1. Heb 11:3, 6-7 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible...(6)And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He is real & that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (7) By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith!

2. A SINNER walking “by faith (in His grace)” BEFORE the ‘flood’...[Gen 6:5-14] HOW? Yesterday (Noah) & Today [Boston couple]...

3. Main Storyline of the Bible: Creation... Fall & Judgment... Redemption......Restoration!

4. “Living BY FAITH: The 3-fold Foundation of Faith” (Hebrews 11:3-7) (a)UNDERSTANDING, which leads to: b) CONVICTION (next Sunday, Aug 12), which leads to: c) COMMITMENT (Sunday, Aug 19)!...which will lead to Community...

5. “By faith we UNDERSTAND...” (Heb 11:3)! ROMANS 12:2... “Be transformed by the renewing of your MIND...His good, pleasing, & perfect will” THINK! MUSE! PONDER! “Love the LORD your God with all...your mind!” (JESUS) Opposite of “muse” is “a-muse”. Are we “A-MUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH”? (N. Postman)...Predicted for 21 st -C ‘Brave New World’ by A. HUXLEY in 20 th -C!...Result? TYRANNY! A gov’t predicted by G. ORWELL!

6. Q #1: Will MUSING/Thinking/Pondering Help You Live BY FAITH in God’s Grace BEFORE the ‘Flood’ Arrives? (HEB 11:6*) Answer: YES! *It’s TRUE. Period. He is a REAL Redeemer, & Rewarder! ILLUS: Before your day of surgery vs. ON your day of surgery...

7. Matthew 6:26,28... “CONSIDER (muse on!) the birds of the air...& CONSIDER (ponder!) the lilies of the field...”

8. Q #2: So HOW Does Musing/Pondering Lead to Faith BEFORE the ‘Flood’ Arrives? (Heb 11:3) 2 Cor 4:17... “For our light & TEMPORARY troubles are achieving for us an ETERNAL glory that far out-weighs them all! So we fix our eyes NOT on what is seen, but on what is UN- seen! For what is seen is perishable, but what is UN-seen is PERMANENT!” Genesis 6:8 “Noah found GRACE in the eyes of the LORD...” So he had FAITH in His GRACE! (foreshadowed by the LAMB...See Gen 8:20)

9. Gen 8:20 Noah ‘BUILT AN ALTAR’ (as he had before) Building a LAMB-centered altar at the Ark = having a CHRIST-centered quiet time...to MUSE (PONDER! MEDITATE! UNDERSTAND!) God’s GRACE!