Weeks Four: Believing You Are Who God Says You Are

This week we have studied about believing we are who God says we are. By faith, we are His, and He can do so much through us when we rely on Him.

Beth says: "I don't want God to simply treat me justly. I've made many mistakes and committed countless sins. I need mercy! How about you? The blood sprinkled from Christ's torn body speaks grace to all who accept the perfect offering by faith.

The payment for all sin--past, present, and future--has already been made. God, however, still calls His own to obedience. ... Faith means believing that blessing never fails to follow obedience, no matter the sacrifice."

We also looked at the faith of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Isaac. There were not superhuman people. They were struggling people--just like you and me. They had a choice to believe God in their personal lives or not--just like you and me. And they chose to believe Him.

Beth says that our personal testimonies are our own stories of God's faithfulness in our personal lives.

And then, at the end of this week's study, Beth said something that I think is profound: "Thus far in our study we've viewed faith primarily from the standpoint of action. In other words, we believe; therefore, we act. Today we see a different and oftentimes harder dimension of faith: when faith requires us to do nothing at all, while our human nature screams to interfere. In these cases we believe; therefore, we do not act. Wisdom is knowing the difference between the two."

Week Three: Believing God Can Do What He Says He Can Do

This week Beth shared so many wonderful points. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Faith fills the gap between our theology and reality.
• God is offended when our desire for signs and wonders eclipses our desire for Him or becomes a request for God to prove Himself. God reads every petition we make on the tablets of our hearts.
• Ours is a God of wonders who is still very capable of performing miracles.
• You can't lose when you earnestly seek God. Even if you don't find the answer, you'll find the Author.
• A seamstress cannot mend a fabric she does not hold in her hands. Likewise, God cradles us in His careful hands as He stitches our broken pieces back together again, forming a new and far more beautiful garment. 
• Our teacher gives no accidental exams. 

As we go about our day, may we remember that God nothing is impossible with God!

                                                 Lord, I have heard of your fame;
                                            I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.
                                                      Renew them in our day,
                                              in our time make them known.
                                                                                   (Hab. 3:2)