Faith That Is Steps
Day 1
Read Genesis 12
Let’s explore some faith stories this week in our devotions. I mean stories about people that took seemingly large leaps that, for us watching, proved their level of faith…if faith comes in levels? The point to walk away from this week with is not that every showing of faith has to be a mind blowing, once in a lifetime move that leaves everyone speechless and us homeless, but there are still lessons to be learned from those stories. So let’s start with the guy that is credited as the “father of faith”- Abraham.
Why do you think this would have been a big step of faith for Abraham?
What part would you have struggled with most?
How do you explain the fact that God said that His blessing on Abraham would be a blessing to others even as far as to all the families of the earth?
In verse 10, we see the start of what seems like Abraham struggling to trust God in this journey as he tries to manipulate the situation so struggle doesn’t come on him. Why do you think Abraham had this moment and why do you think it is included in the Bible for us?
Share some of those thoughts on the app with others reading the devotions.
Let’s explore some faith stories this week in our devotions. I mean stories about people that took seemingly large leaps that, for us watching, proved their level of faith…if faith comes in levels? The point to walk away from this week with is not that every showing of faith has to be a mind blowing, once in a lifetime move that leaves everyone speechless and us homeless, but there are still lessons to be learned from those stories. So let’s start with the guy that is credited as the “father of faith”- Abraham.
Why do you think this would have been a big step of faith for Abraham?
What part would you have struggled with most?
How do you explain the fact that God said that His blessing on Abraham would be a blessing to others even as far as to all the families of the earth?
In verse 10, we see the start of what seems like Abraham struggling to trust God in this journey as he tries to manipulate the situation so struggle doesn’t come on him. Why do you think Abraham had this moment and why do you think it is included in the Bible for us?
Share some of those thoughts on the app with others reading the devotions.
Day 2
Read Hebrews 11
This chapter is neat for many, many reasons. It is the catalogue of faith displays as told by the Bible. But it also is a retelling, a mini version of the Biblical story, as it follows the timeline of faith. You could take each of these stories and also see a picture of Jesus in each one of them, but that is not what I want you to spend time doing this morning (unless you want to!).
When you read these stories, assuming you remember or know each one of them, which one is your favorite and why?
Which one do you feel took the “greater” amount of faith, according to your thoughts, and why?
How do these stories tell us what the gospel, or the good news that leads to salvation, is?
How does this chapter make it into your prayers today? Do you just thank God for the stories? Does it stretch you in some way and that becomes your prayer?
This chapter is neat for many, many reasons. It is the catalogue of faith displays as told by the Bible. But it also is a retelling, a mini version of the Biblical story, as it follows the timeline of faith. You could take each of these stories and also see a picture of Jesus in each one of them, but that is not what I want you to spend time doing this morning (unless you want to!).
When you read these stories, assuming you remember or know each one of them, which one is your favorite and why?
Which one do you feel took the “greater” amount of faith, according to your thoughts, and why?
How do these stories tell us what the gospel, or the good news that leads to salvation, is?
How does this chapter make it into your prayers today? Do you just thank God for the stories? Does it stretch you in some way and that becomes your prayer?
Day 3
Read Genesis 6:9-22
Noah was mentioned as a righteous man, but his righteousness was explained by his obedience to all that God told him to do. It changed the way he lived, how he viewed the future, and what he did with his family. His faith was a long lasting, life changing, future impacting kind of faith. It stands as a great picture of what faith should be for us.
If you were Noah, what part of this story would be the hardest for you? Waiting for the flood? Building the ark over that length of time? Convincing your family to trust you? Just believing the same thing every single day without seeing it?
How could you use this story to tell someone about what Jesus did for you?
How has your faith changed your family, future, and actions the most?
What can you turn into a prayer after thinking about these things?
Noah was mentioned as a righteous man, but his righteousness was explained by his obedience to all that God told him to do. It changed the way he lived, how he viewed the future, and what he did with his family. His faith was a long lasting, life changing, future impacting kind of faith. It stands as a great picture of what faith should be for us.
If you were Noah, what part of this story would be the hardest for you? Waiting for the flood? Building the ark over that length of time? Convincing your family to trust you? Just believing the same thing every single day without seeing it?
How could you use this story to tell someone about what Jesus did for you?
How has your faith changed your family, future, and actions the most?
What can you turn into a prayer after thinking about these things?
Day 4
Read Hebrews 12:1-17
This chapter starts with “therefore” which means that the idea is connected to what was before it. The chapter before, if you will remember, was about all the great stories of faith used to explain what faith is. They were stories of actions that matched faith…and therefore, since we have such a grandstand of people that have set the example for us and are cheering us on…then you read these things.
When you read this chapter, what is the part that feels like it is speaking directly to you today?
What are you encouraged to do at this moment?
How can you use this chapter to encourage someone around you right now?
Why not take some time to share what you are thinking with these verses on the app for others to benefit from?
This chapter starts with “therefore” which means that the idea is connected to what was before it. The chapter before, if you will remember, was about all the great stories of faith used to explain what faith is. They were stories of actions that matched faith…and therefore, since we have such a grandstand of people that have set the example for us and are cheering us on…then you read these things.
When you read this chapter, what is the part that feels like it is speaking directly to you today?
What are you encouraged to do at this moment?
How can you use this chapter to encourage someone around you right now?
Why not take some time to share what you are thinking with these verses on the app for others to benefit from?
Day 5
Read Genesis 15
When we talk about faith, it is easy to talk about the knee jerk, quick response decisions that are motivated by emotions. But that is not always the stories about faith. There are also the long drawn out stories of patience and waiting. The way Hebrews 11 told the story, the real thing those people were having faith in, hadn’t really even happened at the end of the stories. Abraham lived that out. He was promised something, but then he waited for the promise for a really long time. Faith is of the substance and kind that involves patience and trust over a very long time.
Would you have struggled believing God for as long as Abraham had?
How would sacrificing all that he had to sacrifice, time with family, inheritance, a home, etc., have impacted what you really believed in?
Can you think of a time that you have struggled with hanging on to your faith in God in times that didn’t seem to line up with the promises?
Do you see this struggle in your life right now?
How can you make this a prayer for today?
When we talk about faith, it is easy to talk about the knee jerk, quick response decisions that are motivated by emotions. But that is not always the stories about faith. There are also the long drawn out stories of patience and waiting. The way Hebrews 11 told the story, the real thing those people were having faith in, hadn’t really even happened at the end of the stories. Abraham lived that out. He was promised something, but then he waited for the promise for a really long time. Faith is of the substance and kind that involves patience and trust over a very long time.
Would you have struggled believing God for as long as Abraham had?
How would sacrificing all that he had to sacrifice, time with family, inheritance, a home, etc., have impacted what you really believed in?
Can you think of a time that you have struggled with hanging on to your faith in God in times that didn’t seem to line up with the promises?
Do you see this struggle in your life right now?
How can you make this a prayer for today?
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1 Comment
When people you live are hurting or I myself and the knowledge that God is working is shadowed by their pain or your own I never struggle with faith believing God is good or that He loves me bevause He proved that at the cross...I struggle with understanding the situation and forget He's working but I guess that's why He says lean not to your own understanding but acknowledge He understands and sees and knows and so i must redirect my faith to that alone...so yes hard being patient sometimes having faith He is working...and His ways are Higher than my own..