Faith in Action: Embracing Challenges and Divine Timing

Summary

In our journey of faith, we often find ourselves at crossroads where our belief is tested. The essence of faith is not just in having it but in exercising it, especially when faced with challenges that push us beyond our comfort zones. Faith is the catalyst for miracles, as seen in the stories of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and Peter walking on water. However, belief must be steadfast to reach our destination. Peter's experience teaches us that distractions and fears can derail us if we take our eyes off Jesus.

In exploring the miracles of Jesus, we see that faith is the foundation for experiencing the miraculous. Jesus faced opposition and misunderstanding, yet He remained bold and unwavering in His identity and mission. His encounters with the Jewish leaders in John 10 highlight the importance of spiritual receptivity and the danger of hardened hearts. Jesus' retreat to Bethany, a place of peace and restoration, underscores the need for spiritual recharging in times of persecution and trial.

The story of Lazarus' resurrection illustrates the power of God's providence and timing. Jesus' delay in going to Lazarus was not a sign of neglect but a demonstration of divine timing and purpose. This teaches us that God's plans often transcend our understanding, and what seems like a delay is often preparation for a greater revelation of His glory.

In our own lives, we must confront the "stones" that block our progress. These are the hidden issues we avoid addressing. Jesus calls us to remove these stones, face our challenges, and trust Him to bring resurrection and transformation. Just as Lazarus was unbound from his burial clothes, we too can be set free from the things that hinder us from fulfilling our God-given potential.

Ultimately, faith is about returning to the place of our spiritual calling, recharging, and stepping back into our circumstances with renewed strength and belief. When we do this, we will witness the glory of God in our lives.

Key Takeaways:

1. Faith vs. Belief: Faith is something we possess, but belief is what we exercise. Our belief is tested when we step out of our comfort zones, as seen in Peter's experience of walking on water. Distractions and fears can derail us if we take our eyes off Jesus. [02:10]

2. Spiritual Receptivity: Jesus' encounters with the Jewish leaders highlight the importance of being spiritually receptive. A hardened heart can prevent us from recognizing and responding to God's voice. We must remain open and responsive to the Spirit of God. [04:05]

3. Divine Timing: Jesus' delay in going to Lazarus was a demonstration of divine timing and purpose. God's plans often transcend our understanding, and what seems like a delay is often preparation for a greater revelation of His glory. [11:02]

4. Confronting Our Stones: We all have hidden issues that block our progress. Jesus calls us to remove these stones, face our challenges, and trust Him to bring resurrection and transformation in our lives. [23:52]

5. Returning to Our Calling: Faith involves returning to the place of our spiritual calling, recharging, and stepping back into our circumstances with renewed strength and belief. When we do this, we will witness the glory of God in our lives. [28:29]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:10] - Faith vs. Belief
- [04:05] - Spiritual Receptivity
- [06:13] - Jesus' Retreat to Bethany
- [10:24] - The News of Lazarus
- [11:02] - Divine Timing and Purpose
- [12:33] - Personal Ministry Reflections
- [13:57] - The Cost of Ministry
- [14:52] - Elijah's Story of Perseverance
- [17:08] - The Reality of Persecution
- [18:36] - Understanding God's Providence
- [19:26] - Embracing Opposition
- [23:52] - Confronting Our Stones
- [26:22] - Lazarus' Resurrection
- [28:29] - Returning to Our Calling

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. John 10:22-39 - Jesus' encounter with the Jewish leaders and the importance of spiritual receptivity.
2. John 11:1-44 - The story of Lazarus' resurrection and the demonstration of divine timing and purpose.
3. Matthew 14:22-33 - Peter walking on water and the lesson of steadfast belief.

