Be Authentic in Your Faith

[00:00:00] How can we be authentic in our faith? Should we keep our faith under wraps or should we aim to set an example in our walk with God?

[00:00:31] Welcome to the Walking in Step with God podcast. Here we empower you to walk boldly with God. Follow our podcast to stay up-to-date with new content.

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[00:00:55] Hello everyone. Welcome to Walking in Step with God. I'm Stephen Donald. Today we discuss the topic Be Authentic in Your Faith as we kick off a new series, Living A Courageous Life.

[00:01:10] Let's discuss the ways that we can be our true selves as we live our lives and exist in a world that often does not under God.

[00:01:19] Regardless of how long you have been walking with God, you will inevitably be faced with a situation where you must choose to keep your faith under wraps or be your true self.

[00:01:32] Perhaps to find yourself in a group of people none of which walk with God and you will need to choose if you should or shouldn't participate in an activity that you know does not under God.

[00:01:45] Perhaps you are going out to lunch with a group of friends and you are unsure if you should pray over your meal, even though you pray over every meal when you are alone.

[00:01:57] Today let's discuss three ways to be authentic in our faith and our walk with God. Before we dive in, let's take a quick break. I'll be right back.

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[00:03:03] Welcome back. Let's dive right into our discussion of three ways to be authentic in our faith.

[00:03:10] 1. Be a beacon of faith. What does it mean to be a beacon of faith? I believe it means to allow your faith to shine brightly for all to see.

[00:03:22] This could take place in so many ways. You may perform a gesture of kindness such as opening a door for a stranger and inspire an onlooker to do so.

[00:03:32] You may feed someone homeless and an onlooker decides that he or she will do the same at their next opportunity.

[00:03:40] Being a beacon of faith is not just for strangers but also for loved ones. For example, when we show kindness respect and honor to others in front of our children, we teach them how to treat others with kindness respect and honor.

[00:03:56] 2. Trust God. In our walk with God when we encounter challenges in the world, we can become tempted to take matters into our own hands or somehow keep gone out of situations we feel are important to us.

[00:04:13] We can be tempted to think that only we know what to do to resolve a situation. We lose sight of the fact that there is no thing that is impossible for God.

[00:04:27] There are times we can clearly sense God's presence and other times when it may seem as though he is very far.

[00:04:34] Part of being authentic in our faith in these times is to confess to God when we feel afraid, unsure and alone.

[00:04:40] We can be sincere and authentic with God when we really don't have the strength to get through a situation or the patience to wait for him.

[00:04:51] In these times, let us confess to God of our weakness. Let us ask Him for strength. Let us ask Him for courage.

[00:05:01] Being authentic with God and challenging times can help us to cope and to endure a difficult situation.

[00:05:09] 3. Hold fast to your values. There will be times in your faith that you will need to choose between going with the flow and doing something that does not honor God or holding on to your values even if it results in rejection and ridicule from others.

[00:05:28] Being authentic in these times is to honor God first and foremost and not be concerned with what others will think.

[00:05:37] As a quick example, let us say you are going out to a Monday lunch with several coworkers. There is an attractive waiter that serves your table.

[00:05:46] Your coworkers begin to playfully share what a romantic evening with the waiter would entail if they had one night alone with them.

[00:05:54] One by one, they speak of the explicit acts of intimacy with plenty of profanity to add color to their story.

[00:06:02] Once everyone has spoken, it is your turn. What do you say? Do you go with the flow and come up with your own one night stand story or do you decline to respond?

[00:06:14] Do you go with the flow and speak words that dishonor God in your faith but impress your coworkers or do you honor God potentially facing ridicule and jeering from your coworkers?

[00:06:26] It is times like these that it is so important to hold fast to your values. Do not be concerned with what others will think.

[00:06:37] Your relationship with God is the most important relationship you will ever have and the actions you take as you walk with God are a key part of that relationship.

[00:06:46] Hold fast to your values. Prioritize your relationship with God. It is the anchor that keeps you grounded amidst life's storms and enriches your life in countless ways.

[00:07:01] In today's message we kicked off our Living A Courageous Life series by exploring three ways we can be authentic in our faith.

[00:07:09] Reviewed several opportunities we have to be a beacon of light and set an example of our faith when we are out and about in the world.

[00:07:17] We explored the idea that it is perfectly normal to be afraid and worried in our walk with God.

[00:07:23] We learned that part of being authentic in our faith is bringing these fears and worries before God instead of pursuing ways to take matters into our own hands.

