Living by Faith: Courage, Vision, and Trust in God

Devotional

Day 1: Courage Through Forgiveness

True courage is not a product of human strength or determination but a divine gift that flows from the assurance of forgiveness and the presence of Christ. When we understand that our sins are forgiven, we are empowered to face any situation with confidence, knowing that Jesus is with us. This courage is transformative, allowing us to navigate life's challenges with a peace that surpasses understanding. It is a reminder that our worth and strength are not based on our abilities but on the unchanging love and grace of God. [00:40]

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a situation where you feel afraid or inadequate. How can the assurance of Christ's forgiveness and presence give you courage to face it today?

Day 2: Seeing Beyond the Wilderness

Faith invites us to look beyond our immediate circumstances and see the new things God is doing in our lives. Often, our physical senses are overwhelmed by the challenges and deserts we face, but faith calls us to close our earthly eyes and open our spiritual ones. This is the essence of being a new creation in Christ, where old things pass away, and all things become new. By focusing on God's promises, we can perceive rivers in the desert and roadways in the wilderness, trusting that He is always at work, even when we cannot see it. [02:03]

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life that feels like a desert or wilderness? How can you open your spiritual eyes to see the new things God is doing there?

Day 3: Walking the Narrow Way

The narrow way is a path that requires focus and attention on Christ. It is easy to be swayed by the broad way of comfort and ease, but the narrow way demands that we strive, not in our strength, but by giving our full attention to Jesus. This path is about keeping faith, fighting the good fight, and trusting in God's eternal, invisible, and only wise nature. By walking the narrow way, we align ourselves with God's will and purpose, finding true fulfillment and peace in His presence. [13:06]

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matthew 7:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: What distractions or comforts are tempting you to stray from the narrow way? How can you refocus your attention on Christ today?

Day 4: Faith Over Feelings

Our faith must be anchored in the unchanging truth of God's Word, not swayed by our fluctuating feelings or circumstances. This involves taking every thought captive and destroying speculations that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. By grounding our faith in God's promises, we can navigate life's ups and downs with confidence, knowing that His Word is a firm foundation. This steadfast faith allows us to experience peace and assurance, regardless of what we face. [32:53]

"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a thought or feeling that is challenging your faith. How can you take it captive and align it with the truth of God's Word today?

Day 5: A Testimony of Trust

The world is watching for Christians who, despite being deeply tested, continue to trust and rejoice in God. This testimony of true peace in dark times is the miracle that will win the lost. By living a life of trust and faithfulness, we become a beacon of hope and light to those around us, demonstrating the transformative power of God's love and grace. Our lives can speak louder than words, showing others the reality of God's faithfulness and the peace that comes from knowing Him. [56:05]

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: How can your response to a current trial serve as a testimony of trust in God to those around you? What practical steps can you take to demonstrate this trust today?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound truth of living by faith and not by sight. This journey of faith is not merely about intellectual assent but involves a deep, transformative experience that changes how we perceive the world and our circumstances. We began by considering the memory verse, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven," which reminds us that courage is a gift from Jesus, available to us in every situation. This courage is not rooted in our strength but in the assurance of forgiveness and the presence of Christ with us.

We delved into the concept of seeing rivers in the desert and roadways in the wilderness, which requires faith. Often, our physical senses are overwhelmed by the wilderness and desert of our lives, but faith invites us to close our earthly eyes and open our spiritual ones. This is the essence of being a new creation in Christ, where old things pass away, and all things become new. It is a call to walk by faith, not by sight, and to see beyond appearances to the reality of God's promises.

We also discussed the narrow way, a path that requires focus and attention. It's easy to stray onto the broad way, which offers comfort and ease, but the narrow way demands that we strive, not in our strength, but by giving our full attention to Christ. This striving is about keeping faith, fighting the good fight, and trusting in God's eternal, invisible, and only wise nature.

The sermon emphasized the importance of faith that rests not on human wisdom but on the power of God. This faith is not swayed by feelings or circumstances but is anchored in the unchanging truth of God's Word. We are called to destroy speculations and lofty things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Finally, we were reminded that the world is watching for Christians who, despite being deeply tested, continue to trust and rejoice in God. This is the miracle that will win the lost—a life of true peace in dark times, a testimony of God's faithfulness that speaks louder than words.

Key Takeaways

1. generated but a gift from Christ, enabling us to face any situation with confidence. [00:40]
2. Seeing Beyond the Wilderness: Faith requires us to look beyond our immediate circumstances and see the new things God is doing. This involves closing our earthly eyes to the desert and wilderness and opening our spiritual eyes to God's promises.

3. Walking the Narrow Way: The narrow way is a path of focus and attention on Christ. It requires us to strive, not in our strength, but by giving our full attention to Jesus, ensuring that our faith is not swayed by the broad way of comfort and ease.

4. Faith Over Feelings: Our faith must be based on the fact of God's Word, not on our fluctuating feelings or circumstances. This involves taking every thought captive and destroying speculations that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God.

5. A Testimony of Trust: The world is looking for Christians who, despite being deeply tested, continue to trust and rejoice in God. This testimony of true peace in dark times is the miracle that will win the lost.

