1. The first step 11:8 The commitment 11:9 The goal 11:10 The fruit 11:11-12 The conclusions 11:13-16 The Processes of Faith

2. The Processes of Faith – the first steps. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 11:8 1.Total obedience - to the call and its consequences 2.Total confidence in God who made the call despite the cost involved.

3. The Processes of Faith – the commitment By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11:9-10

4. The Processes of Faith – the commitment By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 11:9 What did that look like? Worship 12:8 Work 13:5 Warfare 14:15&16

5. The Processes of Faith – the goal For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11:10 His motivation – God centred!

6. The Processes of Faith – the fruit And by faith (he along with Sarah), who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 11:11 1.He believed God but did not know how God would work out his plan. 2.He made mistakes – but kept his trust in God.

7. The Processes of Faith – the conclusions 11:13-16 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. 11:13 1.Faith does not follow human logic. 2.What God promises will happen (Genesis 15). 3.What God promises has deeper implications than we think (Galatians 3 &5)

8. The Processes of Faith – the conclusions 11:13-16 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 11:13 1.The Abraham and those with him continually lived by faith. 2.Living by faith is critical for the way we live. 3.This is our example!

9. The Processes of Faith – the conclusions 11:13-16 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 11:14-16

10. The Processes of Faith – the conclusions 11:13-16 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 11:14-16

11. The Processes of Faith – the conclusions 11:13-16 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 11:14-16

12. The Processes of Faith – the conclusions 11:13-16 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 11:14-16

13. The Processes of Faith – the conclusions 11:13-16 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 11:14-16

14. The Processes of Faith – the conclusions 11:13-16 Faith recognises that God provides the best. Faith is a journey – not a one off experience. Faith becomes experience when we reach heaven.