[00:07:33] Lastly, we discussed the importance of holding fast to our values regardless of social pressures that may be around us.

[00:07:41] We learned that we need not cater to how the world does things if it will dishonor God because our walk with God is far more important and our relationship with God is the most important relationship we will ever have.

[00:07:55] Embrace your journey of faith. God will reveal the path to becoming your most authentic self.

[00:08:04] Let's close out in prayer.

[00:08:07] Father Almighty God, we thank you for the wisdom you have stood upon us this day regarding being authentic with our faith.

[00:08:14] We know that society norms can be difficult to reject and avoid.

[00:08:23] We know that peer pressure can be difficult, especially when we are around people that do not walk with you and have no part of having faith in their lives.

[00:08:34] Father, we ask you for strength that when we are put in a situation that we must choose between doing what others do around us and doing what will honor you, that you give us to wherewithal and the courage to do what will honor you first.

[00:08:50] We put your relationship with us first and foremost because we know that our relationship with you is the most important relationship that we will ever have in our entire life.

[00:09:01] So equip us Lord, give us the guidance, give us the words to say to reject invitations to do wrongdoing and we thank you in advance for all these situations that will come across in our lives.

[00:09:13] We pray this trust in you believing in you. Amen.

[00:09:17] Are you interested in learning more about the sources guiding this message?

[00:09:21] I invite you to stay tuned after the break for our going deeper with the word segment.

[00:09:26] Here we examine how God's Word provides clear guidance and direction about being authentic in our faith.

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[00:09:55] I'll be right back after these messages.

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[00:10:49] Welcome to going deeper with the word in this segment, we welcome people of all backgrounds religious or not to review the word of God.

[00:10:58] The word of God provides guidance direction and instructions for living our lives and walking with God.

[00:11:03] Today we examine how God's word provides clear guidance and direction about being authentic in our walk with God and in our faith.

[00:11:10] Let's review examples of God's word that can lead in God or steps and back up the principles we learned in today's message.

[00:11:17] I'll be reading scripture today from the amplified Bible.

[00:11:21] Here's our first verse. Matthew 5 verses 14 through 16.

[00:11:26] You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand.

[00:11:37] And it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence and glorify your father who is in heaven.

[00:11:48] In this verse Jesus explains quite clearly the importance of showing the world the evidence of our faith.

[00:11:55] The reference to a city set on a hill and a lamp in a home illustrates the impact our works and faith have on those who are observing.

[00:12:04] Not only our actions, but how we show up in the world.

[00:12:09] When was the last time you performed an act in public that is rooted in your faith? Let us know in the comments.

[00:12:16] Let's have a look at another verse. Psalm 37 verse 5.

[00:12:22] Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him also and he will do it.

[00:12:28] In this verse a Psalm of King David we read quite simply that when we bring our thoughts, hopes and desires before the Lord, we can trust fully in him.

[00:12:39] This is not always easy especially when there are matters where time is of the essence and it seems as though taking things into our own hands will be necessary.

[00:12:51] God asks us to trust in him. He is already aware of every detail of our circumstances even more so than we do.

[00:13:02] So let us trust him fully and completely.

[00:13:06] Have you recently had a situation where you surrendered your concerns to God and asked him for strength?

[00:13:13] Share your experience in the comments.

[00:13:17] Let's look at one last verse. Proverbs 13 verse 20.

[00:13:23] He who walks with wise men will be wise but the companions of fools will experience harm.

[00:13:31] In this verse King Solomon shares the importance of keeping company with the wise and not of so called fools.

[00:13:40] Being around others who act in ways to do not honor God is not always avoidable but we can make sure to keep our hearts and minds on God regardless of what is in the room.

[00:13:50] If and when we are put on a spot to choose between going with the flow or honoring God, we must find a strength to focus on our relationship with God first and foremost.

[00:14:02] Have you experienced a time when you were put on a spot to do something that you knew would not honor God?

[00:14:09] What was the outcome? Share in the comments.

[00:14:14] Thank you for your time with these verses today.

[00:14:18] Please be sure to share and the comments how these or other examples of God's word have helped you be authentic in your faith.

[00:14:27] Thank you for the opportunity to share encouragement. Here at Walkin' and Step with God we truly appreciate your support.

[00:14:33] We are fully committed to Christ into the community.

[00:14:36] We invite you to join us in fellowship and to seek opportunities for fellowship in your local community as well.

[00:14:43] Have an amazing week and we'll catch you next time.

[00:14:47] Bless you.

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