The {Word} Wednesday, October 30: BELIEVE

The {Word} Wednesday, October 30: BELIEVE

At the Women of Faith conference I attended this past weekend, the theme was "Believe God Can Do Anything."  I'd like to share with you just a few points from Max Lucado's talk about how we can consistently renew our faith and belief in God.

1. Lay claim to the nearness of God.  Heb. 13:5 (NIV)  Feelings are immaterial and irrelevant.

2. Cling to his character.  Set your thoughts on God not the problem.  Don’t give way to toxic thoughts.  Just because you think it doesn’t mean you have to meditate on it.  Meditate on what is true and good about God.  His faithfulness and that He never changes.

3. Pray your pain out.  In a faith crisis, be honest with God.  You can shake your fist at Him and tell Him and complain and talk to Him. He knows it anyway.

4. Lean on God’s people.  Don’t isolate!  This is the time to be IN church.  Matthew 18:20.  They are the body of Christ on earth.  The devil knows it and if he can keep you away from church {God’s hope distribution center}, you will become hope starved but God delivers!  Lean into Him.

Definition: Believe ~ to trust in; to hold a firm conviction about; to accept as true, genuine, or real (See also - Faith, Trust)

What does the Bible say about believe?

John 14:12-14  ESV  “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

John 20:29  ESV Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 3:16  ESV “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Mark 16:15-16  ESV And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Romans 10:9-10  ESV Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Mark 9:24  ESV Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Romans 10:14  ESV  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

1 John 4:1-2  ESV Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

Questions for discussion:  Do you agree with the statement that doubt is an emotion and that belief is a choice?  Why or why not?