I've found that promises in the bible provide an excellent opportunity for us to live our faith, in the same way the Israelites relied on God's promises to conquer Canaan.
Here's my favorite verse in this regard:
Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
I'm sure many of us have such stories where we put God's will over our own needs yet God still delivered on our need in the end. That's the kingdom part of this verse.
Another application of this verse is in regards to righteousness. Many times we get tempted to take the wrong way because it's easier. However because we love and fear God we choose to do things righteously. The end result sometimes is even better when we trust God and do the right thing despite when everyone else is taking shortcuts.
Small example: on my way to LA this morning The Lord told me to slow down and stop speeding. I just obeyed not sure if it was my own thoughts or not. A few seconds later I passed by a traffic cop hiding behind an overpass. Whew :)
In regards to our children, we can show them how Jesus is real by teaching them how to rely on God's promises, rather than fill them up with head knowledge. This way they can witness the power of God in their own lives and encounter God for themselves. They will be growing their own faith rather than being forced to live under the faith of their parents.
The more we build our faith, the more we are able to "witness" to others as Christians. We are living witnesses to the power of God in our lives via the miracles we've experienced from trusting in God. This is often a more effective means than a doctrinal message alone. People can challenge your beliefs but they cannot challenge your experiences, in the same way that Rahab came to believe in and fear Yahweh based on the stories she heard of his works among the Israelites. The gospel is the *power* of God unto salvation!
Here's my favorite verse in this regard:
Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
I'm sure many of us have such stories where we put God's will over our own needs yet God still delivered on our need in the end. That's the kingdom part of this verse.
Another application of this verse is in regards to righteousness. Many times we get tempted to take the wrong way because it's easier. However because we love and fear God we choose to do things righteously. The end result sometimes is even better when we trust God and do the right thing despite when everyone else is taking shortcuts.
Small example: on my way to LA this morning The Lord told me to slow down and stop speeding. I just obeyed not sure if it was my own thoughts or not. A few seconds later I passed by a traffic cop hiding behind an overpass. Whew :)
In regards to our children, we can show them how Jesus is real by teaching them how to rely on God's promises, rather than fill them up with head knowledge. This way they can witness the power of God in their own lives and encounter God for themselves. They will be growing their own faith rather than being forced to live under the faith of their parents.
The more we build our faith, the more we are able to "witness" to others as Christians. We are living witnesses to the power of God in our lives via the miracles we've experienced from trusting in God. This is often a more effective means than a doctrinal message alone. People can challenge your beliefs but they cannot challenge your experiences, in the same way that Rahab came to believe in and fear Yahweh based on the stories she heard of his works among the Israelites. The gospel is the *power* of God unto salvation!
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