Hebrews 11  Each of the people mentioned in this well known account have a testimony to give us; they lived and walked by faith in the One and only True God.  God was pleased by their faith and commended them for it.

God commended Abel for offering a worthy sacrifice and He called him righteous. (v4)
God commended Enoch for pleasing Him by his faith, and He took him into heaven. (v5)
God commended Noah for believing the warning given to him and in reverent faith, building the ark. God rewarded him and he "became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." (v7)
God commended Abraham for obeying Him,  going to an unknown land, living as an alien in a nation promised to him and to his offspring, and believing God's promises for an eternal city. (v8-10)
God commended Sarah for considering Him faithful and rewarded her with a son. (v11)

Verses 13-16 are an interlude in this roster of "men of old" who gained God's approval by their faith.
It tells us that they "died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. "   The promises they clung to most were the ones that would not be fulfilled on this earth, but in heaven. " But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. " 

God commended Abraham for obediently offering up Isaac.  For Abraham "considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead..."  And God gave Isaac back to him.
God commended Isaac for his faith in blessing Jacob and Esau, "even regarding things to come".
God commended Jacob, who by faith blessed each of his sons, "and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff." 
God commended Joseph, who by faith looked ahead to the "exodus of the sons of Israel and gave orders concerning his bones." 
God commended the parents of Moses, who hid him from the kings edict. And He commended Moses who:
- chose to identify with his own people in suffering instead of the "passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward," 
-left Egypt, came back to gather his people, and "By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them." 
-passed through the Red Sea on dry ground.

By faith:
the walls of Jericho fell.
Rahab was delivered;
Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets "conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight... " 

But others suffered in their faith, believing in a "better resurrection" - they were:
tortured
mocked
scourged
imprisoned
stoned
sawn in two
tempted
slain with a sword
made destitute
afflicted
ill-treated

".. men of whom the world was not worthy.. " 

" And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect." 

Each of these men and women believed that what God promised would come true, even if they would not see it in their own lifetime. They lived in faith, looking towards the things they could not see....
They trusted and obeyed God. Their hope - their expectation and anticipation - was that "better country, that is a heavenly one." Their testimony to us is this - It is worth it all!

What will we do - by faith?
Will we offer a worthy sacrifice?
Will we please Him by our faith?
Will we obey?
Will we look ahead?
Will we endure?
Will we conquer?
Will we die?
Will we consider the reproach of Christ greater than all the riches of... this world?

How will we live.. for Him?

Father in heaven, blessed is Your Name in all the earth!  You alone are worthy of our praise and thanksgiving. I choose to walk by faith, persuaded and convinced that Your Word is Truth and all that You have said will be fulfilled. Oh Lord, I want to please You in every way by walking in faith, in a manner worthy of You.  Fill me Holy Spirit that I may walk in obedience and hope, by faith, in Christ I pray. Amen.