What Pleases God? | Pastor Grant Ethridge

Devotional

Day 1: Fat Portions and Firstborn Lambs

Abel brought the best lambs from his flock—the firstborn, the fattest, the strongest. His brother Cain offered leftover vegetables. God accepted Abel’s gift but rejected Cain’s. Abel trusted God with his livelihood, risking his future to honor the One who provided. Cain held back, keeping the best for himself. Faith gives first, even when it costs. [06:02]

God sees the heart behind every gift. Abel’s sacrifice showed total trust. He didn’t wait to see if more lambs would survive the season. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, your heart will be also.” Giving God the first isn’t about money—it’s about surrender.

What do you give God reluctantly? What “best thing” do you cling to instead of trusting Him? This week, give God the first minutes of your morning before checking your phone. How might putting Him first change your day?

“Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard.”
(Genesis 4:4-5, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal where you’ve held back the “first and best” from Him.
Challenge: Write down one area (time, money, talent) to give God first this week.

Day 2: Three Hundred Years of Footsteps

Enoch didn’t start walking with God until he was 65. But once he began, he walked faithfully for 300 years—through parenting, work, and ordinary days. His consistency wasn’t dramatic, just daily. Like a tree sinking roots year after year, Enoch’s steady faith outlasted storms. [20:57]

Walking with God means agreeing with His direction, step by step. Enoch didn’t sprint ahead or lag behind. Jesus invites, “Follow Me,” not “Chase Me.” Consistency pleases God more than occasional grand gestures.

Where is your faith inconsistent—Sunday worship vs. Monday work? Choose one routine this week to do “with God” (commuting, chores, meals). What ordinary moment could become holy ground?

“Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.”
(Genesis 5:22-24, ESV)

Prayer: Confess areas where you’ve walked alone. Ask for strength to take the next step.
Challenge: Set a phone reminder at 3:00 PM daily to pause and pray for 60 seconds.

Day 3: A Voice from the Ground

Abel’s blood cried out from the earth after Cain murdered him. Yet Hebrews says Abel “still speaks” through his faith. His short life left an eternal echo. Like a seed buried in soil, Abel’s trust in God bore fruit long after his death. [27:04]

Legacy isn’t about length of life but depth of faith. Jesus honored Abel as righteous (Matthew 23:35). Your choices today—generosity, integrity, kindness—will outlive you.

Who needs your courage today? Write a note of encouragement to someone facing a hard choice. What story do you want your life to tell after you’re gone?

“By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain… And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”
(Hebrews 11:4, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for someone whose faith still impacts you. Ask to leave a legacy of trust.
Challenge: Text one person today: “Your faith encourages me. Thank you.”

Day 4: Closer to God’s House

Enoch walked so closely with God that one day, they neared heaven’s gates. God said, “We’re closer to My home than yours,” and took Enoch there. His daily walks prepared him for eternity. Faith isn’t a crisis hotline—it’s a lifelong conversation. [34:43]

Enoch’s rapture wasn’t luck; it was the result of 300 years of saying “yes.” Jesus promises, “If anyone loves Me, My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23).

What distracts you from walking with God daily? Turn off notifications during dinner tonight. How could small, consistent choices draw you closer to Him?

“Enoch… prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all.’”
(Jude 1:14-15, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to make His presence feel nearer than your worries today.
Challenge: Take a 10-minute walk outside today—talk to God aloud about what you see.

Day 5: The Valley and the Rapture

Abel died violently. Enoch skipped death entirely. Both pleased God. Hebrews 11 shows faith leads to triumph for some and trials for others—but all receive God’s “well done.” Comparison distracts; faithfulness matters. [33:33]

Jesus told Peter, “Follow Me—don’t worry about John’s path.” Your story is unique, but your destiny is secure. Trust God’s plan even when others’ lives seem easier or brighter.

Where have you compared your journey to others’? Write down three ways God has been faithful to YOU. How can you celebrate His work in your life today?

“All these were commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us.”
(Hebrews 11:39-40, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for His specific plan for you. Ask for joy in your unique journey.
Challenge: Write “God is faithful to ME” on a sticky note. Place it where you’ll see it hourly.

Sermon Summary

Hebrews 11 highlights Abel and Enoch as vivid examples of faith that pleases God. Abel demonstrated priority by offering the first and best portions of his flock, showing that genuine worship gives God preeminence in time, talent, and treasure. The account presses beyond ritual to the heart: offerings without faith count as sin, and real devotion orders life so that God receives the first—not the leftovers. Practical counsel flows from this: give intentionally, save wisely, and arrange finances so God’s claim comes before personal spending.

Enoch models consistency. He began walking with God at age sixty-five and maintained that daily fellowship for three hundred years, so that God took him away without tasting death. Walking with God becomes a steady pattern of agreement, ordinary daily obedience, and persistent fellowship rather than occasional spiritual highs. This steady walk produces endurance: a life that stands firm in unrighteous times and that proclaims truth to the next generation.

