Faith

It is faith that pleases God. If one reads Scripture, one reads the stories of people who heard God speak and acted accordingly. They trusted God and completed tasks that sounded foolish.

God told Abraham to leave a life of comfort, worldly success, family and go to a place of privation, hard work and few resources. Abraham was to build the foundation of God completing his mission in the world.

Moreover, God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac -- to kill him, and burn his body as an act of worship. Isaac was an essential link toward Abraham completing the work God gave him.

But Abraham trusted God's word (that he would not renege on a promise that was previous given), God's character (that he was kind and good) and God's ability (that even death could not thwart his purposes). 

Even the mission he has given the church seems impossible in light of the world's circumstances. But Jesus promises that before his return, his message would be proclaimed through out the world. He will be with us and enable us to make disciples from every people group. Indeed, he proclaimed the members of every people group would stand before him, accepted into his eternal family.