Define Faith (Bible Dictionary): belief, trust, especially in a higher power.
Read 1 Tim 1:18-19…keep your conscious clear = if you doubt, seek answers from God or others. Violated their consciences = your own mind takes control instead of God’s mind to take control.
Ask about being spiritually down: Have you ever felt spiritually shipwrecked/down?
Read Jude 1:17-23…Build each other up. Help those who doubt.
Talk about community: With more people in community, it becomes easier to strengthen your faith.
Ask about building each other up: How can you build yourself and your friends up this week?
Read Philippians 1:27-30… standing together with one Spirit and one purpose.
Talk about power in numbers: There is more power (stronger faith and drive) in numbers.
Define Faith (Bible Dictionary, Philosophical): Believe that you may know
Talk about trust: We must trust that there is a God out there. We must have our reasons.
Ask about proving God’s existence: Is it easy to prove that God exists? Is it easy to prove that God doesn’t exist.
Read John 3:18-21… We have a tendency to love what is not of God. We need to live by the Truth, living how Jesus lived, selfless and loving to everyone, especially God.
Ask about being a light: How can we be a light in this dark world?
Read Bible Commentary: “Men love darkness not for its own sake but because of what it hides. They want to continue undisturbed in their evil deeds. A believer is also a sinner, but he confesses his sin and responds to God (1 John 1:6-7). In the ultimate sense, man’s love of darkness rather than God the Light (John 1:5, 10-11; 1 John 1:5) is his love for idols”.
Numbers 21:4-9… This verse expresses our love and tendencies to follow idols over God.
Talk about what God does for us: While we sin, God still provides us an opportunity to turn our eyes towards him as long as we put our faith in him.
Read Romans 2:7…We will be rewarded for our faith.
Talk about our rewards: God will repay us for what we have done. A life devoted to God will produce much reward.
Read Romans 4:1-5… The works that we produce from our faith is an obligation.
Talk about our works: As long as we put our faith and trust in God, the work that we do in this work will be deemed righteous.
Read Romans Ch. 11…Have hope in God. Have faith that God will be there with you.
Talk about Human tendencies: Humans are naturally impatient.
Ask about patience in prayer: Have you ever prayed a prayer that took a while to be answered?
Give encouragement: I encourage you to create a prayer journal so that you can keep track of what you have prayed and what prayers have been answered. It may take a while for a prayer to be answered.
Read Matthew 6:7-8… We keep repeating what we want. God will provide what we need.
Talk about your wants: Leave your wants for last. God first, others second, and you third. Pray in this order too.
Talk about the results of faith: Our testimony of our faith can be used to reach out to others. Tell others why and how you got your faith and how it has helped you through the tough circumstances or struggles. With our testimony, we can relate to others.
Read John 8:31-32…Hold to the teachings, follow him, and the truth will set you free.
Talk about the conditions of salvation: Faith needs Repentance. Faith is not real saving faith unless it includes true repentance. God wants for you to show that you want Him over what the world offers. Repentance is required with Faith in God.
Define Repentance (Bible dictionary): “True repentance includes genuine sorrow toward God on account of sin (II Cor 7:9) and an inward disgust to sin necessarily followed by the actual forsaking of it (Matt 3:8, Acts 26:30)”…. “Although faith alone is the condition for salvation (Eph 2:8-10, Acts 16:31), repentance is bound up with faith and inseparable from it, since without some measure of faith no one can truly repent, and repentance never attains to its deepest character till the sinner realizes through saving faith how great is the Grace of God against whom have sinned”.
Talk about the Holy Spirit: In the justified and regenerated soul, faith is deepened and developed by the influence of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). Our faith gives us those qualities. Our actions and devotion to him through the fruits of the Spirit reflects our faith and dependence to God. I pray that you produce much fruit with your faith. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Ask about faith: Do you have a better understanding of faith? How can you show your faith to others this week? How can you serve God this week?
References:
Bible Study Tools. (2017). Retrieved from http://www.biblestudytools.com/
NIV Life Application Study Bible. (2011). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament. (2004). Colorado Springs, Colorado: International Bible Society.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament. (2004). Colorado Springs, Colorado: International Bible Society.
Unger, M. F. (1976) Unger’s bible disctionary. Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.