#### Observation Questions
1. What was the reaction of the Jewish leaders when Jesus declared His unity with the Father in John 10? How did Jesus respond to their opposition? [04:05]
2. In the story of Lazarus, why did Jesus delay His visit to Bethany, and how did His disciples react to this decision? [11:02]
3. Describe Peter's initial reaction when he saw Jesus walking on water. What changed his focus, and what was the result? [02:10]
4. What instructions did Jesus give at Lazarus' tomb, and what was the significance of each step? [23:52]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Jesus' response to the Jewish leaders in John 10 illustrate the importance of spiritual receptivity? What does this teach about recognizing God's voice? [04:05]
2. What does the delay in Jesus' visit to Lazarus teach about divine timing and God's purpose in our lives? How can this understanding affect our response to perceived delays in our own lives? [11:02]
3. In what ways does Peter's experience of walking on water demonstrate the difference between having faith and exercising belief? How can distractions impact our spiritual journey? [02:10]
4. How does the removal of the stone at Lazarus' tomb symbolize confronting personal challenges in our lives? What does this teach about the process of spiritual transformation? [23:52]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when your belief was tested. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? How can you apply this lesson to current challenges? [02:10]
2. Are there areas in your life where you feel spiritually unreceptive? What steps can you take to open your heart and mind to God's voice? [04:05]
3. Consider a situation where you are waiting for God's timing. How can you cultivate patience and trust in His purpose during this period? [11:02]
4. Identify a "stone" in your life that is blocking your progress. What practical steps can you take to confront and remove this obstacle with Jesus' help? [23:52]
5. How can you return to your spiritual calling and recharge your faith? What specific actions can you take to renew your strength and belief? [06:13]
6. Think of a time when you were distracted from focusing on Jesus. What specific distraction can you minimize this week to maintain your spiritual focus? [02:10]
7. How can you support others in your community who are facing their own "stones"? What role can you play in helping them experience resurrection and transformation? [23:52]

Devotional

Day 1: Exercising Belief Beyond Comfort Zones
Faith is not just a possession but an action, especially when we are pushed beyond our comfort zones. The story of Peter walking on water illustrates this truth. When Peter stepped out of the boat, he was exercising his belief, but the moment he allowed distractions and fears to take over, he began to sink. This teaches us that our belief must be steadfast, and we must keep our eyes on Jesus to navigate through life's challenges. Faith acts as a catalyst for miracles, but it requires us to step out in belief, trusting in God's power and presence. [02:10]

Matthew 14:28-31 (ESV): "And Peter answered him, 'Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.' He said, 'Come.' So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, 'Lord, save me.' Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'"

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel God is calling you to step out in faith? How can you keep your focus on Jesus amidst distractions and fears today?

Day 2: Cultivating Spiritual Receptivity
Spiritual receptivity is crucial for recognizing and responding to God's voice. Jesus' interactions with the Jewish leaders in John 10 highlight the danger of hardened hearts, which can prevent us from being open to the Spirit of God. A receptive heart is one that is open, responsive, and willing to listen to God's guidance. It requires humility and a willingness to be transformed by His presence. In our spiritual journey, we must strive to maintain a soft heart, ready to receive and act upon God's word. [04:05]

Hebrews 3:7-8 (ESV): "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness.'"

Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you may have resisted God's voice. How can you cultivate a more receptive heart to His guidance today?

Day 3: Trusting in Divine Timing
The story of Lazarus' resurrection teaches us about the importance of divine timing. Jesus' delay in going to Lazarus was not a sign of neglect but a demonstration of God's providence and purpose. Often, what seems like a delay in our lives is actually preparation for a greater revelation of God's glory. Trusting in divine timing requires patience and faith, knowing that God's plans transcend our understanding. We are called to trust in His timing, even when it doesn't align with our own expectations. [11:02]

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV): "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."

Reflection: Think of a situation where you are waiting for God's intervention. How can you trust in His timing and purpose, even when it seems delayed?

Day 4: Removing the Stones in Our Lives
In our spiritual journey, we all encounter "stones" that block our progress. These are the hidden issues we avoid addressing, yet Jesus calls us to confront them. By removing these stones, we allow God to bring resurrection and transformation into our lives. Just as Lazarus was unbound from his burial clothes, we too can be set free from the things that hinder us from fulfilling our God-given potential. This requires courage and trust in God's power to transform our lives. [23:52]

Isaiah 57:14 (ESV): "And it shall be said, 'Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way.'"

Reflection: Identify a "stone" in your life that you have been avoiding. What steps can you take today to confront and remove it, trusting in God's transformative power?

