Embracing Faith: Trusting God Through Life's Journey

Devotional

Day 1: Faith as a Deliberate Choice

Faith involves making choices that defy immediate gratification for the promise of greater blessings. Like the man in the desert, we are often faced with decisions that test our trust in God's provision and timing. Faith requires us to act on the belief that God will fulfill His promises, even when the outcome is uncertain. This kind of faith challenges us to trust in the unseen and to make decisions that align with God's will, even when they seem counterintuitive. It is about choosing to believe in God's goodness and His plans for us, despite the uncertainties we face. [43:58]

"For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a decision you are currently facing. How can you choose to trust in God's provision and timing, even if the outcome is uncertain?

Day 2: Faith as a Conduit for Healing

The healing of the two blind men in Matthew 9 underscores the power of faith in unlocking God's miracles. Their healing was contingent upon their belief in Jesus' ability to heal them. This teaches us that our faith can be a conduit for God's power and blessings in our lives. When we believe in God's ability to work in our lives, we open ourselves up to His transformative power. Faith is not just about believing in God's existence but trusting in His ability to intervene and bring about change in our circumstances. [46:44]

"And Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way." (Mark 10:52, ESV)

Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you need healing or transformation? How can you actively trust in God's power to bring about change?

Day 3: Living with Ridiculous Faith

God calls us to live with "ridiculous faith," stepping out of our comfort zones and trusting Him with the unknown. This kind of faith requires us to move against our fears and take bold steps in obedience to God's calling, trusting Him with the results. It is about embracing the unknown and trusting that God will guide us through it. Ridiculous faith is about taking risks for the sake of God's kingdom and believing that He will provide and protect us as we do so. [52:25]

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." (Hebrews 11:8, ESV)

Reflection: What is one bold step of faith you feel God is calling you to take? How can you trust Him with the unknown as you step out in obedience?

Day 4: Faith and Persistence

True faith is persistent, continuing to trust and obey God even when we feel like giving up. It involves keeping our eyes on God, focusing on His promises rather than our circumstances, and trusting Him to provide strength and guidance through life's challenges. Persistence in faith means not giving up when things get tough but holding on to God's promises and trusting that He will see us through. It is about enduring through trials and tribulations, knowing that God is with us every step of the way. [01:16:09]

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you feel like giving up? How can you persist in faith and trust in God's promises despite the challenges you face?

Day 5: Trusting in God's Plan

Faith means trusting God's plan, even when it doesn't align with our desires. God hears and answers our prayers, but His answers may not always be what we expect. Trusting in His wisdom and love, we learn to accept His will, knowing that He has our best interests at heart. It is about surrendering our desires and plans to God and trusting that His plans for us are good. Trusting in God's plan means believing that He is in control and that He will work all things together for our good. [01:13:32]

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a situation in your life where you are struggling to trust God's plan? How can you surrender your desires to Him and trust in His wisdom and love?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound concept of faith and its pivotal role in our spiritual journey. We began by honoring our veterans and those connected to them, lifting them up in prayer for protection and comfort. This act of faith set the stage for our deeper dive into understanding faith's essence and its transformative power in our lives.

We reflected on a story of a man in the desert who faced a critical decision: to drink the water he found or to use it to prime a pump, potentially unlocking a greater source of water. This narrative illustrated the essence of faith—choosing to trust in something unseen and uncertain, much like the two blind men in Matthew 9 who were healed by Jesus because of their unwavering belief in His power.

Faith, as we discussed, is not just a passive belief but an active, dynamic force that requires us to step out of our comfort zones. It is about living on the edge, taking risks, and trusting God with the outcomes, even when they are not immediately visible or understandable. We examined six aspects of faith: believing without seeing, obeying without understanding, giving before receiving, persisting despite challenges, thanking before receiving, and trusting even when we don't get what we want.

These facets of faith challenge us to live courageously, to be persistent in our spiritual walk, and to trust in God's greater plan for our lives. We acknowledged that faith is not about receiving everything we desire but about trusting God's wisdom and timing. Through trials and tribulations, our faith is refined and strengthened, leading us to a deeper relationship with God.

