As some of you know one of my favorite vacation spots is Lake Powell. My friend Doug and I were introduced to boating on the same trip back in 1994. Doug was attending a singles retreat at Powell and I was a speaker for the event. There were a little over 40 people, we had two 40-foot houseboats, two speed boats for water-skiers and a couple Sea-Doo watercraft. If you’ve been to Powell before then you already know what an amazing place it is; with more beach than the entire western seaboard of the United States, it's easy to find a secluded place where you can pray and meditate and feel close to God.

I captained one of the houseboats and was sailing it toward a beach at the end of a narrow canyon where we intended to camp. Like some alien landscape, the red rock cliffs jutted high above the water line and the sandy beach. As our boat slowly approached the shore the beauty of the sun shining over the cliffs edge was striking. Doug walked to the helm and stood beside me. “How can anyone believe this all came about by chance?” He asked.

Yet some people do believe the grandeur of Powell, of the Grand Canyon, of the mountains in my home state of Colorado, of a newborns soft skin and even of love itself is a product of random chance and eons of time. These people pride themselves on being faith-less.

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time you’re probably familiar with Hebrews chapter 11. The unknown author of this sermon-turned-book begins with a Webster-style definition then offers us a simple illustration:

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Throughout the rest of the chapter we see practical application after practical application; stories of men and women who walked by faith. It's as inspiring – okay even more inspiring – than the turquoise water lapping against the shore of a white sandy beach at the base of a high red-rocked cliff capped by the hues of sunset.

We all understand that faith is the element through which we are saved. I sometimes forget, however, that faith is an ongoing, active part of my relationship with God. I lose sight of the importance of faith. Why is faith so important? Here are a few reasons:

• You cannot be saved without faith, John 3.36

• You cannot have peace with God without faith, Romans 5.1

• Whatever is not from faith is sin, Romans 14.23

• You are justified by faith, Galatians 2.16

• Christ dwells in your heart by faith, Ephesians 3.17

• You cannot please God without faith, Hebrews 11.6

• You cannot pray without faith, James 1.6

• You cannot live victoriously over the world without faith, 1 John 5.4

• You are to walk (live) by faith, Galatians 2.20

In contrast to the Faith-less we are to be Faith-walkers. Maybe another time I'll go into detail about the stories of the men and women of faith chronicled in Hebrews 11; for now I urge you to read it on your own later today. You’ll see that their faith stemmed from the simple practice of taking God at his word. If you will do this tonight, tomorrow I will challenge you with determining what kind of faith-walker you are.

Click for part two: http://www.think-biblically.com/8-blog/14-faith-walkers-part-two