PRACTICAL FAITH
Session 1 – The PURPOSE OF LIFE
Session 2 – AUTHORITY
Session 3 – The practical use of faith
Session 4 – GETTING ON WITH IT
“The Bible teaches that faith is the only approach that we have to God. No man has sins forgiven, no man goes to heaven, no man has the assurance of peace and happiness until he has faith in Jesus Christ.“
—BILLY GRAHAM
THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
HEBREWS CHAPTERS 11 AND 12
WHAT IS THE POINT?
If Jesus saves us, and all we need to be saved is to have faith in Him, then does that mean we don’t have to have faith in anything else? Are we supposed to get or see something if we have faith? If I believe hard enough, will I get what I hope for? What does having a purpose look like? What’s the point of it all?
When our faith gets disoriented, our purpose blurs, our hope diminishes, and our endurance falters.
It takes faith to PURSUE the plans and objectives of God for our lives. Let’s take a look at Abraham’s life and see how our purpose in God is fulfilled by faith.
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
—GENESIS 12:1-4 NLT
KNOWING GOD’S PURPOSE TAKES FAITH
The purpose of God for Abraham was to make him a great nation. God has a purpose for each of us. We need faith to hear from Him and know the purpose for which He has set us apart. How can you know the purpose that God has for you? How do you seek His purpose for your life?
RECEIVING GODS PURPOSE TAKES FAITH
Abraham needed faith to receive God’s purpose and move toward an unknown land. It takes faith to accept and acknowledge the purpose of God in our lives, especially when He calls us to leave what we are comfortable with. Settling on the purpose God has for you is in itself UNCOMFORTABLE. What if I got it wrong, and He wants me to do something else? Have you had difficulty taking the first step toward God’s purpose?
FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE TAKES FAITH
The promise of God for Abraham’s life was too great for him to complete alone. Abraham needed to respond in faith—total dependence on God—to fulfill God’s purpose and promise for him. When he responded in faith, from him were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore (Hebrews 11:12).
PRIORITIZING GOD’S PURPOSE TAKES FAITH
Hebrews chapter 11 is the story of Biblical history’s greatest men and women of faith. But none of them succeeded in seeing the promise or purpose of their faith.
All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.
—HEBREWS 11:39 NLT
Not seeing the complete fulfillment of God’s promise in the grind of trying to figure out what that purpose is, sometimes has us creating our own promises or purpose. We even seek out what we think our purpose is without God and try and call it God’s purpose for our lives. Our designs always seem to FAIL, but God’s design is ALWAYS fulfilled.
It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
—ISAIAH 55:11 NLT
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
—-Psalm 118:8, ESV
RECALL AND REMINDER
The Faith Facts of Stalwarts of the Faith
Men and women of old had little fact or science to base their truth or surety. They simply had DIRECTION from God and FAITH in His inherent truth.
FAITH FACTS: THE WORD OF GOD IS TRUE
In the session Truth, Surety, and Infallibility of God’s Word (Covenants 1 Session 1), we studied four faith-stirring facts about the truth of God’s Word. These were important to building trust in God’s Word, but they are as important when building our God-focused faith. You may want to review these four facts.
Review the AIR STUDY you conducted on HEBREWS 11:4-12
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
We will study four elements of expressing our faith through purpose – what are they?
What is the danger of prioritizing our thoughts on purpose above God’s?
True or False? God’s plans are ALWAYS comfortable. Discuss
What or the four faith facts that grow our trust and faith in God’s Word?
How are endurance and hope tied to our faith?
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