Lesson Two
"Faith -- Established and Firm"
Verse 23 "...if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul have become a servant."
How firm is your faith?
Scripture tells us that all we need is faith the size of a Mustard Seed!
Matthew 17:20
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Here is a picture of a hand-full of mustard seeds:
As you can see they are very
small ....yet, with just a little bit
of faith, as represented by the
mustard seed, we can move
mountains!
However...beware! The mustard seed - like faith - may be hard to hold on to. It may seem so tiny compared to everything else the world offers. Yet as it grows it become larger than anything else!
Matthew 13: 31-32:
"He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
Cultivate FAITH! Make sure your roots are established and firm.
Assignment: Obtain a mustard seed and look at it
at least twice a day for the next week. What will you do to make sure you won't lose the tiny object and can get to it when you need it?
Advanced: List ways you can hold on to your faith when faced with temptations, challenges, and negativity.
Advanced: Give someone a mustard seed and explain the relevance.
Advanced: Hebrews Chapter 11 lists heroes of the Bible who found success 'by faith.' Who are these heroes and what was their success as listed in Hebrews?