Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me

 Good morning. You are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of your soul. But what is faith? Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. As we've said before – if you can see it, it is not hope. So what good is faith? By it the men of old gained approval. Abraham did not heal anybody or perform any miracles, but he definitely had approval because of his faith. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. That is actually amazing for 2000 years ago. Mankind's scientific understanding of the creation was limited back then. And of course God had faith that by His word worlds would come into existence. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. As an observation on the pastor's message Sunday about Adam: Adam lived over 900 years, and he never once told God he was sorry. Who knows what would've happened if he had? Cain may never have killed Abel. Most likely Adam was bitter and resentful that God had removed him from the garden. He now had to grow his own food by the sweat of his brow. Most likely he would have vocalized that resentment, and his children would've heard. Perhaps Cain sympathized with his father. After all, his grain offering came by the sweat of his brow too. And in his eyes Abel didn't have to do too much sweating to bring forth his animal sacrifice. Father thank You that the Reader has faith so as to remove mountains. He/she has gained Your approval.