Trusting God: A Journey of Faith and Guidance

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God's Unseen Path

God's guidance often requires us to step into the unknown, much like Abraham did when he left his homeland. This journey of faith means trusting God as our divine GPS, even when the path is unclear. We are called to rely on His trustworthiness, knowing that He has a plan for us, even if we cannot see all the details. This trust is not passive but an active decision to follow God's lead, believing that He will direct our steps. [01:09]

Hebrews 11:8-9 (ESV): "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. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel uncertain about the future? How can you actively trust God to guide you in this area today?

Day 2: Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Living by faith means moving forward without needing to see the entire path. If we require all the answers before taking a step, we are living by sight, not faith. God desires us to trust Him, knowing that He has a plan for us. This involves a willingness to step out in faith, even when the way forward is not fully visible. It is about believing in God's promises and His ability to fulfill them, despite our limited understanding. [02:37]

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

Reflection: Is there a decision you are hesitating to make because you can't see the whole picture? What step of faith can you take today, trusting that God will provide clarity as you move forward?

Day 3: Embracing an Eternal Perspective

To live by faith, we must maintain an eternal perspective, looking toward heaven for clarity on our earthly steps. This perspective helps us make decisions that align with God's long-term view, rather than our short-sightedness. By focusing on the eternal, we can navigate life's challenges with a sense of purpose and direction, knowing that our ultimate destination is with God. [03:16]

Colossians 3:2-3 (ESV): "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

Reflection: How can you shift your focus from immediate concerns to an eternal perspective today? What practical steps can you take to align your daily decisions with God's eternal plan?

Day 4: Decisions as Steps of Faith

Our lives are a series of decisions, each affecting our journey and destination. By making decisions with eyes of faith, we ensure that we are on the right path, avoiding regrets from turning the wrong way. Each decision is an opportunity to trust God and align with His will, leading us closer to the place of blessing He has prepared for us. [03:43]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: Think of a recent decision you made. Did you consider God's guidance in that decision? How can you involve Him more in your decision-making process moving forward?

Day 5: Aligning with God's Plan

When we keep our eyes on heaven and allow God to guide us on earth, we end up in the place of blessing He has prepared for us. This alignment brings glory to God, good to us, and blessings to others. It is a journey that transforms us and deepens our experience with God, as we learn to trust Him more fully and follow His lead. [04:22]

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV): "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Reflection: In what ways can you align your daily actions with God's plan for your life? How can you be a blessing to others as you follow His guidance?

Sermon Summary

Abraham's journey is a profound example of a pilgrimage of faith, one that God calls each of us to embark upon. In Genesis 12, God instructed Abraham to leave his homeland and family, promising to bless him and make him a blessing to all nations. This journey required Abraham to trust God as his divine GPS, guiding him without revealing all the details in advance. Similarly, God invites us to trust Him on our own life journeys, even when the path is unclear or doesn't make sense.

Our pilgrimage is about following God by faith, not by sight. We are called to rely on His objective word, the Bible, and the personal guidance of the Holy Spirit, who brings thoughts and circumstances into our lives to direct our steps. Faith requires us to move forward without needing to see the entire path, trusting that God is trustworthy and has a plan for us.

Living by faith means maintaining an eternal perspective, looking toward heaven for clarity on our earthly steps. Our lives are a series of decisions, each affecting our journey and destination. We must make these decisions with eyes of faith, understanding that God sees the long-term view while we often focus on the immediate.

By keeping our eyes on heaven, we allow God to guide us on earth, ensuring that we end up in the place of blessing He has prepared for us. When our journey aligns with God's plan, He receives the glory, we receive the good, and others are blessed through us. This is the essence of a pilgrimage of faith, a journey that transforms us and brings us into a deeper experience with God.

Key Takeaways

1. pKpw&t=69s'>[01:09]
2. Living by Faith, Not Sight: Faith involves moving forward without needing to see the entire path. If we require all the answers before taking a step, we are living by sight, not faith. God wants us to trust Him, knowing that He has a plan for us.