The teaching also reframes destiny. Abel and Enoch ended their earthly stories very differently—one murdered, one raptured—yet both pleased God through faith. Earthly circumstances will vary widely—prosperity and poverty, promotion and persecution, health and sickness—but faith unites believers to the same eternal destiny. Comparison corrodes contentment; faithful trust asks, What has God planned for this life, and how will obedience shape the soul’s trajectory toward eternity?

Practical application moves from conviction to response. Faith should reorder daily routines—first hour devotion, first-day worship, first-tithe giving—and prompt consistent spiritual habits that outlast emotional seasons. The invitation centers on assurance: embrace repentance, confess Christ, seek the Spirit, and choose a life in which Jesus is priority, daily companionship, and the anchor of an expected end. The outcomes may differ, but the promise of shared, secure destiny remains for those who live by faith.

Key Takeaways

1. Give God the first and best Offering God the first fruits demands more than ritual; it requires reorganizing priorities so devotion shapes every financial and temporal choice. When God receives the best, giving reflects trust in providence rather than anxious hoarding; faith liberates resources for kingdom work and cultivates a theology of dependence rather than entitlement. This practice trains the heart to worship with integrity rather than habit. [06:21]
2. Walk with God consistently Daily walking with God means sustained agreement and ordinary obedience, not sporadic spiritual peaks. Consistency refines character, prepares for trials, and produces public witness that endures beyond emotion. The walk is mundane yet transformative: small, steady steps create a durable faith. [24:37]
3. Trust God for your destiny Earthly outcomes will diverge, but faith secures a shared eternal destiny; trusting God frees believers from comparing life paths. Contentment grows when the soul accepts God’s unique plan and resists envy toward others’ timelines. This trust turns uncertainty into patient hope. [30:38]
4. Faith transcends earthly outcomes Faith’s approval does not guarantee uniform material results; some receive abundance, others endure suffering. The hallmark of approving faith is faithfulness amid varied circumstances, knowing ultimate vindication rests beyond this life. This perspective reorients ambition toward eternity. [28:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:27] - Announcements and Outreach
[01:57] - Student Camp & Scholarships
[03:00] - Introduction to Hebrews 11
[04:44] - Abel: Priority in Giving
[08:07] - Practical Finances and Priorities
[20:05] - Enoch: Life of Consistency
[24:37] - Walking with God Daily
[30:38] - Destiny and Eternal Perspective
[35:43] - Invitation and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Hebrews 11:4-6 (ESV)
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Observation Questions

What specific actions did Abel take that demonstrated his faith, and how did they differ from Cain’s actions (Hebrews 11:4)?
How long did Enoch walk with God before being taken by Him, and what does this reveal about the nature of his faith (Hebrews 11:5)?
According to the sermon, what are the four key takeaways about faith that pleases God?

Interpretation Questions

Why might God have accepted Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s, even though both gave something (Hebrews 11:4)? How does this relate to the idea of "first and best" in worship?
Enoch’s consistent walk with God lasted 300 years. What does this teach about the relationship between daily obedience and long-term spiritual endurance?
The sermon states, "Comparison kills contentment." How does Hebrews 11’s contrast between Abel’s violent death and Enoch’s rapture support this idea?

Application Questions

In what area of your life (time, talent, or treasure) is it hardest to give God the "first and best"? What practical step could you take this week to reorder that priority? [08:07]
Enoch’s faith grew through daily, ordinary habits. What small, consistent spiritual practice (e.g., prayer, Scripture reading) could you commit to for the next 30 days to deepen your walk with God? [24:37]
The sermon warns against comparing our lives to others’ paths. When have you felt discontent because someone else’s circumstances seemed "better"? How can trusting God’s unique plan for you change that perspective? [30:38]
Abel’s offering required trust despite uncertainty (e.g., risks to his flock). What is one decision or sacrifice you’re hesitating to make because you fear the outcome? How might faith in God’s providence help you act? [11:45]
The phrase "you preach your own funeral by the way you live" was used to describe Abel’s legacy. What do your current daily choices reveal about what you value most? What adjustments would better reflect a life of faith?

Sermon Clips

So they're brothers. Did you know it's possible to have the same family physically but not be of the same family spiritually? Cain was not a man of faith. And we see that Abel brings the first and the best. Everybody say the first and the best. The first and the best. And I think you can apply that to every area of your life. That God deserves the first, that God deserves the best. In fact, the Bible says whatever is not of faith is sin. [00:06:07] (36 seconds) #FirstAndBestFaith

Don't compare God's plan for you with his plan for others. You're gonna have family members and friends who get a promotion, who get a raise, who get that house, who get that car, who find a spouse, who have children, and your flesh is gonna say, why didn't I get that? What about me? And Jesus says to you, what is that to you? Say, God knows what's best, and he's got a plan for you that's different than his plan for them. [00:31:14] (37 seconds) #TrustGodsPlan

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What Pleases God? | Pastor Grant Ethridge | Liberty Live Church