By faith Moses' parents hid him from Pharaoh for three months, and later his own mother was paid to care for him by the very one who had earlier sought to kill him.

The faith born out in Moses led him to refuse a kingship and all the wealth of Egypt in order to suffer with God's people.

Moses' faith led him away from the comfortable land he had known all his life as he faced the anger of one of the world's most powerful leaders, because he saw the God no one can see.

By faith Moses prepared a strange meal and painted doors with blood so the one who brings death would pass over families living behind the stained doors.

A nation emboldened by faith crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land while their pursuers, just steps behind, drowned in the same sea.

Faith brought ancient fortified walls to the ground as an obedient band of trusting souls marched and blew their trumpets.

A sinful prostitute became a faithful servant as she welcomed God's spies into her home.

Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, all men intimate with faith, defeated kingdoms, did what was right, received God's promises, shut the mouths of lions, stopped great fires, and were saved from the sword. Though weak in the flesh, they were made strong becoming powerful in battle to defeat mighty armies.

Many other men and women full of faith received dead relatives back from the grave, refused freedom as they were beaten, laughed at, chained, imprisoned, and tortured as they faced death by stoning, the sword, or worse knowing full well a better life awaited them.

By their deep-rooted faith these godly folks lived in poverty and obscurity in caves and holes in the ground as they endured abuse and the worst kind of treatment from those around them.

Faith can be a scary thing. To enter into an unknown land, to face people who may wish you harm, to live differently than those around you, and to trust an unseen God to carry you through to the other side are experiences not for the faint of heart. But without faith it is impossible to please God.

Lord, may we please you.