Joshua: Faith Founded Upon God’s Word

Let’s set the foundation for this study.  Faith is grounded in obedience to God’s Word. What does it mean to be "grounded" in something?  According to Merriam-Webster, to be grounded in something means to be based firmly on that thing, or to have a solid foundation in it. It implies a strong understanding of the basics, a practical or theoretical basis, and a connection to reality.  Being grounded in reality means being aware of the present moment, having a strong sense of self, and knowing the difference between what is real and not real.  A grounded person is considered mentally and emotionally stable, sensible, and realistic. 

Have you ever been able to read a set of instructions for a complex board game and be able to perfectly, or even adequately, adhere to the rules without constant refreshers of rule reading?  For example how many are well-grounded enough to play a game of Monopoly without getting into conflict?  

Noah: A Faith that Pleases God

When we get on a plane we trust a pilot that we don't know.  When we get on a bus we trust a driver that we don't know.  When we get on boat we trust a captain that we don't know.  Why is it that when we are called by God be, or do something, people don't have the trust, the faith, that it takes to follow through? Why is trusting God so hard?

This upcoming series looks at risk takers who took a risk and trusted God. We begin with a look at Noah in Genesis 6:5-9, and 17-22; then 8:20-22.  Genesis is a book of beginnings, such as the creation of the earth, animal and plant life, and the human beings in the image of the Creator God. We see the beginning of such institutions as marriage, family, community, and nations. But we also see the beginning of sin, crime, conflict, and death.  While the story of Noah reminds us how rampant sin is, how serious God takes sin, and of the Lord’s mercy and grace to people of faith. Noah models for us a faith that pleases God.

The Sign of His Light

Have you ever heard the expression "the hardest part about being deceived is that you don't KNOW you are being deceived.  Something similar can be said about our "sight", our ability to see the truth.  We can easily convince ourselves that we may clearly see reality, when in reality we are blind. But when we encounter Christ our perspective changes and we gain understanding of Spiritual truth and life.

Claude Monet, one of my favorite early 20th century painters, is considered the founder of the French impressionist art movement.  He had tremendous influence upon art, but what we rarely hear is how Monet had a vision impairment that would lead to his eventual blindness. 

In this study we look at John 9:1-11, and 30 to 33 at the sixth sign John reported of the miraculous acts of Jesus that reveal his glory as the Christ, the Son of God, and attest to his saving mission.  

The Sign of his Presence

Have you ever been lost and alone? Maybe the group you were with wandered off and you were in a strange place and didn't know where to turn. Or maybe you found yourself in a risky situation and experienced the proverbial deer in the headlights reaction? What is it that makes circumstances such as these worrisome? Fear is the common reaction. Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or is a threat in some other way.

One thing to notice about this definition is that fear is NOT the danger itself, fear is the unpleasant emotion. Yeah, so you might be saying, but in today's study we will see that In Jesus' presence, we have no need to fear. Even in the face of danger, pain, or some other threat, with Jesus we can rely upon the sign of his presence to calm our fears.