1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We are so glad to 3 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 2: have you listening with us here today. Today's topic is 4 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:20,440 Speaker 2: about when we've lost our faith and how. 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: To find it again. 6 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 2: We will return after a brief message from our sponsor, 7 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 2: Finding Faith Again, written by Vivian Bricker, read by Rochelle 8 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 2: Alberti Bible reading. God is our refuge and strength and 9 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 2: ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, 10 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 2: though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into 11 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 2: the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, 12 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,279 Speaker 2: and the mountains quake with their so urging saw him 13 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 2: forty six one through three. Most of us have had 14 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 2: times when we doubt our faith. We doubt if we 15 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: are truly saved, or if anything we do truly matters. 16 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 2: While I have never doubted God's existence, I have doubted 17 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 2: his goodness and provision. In retrospect, I can now see 18 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 2: God has provided for me even in the darkest of times. However, 19 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 2: during trying times it can be hard to see God. 20 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 2: We automatically blame God and reason that he is why 21 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 2: we are going through challenging times. Since God is ultimately 22 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 2: in control, we question why he is not bringing us deliverance. 23 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 2: As someone who has been in this place many times, 24 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 2: I can attest to just how much God is present 25 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 2: when we think he is not. God is always with us, 26 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 2: even if we do not realize it. A particularly tough 27 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 2: time for me was when I was in England. I 28 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 2: was serving on a mission trip and there was only 29 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 2: one other person and me. I struggled as this was 30 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 2: my first time away from home and I missed my family. 31 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 2: I struggle with social anxiety, and it was challenging to 32 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 2: be around people I didn't know very well. The host 33 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 2: families I stayed with were all supportive, but a few 34 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 2: profoundly changed my life. They helped me to know that 35 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 2: I matter and that God has plans for my life, 36 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 2: even if I could not see them right away. Although 37 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 2: my faith struggled at times during this mission trip, I 38 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 2: left England with a stronger faith than I had before. 39 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 2: I knew God would be with me through everything, even 40 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: if I had doubted Him. An ever present help in trouble. 41 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 2: The Bible tells us God is our refuge and strength 42 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: and ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, 43 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 2: though the earth give way and the mountains fall into 44 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,519 Speaker 2: the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, 45 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 2: and the mountains quake with their surging Psalm forty six 46 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 2: one through three. While many people believe only David wrote 47 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 2: the psalms, others wrote them as well. Another writer was 48 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 2: the Sons of Cora, who wrote Psalms forty six. The 49 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 2: Sons of Cora lived during a time of exile. They 50 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 2: longed to return to Israel and yearned for the day 51 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,679 Speaker 2: when God would deliver his people. Despite what they saw 52 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 2: each day, they knew God was their refuge, strength and 53 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 2: an ever present help in trouble. By studying Psalm forty 54 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 2: six one through three and applying it to our lives, 55 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 2: we will slowly begin to trust God again. We will 56 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: realize that He is also our refuge, strength and ever 57 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:46,119 Speaker 2: present help in trouble. Although the earth may give way 58 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 2: and the mountains will fall into the sea, we will 59 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 2: not fear because God is with us. He is our 60 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 2: mighty protector, and He will keep us safe from all harm. 61 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 2: If you need to find your faith again, start talking 62 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 2: with the Lord in prayer to day. Read the Bible 63 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: and study what it has to say for yourself, rather 64 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 2: than relying on other Christians or a church. Seek out 65 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 2: matters for yourself. Sadly, many of us struggle with our 66 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 2: faith because of a negative experience with a Christian or 67 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 2: a church. Try to remember at these times that our 68 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 2: faith is in Jesus, not in other Christians or a church. 69 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 2: These individuals will fail us and might even cause us 70 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: much harm. But the Lord never will. He will always 71 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 2: fight for us and be on our side. Even as 72 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 2: everything else in our lives falls apart, Jesus will stand 73 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 2: by our side. Hebrews thirteen five through six. We can 74 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 2: have faith in Jesus because he is our mighty savior 75 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 2: and the one who has redeemed our souls. Praise God 76 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:56,559 Speaker 2: for such a wonderful blessing in the Lord. Intersecting faith 77 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 2: in life? Have you ever struggled with your faith ind Jesus? 78 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 2: What did this look like? Why do you think most 79 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 2: Christians struggle with their faith at times? How might Jesus 80 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 2: help you in the journey of finding your faith again? 81 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 2: Further reading Psalm twenty three one through six, Exodus fourteen 82 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 2: fourteen two, Timothy for eighteen. 83 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 84 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 1: you heard today, we want to make sure you know 85 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. 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