As we concluded, we were reminded that faith is a journey, not a destination. It requires daily commitment and a willingness to trust God in all circumstances. We were encouraged to take steps of faith, to move beyond our fears, and to embrace the future God has planned for us with confidence and hope.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith as a Choice: Faith involves making choices that defy immediate gratification for the promise of greater blessings. Like the man in the desert, we are often faced with decisions that test our trust in God's provision and timing. Faith requires us to act on the belief that God will fulfill His promises, even when the outcome is uncertain. [43:58]
2. Faith and Healing: The healing of the two blind men in Matthew 9 underscores the power of faith in unlocking God's miracles. Their healing was contingent upon their belief in Jesus' ability to heal them. This teaches us that our faith can be a conduit for God's power and blessings in our lives. [46:44]
3. Living with Ridiculous Faith: God calls us to live with "ridiculous faith," stepping out of our comfort zones and trusting Him with the unknown. This kind of faith requires us to move against our fears and take bold steps in obedience to God's calling, trusting Him with the results. [52:25]
4. Faith and Persistence: True faith is persistent, continuing to trust and obey God even when we feel like giving up. It involves keeping our eyes on God, focusing on His promises rather than our circumstances, and trusting Him to provide strength and guidance through life's challenges. [76:09]
5. Trusting God's Plan: Faith means trusting God's plan, even when it doesn't align with our desires. God hears and answers our prayers, but His answers may not always be what we expect. Trusting in His wisdom and love, we learn to accept His will, knowing that He has our best interests at heart. [01:13:32]
** [73:32]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[43:58] - Honoring Veterans and Prayer
[46:44] - The Story of Faith in the Desert
[51:01] - Faith and Healing in Matthew 9
[52:25] - Living with Ridiculous Faith
[54:40] - Challenges of Faith in Daily Life
[55:53] - Six Aspects of Faith
[56:30] - Believing Without Seeing
[58:24] - Obeying Without Understanding
[64:37] - Giving Before Receiving
[69:08] - Thanking Before Receiving
[71:03] - Trusting Even When You Don't Get It
[73:32] - Trials and Tribulations
[76:09] - Persistence in Faith
[78:49] - Encouragement and Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

"Faith is the key to the miracles in your life. Do you believe that? Faith is the key. And if we're not seeing any miracles in our lives, there's a good chance that we are not stepping out in faith often enough. Do you believe that? Can I hear amen? All right. What is ridiculous faith? I'll answer that for you. It's when you live on the edge of your comfort zone, kind of like swimming in the deep end of the pool with no floaties." [00:52:25] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"God wants us to be people of ridiculous faith. Can you say ridiculous faith? Ridiculous faith. People who step up and step out in spite of their fears and they refuse to back down when things get tough. God wants us to bravely follow him into the future that he's planned for us." [00:53:33] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Faith is believing when you don't see it. It's seeing something before it happens. Anybody can see something happen and say, oh, okay, well, I know that's going to happen again. You know, if it's raining outside, you can say, okay, I know that another drop of rain is going to hit the ground. There's no faith in that. There's no challenge in that." [00:56:39] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Faith is trusting even when you don't get it. Two facts about God. God hears prayers, and He answers prayers. Every single prayer you pray today, God hears, and God answers every single prayer that you pray, but God doesn't answer every single prayer like we want him to does he no sometimes the answer is yes those are the ones we like sometimes the answer is no." [01:10:52] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Most of the time when we ask God to take something out of our life that's bringing a lot of pressure, God doesn't take it away, but he gives us strength to get through it, doesn't he? And he builds our strength. And he builds our faith through the things that he doesn't take away. He's more interested in your character than he is in your comfort." [01:13:42] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Maybe you're here today and you're ready to give up maybe on your kids. On your prodigal kids. Your adult prodigals. Maybe you're here and you're ready to give up on your dream. You know, Raymond Litke never gave up on his dream for creating a wireless microphone. He kept on and he kept on and he kept on." [01:17:30] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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