The Conclusion

Well, our Monday Bible study just finished "Becoming A Woman Of Faith" by Cynthia Heald. It seemed every week the girls would say "I really liked this chapter!" It's a good study; we highly recommend it!!

Faith. It is such a little word with such a large impact! By faith we receive salvation. By faith we do things that look crazy to the rest of the world (Think: Noah, Abraham, Daniel, etc) and recieve the promise we hold out for. By faith we don't panic when things look bleak and scary, instead we turn to the promises of scripture and stand on them.

In the last chapter, we studied the keeping and enabling power of Jesus. He is able to keep us from falling and present us blameless on the day He returns. (1 Thess. 5:3,4). Our faith rests upon His faithfulness. We could not have faith if God wasn't faithful. If He had not given us His word, we would have nothing to stand on.

I love that the written word is so valuable. Think of the ways that words on paper have such high value...the marriage license, the contracts for construction or landscaping, the diploma, your mortgage papers...all things that can be referred to if there is ever a dispute.

We have the truth of God's word written for us to refer to in every circumstance. What a treasure chest!!

A few nuggets we mined worth mentioning from the book of Jude (vs. 20-23)regarding our responsibility:

1. To build ourselves up in our most holy faith.
2. Pray in the Holy Spirit.
3. Keep ourselves in the love of God.
4. Be merciful to those who doubt.
5. Snatch others from the fire.
6. Show mercy mixed with fear, hating the garments stained by corrupted flesh.

A final VIP (very important part) of our study is PROCLAMATION! I said it in big letters because I think we under emphasize the necessity and value of it. If we read Psalms, we see it often. We also see it in Esther, Job, Daniel, Habakkuk...here is the example from Habakkuk 3: 17-19:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

So, build yourself up in your faith, stand on the promises and proclaim the truth, cover them all in prayer, and you will be called "A Woman of Faith".