DNI Sensing More Faith

SENSING MORE

fa i t h discussion guide

welcome It is G o d’s pro mise that as yo u c o nti nue to l o ve ea c h ot h er a nd seek His w i s d o m i n yo ur re l ati o ns hi p , He will rev ea l Himself to yo u i n b e auti f ul w ays . C o z y u p and d i ve into what G o d has i n s to re f o r yo u thro u g h som e ho nest discuss i o n, re f l e c ti o n and p raye r. B e su re t o hav e yo ur Bib l e hand y. I f yo u d o n’t have acc ess to o ne, check o ut the B i b l e Gate w ay ap p available o n yo ur A ppl e o r A nd ro i d d e vi c e .

W i t h o u t b e l i e f i n a t r u s t w o r t h y G o d , g o i n g i n blind i s e x t r e m e l y d i f f i c u l t . In t h e b o o k o f M a t t h e w , J esus asked His disciples to “take up [their] cross and f o l l o w [ H i m ] . ” T h i s r e q u e s t r e q u i r e d a c o m p l e te s a c r i f i c e o f s e l f , o n e t h a t w o u l d h a v e n o b e a r i ngs ha d t h e d i s c i p l e s n o t t r u s t e d Je s u s a s t h e i r S a v i o r . I t is i m p o r t a n t t o r e m i n d o u r s e l v e s a s n e w o r s e a s oned C h r i s t f o l l o w e r s t h a t t h e g o s p e l i s f u l l o f r e a s on. We a r e n o t b e i n g a s k e d t o p u t o n a b l i n d f o l d a n d follow an untrustworthy God.

For a custo m D ate Ni ght I n B o x - F ai th p l ayl i s t feat u ri ng Christia n a rti s ts , vi s i t datenight inb ox.c om / fa i th

S cr i pt u r e s g i ve us t h e s e e n co ur a g e m e nt s w h e n w e a r e f a ce d w i t h do ubt o r un ce r t a i n t y i n G od ’s t r us t w o r t h i ne s s :

What does biblica l f ait h r e ally look like ? To ni ght , as y ou div e into this d i s c us s i o n to g e the r, I c hal l e n g e y ou t o ex plo re what the no ti o n o f b l i nd f ai th m e a n s t o you. Yo u will be mak i ng yo ur w ay thro ugh s o m e fu n e x ercises during yo ur d ate that re q ui re c l o s i n g y ou r eyes a nd ha ving a l i ttl e b i t o f f ai th. H e re i s t h e q uest ion tha t we will d i g i nto thi s e ve ni ng: Are we ca lled to ign or e r e as on or “ go in b lin d” as Chri s t’s f o llower s?

In t oday’s Christia n cul ture , the i d e a o f f ai th b e i n g ant i-intellectua l o r sep arate f ro m re as o n i s w i d e l y em braced. When so me o ne c hal l e ng e s a p e rs o n’s fait h for pr o o f, o ne a rgum e nt i s that w e are c al l e d t o follow Chr ist witho ut the ne e d f o r p ro o f o f H i s p o w e r .

H e is no t a puppet o n a s tri ng , and w e d o n’t ne e d t o valid ate o ur faith with any s o rt o f p ro o f .

Yes, it is tr ue the Bib l e te l l s us i n Ep he s i ans 2 : 8 - 9 t hat we a re to a ccept the go s p e l thro ugh f ai th, ap a r t from t he need fo r re as o n. B ut Go d , i n H i s grac e , h as als o giv en us rea s o n! Fai th i s o nl y “b l i nd ” i f th e objec t o f tha t faith is untrus tw o rthy. Thi s k i nd o f fait h is fo o lish. It woul d b e unw i s e to p l ac e yo ur fait h in so meo ne o r s o m e thi ng that yo u b e l i e ve to b e un tr ustwo rthy, don’t yo u thi nk ? C hri s t f o l l o w e r s

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

1 Peter 1:8-9 “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Exodus 14:31 “And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their faith in Him and in Moses his servant.”

p lac e their faith in G o d , w ho has p ro ve n H i s t ru st wo r thiness as w i tne s s e d thro ugho ut hi s to ry a n d t he B ible. We do no t have to g o i n b l i nd .