Day 5: Returning to Our Spiritual Calling
Faith involves returning to the place of our spiritual calling, recharging, and stepping back into our circumstances with renewed strength and belief. Jesus' retreat to Bethany serves as a reminder of the importance of spiritual recharging in times of trial. When we return to our spiritual roots, we are equipped to face life's challenges with a renewed sense of purpose and strength. This process allows us to witness the glory of God in our lives as we fulfill our calling. [28:29]

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Reflection: Reflect on your spiritual calling. How can you take time today to recharge and return to your calling with renewed strength and belief?

Quotes

"We've been talking about faith specifically how faith works so unsurprisingly the series is faith works and we've said a few things we've said that the first step to activating a faith that really works in your life a faith that makes the impossible possible a faith that heals things that you thought were unhealable a faith that takes things that are going negatively in one direction and turns them 180 and gets them in the other direction a faith that works more powerfully than you mean money and resources and networking and connection and training and all of that the first step is moving from if to can that it's good for us to have faith in God and most Christians do but what is the degree of your faith is it just enough to come to Jesus or are you convinced that he is the true source of your deliverance and so I think Christians today you know they they go to church it's good they read their bible that's a very good thing" [00:00:16]

"Now, faith is something you have, belief is something you exercise. And so a lot of times we have faith, we have a quality faith, but in order to exercise it, there is some challenge that stands in the way of that. In other words, you really don't know how authentic your faith is until you have to do something that pushes you out of your comfort zone. In order to actually depend on God. And we saw the feeding of the 5 ,000 out. Jesus fed others with small resources." [00:02:10]

"And Peter had quite a bit of belief because when he saw Jesus walking on the water, he stepped out of the boat, and he was walking on the water. He probably wasn't even thinking about it, you know? Jesus called him. He probably didn't think about it much. He says, well, if Jesus is calling me, it must be good. He wouldn't want me to sink, right? And so he gets out and starts walking, and then he starts to think about it. Wait a minute, where the heck am I? And it says he looks at the wind, and of course you can't see wind, which means that he became distracted by his own machinations. He became off -center and took his eyes off of Jesus because of his own fears and worries and imaginations that drummed up out of him but weren't there when he was just having faith in Jesus." [00:03:08]

"And he actually says that earlier what he says is you are of your father the devil that is why you don't can't hear me he's bold so they asked him to you know they asked Jesus to tell him plainly he's told them plainly he's saying your heart is hardened you're spiritually not in the right place you have all the accoutrements you have all of the window dressing you look all pretty you have all the political power but you're not a god and he says and that's why you can't hear me because deep inside your soul is not responsive to the Spirit of God because you are not of God so when he says that they decided to kill him so they pick up stones to stone him Jesus is quite the agitator because when the reapers went out to kill Jesus they found him ready to kill Jesus is quite the agitator because when the reapers went out to kill Jesus they pick up stones to stone him he says so of which of my miracles are you stoning me for oh boy that really rubbed salt in the wound you know right we're not stoning you because of your miracles we're stoning you because you called yourself God you've called yourself a son of God you've called yourself equal to God he goes on with some other explanations the bottom line is he gets out of there because they're about to kill him so he's in Jerusalem and he crosses over the Jordan" [00:06:13]

"into a place called Bethany which is near where John was baptizing of course he was dealing with a lot of stuff and he needed a respite he needed a place to rest he needed a place of peace and restoration and he took the disciples with him now I don't know about you but I have found that sometimes when I've been persecuted when I'm true my heart is troubled when I need to get a recharge a charge I go back to the place back to the place of that initial infusion of the power of God it's like I need a recharge I got to go back to the reach recharge station and of course this is where Jesus was baptized he was baptized by John the Baptist this is when the heavens opened up and said this is my son in whom I am well pleased right this is when his his ministry started at that spot so with all of this persecution he's fully God and fully human so he's got to go back here and get himself together because I just got almost got killed okay now some people might say well wait a minute he's the son of God what is he running from he's God he can do all that he can do all that he can do all that he can do all that he can do all of these miracles why is he running but you know I maintain that there's a song" [00:07:43]

