I suppose that a good percentage of our spiritual growth is simply this: learning to trust God.
I know it’s easier said than done, but that’s the point… the practice of trust is an act of faith in God.
We choose to believe what we believe.
We choose to place our faith in everything: God, the driver of our car, the other drivers on the road, the engineer who designed your pew, and your bank.
You already live by faith, but Christian growth is learning to live by faith in God—to see God’s hand in the everyday affairs of life.
When you live with that kind of faith, everything is better. Even a lost job or failing health or a tragedy can be turned into an opportunity for God to strengthen your faith.
This concept can be applied to almost everything in your life, but I’ll highlight two to show a couple of concrete examples of faith in God.
1. Our church’s recent pastoral transition. My dad just retired on our church’s 34th anniversary, and, humanly speaking, we might be easily tempted to think, “That was too soon.”
But is that a question motivated by faith in God or by personal preference?
Believe me… it’s only been a couple months and I’m at the front of the pack saying, “Yep! Too soon! God, you made a BIG mistake here!”
But did He?
Again, the human side of me says, “yes,” but the faith side still asks, “Isn’t this of God?”
We sought the Scriptures, tried to discern God’s will over the course of several years, made a decision with the blessing of the church, and here we are.
Living the everyday life of faith is about trusting God in everything. With my parents back from their 2-month break, living by faith in God means that we choose to believe God HAD a plan in the process and HAS a plan for the future.
New is different and uncomfortable and sometimes messy, but if God is in it, I already like it!
2. The Bible is God’s Word. Another great example of placing our everday faith in God is when we open up our Bible and read it as if God is speaking to us.
We Christians call this “inspiration.” The Bible is “God-breathed.” All of it. Everywhere we turn, we’re literally reading the very words of God.
That’s a powerful statement of faith! And the implications are mind-blowing, because if you’re taking this book as though it is the very Word of the Creator God to you… that’s quite weighty!
Yep. That’s the point.
The words have weight because they are the words of God. We can’t pick and choose which ones we like and which ones we don’t. We accept all of them or none of them, and there’s not really an in-between option.
Either we choose to place faith in the idea that these words were given by God (and therefore profitable for our lives), or we choose to place faith in our OWN ideas for how to live life.
There can be no other option.
Jesus Christ (as found in the Bible) is God… or he’s someone else that you made up. Heaven and hell are real (as found in the Bible)… or you have to make up your own versions of the afterlife to believe in. Sin is a real problem with real eternal consequences (as explained in the Bible)… or you have to just hope it’s not, and that you’ll be fine after you die.
Either way, you’re living by faith.
Christians choose to believe that the Bible IS God’s Word, and that what it says about everything is accurate and true and good.
Today’s sermon is on the INSPIRATION of the Bible—how God breathed the very words He wanted us to know—and what that looks like for our lives. I really want it to be a help to you, and encourage you to not live by a blind faith. Check into this for yourself. The rest of this booklet will be full of notes you can study for yourself on your own.
God is quite serious about His Word, and just like LeRoy Robert Ripley said in his writings and museums and attractions… you can BELIEVE IT OR NOT! You’re given the free will to believe, but you’ll never be forced against your will to do so.
I encourage you to trust God. That’s what a life of faith is all about.
–Pastor Ryan