I'm back!! Due to illness I was not able to post any blogs last week. I apologize and hope that you will join me again.
Now
that we know what faith is let’s discuss why we need to have faith. Our first
clue to why faith is important is actually in its definition. Our faith is the
foundation upon which we build lives full of meaning and purpose. We can’t
learn to be a woman like the woman in Proverbs 31 without first having a solid
foundation of faith.
Our
lives are a lot like trees, and faith is our roots. It is what keeps us
anchored in the storm and in times of peace. God tills the heart preparing it
for planting that seed of faith. Then when the time is right He plants that
seed of faith in our hearts, He nurtures and cares for the seed and then a tree
of life starts to grow. Have you ever noticed that when a tree first sprouts it
doesn’t have full strong branches, but instead the seedling just bears a couple
of leaves. Those leaves are hope and righteousness or salvation. God keeps
tending the seedling, watering it with love and feeding it with fertilizer (see
a previous post). He nurtures the seedling and it continues to grow. It grows
strong and begins to branch out. As He continues to nurture it, it eventually
bears fruit. More seed of faith that He can plant in the hearts that He has
prepared.
Faith
produces many effects in our life.
1.
It
provides justification and righteousness which in turn produces salvation.
a.
“For
it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
(Ephesians 2:8-9)‘
2.
It
produces hope.
a.
Now
faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(Hebrews 11:1)
3.
It
conquers and provides protection and strength in times of trouble.
a.
In
addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can
extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16)
4.
It
produces action or works.
a.
With
this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of
his calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours
and every act prompted by your faith. (2 Thessalonians 1:11)
b.
We
continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith,
your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:3)
5.
It
provides healing.
a.
And
the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise
him up, If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. (James 5:15)
6.
It also produces thanksgiving and joy in our
lives.
a.
Give
thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed
of the Lord say this—those He redeemed from the hand of the foe, (Psalm
107:1-2)
A
life without faith is like a tree without roots. When the storms of life come,
then our lives topple. We feel depressed and hopeless. Faith is important
because it is what gives life hope and meaning. It is what gives us a lasting
character makeover.
Questions
for reflection:
1.
Read
Proverbs 31 again. Can you see how faith made a difference in her life?
2.
Can
you see the fruit that faith produced in her life?
3.
Has
faith made a difference in your life? Why or why not?
4.
What
has faith produced in your life?
5.
Share
an example of how it has produced hope in your life, protection, action,
healing, and thanksgiving.
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