** [00:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - Memory Verses and Courage
[01:20] - Rivers in the Desert
[02:30] - New Creation in Christ
[05:16] - Walking by Faith, Not Sight
[08:50] - The Narrow Way
[11:40] - Guardrails of Faith
[13:06] - Striving to Enter the Narrow Gate
[17:08] - Fighting the Good Fight of Faith
[19:39] - The Certainty of God's Promises
[22:19] - Faith and the Unseen
[27:18] - Seeing the Invisible God
[31:21] - Christ in You, the Hope of Glory
[37:19] - The Only Wise God
[56:05] - A Testimony of Trust

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

2 Corinthians 5:7 - "For we walk by faith, not by sight."
2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
Luke 13:24 - "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

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Observation Questions:

What does the phrase "walk by faith, not by sight" mean in the context of the sermon? How does it relate to the idea of seeing rivers in the desert? [02:30]
How does the sermon describe the transformation that occurs when someone becomes a new creation in Christ? What are some examples given? [03:48]
What is the significance of the "narrow way" as discussed in the sermon, and how does it contrast with the "broad way"? [09:40]
According to the sermon, what role does courage play in the life of a believer, and how is it connected to forgiveness? [00:40]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of being a "new creation" challenge the way believers view their relationships and personal preferences? [04:02]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that faith should influence a believer's response to difficult circumstances? How does this relate to the idea of "seeing the invisible"? [27:18]
What does it mean to "strive to enter through the narrow door," and how can believers ensure they are giving their full attention to this pursuit? [13:06]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between faith and feelings? Why is it important for faith to be based on the fact of God's Word rather than fluctuating emotions? [32:53]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a recent situation where you relied on your physical senses rather than faith. How might you approach a similar situation differently in the future? [02:03]
Identify an area in your life where you feel you are walking the "broad way" instead of the "narrow way." What steps can you take to refocus your attention on Christ? [13:06]
Consider a time when you felt overwhelmed by your circumstances. How can the assurance of God's promises help you find peace and courage in similar situations? [19:39]
Think about a relationship in your life that is based on personal preferences rather than seeing the other person "in Christ." How can you shift your perspective to align with the sermon’s teaching? [04:02]
What are some practical ways you can take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, especially when faced with negative or speculative thoughts? [49:57]
How can you demonstrate a testimony of trust and peace in your life that might inspire others, especially during challenging times? [56:05]
Is there a specific area where you struggle to trust in God's wisdom over your own? How can you actively choose to rely on His wisdom this week? [37:19]

Sermon Clips

Take courage son your sins are forgiven. I've heard that verse before I know it intellectually but something happened when I was sitting there just now. Take courage there's nothing you have to face that you can't face with courage and Jesus is holding his hand out to you as it were. [00:31:03]

Jesus is saying take courage, I give you courage take it you want courage today do you want courage this week he wants to give it to you. No situation that we don't have to walk encourage and uh I was also thinking with our memory verse behold I will do something new a roadway in the wilderness. [00:67:04]

You need faith and I've found that often you have to in a sense close your eyes from the wilderness and close your eyes from the desert in order to see the river in order to see the roadway and so often our eyes our earthly eyes are open we're seeing the wilderness we're seeing the desert. [00:109:43]

We walk by faith not by sight not by what I see not by appearance my margin says that's the literal translation not by the appearance of it. I was convicted I've been convicted over the last few weeks which is why I wanted to speak on that today how much the Lord has shown me that I still live by appearances. [00:324:00]

I still find that I judge people by appearances I think if you are to be honest pause for a moment and think about how you think about people the appearance that we see has an immediate effect on our assessment of who they are and what they must be like I see how they're dressed or what they look like. [00:346:00]

The narrow way but it's important for us to have guard rails on it so that we stay on the narrow way you know I um I don't know if you've seen drawings of pilgrim's progress I'm sure you have but one of the scenes where pilgrims walk in this narrow way you see it's sort of like a narrow way with a cliff on both sides. [00:538:32]

Strive to enter through the narrow door for many I tell you will seek to enter and will not be able to strive to enter now you might think strive okay I got to go to the gym and work out strive no I like a paraphrase of this verse that reads give it your full attention that's what striving is. [00:786:80]

Strive to keep your faith strive to preserve how much you trust God and his goodness and his faithfulness strive fight the good fight to keep faith this is what Paul entrusted to Timothy in a sense he told Timothy Timothy if you keep faith it'll all go well with you yeah the ministry yeah watching over the churches. [00:1049:36]

The future is as certain to God as the past is to us that means you say God are you going to hold me fast he says yes it's certain it's done your name is written in the book of life that's faith where I can say that the future my future is as written as certain as the past that I am certain of. [00:1119:76]

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction the conviction the knowing the certainty of the things not seen that's what faith is verse 3. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. [00:1359:20]

Our faith must be based on fact that's what will pull faith back up that's why we have our children memorize the promises I mean this week was a command but um no it's a promise yes the last week memorized I will make a roadway in the wilderness rivers in the desert I will do it that's the fact. [00:1973:36]

Destroy speculations the next time you read some speculation the news media just imagine destroying it in an arrow through that I refuse to listen to that no place in my heart for that speculation every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God every lofty thing that means that thought that says I know the world is full of loftiness. [00:2939:59]

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Living by Faith: Courage, Vision, and Trust in God

Devotional

Day 1: Courage Through Forgiveness

Day 2: Seeing Beyond the Wilderness

Day 3: Walking the Narrow Way

Day 4: Faith Over Feelings

Day 5: A Testimony of Trust

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Living by Faith: Courage, Vision, and Trust in God

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