you got to have a purpose and that's that's the problem for many of us we don't have a goal we don't

have a purpose in Philippians chapter 3 and verse number 14 Paul says I pressed toward the mark for the prize the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus every day you ought to wake up and you say what is that Mark today what is that goal today what is that purpose today where am I going to where's the finish line for today and we ought to have goals uh long-term goals short-term goals and goals for every day in our life the mark that we're striving for look at First Corinthians chapter 9 and look at verses 24 through 27 First Corinthians chapter 9 verses 24 through 27 it says know ye not that they which run and race run all but one receives the prize so run that you may obtain and every man

that Strife with the Mastery is temper in all things now they do to obtain a corruptable crown but we need Incorruptible I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beat the air but I keep under my body and bring a subjection unless that by any means when I preach to others I myself should be a Castaway see Paul said listen I want to win this race but I've got to have a goal I've got to have a purpose I've got to have a direction in my life and I've got to stay on the path I've got to stay faithful you see Colossians chapter 3 and verse number 15 the Bible says and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you're called in one body and be thankful back in

Philippians chapter 3 Philippians chapter 3 and it tells us there in verse number uh verse number 16 nevertheless we're two we've already tamed let's walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing you see we need to understand that as we run this race we also have boundaries and if you step out of bounds if you cross the line then you've been disqualified and so if you're going to walk with the Lord you've got to stay within the boundaries you've got to follow the rule there's too many of us think that the rules don't apply to me I don't have to stay within the boundaries but God says you need to you see the word the word for sin in the Bible the primary word for sin literally means to

miss the mark to miss the mark in Philippians chapter 3 verse 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus and so God has a Mark has a lion it's kind of like when you're driving down the road you've got a lane you're supposed to stay in right and that lane is marked out with a a dotted line over here and a solid line on this side and you've got to stay within that lane and if you go out of that lane you ever been driving that road in the car in front of you starts drifting over into your lane and what do you do you honked horn at him because he's out of his he's missing the mark and that's what sin means sin means to miss the mark to get out of your

lane the lane that God wants you in and you and I need to stay within that lane and there are some people that are missing the mark by by just 160 degrees they're they're totally Off the Mark and there's other 180 degrees and there's others missing marked by 90 degrees and instead of going this way they're going that way or they're going the opposite direction but you know what if you're going to walk with the Lord you've got to stay in the mark now one degree is not very much is it if you look at a compass and you've got you're off by one degree that that's just a little tiny bit but here's the thing with that one degree if you're off by one degree after one foot you'll miss your Target by

2.2 inches after a mile you'll be off by 92 feet after if you travel from San Francisco to LA you'll be off by six miles if you go from San Francisco Washington to DC you're off by 42 miles if you were to go all the way around the world watching to see him back again you'd be off by 435 miles you see the longer you're off even by just one degree the further away you get from the mark and there are some in this room that are not walking with the Lord what you're doing is you're walking 100 degree 80 degrees you're going the exact opposite direction of what God wants you to do and you know that and you need to repent and turn around and get on the mark get back going walking with the Lord

there are some of you you're 90 degrees off and even though you're not as bad as this you're still going the wrong direction you're getting further and further away from God because the way you're going but there's some of you here you're just off by a degree or two you're close but the longer you continue the further away you're going to get from where God wants you to be and that's why like when you're driving your car you constantly have to kind of keep your best self back in that in that Mark you got to keep yourself in your lane you've got to keep adjusting and the same thing is true in life you've got to stay on the mark if you want to walk with God you see there's a right way to walk

in Galatians 6 16 this is as many as walk according to this rule peace Beyond him and mercy upon the Israel of God see the wrong way to walk is contrary in Galatians 5 16-17 it says this I say then walk in the spirit you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh for the flesh lust against the spirit and the spirit against the Flesh and these are the contrary the one to the other so you cannot do the things that you would if we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit we used to have a dog named Bandit years ago Bandit was a Wonder Dog you look at him and you wonder what in the world is that he was a mutt mixture you know we knew the little bit of terrier in them and we just didn't we

never did really figure out what all was in him but he was a he was a good dog except for one thing a couple things he always ate everything he was a walking stomach but the other thing was you couldn't take him for a walk because whenever you try to take him for a walk you put the leash on him and he would just fight you the whole way you know that was back before all these fancy leashes that go around the body and everything that's when we had the choker change you know what I'm talking about and we put one of those choker chains on Bandit and we'd hook up the leash to it and we start off for a walk and as soon as you walked out the door immediately it was like and you were being pulled

