Open:
What are some of the miracles you can remember learning about in the Bible? Which story of a miracle is your favorite story and why?
How would you describe a miracle? What exactly is it?
Terry gave 3 P’s that defined what a true miracle is by definition. Can you name the 3 P’s?
Miracles point to God…so we don’t “believe in Miracles”…we believe (put our faith) in God. Why is this distinction so important for us to understand?
Objective:
Our objective is to understand that our faith is in God alone, nothing else. God is the impressive one He is the faithful one. We must look to Him because we continually leak perspective; we need Him to fill us up. It is vitally important that we continually reorient ourselves to the reality of God. This means that we do not spend time beating ourselves up over our lack of faith, we simply get back on track. This is what a life of faith looks like as we turn to him again so he can fill us again.
Read:
Romans 4:13-22,
“13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, 15 because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring — not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed — the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old — and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Study
Would you consider yourself to be a strong person of faith?
Who is someone you know that you consider to be a strong person of faith? Why?
Read verse 17. Why is it important that we not miss the fact that the emphasis is on the one Abraham believed in, not on Abraham’s belief?
Terry said Abraham was a faith-filled realist (verse 19). What did he mean by this statement? How can it help you correctly/continually orient your life to God?
What is difference from being a person of faith versus a person who takes a leap in the dark?
Read this comment about Abraham: His hope was in God’s word of promise…so he did not waiver in unbelief.
Do you believe this to be true? If so, how does it encourage you in your own faith?
As Terry pointed out, Abraham had his doubts, but in the end he doubted his doubts and believed God’s word to him. Human faith is always going to be inconsistent, its going to be up and down. But in the end, what matters is that our trajectory is towards God…when we fail to believe Him…we repent and believe again. How does this thought encourage you in your walk and why?
Apply:
Take some time and consider the following questions and thoughts. Ask God to reveal if there is anything that needs to change so you can reorient to the reality of God.
- How do I grow in faith?
- Faith grows primarily through the mind (emotion is important but in this case I think the mind has priority)…”Abraham was fully persuaded” that God had the power to do what he had promised.
- Faith grows by careful and ongoing consideration of God…who He is, what He has done, what He has said.
- What can I “believe God for?
Whatever he has clearly promised…he will do.
- He has clearly promised that those who place their faith in him will be saved…we do not have to wonder.
- He has promised that if we confess he will forgive and cleanse…we do not have to live in shame and guilt.
- He has promised eternal life…we do not have to fear death.
- He has promised an abundant life in him (not just quantity but quality).
- He has promised trouble, trials, suffering in this life…but purpose in all of it.