Ezra 8:21-32, Faith vs. Presumption (2)

5)    Bible Study:

a)    Several years ago Dr. Pamela Reeve, a professor at Multnomah Seminary and Bible College, wrote a little devotional book called “Faith is…”  Each page had a different completion to the sentence.  It was encouraging, reminding us that every situation in life where we see God’s work being done provided an opportunity to give a “working definition” of faith.  Here are some Biblical answers to the question, “What is faith?” 

i)      Heb. 11:1: Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

ii)   2 Cor. 5:7: Faith is a path we walk where we don’t always see around the next corner (Heb. 11:8).

iii)            Heb. 11:19: Faith is believing God can raise the dead.

iv) Rom. 4:20-21: Faith is believing God keeps His promises.

v)    Heb. 11:7: Faith is building a large boat, on dry ground, when you have never seen it rain.

vi) Josh. 3:14-17: Faith is taking the first step at the edge of an overflowing river.

vii)          John 20:24-29: Faith is believing without seeing.

viii)       Luke 5:5: Faith is obeying when you think you know better.

ix) Add your own.

b)    In whom do we put our trust and in whom do we not put our trust?

i)      1 Peter 1:21: Our faith (trusting in God’s word and work in my present life) and hope (trusting in God’s promises for my future life) are in GOD!

ii)   John 6:29,35,40: We trust in the One the Father sent, Christ, the living bread, the Son of God!

iii)            Psalm 146: Let us not put our trust in princes or mortal man but in the God of Jacob, the Creator, our faithful LORD, God our help!

iv) Ezra 8:21-32: We selected the previous Psalm partly because it addresses a major issue in the Body of Christ in the USA.  It seems there is more interest in what the politicians are doing that in what God is doing.  Many Christians seem to suffer in their outlook on life because of the results of the latest election.  Ezra gives us a great illustration on this.  He knew that he had the opportunity to testify to the glory and greatness of the God of Israel.  That is what God wanted to be told among the Gentiles.  So for Ezra, faith was being “ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road.”  Think about that: it would have been an embarrassment to Ezra.