…of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire…
original post written: Friday May 16, weekend before staff training
This is one of my favorite definitions of faith. This definition implies and brings home the truth that without faith it is impossible to please God. that our desire to trust in our Father and to know Him and believe Him brings him an overwhelming amount of joy, that in exercising our faith, seeing God move mountains before us and trusting He will be faithful, makes His heart sing. This talk below really resonates with me because of the journey God's been taking me through my heart this semester.
“And without faith it is impossible to please God,
For whoever would approach must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him….
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
He held the rubberband is his hand, and said, when the rubberband is sitting here like this in the palm of my hand, it can do very little. It just sits there. It’s not being used for what it was intended for… but when it’s here, he pulls the rubberband wide and stretches it…
When my faith is just sitting there in my hand, it is worth very little. Why is it so important for our faith to be stretched, to expand, because our faith is how we see and know that He is who He says He is.
From Drage’s talk at Glimpses of Eternity and The Rock:
6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
“Faith is the exercise of trusting, depending, relying on God for what he has to do in any given situation.”
God often takes us out of the Comfort zone into the Stretch zone.
The only way God builds faith in us is to stretch us.
These (trials) have come (WHY?) so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1Peter 1:7
But being stretched is scary. It’s a lot easier and the temptation is there to remain the comfort zone.
In the comfort zone we:
Rely on Self- Self Reliant, Self Confident
We feel in control
We can do it ourselves
Safe- It is safe - no risk
Easy- takes little effort
Have done it before
Listen to ourselves
In the stretch zone we are:
God Reliant, God Dependent
We are not in control- it is a scary- fearful place
Potential for failure is there
You could get hurt- it is risky
We must have the strength of God- we need outside help
We have never done something like this before
Learning to listen to God
What are the results (effects) of living by faith?
According to 1 Peter 1:9 - for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
God delivers [Salvation] through a person’s faith. Salvation is 1. Was Saved, 2. Being Saved and 3. Will Save
Through Faith we experience Salvation... deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation
Salvation Experience #1- the realness of God!
Salvation Experience #2- the peace of God!
Salvation Experience #3- the positive effects of our suffering!
Salvation Experience #4- the presence of God some DAY
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
He held the rubberband is his hand, and said, when the rubberband is sitting here like this in the palm of my hand, it can do very little. It just sits there. It’s not being used for what it was intended for… but when it’s here, he pulls the rubberband wide and stretches it…
When my faith is just sitting there in my hand, it is worth very little. Why is it so important for our faith to be stretched, to expand, because our faith is how we see and know that He is who He says He is.
From Drage’s talk at Glimpses of Eternity and The Rock:
6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
“Faith is the exercise of trusting, depending, relying on God for what he has to do in any given situation.”
God often takes us out of the Comfort zone into the Stretch zone.
The only way God builds faith in us is to stretch us.
These (trials) have come (WHY?) so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1Peter 1:7
But being stretched is scary. It’s a lot easier and the temptation is there to remain the comfort zone.
In the comfort zone we:
Rely on Self- Self Reliant, Self Confident
We feel in control
We can do it ourselves
Safe- It is safe - no risk
Easy- takes little effort
Have done it before
Listen to ourselves
In the stretch zone we are:
God Reliant, God Dependent
We are not in control- it is a scary- fearful place
Potential for failure is there
You could get hurt- it is risky
We must have the strength of God- we need outside help
We have never done something like this before
Learning to listen to God
What are the results (effects) of living by faith?
According to 1 Peter 1:9 - for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
God delivers [Salvation] through a person’s faith. Salvation is 1. Was Saved, 2. Being Saved and 3. Will Save
Through Faith we experience Salvation... deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation
Salvation Experience #1- the realness of God!
Salvation Experience #2- the peace of God!
Salvation Experience #3- the positive effects of our suffering!
Salvation Experience #4- the presence of God some DAY
God is moving me from the comfort zone to the stretch zone once again, asking if I will trust Him and hold on hope.
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