"all right so elijah had whipped all these people and then so elijah starts running and fleeing and there are people who said oh this was elijah's failure look at elijah running but i'm sitting here saying elijah is smart as jesus you got to know when to hold him and know when to run all right and so he takes off running all right so he runs to a brook and he says god i don't know what i'm going to do this king is after me now he's persecuting me now you know his wife's going to kill me now and so he's at a brook and the ravens come and feed him and eventually he goes to a widow with oil and flour that helps him in other words he was going through a tough time but god was still caring for him and moving him in the right place and ahab never caught him but things really turn when eventually he takes a 40 -day walk to mount horeb and goes to the mountain and when he goes to the mountain he's going to kill him and so he goes to the mountain god speaks to him and he is discouraged he wants to die and god says what's the matter he says all of the prophets have been killed i'm the only one who's left and there's nobody it's just me and then god says guess what it's not just you there's 7 000 more just like you you know what the enemy does his strategy is to make you think it's just you to make you think you're a problem to you to make you think you're a problem to you to make is that that somehow your issue is bigger and more difficult than everybody else's" [00:15:31]

"And so often we think, why do bad things happen to good people? You know why we think that falsehood? We think that falsehood because we think that only good things happen to good people. And the reason we think that only good things happen to good people is because we think the rest of the world is good. But we live in a polarized society. If you are good, then to a bad person, your good is bad. So they're going to come up against you, not because you're bad, but because you're bad to them. But if they're bad, then their bad is actually good. Did I make any sense at all? Probably not. Okay. All right." [00:17:44]

"So, when we experience a difficulty in the present, if you have faith in God, then God is using that to educate you, to prepare you for something greater. Because if we have genuine faith in God, that means we know who he is. And if we know who he is, we know that he is loving. We know that he wants the very best for you. We know that he has a great plan for your life. We know. We know that all things are working together for the good, for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. So, if we have faith in God, we don't give up in God just because we're having a hard day. Amen." [00:19:26]

"to the contrary when the enemy comes out of the woodwork we ought to say oh I must be on the right track amen and when you see the opposition that should that to pull you to a higher level of walking faith in him and that is God actually bringing you closer to him and allowing you to become your greatest self why because God knows that he always wins he knows that he's better than the enemy it's the enemy that's all messed up in the head thinks he can really compete with God it's the enemy that thinks that this is this is a fight it's not a fight the God is just toying with him but you see we have to have that understanding and faith and so" [00:20:11]

"Bethany it's interesting that Jesus goes to the place of his calling so that he can go back into the situation he just left he's going back to where he was persecuted with greater strength and when he goes back in they greet him from a distance first it's Martha if you had been here here we go with if again right and then after that he goes to Mary if you had been here and Jesus wept but I think he was weeping for two reasons I think he was weeping because he loved Lazarus and he had compassion on everyone who was there because the Jews were actually weeping too because eventually Mary came out when when well when you know when you know when you know when you know when you know when you know it was announced that Jesus was on the way by Martha and then the Jews followed her out and they thought that he was that she was going to Lazarus's tomb but they ended up crying with her so everybody was crying but I think the other reason he cried was this I think he cried because everyone was grieving for no reason at all everyone was weeping and distressed and they forgot that the Son of God was right in front of them" [00:21:44]

"okay but but he said did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God so here's the thing you see we all have this place in us we have this this this little car compartmentalized closet where we've stuffed our mess right and then we go on with our life and then we wonder why we can't go on but just because we ignored the mess doesn't mean that the mess isn't there and doesn't need to be dealt with and what Jesus wants you to do is he wants you to take the stone and the stone is you pretending like there isn't any reason why you're having these problems and why is everybody against me and I don't get it and really the reason is you're just ignoring this over here and he wants you to address that stone and take it away but you don't want to address it because it's so horrible that's ugly it's nasty you don't want to deal with it you don't want to deal with it you don't want to deal with it you don't want to deal with it you don't want to deal with it but he's saying guess what with me together we'll deal with it and you will be released and so when it comes to resurrection in your life when it comes to progress in your life when it comes to joy and freedom in your life there's stuff that you're just gonna have to bring to Jesus and address but then once the stone is moved away then after that he says a prayer and he thanks God that he hears me that he hears him and he tells everyone else that so they know it" [00:24:49]

"if you really want to exercise faith in your life then find that place where you first believed spiritually mentally emotionally not to go physically get the recharge go back into this situation in faith faith and watch the situation be resurrected if you believe you will see the glory of God amen" [00:29:25]

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Transcript

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