Hi everyone! It's been a little while -- we took an extended break for the Women's National Championship (whoo Lady Vols!), but we came together this past Tuesday and got back to talking about faith. This will be brief, since we had more of an informal discussion.
Dayton started us of with Hebrews 11:1 (amplified version): NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. The point Dayton wanted us to take note of was the "proof of ownership". Faith is the substance by which we know we own the things God's promised us.
Instead of having different points for tonight, Dayton wanted all of us to talk about different ways in our lives where we have had faith for something and watched it come to fruition. Different people brought up different things, from ways to God has provided money right when they needed it, to ways God has given them the ability to save the money for when they needed it, and from God providing direction for a new career path, to God providing all kinds of open doors and network connections to transition into that career path. It was really encouraging to hear all the stories and different things each of us has learned through our experiences with God. It is true that God has set us up to be creative in our dreams and watch Him fulfill them.
So, what do you think? (See, I told you it was short!) Really, do you have a story about how you've seen your faith for something take shape in your life? Or something that God really got put deep inside you during a "faith" experience? Sound off below! The things that encourage you can encourage us as well!
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I think for those of us who have grown up in church, we’ve relied on our parents’ faith for a long time and at some point have to make that transition to standing on our own faith. For me, it happened when I started college. That was a big time of changes and I constantly was going to God, asking for direction as I decided on what classes to take, on a part-time job, favor with my professors, and the list goes on and on. I also think there comes a point when our faith is really tested; when we have the opportunity to see how strong our faith really is. I’m experiencing that right now but it also happened last spring when I was student teaching. I was trusting God to put me in the right schools with good mentoring teachers and with good students. I loved both of my placements and I know that God put me in one of the schools for a specific purpose that I’m still learning about. I also made the decision to quit my job so I could focus solely on student teaching and getting the most out of my time in the two schools I was in. It was a big decision because it would mean that I wouldn’t have an income for that semester and I would have to trust God to provide. When I look back to that time, I see that God did provide for me. All of my needs were met and He showed Himself faithful. One big thing I trusted Him for was that I wouldn’t have to drive far to either school since I wasn’t working and didn’t want to spend thirty dollars a week on gas. Once again, God came through. The first school I was in was less than ten minutes away and the other was about fifteen. I’ve learned that when I go through something and question God and wonder if He’s really listening, if I can remind myself of the times when He’s taken care of me and answered my prayers in ways that amaze me, I know He’s listening. I know He’ll stick to His word and always be there for me. One verse that comes to mind when I think of faith, and this was mentioned at our meeting, is Hebrews 11:1:
The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd (the Message).
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see (New Living).
Faith is something that, although not tangible, we can definitely see the effects of it. It’s something that’s inside all of us and through these stories that we all share, it can grow and be what we cling to when life gets rocky. Faith in God and His promises is what gets us through all the tests and trials of life. The Bible also says that without faith, it’s impossible to please God. So we need faith not only in order to sustain us through life but in order to please God. I think it’s safe to say that God feels faith is pretty important!!
Oo! Oo! me next! haha actually since this discussion i've had a couple things happen that i've been believing for...i'm planning a wedding on a budget and from the start i had to decide that i wasn't going to depend on my parents to provide the money but i was going to depend on God. so i did and had to remind my self-still!-that He was going to provide because i wanted the whole thing to be a testimony of how much God loves us. so long story made vague...since our last kynetic meeting when i was feeling the pressure of what all we had left to pay for...God has taken care of it all. that gets me so excited cause this is just a one day event that He's providing so generously for...i can't wait to experience the rest of life!
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