along what a very big dog but he's just constantly pulling you along and and he's pulling so hard he was choking the whole time you're walking we're walking down the road and he's going he's choking and so I'd yank him back and say bandit come on we'll get there together and I'd yank him back next to me and he'd write off again and I'd yank him back and he'd be right off again and especially if there was any food that was that was then it was he was gone and because he was contrary so he was fighting the leash he was contrary to me walking him and so many of us is not how we walk with the Lord we're constantly running ahead of him we're constantly struggling against him we're not waiting on

the Lord we're we're running ahead and we're off going all everywhere which direction we'd be walking down the road he'd be in he'd be heading to somebody's yard it'll be a dog and he'd run towards the dog and he'd run try to run out in the streets and he'd be everywhere contrary and that's the way my flesh and my spirit is they're fighting against each other and what you and I need to do if we want to walk with God we've got to heal got to heal Mr they would heal the Bible says in Galatians 5 24 and 25 and they that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts if we live in a spirit let's also walk in the spirit see God doesn't want to have to put a lease on us and

constantly be yanking us back from whatever temptation is out there from whatever distraction was there and that's how we go through life isn't it we constantly are distracted from God we're constantly be tempted to be to go off where we shouldn't be and God has to keep yanking us back I would say to band it Bandit if you would just heal if you just walk with me we can just got to the point that we didn't like taking for a walk if we're getting ready to go for a walk we'd sneak out of the house we'd spell out we say let's go for a w-a-l-k because we didn't want to take him I didn't want to walk with him anymore and I wonder if that's how God feels about us God looks down from heaven and say

I don't know if I want to walk with them today because I don't know if I want to keep yanking them back and choking them and fighting them I wish they would just heal I would just say just walk with me you know at the end of the Walk we'd get to the same place and enjoy it and that's what God wants for you and that's what God wants for me Enoch pleased God Enoch walked with God and then back in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 5 the Bible says by faith Enoch was translated that he would not see death it was not found because God had translated him before it but for before his translation he had this testimony he was translated now there's sometimes a lot of controversy over what translation of the Bible you use and and more importantly than what translation the Bible uses is is the translation of your life how are you translating the word of God and how you live your life you see you and I need to live a life before God look at First Peter chapter 3.

First Peter chapter 3. First Peter chapter 3 verses 15 and 16. but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ the most important translation is how you translate the word of God to the people around you for some people the only word of God they will ever read or see is your life and Enoch had a life that was translated now we know this translation was like a Rapture he got taken up to heaven without dying but I believe that the reason

that he pleased God and he walked with God and people could see that in his life and and he had a testimony for the Lord the Bible says that his testimony talking about Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6 he had this testimony look at Hebrews 11 verse 2 it says for by it the elders obtained a good report that those two words good report same word as testimony in verse number six what kind of testimony do you have do you have a testimony that you please God do you have a testimony that you walk with God what kind of testimony do you have now there are other people in the Bible that walked with God for example Noah in in Genesis chapter um I believe was chapter 17 the Bible says that he walked with God

but Noah also got very drunk and lay naked before his children talks about Elijah Elijah also went to heaven without dying remember he was taken up in the chariot but Elijah in second Kings chapter 2 and verse 11 it says it came past they still went and talked that behold there a period of fire a chariot of fire and Horses of fire imparted them both to send her and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven what what a great honor what a great privilege he never had to die he went up to heaven by a chariot but you know Elijah also had a big real big pity party he got mad at God he said just kill me the thing I love about Hebrews chapter 11 is this is except for Abel and Enoch we don't know

about anything that they did wrong they were Sinners the Bible's clarinet all have sinned and come short of the glory of God everyone else we're going to look at in Hebrews chapter 11 Noah Abraham Moses Rahab all of them messed up and yet the Bible says that God healed them and God used them you can walk with God and still not be an Enoch Noah wasn't taken up to heaven there were others in the Bible that walked with God I look back in my life and I think there's many times that I I really could say I've tried to walk with the Lord but then when I think about Enoch I realize that I really wasn't Walking with God I might have been walking the direction I should but I wasn't doing with the Lord

I was running ahead of him I was staying lagging behind him in first Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse number one the Bible says furthermore then we beseech you Brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as you received of us how you ought to walk and to please God so you would abound more and more are you walking with God are you pleasing God now the only way we can please God Is by faith have you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your savior and as a Christian are you living by what happens to you or you're living by faith that God no matter what happens I'm going to trust in you and are you walking with the Lord and if you're going to walk with God you've got to have a

direction you've got to have a purpose you've got to have goals long-term goals short-term goals and every day you ought to have a goal today I'm going to walk with the Lord I've got a purpose I've got a direction in my life there's a right way and a wrong way to walk and how is your testimony for the Lord