How can we NOT have faith?

Hebrews 11:1  "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

Chapter 11 of Hebrews is sometimes referred to as the "Faith Hall of Fame".  The author reminds us of many heroes of the Old Testament that lived and acted by faith.  Although the specifics of their situations are different, all of these heroes had one thing in common: they lived by faith and died without seeing the Messiah for themselves. 

But they stayed faithful even in death because they believed that God was who He said He was and that He would do what He said He would do.  They certainly hoped to see God's Kingdom reign on earth with their own eyes, but just because it didn't happen during their finite lives didn't mean that their faith and belief were all for naught.  They did have other direct experiences that helped solidify their faith.  Their faith was not without basis, they just didn't see the full revelation of what they believed God would eventually do. 

How much more basis and direct revelation do we now have the benefit of?  The Messiah has come- He lived among us.  We have the incredible blessing of having seen the Messiah through the eyes and words of the authors of the Bible.  Their accounts allow us to know that what was prophesied and foretold in the Old Testament came to be.  It is fact, not just something we hope for and wait for. 

Yet we still have a hard time having faith!  How is it that we can have the fullness of direct revelation from God and not live with at least the same amount (if not significantly more) faith than our Christian ancestors?  All the basis we need for our faith is found in the fact that God promised to send a Messiah that would reconcile us to God for eternity, and HE DID!