In t h e p a s s a g e a b o v e f r o m E x o d u s , w e a r e g i v en a As a Christ fo llo wer , yo ur f ai th s ho ul d b e

g o o d e x a m p l e i n t h e f a i t h o f t h e Is r a e l i t e s . C l ea rly,

ac c om pan ied by , but no t r e lian t o n re as o n.

t h e y h a d g o o d e v i d e n c e t h a t G o d e x i s t e d , a s He a ided in their exodus from Egypt.

T h e scriptur e po ints o ut that the I s rae l i te s “p ut t heir faith in Him.” Thi s o f f e rs us the truth that a s

“In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;

b e lievers, we ca n bas e o ur b e l i e f that the B i b l e i s t r u e on t h e basis o f ev ide nc e and s ti l l have f ai th i n Go d .

let me never be put to shame;

Fait h do es no t ha ve t o b e s e p arate f ro m re as o n, a n d

deliver me in your righteousness.

t hey c o exist in this w ay.

Turn your ear to me,

Consider this a na lo g y: I f s o m e o ne i s ho l d i ng yo u o v e r

come quickly to my rescue;

a c liff a nd yo u tr ust that the y w i l l no t l e t yo u f al l —

be my rock of refuge,

t hat t hey will pull yo u up to s af e ty— yo u und o ub te d l y

a strong fortress to save me.

h ave faith in tha t pers o n. Y o u k no w that the y e xi s t .

You ha ve v er y po werf ul e vi d e nc e that the y e xi s t,

Since you are my rock and my fortress,

y e t at tha t mo ment, dangl i ng o ve r the c l i f f , al l the

for the sake of your name lead and

evidence in the wo r ld c anno t te l l yo u f o r c e rtai n t h a t

guide me.

t hey will sa ve yo ur lif e . Y o u m us t have f ai th i n the m .

Keep me free from the trap that is

Consider ing this exa m p l e , yo u c an s e e that the re i s

set for me,

firm e v idence to beli e ve i n yo ur p artne r’s ab i l i ty t o

for you are my refuge.

save yo u fr o m the cli f f , b ut no o ne w o ul d as k yo u t o p rove that they a ctua l l y w i l l . That i s p utti ng f ai th i n t o

Into your hands I commit my spirit;

p ract ice. Co nver sely, i t w o ul d b e p re tty f o o l i s h to

deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.”

walk u p to a stranger o n the s tre e t and trus t- f al l i n t o

Psalm 31:1-5

t heir ar ms, expecting a s o f t l and i ng . W e m us t s p e n d t im e g etting to kno w w ho Go d i s and b ui l d o ur tru s t in Him thr o ugh His wo rd , p raye r and c o m m uni ty.

B uild ing a fo unda tio n o f trus t w i l l d e e p e n o ur f ai t h in Him.

c a r r y t h e d i s c u s s i o n fo r w a r d H e r e i s a f u n e x e r c i s e t h a t y o u a n d y o u r p a r t ner ca n do to put your faith to the test.

D i s c l a i mer : Pl ea s e p er f o r m th i s a c ti v i ty a t y o u r o wn r i s k .

prayer and reflection

C l o s e y o u r e y e s a n d f i n d a n o p e n s p a c e . W e a ll know

Take a few minutes to read and discuss the

t h e p o p u l a r t r u s t -f a l l e x e r c i s e , b u t I w a n t y o u t o t hink

questions below:

a b o u t a f e w i m p o r t a n t t h i n g s a s y o u m a k e y o ur wa y

Do you believe that it is still considered “having faith” in something when you also have evidence for it? Why or why not?

through this exercise tonight.

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their body as straight as they can and fall

God is trustworthy?

b a c k w a r d s . Yo u r p a r t n e r , s t a n d i n g b e h i n d you, will catch you under the arms.

Can you recall a time that God saved you from handle on your own?

Take some time now to close your discussion with a word of prayer. If you aren’t sure where to begin, pray these words from Psalm 31.

each other’s arms. The “faller” will hold their arms directly out to the side, keep

Do you personally have reason to believe that

a circumstance that was bigger than you could

With your eyes open, take turns falling into

N o w y o u h a v e g o o d r e a s o n t o b e l i e v e t h a t y o ur p a r t n e r w i l l c a t c h y o u ! Yo u h a v e t r u s t i n t h e m .

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Putting faith to the test, take turns repeating the exercise with the faller’s eyes closed.