Building Your Faith - Part 3 - Resolve

Part 1 of this mini-series on building your faith was about reading your Bible as a way to build your faith. Part 2 was about praying as a faith builder. This time, let's consider something that gone out of style in much of today's society - resolve and commitment.

How do I build my faith?

Forget the candy covered sermons you have heard. (Ooooh, did I just say that?) Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is not always convenient nor is it often very easy. In fact, it takes a good deal of "focus." Distractions will always be a phone call or television show away. There will always be an American Idol or a Jon and Kate to turn our attention from the things of God. But, despite the constant overloads of life, you have to make-up your mind to follow Jesus Christ no matter the cost.

The old-timers would say that if you stuck to something, then you had "resolve." Well, I don't know about you. But I am sticking with Jesus. The apostle Paul referred to Jesus as the "author and finisher of our faith." Take a little stroll through the 12th chapter of Hebrews. See if verse 2 doesn't jump out at you. But, wait a minute. If you read the Bible, that will just reinforce Step 1!

Building Your Faith - Part 2 - Pray

In Part 1 I dealt briefly with the importance of reading your Bible as a way to build your faith. In Part 2, I want to consider prayer to build our faith.

How do I build my faith?

Try prayer. Prayer is really nothing more than a two-way conversation with God. Many people often shy away from prayer because they think prayer is a ritual reserved only for the clergy. However, this could not be further from the truth. Prayer is for everyone. No script is necessary. All you have to do is share your heart with God. He truly cares about every aspect of your life.

When was the last time you called your best friend on the phone and got caught up on all that has been going on in your lives?

Why not do the same thing with God?

He's waiting for your call.

Building Your Faith - Part 1 - Read Your Bible

I recently completed a bit of writing for a project for my local church. It has provided a great deal of material for me to blog about. Hopefully, I will be a little more productive in the coming days. Today, I present part 1 on the topic of "building your faith".

How do I build my faith?

Is faith like a muscle that I need to exercise?
or
Is faith something that is given to me like a gift?

I think the answer is "Yes" and "Yes!"

During the class that I was leading last Sunday, I asked how many of them would be willing to put all of their trust in someone whom they had never met or had little knowledge of?

Many of them stared at me with a puzzled expression. (OK, so that part is not so unusual)

Finally after a span of silence someone indicated that they could never trust someone that they didn't know. Well, the exact same thing is true of God. Why on earth would you ever trust a God you do not know? To know God is to know His Word, the Bible. Reading your Bible is an excellent way to build your faith in God; learning all about the wonderful promises he has in store for your life.

The Bible is many things. It is the story of God as shown by how He has related to mankind from man's first breath. It is both historical and personal. It is tells stories. And it contains God's words to me.

Are you looking to build your faith?

Start by getting to know the object of your faith -- God. And get to know Him through the reading and understanding of His Word, the Bible.

Know-it-all?

I was teaching an erstwhile Sunday School Class last Sunday morning and something dawned on me. Yes, me, the teacher.

I was leading a discussion on Bible study as a basic discipline of the Christian life. One of my comments was that we should have an intense drive to study the Bible. I followed that statement with another statement that built upon it by saying that it should be akin some of the secular interests that we have.

And then it hit me.

Let me explain.

I recently purchased a new "toy". It is something that I have wanted for quite some time. It was a significant purchase and I needed to sell a similar "toy" in order to have the money to buy the new one. In short it was a significant purchase.

There are many choices that I could have made. So, in order to make the very best decision I began some intense research. I looked at all of the manufacturers. I looked at the independent reviews. I researched the good and bad points about this item by reading through many of the User Forums on the internet. I even joined a few of them and began participating in the discussion. In a short few months, I became somewhat of an expert. I became a "Know-it-all" in the best sense of the word.

I now know a great deal about that item and I was prepared to make the purchase. So, I did. And I am now a happy and confident owner.

Now, juxtapose that experience with my discussion last Sunday morning. Do you get it? I got it! I clearly felt God whispering to me,

"Are you as intensely passionate and driven to study My Word?"

I had to confess that I was not at the time as intensely passionate about the Bible and reading and meditating on it.

The intent of this post is not to make anyone feel guilty. That was certainly not the way God dealt with me. God dealt with me gently and lovingly. Let him deal with you that way and re-ignite in you a drive and desire for Him and His Word.


Photo (c) FreeFoto.com
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

Time

Time.

We are each given 24 hours a day. No more. No less.

So why does time seem to pass so swiftly for some and not for others?

I have not posted lately. I haven't had enough time to write anything.

No, wait a minute. That's not right. I just said we each have 24 hours a day. Notice, I didn't say, "You have about 26 or 27 hours a day and I only have about 19."

But I digress. Back to my question. "So why does time seem to pass so swiftly for some and not for others?"