Faith Like Abraham

If you are a regular follower of this blog, then you will notice a bit of a change for the next 8 weeks. I am serving as a table leader for an 8 week Freedom Workshop. If you'd like to follow along, you can find the resources at the link directly above. Also, I will post here, the daily Bible reading assignment (heartwork) so you can read along. This workshop has been a life changer for me so I'm eager to share it with others. May you be blessed!

Bible Reading Heartwork
Week 1 - Day 1
Romans 4; Psalm 140

Romans 4:16

So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's.

Oh Lord, you are so awesome and mighty. Your wisdom is incomparably high above anything we can comprehend! You not only made a way for this sinful person to be able to have fellowship with you, a holy God, but you also paralyzed my sinful nature from the neck down. It no longer has any power over me! It can scream and threaten and accuse but I have no obligation whatsoever to do what it urges me to do. Romans 8:12

Lord, would you help me to have faith like Abraham's? I confess that there are times when my faith falters. I want to have the kind of faith that KNOWS that you bring the dead back to life and create new things out of nothing. Romans 4:17 Lord, teach me to trust you completely and without reserve; to have faith like a small child.

Lord, I want to thank you for providing this portable AC unit until we can get our AC fixed. What a huge blessing this is!

And thank you for allowing me to have a small part in leading K to Jesus last night! I pray that you will strengthen her faith. Give her a firm foundation and deep roots in you. Help her to understand your word as she reads it and help her to have a passion to read your word every morning. In Jesus' name, amen.

FREEDOM WORKSHOP VERSES

Psalm 77:1

I cry out to God without holding back.

Psalm 77:1

Psalm 27:8

My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me," and my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming."

Psalm 27:8

MEMORY VERSES

Must Receive Christ

John 1:12

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

John 1:12

Must Receive Christ

Must Receive Christ

1 Timothy 2:5

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

1 Timothy 2:5

Must Receive Christ

God's Power is Absolute!

Romans 4:17b

This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

Wow, Lord, you are the God who brings the dead back to life and creates new things out of nothing. We can trust you completely because of that. NOTHING is impossible for you! You created the entire universe out of nothing! You breathed the stars into existence - and then named each one! 

Psalm 147:4-5

He counts the stars 

and calls them all by name. 

How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! 

His understanding is beyond comprehension!

You can move mountains because you are the one who placed them there!

Lord, I confess that sometimes I lose sight of who I am talking to and trusting in. Please give me a new, fresh awareness of who you are and of your power which is ABSOLUTE. You are in the business of bringing the dead back to life and creating new things out of nothing. That's not something you did just once or twice; you do this every day. So I can trust any problem I have to you. Even if it's a couple thousand dollars that I just don't have but need right away.

You know our needs. Lamentations 3:37 tells me that nothing happens without your permission. So it follows that you allow me to have these trials to teach me to trust you. Matthew 6:25-34 tells me not to worry. That's a command, not a suggestion.

Philippians 4:6-7

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

MEMORY VERSES

2 Chronicles 16:9a

The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

2 Chronicles 16:9a

Philippians 4:6-7

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Faith vs. the Law? No Faith Completes the Law!

Lord, even before I got into your word this morning you have been speaking to me. I was sitting here on the couch talking to my dear friend on the phone, my pup right here snuggling with me. My parakeet just kept flying over to my dog and pestering him. As a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, he was bred to hunt small birds. So it's his instinct to grab at my bird. He controls it for as long as he can and then he ends up lunging at her. She flies away but then comes right back to taunt him.

After lunging at her, my pup often looks up at me like he is saying, "Moma, do you see what she's doing to me?"

You spoke so clearly to me this morning and told me that this is a picture of what those other voices do to us. They love to pester and taunt us. But we need to keep turning and looking to you, saying, "Daddy, do you see what they are doing to me?"

Romans 3:31

Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

Jesus, it's your Holy Spirit who guides us and helps us to fulfill the law. We can never do that in our own strength. Even so, we often fail. Thank you, that you have given us that holy reset button. We can come to you and confess that we sinned and are sorry. You are always ready and waiting to forgive us and restore that right relationship with you.

1 John 1:9

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

MEMORY VERSE

2 Chronicles 16:9a

The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

2 Chronicles 16:9a

Faith Muscles

John 2:5

But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Jesus, I want to be ready and willing to do whatever you ask me to do. This ability comes from a complete trust in you. Help me to have that kind of trust in you. Help me to exercise the muscles of my faith so that it can be strong. 

Then I will have the courage to do anything you want me to do. Even if it means being thrown into a fiery furnace, or a den of lions, or being stoned as Stephen was. In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Like a Little Child

Jeremiah 17:5

This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts from the LORD."

Hosea 6:6

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Matthew 18:2-4

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."

Jesus, I want to be like a little child. Increase my faith and help me to be humble. A child is not afraid to look foolish. They are eager to please. Help me to be like that for you.

1 Peter 2:2

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.

Jesus, I cry out for the nourishment of pure spiritual milk. I want to grow into a full experience of salvation. Help me to crave this nourishment more and more. In Jesus' name, amen.

This picture was borrowed from: http://www.treasuringchristonline.com/teaching-kids-theology-matters/

Mustard Seed Faith

Hosea 6:6

I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:6

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Matthew 17:19-20

Afterward, the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"

You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. " I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there.' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."

Lord, I'm not sure that I would have the faith to cast out a demon. But then after looking at the commentary footnotes in my Bible, maybe I would. The footnotes suggest that the disciples were trying to do this in their own strength and they needed faith in God's power to do this.

So I just need to believe in God's power to do things. I think too often I forget to remember to live and operate in God's power, not my own. My God is the Creator of the universe! Absolutely nothing is too hard for Him.

Mark adds more to this story including Jesus' conversation with the father of the boy. The father begged Jesus to heal his son if he could.

Mark 9:23-24

"What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes." The father instantly cried out, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!"

Lord, help me to overcome MY unbelief! Help me to have unwavering faith in your power to lead and care for me. In Jesus' name, amen.

I'm in Training

Romans 12:1

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Romans 12:1

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Exodus 16:27-28

Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food. The LORD asked Moses, "How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions?"

Lord, you probably ask the same thing about me at times. My spirit is willing but my body is weak!

Matthew 26:14

"Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

It seems to me that the Israelites were in training, learning how to follow you. They started out simple learning to collect the manna on six days and then rest on the seventh day. Then you gave them the law and they needed priests to help them understand how to follow it. But we can never keep the law, that's why you sent Jesus.

I'm in the same sort of training. You use my daily trials and temptations to train me to continually turn to you. You are training me to put my trust in you and nothing else. You are training me to watch and pray, so that I will not give in to temptation.

John 14:26

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit - he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

Lord, it's only through your Spirit that I can resist temptation. Please continue to guide and train me! In Jesus Name, amen.

Accepted By God

Deuteronomy 33:26

There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor.

Deuteronomy 33:26

Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)

Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the way, walk in it."

Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Romans 3:27-28

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

Lord, I'm so glad that there is nothing I've done or ever could do to be accepted by you. It is completely based on faith! I'm so glad that my relationship with you isn't tied to me obeying the law.

Romans 3:31

Well then, if we emphasize faith, does that mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.