Devotional: Authentic Faith
As we begin the Faith series, we first delve into the definition of faith before we are introduced to the Hall of Faith–Old Testament characters who were commended for their belief in God. What’s encouraging is that all of the people we will learn from had their own faults, mistakes, and weaknesses–but that did not stop God from commending them for their faith. As we look at the concept of faith–the confident expectation in the presence, power, and provision of the unseen God–pray that the Lord would grow your confident expectation in His presence, power, and provision.
Questions for Meditation
- Faith believes that the unseen God operates from His unseen world but manifests into our seen world in three different. One of the ways that He does this is through His presence–His loving nearness. How has God’s presence become real to you in your life?
- Another way that God’s unseen world becomes real to us is through His power. God has a creative ability to work in our lives that brings about results we could never create on our own. Has God ever shown His power to you in your life?
- The other way this is made real to us is through His provision. God’s amazing generosity gives us resources that lie beyond our reach. How has God’s generosity impacted your life?
- How can you confidently expect God to work in these three ares in your life in 2019?
- Faith always has an object, but authentic faith only has God as the object. Without God as the object, it’s not authentic faith, and fails to bring about a supernatural response. Are there ares of your life where you have placed your faith in something other than God?
- Often times in our lives, we deal with disappointment or discouragement as the result of circumstances not materializing the way we had hoped for. However, faith takes hold of God above people, places, and things, because He is above all of those things. When in your life–perhaps recently–has a situation resulted in a person or situation disappointing you? How can you redirect your faith to God above people, places, and things?