Once before I gave you a set of short statements from a class I had taught that I called “Gleanings.” It was well-received so I thought you might enjoy this latest set from the year and a half we studied faith—65 pages covering every single passage in the Bible that uses that word. It has been a while since I learned so much, and I believe we all left it with knowledge that has impacted our daily walks—and isn’t that the purpose of studying God’s Word in the first place?
First you must understand how this class works--we use the Word of God to determine the truth, NOT what Mama said, what the preacher says, what I’ve always heard, or what I’m comfortable with. We learn—which means sooner or later we all completely change our minds about something, and ultimately the way we live our lives. Light bulbs pop on regularly.
So here is the latest list of “gleanings,” capsule statements that summarized whole lessons. As usual feel free to use what you like. Everything here came directly from specific scriptures.
Faith is inextricably bound with hope.
Both faith and hope involve full assurance, not just wishing.
Faith can fluctuate but should be growing so that even today’s down times are higher than those in the past, maybe even higher than yesterday’s up times, and the fluctuation should gradually decrease.
More faith is required to handle difficult times.
Faith can completely stop, but it can also be revived.
Faith is active and visible in a person’s life.
There are such things as “works of faith.”
True faith is accompanied by positive character traits like courage, morality, love, and forgiveness.
Faith is a continuing condition in life, NOT a single instance that occurs early on and that’s that.
Faith obeys.
Faith protects.
Faith is an asset in difficult times, not a burden.
We live by our faith—spiritual survival, not physical.
Faith progresses, i.e, it grows and matures.
Faith fights and overcomes.
Faith doesn’t expect Heaven in this life.
Faith does not equal righteousness, but leads to it.
Faith responds in obedience.
Faith involves commitment, trust, reliance and acceptance of things we don’t like or understand.
Our faith is in a Who not a what.
Faith has less to do with great courageous feats than with an everyday recognition of God and His plan and His promises, and allowing those things to direct every decision, every action, and every word.
Faith in God is not just about believing that He exists. True faith is about becoming like Him.
“O ye of little faith” was always spoken to his closest disciples. God expects the most from those who claim the greatest faith.
True faith is a product of humility.
“Sound” faith in the New Testament is only applied to people who live sound lives. A sound church, then, has more to do with how its members live from Monday through Saturday than with how it conducts itself on Sunday mornings or how it spends its money.
Abraham became the father of the faithful only after decades of growing in that faith until finally he surrendered his life and his need for logic in two statements on Mt Moriah: God is able (Heb 11:19) and God will provide (Gen 22:8). He trusted God to do what He had promised whether he understood how or not.
Dene Ward
First you must understand how this class works--we use the Word of God to determine the truth, NOT what Mama said, what the preacher says, what I’ve always heard, or what I’m comfortable with. We learn—which means sooner or later we all completely change our minds about something, and ultimately the way we live our lives. Light bulbs pop on regularly.
So here is the latest list of “gleanings,” capsule statements that summarized whole lessons. As usual feel free to use what you like. Everything here came directly from specific scriptures.
Faith is inextricably bound with hope.
Both faith and hope involve full assurance, not just wishing.
Faith can fluctuate but should be growing so that even today’s down times are higher than those in the past, maybe even higher than yesterday’s up times, and the fluctuation should gradually decrease.
More faith is required to handle difficult times.
Faith can completely stop, but it can also be revived.
Faith is active and visible in a person’s life.
There are such things as “works of faith.”
True faith is accompanied by positive character traits like courage, morality, love, and forgiveness.
Faith is a continuing condition in life, NOT a single instance that occurs early on and that’s that.
Faith obeys.
Faith protects.
Faith is an asset in difficult times, not a burden.
We live by our faith—spiritual survival, not physical.
Faith progresses, i.e, it grows and matures.
Faith fights and overcomes.
Faith doesn’t expect Heaven in this life.
Faith does not equal righteousness, but leads to it.
Faith responds in obedience.
Faith involves commitment, trust, reliance and acceptance of things we don’t like or understand.
Our faith is in a Who not a what.
Faith has less to do with great courageous feats than with an everyday recognition of God and His plan and His promises, and allowing those things to direct every decision, every action, and every word.
Faith in God is not just about believing that He exists. True faith is about becoming like Him.
“O ye of little faith” was always spoken to his closest disciples. God expects the most from those who claim the greatest faith.
True faith is a product of humility.
“Sound” faith in the New Testament is only applied to people who live sound lives. A sound church, then, has more to do with how its members live from Monday through Saturday than with how it conducts itself on Sunday mornings or how it spends its money.
Abraham became the father of the faithful only after decades of growing in that faith until finally he surrendered his life and his need for logic in two statements on Mt Moriah: God is able (Heb 11:19) and God will provide (Gen 22:8). He trusted God to do what He had promised whether he understood how or not.
Dene Ward
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