Faith is unwavering confidence in God’s promises

Faith is unwavering confidence in God’s promises

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19

Hebrews 11:1-6

 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

 3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

A role model is a person other people look up to. They help determine appropriate beliefs, morality, and behaviors. Their deportment, example, or success can be emulated by others. Role models can be either positive or negative. Positive role models offer a range of helpful or useful attitudes and actions. Negative role models, on the other hand, offer examples of harmful or disruptive behaviors.

Virtually anyone can be a role model. But visibility plays an important part in making someone a role model. In Western culture, publicly visible figures such as athletes, actors, musicians, and celebrities are the most common examples.

Positive role models show how to live with integrity, optimism, confidence, hope, determination, and compassion. Good role models have a powerful influence on people, and the direction they head in life. When parents teach integrity and live their values, young people are much more likely to recognize and be inspired by positive role models.

What are some qualities of Positive Role Models (Marilyn Price-Mitchell)

1. Passion and ability to inspire

Role models show passion for their work and have the capacity to infect others with their passion.

2. Clear set of values

Role models live out their values in the world. They act in ways that support their beliefs and values.

3. Commitment to community

Role models are other-focused as opposed to self-focused. They freely give of their time and talents to benefit people.

4. Selflessness and acceptance of others

Role models see others’ needs and act on them. They accept others who were different from them.

5. Ability to overcome obstacles

Role models show that success is possible despite obstacles. They have developed skills and abilities to be overcomers.

6. Optimistic

Role models are optimistic. They see and seize the opportunity when it comes around regardless of whether others deem it possible or not.

7. Confident

Role models are confident of success. They are often bold and fearless. Their confidence is evident in everything they do.

By far, the greatest attribute of a positive role model is the ability to inspire others.

REFLECT & PRAY

“Faith is the objective grounds upon which subjective confidence may be based” (Allen).

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness to always care for me. Encourage me to trust You by faith.

INSIGHT

It is past time for children of the King to reassess who our role models are! The Scriptures provide magnificent role models for us to follow. There are two different types of positive role models for children of the King to emulate. They include the heroes of the faith of long ago are found in Hebrews 11. Other role models are found in the godly spiritual leaders which are currently part of our lives.

1 Peter 5:2-3

 2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly – not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.

 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.

Faith is not wishful thinking or “believing what you know isn’t true.” Instead, it is the conviction that the Father will always do what He promises to do, regardless of the circumstances (Stanley). Faith provides tangible evidence to our human spirit of unseen realities.

The Scriptures provide a working definition of faith. The Father Himself provides the foundation for our confidence. He is always faithful to keep His promises.

Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

The Greek term translated as confidence, conviction, assurance, or being sure is hypostasis. This connotes the idea that “‘faith’ is something objective that in the here and now gives to the things hoped for ‘a substantial reality, which will unfold in God’s appointed time’” (O’Brien). In other words, “Faith ‘lays hold of what is promised and therefore hoped for, as something real and solid, though as yet unseen’” (O’Brien).

The Greek term translated as conviction, assurance, proof, or certain is elenchos. Elenchos is used only here in the entire New Testament. Elenchos comes from the verb elencho – to prove or convince. Elencho has the sense of convicting evidence that makes someone fully agree, understand, and realize the truth or validity of something.

Faith allows us to see the unseen. “Physical eyesight produces conviction or evidence of visible things; faith is the organ which enables people to see the invisible . . .” (F. F. Bruce).

“Biblical faith is not a vague hope grounded in imaginary, wishful thinking. Instead, faith is a settled confidence that something in the future – something that is not yet seen but has been promised by God – will actually come to pass because God will bring it about. Thus biblical faith is not blind trust in the face of contrary evidence, not an unknowable “leap in the dark;” rather, biblical faith is a confident trust in the eternal God who is all-powerful, infinitely wise, eternally trustworthy . . .” (ESV Notes).

Positive role models for the children of the King are the heroes of the faith found in the Old Testament.

Hebrews 11:6,38

 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

 38 They were too good for this world . . ..

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which one has overcome” (Booker T. Washington).

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© Dr. H 2022