3. Eternal Perspective: To live by faith, we must maintain an eternal perspective, looking toward heaven for clarity on our earthly steps. This perspective helps us make decisions that align with God's long-term view, rather than our short-sightedness.

4. Decisions as Pilgrimages: Our lives are a series of decisions, each affecting our journey and destination. By making decisions with eyes of faith, we ensure that we are on the right path, avoiding regrets from turning the wrong way.

5. Aligning with God's Plan: When we keep our eyes on heaven and allow God to guide us on earth, we end up in the place of blessing He has prepared for us. This alignment brings glory to God, good to us, and blessings to others.

** [01:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:28] - Abraham's Pilgrimage of Faith
[00:44] - God's Promise to Abraham
[00:56] - Trusting God as Our GPS
[01:09] - Beginning the Journey
[01:22] - God's Call to All of Us
[01:39] - Journey by Faith
[01:56] - Following God's Word
[02:10] - Personal Application of Faith
[02:24] - The Necessity of Faith
[02:37] - Living by Faith, Not Sight
[02:49] - Trusting God's Plan
[02:59] - Eternal Perspective
[03:16] - Making Faith-Based Decisions
[03:28] - Life's Series of Decisions
[03:43] - Avoiding Regrets
[04:08] - Aligning with God's Plan
[04:22] - The Place of Blessing

Sermon Clips

god came to him in genesis 12 and told him to leave his homeland his country and family and go to a land where he would show him and he said to abraham if you will trust me in this journey then i'm going to bless you i'm going to bless your seed and through you all the nations of the earth will be blessed [00:31:19]

god said abraham i'm going to be your gps you have to follow my lead although i'm not going to give you all the information in advance abraham began this pilgrimage which would totally transform his life and bring him into an experience with god and with good that he could never imagine [00:63:44]

god calls all of us on a pilgrimage a pilgrimage by a god that we do not see to places that we do not know but he expects us to take the journey by faith to take each step along the way with confidence that god our personal gps system and person knows exactly where he's taking us [00:88:00]

we first of all follow him by his objective word what he has clearly stated in scripture and then we follow him in the personal application of that word as the holy spirit shows us the next step to take through bringing thoughts to our minds and circumstances into our lives [02:03:92]

you and i will never arrive where god wants us to be if we're not willing to move by faith if you've got to see it all in advance you'll never get there because you won't be living by faith you'll be living by sight and sight cancels faith [02:51:28]

god wants to know we believe he's trustworthy even when things seem vague unclear and sometimes it doesn't even make sense it says that he was looking for a city whose builder and maker was god if you and i are going to live our life's journey by faith [02:69:51]

we must possess an eternal perspective we must keep our eyes open toward heaven to get clarity on the steps we need to take on earth we have to live our lives with eyes of faith as we make decisions because that's what a journey is it's a whole series of decisions [03:12:88]

should i go here should i work here should i marry this person should i uh go in this direction how should i spend my resources all of these are pilgrimages because they all affect where we wind up and the directions we take [03:36:00]

so many of us i'm sure have had regrets that we've turned the wrong way it looked right but it wound up being wrong because the difference between god and us is he has a long-term view we are short-sighted you have a life to live a journey to move on and a pilgrimage to take [03:53:43]

keep your eyes stuck on heaven so god can guide you on earth and when those two meet you'll wind up in exactly the place of blessing god has prescribed for your life he'll get the glory you'll get the good and others from you will be blessed [04:15:92]

god came to him in genesis 12 and told him to leave his homeland his country and family and go to a land where he would show him and he said to abraham if you will trust me in this journey then i'm going to bless you i'm going to bless your seed and through you all the nations of the earth will be blessed [00:31:19]

god said abraham i'm going to be your gps you have to follow my lead although i'm not going to give you all the information in advance abraham began this pilgrimage which would totally transform his life and bring him into an experience with god and with good that he could never imagine [00:63:44]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?