Faith: Depending on God

By Dale Larsen and Sandy Larsen

Why don't I get what I pray for? Do I wait in faith for God to change a bad situation, or do I step out in faith to look for change? Why don't I feel more confident that God will help me? If you ever struggle with uncertainties about faith, you'll find good company in the pages of the Bible. Dale and Sandy Larsen lead you through nine LifeGuide® Bible studies on people who struggled with faith to encourage you in your journey to deeper trust. This revised LifeGuide Bible Study features additional questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, together with expanded leader's notes and a "Now or Later" section in each study. For over three decades LifeGuide Bible Studies have provided solid biblical content and raised thought-provoking questions—making for a one-of-a-kind Bible study experience for individuals and groups. This series has more than 130 titles on Old and New Testament books, character studies, and topical studies. PDF download with a single-user license; available from InterVarsity Press and other resellers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IVP Bible Studies
• Release date: Oct 18, 2011
• ISBN: 9780830862634

Dale Larsen

Dale Larsen is a writer living in Rochester, Minnesota. He and his wife, Sandy, have written more than forty books and Bible studies together including Living Your Legacy and more than ten LifeGuide Bible studies. They have also coauthored eight N.T. Wright for Everyone Bible Study Guides with Wright.

Book preview

1

In Praise of Faith

Hebrews 11:1-16

The runner who crosses the finish line first. The winning candidate on election night. The celebrity Oscar winner. All these get applause and congratulations.

But who cheers for the fired factory worker, leaving work for the last time, who still believes that God will provide for him and his family? Who throws confetti on the young woman, waking up in a hospital bed paralyzed from a car accident she can’t even remember, who cries out to God for help instead of cursing him?

GROUP DISCUSSION. What do you think it means to live by faith? Who is someone you know that you would say lives that way?

PERSONAL REFLECTION. When have you wished you had more faith?

The Bible cheers for God’s faithful people, and nowhere does the cheer sound more loudly and definitely than in the eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews. The letter to the Hebrews was written by an unknown Christian to a group of persecuted Jewish Christians, people who needed to have their faith affirmed and strengthened. Read Hebrews