Our Spiritual Toolbox
   Week 2: Our Toolbox

Introduction:  Before we talk about our tools, we should talk about our toolboxes.  Our toolboxes are our faith, and our faith has two parts:  the content and how we live out the content. 


First, faith is the content of what we believe.  It matters what we believe because the content of our faith determines how we live.  The content shapes how we see and know God which directly affects how we see ourselves, others, and our world.  The content determines how we view the past, present, and future.  If my faith is dominated by a mean, judgmental God, then I likely will see everything around me through that lens.  If my faith is centered on a loving God of grace, then I likely will see everything around me through that lens. 


The content of faith determines how we live out our faith.  A faith dominated by a mean God may shape me into a mean person, or it might shape me into someone consistently obsessed with fear.  A faith grounded in a loving God has the potential to shape me into someone who is loving and joyful. 


It’s important to remember that the above is really much more complicated because we are so wonderfully complicated.  Besides the “stuff” of faith, our own personal dispositions and histories also shape our faith.  Who I am as a person matters when it comes to faith believed and faith lived out. 


Scripture:

“I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”   — Ephesians 3:16-19

Invitations: 

 ♦ This week’s scripture is Paul’s prayer for the Christians in Ephesus. 

  - What words or phrases speak to you this week?

  - What would it be like to have someone pray this prayer for you? 
     Read it out loud as if Paul were praying for you.

  - Pray this prayer for the people in your life:  friends, family, etc,
     as well as those you have difficulty with.

 

♦ What is the content of your faith? Think personally and honestly.
   Write it out. This is about honesty, not judgment.

 

♦ How do you live your faith?  Think personally and honestly. 
   Write it out.  This is about honesty, not judgment.

 

♦ How does the content of your faith correspond to the way you live your faith? 
   How does the way you live your faith correspond to the content of your faith?  

Prayer:

Jesus, 

I pray that, according to the riches of your glory, you grant that I am strengthened in my inner being with power through your Spirit, and that you may dwell in my heart through faith, as I am being rooted and grounded in love.  I pray that I may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know your love that surpasses knowledge, so that I may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Amen.