In the year of 2013, I would like to be able to say that I am living a life of faith, so that others may see and be drawn to the Author and Finisher of my faith.
I am studying faith in the Bible; for the next couple Mondays, we are going to look at faith in the lives of some elders that obtained good report. These were our forefathers that, through faith, moved mountains, kept His promise in their hearts, took the gospel, didn't care what others thought, only cared about what God thought and, ultimately, brought glory and honor to their God.
This song is by Keith and Kristy Getty - (our theme song for this bible study)
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. - Hebrews 11:6
So what is Faith?!?
The Google dictionary says that faith is...
**Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
**Strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.
My definition: Hope and belief in something that you have no evidence for, just "trust".
Faith in everyday life
You have to have faith in everyday life. How do you know that the air is not filled with gas? How do you know that the food you are eating is not filled with poison? Every time you sit down, you have to trust that the chair is going to hold you. When you open a door and walk into a room you are demonstrating faith in the building that it's not going to fall on you. When you walk you are trusting your legs to carry you. Every breath you take, every move you make, it takes faith.
Hebrews 11:3 says "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."
How did God make everything out of nothing? Were we there when the world was created? No. I could get into a big evolution-vs-creation debate, but I will not. To sum both of them up, you have to have FAITH. You were not there. Yes, there is evidence of a world designed by an orderly God but point blank, you were not there. So to believe in Creation, you must have faith; to believe in Evolution, you must have faith.
How do we know the Creator did not mess up? What if the world just blows up? We have to have faith. How has God always been? How is He going to live forever? It doesn't make sense. I don't understand it all but I trust the all knowing, powerful Creator, my God. By faith.
Faith in trials
Oswald Chambers said "Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace."Many people say they have faith that God will deliver them from "this or that" but when they don't see the result that they wanted, they get bitter and angry. Faith is not proving God by getting what you want. Faith is trust in every situation that God is in control, whether good or bad and you will embrace and learn whatever He wants you to learn.
We are going to study many different Bible characters and we are going to see the many "fiery trials" that God took them through to refine them into beautiful vessels.
We are going to see trials and faith. We are going to see everyday faith. We are going to see the power of God and the results of faith. I hope you will join me on this journey and pray that our faith grows in this next year of 2013
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