Lesson 1 March 14, 2004
Faith in the Crucible
When a person trusts in Christ by faith, whether they realize it or
not, they have been enrolled in the “school of faith.”
We might take Abraham as an illustration. Paul identifies him as the father
of faith, the forefather of all who believe (Rom.
Why the apparent necessity of being tested as Abraham was? James 1:2-4
gives us the answer.
Typically, growth then is difficult. It stretches us and often hurts (physically as well as emotionally) and we naturally look for what is comfortable and easy.
The account of Abram and
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The Christian life is a life wherein we as
believers are called upon to rest every aspect of our life in God’s hands—past,
present, and future.
That faith or trusting the Lord is important to the believer’s daily
walk is everywhere evident in the Bible and this is obvious from the number of
times faith or its synonyms like trust and believe occur in Scripture.
Faith occurs
247 times in the KJV,
250 in the NASB, and 270 in the NIV, trust 134 in the KJV, 83 in the NASB, and 89 in the NIV, and some
form of believe, 314 times in the
KJV, 292 in the NASB, and 278 in the NIV.
Just a few passages will quickly illustrate the vital role faith or
believing or trust should have:
John 3:14-18
Romans 1:16-17
Romans 4:3-5
Ephesians 2:8-9
2 Corinthians 5:7
Colossians 2:6-7
Hebrews 11:1, 6
Romans 14:23
Psalm 62:7-8
Proverbs 3:5
Isaiah
26:4
Even though we may know we are to walk by faith as Christians, we
still often fail to see just how thoroughly the life of faith is to reach into
every facet of our lives so that it truly encompasses all that we are and do.