Opened with hymn 205 - set the tone for our discussion on faith:
"O for a faith that will not shrink, Though pressed by every foe; That will not tremble on the brink of any earthly foe.
A faith that shines more bright and clear When tempest rage without; that when in danger knows no fear, In darkness feels no doubt.
O, give me such a faith as this, and then whate'er may come, We taste e'en here the hallowed bliss Of our eternal home."
Read Psalm 15 - preparing the heart
1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Read and discussed Hebrews 11:1-16
"Faith the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Does this conflict with the current popular term, risk management? Yes. "It is an axiom that the moment you apply so-called common sense to inspiration it flies out of the window."(Visions of MBE, GC)
Enoch pleased God. How do we please God? Not like pleasing a person. Rather it is living by Principle instead of how we want, when we want - it is having no other desire than to do His will.
Noah was instructed to build a huge ark - by whom? His incorporeal God. He was mocked by the world around him which had already done a risk assessment and determined there was no risk, but it did not deter him. What a wonderful example of faith, for is to be ready to follow!
And Abraham - left everything, the security and comfort of his home, on a whim? Again, an incorporeal God guiding him to "a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." What city is this? We never read that Abraham lived in a city? It could only be the New Jerusalem described by John in Revelation. As Mrs. Eddy explained in S&H, seen by John while still "in the flesh" - in an inspired state of consciousness.
Closed appropriately with Hymn 278:
"Pilgrim one on earth, home and heaven are within thee, Heir of the ages and child of the day cared for, watched over, beloved and protected, Walk thou with courage each step of the way..."