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People who live in Nebraska have an inside joke that goes something like, “If you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes…” It’s not just the weather that can change drastically, within a very short period of time. The course of one’s life can change on a dime, and it can happen in a wide variety of ways.
We live in a culture of “perceived victimization.” When something negative occurs in one’s life, the common reaction these days is to claim to be a victim. “Look at what somebody did to me!” “This all happened due to circumstances beyond my control.” “It’s not my fault, life made me this way.”
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” ( Heb. 11:6 ). So, I must have faith in God if I want to get to Heaven. Where, and how, do I get faith? “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” ( Rom. 10:17 ). Faith develops within me as I learn God’s word, believe it and properly apply His teachings to my life. OK, now what? Once I have faith,what do I do with it?
Imagine yourself in some kind of public setting, maybe a meeting of some sort. You’re with at least a dozen people, some of whom you know quite well, some not so well and still others not at all. After awhile, somebody shows up with a tray filled with cups of fresh coffee.
By this point in this series of articles and sermons on “Faith,” it should be apparent that true faith is not primarily subjective in nature. While emotion is a natural result, real faith, as taught in the New Testament, is not a feeling , a wild wish, unrealistic desire or hope , or simply blind belief . Faith, by definition, is based on “substance” and “evidence” (Heb. 11:1 ), strong terms denoting a position reached as a result of examining facts and proof .
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September 2022
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