UNWAVERING
Faith and the Word
WARM-UP
Do you consider yourself a go-getter? Why or why not?
How would you define the word “trust”?
Have you ever waited for a person to fulfill their promise to you? Tell us what happened.
WORD
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. HEB 11:1
(Read also Gen 12:1-4.)
God called Abraham and told him his promises and plans for his life. Although Abraham did not yet fully know God, he obeyed by faith. The word and command of God is the basis of our faith because we know that he who gave the word is faithful. Today, we will look at three truths about faith and the word of God.
[And they would already have destroyed me] had I not believed in seeing the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living. PSA 27:13
Rashi’s Commentary
If I had not believed in the Holy One, blessed is he, those false witnesses would have already risen against me and destroyed me. The word “לולא” has dots on it to expound that which our Rabbis expounded: I know that you give reward to the righteous in the world to come, but I don’t know if I have a portion with them or not.
1 Faith comes by hearing the word.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. ROM 10:17
The starting point of faith is receiving the word of God. Because God’s word is the basis of our faith, we must keep on communicating with him by reading his word and praying to him constantly and consistently. Like Abraham, we must be ready to receive a word from God. How has your sensitivity to the voice of God increased as you matured in the faith?
28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell his dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the Lord.
Rashi’s Commentary
Let him tell his dream—Let him tell it as vain talk like
other dreams, and let him not presume it as words of prophecy.
What does straw have in common with grain?—What does falsehood have in common with truth?
29 “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” JER 23:28-29
Rashi’s Commentary
And as a hammer—(Pic in French), a pick. And some say (marteau in French), a hammer.
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. GEN 12:4
Abraham proved his faith in God when he went as the Lord had told him, not knowing where he was going. We
2 Faith is proven by obeying the word.
prove our faith as we obey the commands of God. Is there a command from God that He is calling you to obey?
But if you carefully listen to his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose your adversaries. EXO 23:22
Rashi’s Commentary
And . . . oppose—Heb. וְצַרְךְתִּי, as the Targum renders: I will distress.
3 Faith in his word brings blessings.
13 For when God made the promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,
14 saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”
15 And so, after he had patiently waited, he received the promise. HEB 6:13-15
Abraham did not know what would become of his life after following God and believing his promises. But he chose to respond in faith, obeyed God’s command, and patiently waited. Because of this, God showed his faithfulness by fulfilling his promise of blessing to Abraham. Recall a time when God blessed you after you stepped out in faith. What happened?
APPLICATION
Do you have a habit of receiving from God’s word intentionally every day? Commit to read and meditate on the word at a specific time and place every day.
Is there a command that God is asking you to obey or a promise that God is asking you to claim? How can you grow in your relationship with God as you respond in faith this week?
Do you have a family member or friend who needs faith to believe in and receive the blessings of God? How can you encourage him or her with what you have learned today?
PRAYER
Thank God for giving us his Word, which is the basis of our faith. Thank him for revealing himself to you as you seek him and his Word every day.
Pray for the grace to continuously and constantly communicate with God and respond in faith to his Word.
Biblical Foundations Seminar on Tuesday, August 21 at 9 AM - 4 PM
Summit One Tower 1550 Mandaluyong You can download and read the bill here.
Pray for God to show you someone who needs to be encouraged with the word of God today. Commit to preach the gospel to him or her.
This work, "UNWAVERING: Faith and the Word" is a derivative of "UNWAVERING: Victory Series" © 2018 by VICTORY® All rights reserved