The Order Of Life

August 9th, 2023

by Pastor Andrew Wolfenbarger
08/09/2023

Hebrews 11:4-‬5, ‬7 - "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. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."

We are creatures of habit. I bet you never even notice it, but your morning routine is filled with tasks that you devote little to no conscious thought to, but they are done with precision and efficiency.

For example, when you button your shirt, do you start from the top button downward? Do you ever work in the opposite direction? I bet you always put your socks on the same foot first and never give it a second thought.

Here is a quick test: cross your arms... hold it... now cross them so that your other arm is on top. That was probably more difficult than you anticipated. These routines are accomplished the same way every day so that you can keep your mind oriented on larger matters.

Routines can provide structure and order to a day. They can develop efficiency and help us maximize our potential. Don’t believe me? Ask the military their view on a regimented routine.

In the Christian life, there is a routine. I prefer to call it a divine order to life. Many people think that if they wake up and spend their day working for the Lord, it's been a good day for the Kingdom. Wrong! When we do this, we disregard God's designed order. So, what is the order I'm referring to? It's laid out by the first three people discussed in Hebrews 11.

1. Able (v. 4) - worshipped
2. Enoch (v. 5) - walked
3. Noah (v. 7) – worked

Able was a man that gave an offering that indicated His love for God. It was an offering accepted by God. This was worship. He demonstrated to God the worthiness due to His name, which is the true essence of worship.

All of our Christian vitality flows from our worship. If our worship is a gutter filled with trash from the world, we will have an anemic Christian life. If it is a clear, refreshing stream that flows with pure passion and adoration for God, our experience will be life-giving to us and others.

Enoch walked with God so closely that God took him to heaven. Walking with God demands obedience and surrender to Him as we seek to conform our lives to Christ. It involves the study of the Word and fellowship with God in prayer.

If you are walking with God, precisely how far have you traveled? Has he increased your faith or changed your appetites? These are just examples of growth and progress implied in the picture of walking.

Noah worked for God by building an Ark that culminated in the salvation of his family. He labored to accomplish a nearly impossible task for over one hundred years.

These men provide us with a pattern that we must not neglect. We must first have a deep love for God which manifests in worship. Worship forms in us the desire to be like Him so that we strive to walk with Him. Only then should we attempt any work for Him because that which does not flow out of love for God is likely flowing from love of self.

Do not neglect this order. If you do, you are sacrificing so much in your Christian experience.