“Faith is living in the confidence that what we hope for will actually come to pass; it gives us assurance about things we cannot yet see.” Hebrews 11:1
Imagine how different your outlook on life would be if you had absolute confidence that God was with you? Imagine how differently you would respond to difficulties, temptations, and even good things If you knew with certainty that God was in all of it and was planning to leverage it for good. In other words, Imagine what you would think, what you would do, what you would feel, what you would say, what you would invest in, what you would live for if you had perfect faith.
Main Idea: Spiritual growth happens best in the context of close personal relationships.
We choose to place ourselves under Practical Bible Teaching. We choose to participate in private spiritual disciplines. And we choose whether or not to serve in ministry. But there is a sense in which providential relationships and pivotal circumstances choose us. Yet every faith story I’ve ever heard included both of these components.
When people tell their faith stories, they always talk about the individuals they believe God put in their paths. You hear things like: “Then I met this couple.” “Then I ran into an old friend from college.” “A guy at work invited me to church.” “A lady I barely knew said she had heard about my circumstances and asked how she could help.” “One afternoon my boss called me into his office.” I’ve never heard a faith story without a relational component. There’s always mention of that guy, that couple, that neighbor I barely knew.
We call these providential relationships because when people tell their stories, they are convinced God providentially brought these individuals or couples into their lives. Encounters that initially appeared accidental or random are eventually viewed as divine appointments. As you’re reading this, I bet you can think of that person, couple, or perhaps group God brought along at just the right time. And if you are like most people, this is not a one-time occurrence. At every critical juncture in our faith journeys, there are individuals whose paths intersect with ours. In some cases, long-term relationships are formed. On other occasions, the relationships are only for a short time. But in either case, there is no doubt in our minds that the encounters were providential.
Three things make a relationship providential: when we hear from God through someone, when we see God in someone, and when we feel God through someone. When any of those things happens, our faith gets bigger. Isn’t it true that when we see God’s faithfulness in someone else’s life, it is easier to trust him with ours? That’s the power of a divinely ordained relationship.
When I look back on these relationships in my life, as well as others, there’s no better word than providential to describe their significance.
Sermon Audio: Faith Catalysts Relationships 4.28.13 L
Sermon Notes: Sermon Notes 04.28.13 Faith Catalysts 2Email Subscription:
