God Knows You Don’t

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As you find yourself among the fellowship of believers this season, remember the unique sense of unity we share. Embracing this time of year means more than festive gatherings; it embodies a deep expression of gratitude and the mutual encouragement we shower upon one another in faith. The culture of generosity and thankfulness is palpable, as many of us feel the joy of giving and the anticipation of what lies ahead. Emphasizing this, our actions of faith and trust become our offerings, gestures acknowledging our reliance on divine guidance through every chapter of life.

Reflecting on personal growth and spiritual journeys, consider the way we approach our vulnerabilities with courage and a sense of humor. As we look to historical figures of faith such as Abraham, let their examples inspire us to face the unknown with conviction. Life may be riddled with uncertainties and the occasional feeling of impostor syndrome, but therein lies the chance to trust in something greater than ourselves. It’s about embracing the mystery and mustering the bravery to step forward, all the while knowing that there is a greater plan in store, sovereignly crafted by a God who intimately knows us.

Key Takeaways

• Fellowship during this season strengthens our gratitude and sense of community.
• Generosity is expressed through giving, trusting in the future God prepares for us.
• Emulating examples of faith like Abraham teaches us to navigate uncertainty with courage.

Fostering Community and Levity

Sometimes it feels like sharing our life stories would take an eternity, with chapters we might hesitate to voice out loud. Yet we gather together not just out of habit, but to honor something greater. Our presence here puts us in an admirable league; it’s not about fulfilling resolutions but about genuine commitment, about being among the most devoted. Imagine a bit of divine humor at play—attending service before Thanksgiving might just lighten the caloric guilt of the festive indulgences. Give the folks beside you a playful nod; we might just emerge from the season with a bit fuller figures, together celebrating this transition into abundance.

The essence of our faith isn’t just in spoken words of gratitude towards the Divine. Actions affirm our beliefs, and what better way to express our thanks than through generosity? The time is ripe to prepare our offerings, not because we have to, but because it’s an expression of joy and trust. While marking calendars for our special offering day isn’t the only way to show gratitude, it’s an opportunity to embody the trust we place in God’s plan.

Reflecting on life’s journey, it’s clear that faith has been a journey of steps, not leaps. The biblical Abraham’s journey reminds you that the path isn’t always clear, yet moving forward is what counts. The path you walk may seem foggy at times, with uncertainties lurking, but like Abraham, who journeyed toward a promise without a roadmap, you are capable of moving forward in faith.

Addressing deeper uncertainties, think about those times you’ve felt as if you didn’t quite fit the roles you found yourself in. It’s human to sometimes feel like an impostor, even when accomplishments are genuinely yours. Yet this place of worship is where certainty and mystery converge. It’s where you’re reminded that it’s okay not to have all the answers and that sometimes, like Abraham, your strengths shine brightest when shrouded in doubt.

When Jesus asked why Peter doubted, even though he had stepped out into the unknown, he was touching on a profound aspect of trust. It’s about trusting even when the grounds for trust aren’t visible, knowing that belief isn’t without its questions. As you face forward, think of your faith as an ongoing dialogue with the unseen, a dialogue where doubts don’t diminish the journey but enrich it with depth and texture.

Expressing Appreciation and Acknowledgment during the Festive Period

Dedication to Spiritual Gatherings in Festive Times

You understand the importance of gathering together during the holidays, not just as a routine or tradition, but as an action of deep spiritual commitment. Attending services isn’t solely a customary act for you; it’s an intrinsic part of your festive celebration. It’s a time to not only reflect but to thank the Divine for all the blessings and learnings of the past year. Your participation in these gatherings is a testament to your steadfast faith.

• Attendance Benefits:
  • Spiritual rejuvenation
  • Community bonding
  • Renewal of faith

Light-hearted Views on Holiday Indulgences

Indeed, humor finds its place in the anticipation of the season’s feasting. You’ve been told that being present at pre-holiday services might just magically reduce the impact of the sumptuous meals to come. While it’s shared in jest, this nod to “caloric redemption” adds a layer of light-heartedness to the holiday preparation. Embrace this time, and perhaps let your friends take a snapshot of you before you happily welcome a few extra holiday pounds.

• Humorous Takes:
  • Calorie ‘redemption’
  • Pre-meal rituals
  • Community jest

Expecting Physical Changes with Excitement

With a twinkle in your eye, you forecast the personal transformations that the holiday feasts will bring. It’s bulking season, and you embrace it fully. This is a time to indulge, to celebrate growth in every aspect of life, including your physical self. It’s more than just a change in weight—it’s a physical manifestation of joy, abundance, and prosperity.

• Personal Changes:
  • Anticipated weight gain
  • Joyful indulgence
  • Celebration of life’s fullness

Your Generosity in Seasonal Offerings

Your generosity shines brightly as you prepare for the year-end offering. It’s an act of faith, to give back and contribute to the greater community and spiritual work. You find joy in this opportunity to express your trust in what lies ahead, confident in the good that your contributions will help manifest.

• Offering Details:
  • Year-end celebration
  • Your preparedness to give
  • Trust in future blessings

Living in Expectant Faith

Your daily walk is rooted in expectant faith similar to the journey of the biblical Abraham, moving forward even when the direction is not clear. It requires a steadfast trust in the unseen promises and the anticipation of a future that is yet to unfold. Life is often an uncharted journey, but your faith equips you to navigate it with confidence.

• Faith Walk:
  • Embracing uncertainty
  • Anticipating promises
  • Trusting in divine guidance

Annual Charitable Contributions and Faith-Based Confidence

Enthusiasm for Donating

You might have already felt the surge of generosity this season stirs within you. It’s not about ticking off a resolution; it’s about acknowledging that deep-running current of thankfulness that sets you apart. Imagine reducing the calorie impact of your Thanksgiving feast just by engaging in worship—a humorous notion, but one that underscores the joy wrapped up in this season of generosity. So, you have your donation prepared, not out of obligation, but with a joyful anticipation to give back to God and His works. It’s that time when a simple “Thank you” manifests not only in words but in spirited action; a direct reflection of your gratitude interwoven with faith.

Gratitude and Reliance on Divine Guidance

You confidently express reliance on divine support for the future, matching your words with your deeds. By echoing scriptural teachings—like trusting not in your own understanding but in God’s direction—you bring life to your faith. This is beautifully exemplified in the ‘trust offering’, a practical expression of your faith journey. Your contributions aren’t just transactions; they’re affirmations of a deep-seated trust that you’ve placed in God’s plan, mirroring the conviction of biblical figures like Abraham who stepped forward into the unknown, fueled by faith.

The Act of Giving:

• An Expression of Trust: Your offering is more than a gift; it’s a declaration of your reliance on God.
• Fulfilling a Commitment: Marking your calendar for December 10 symbolizes the realization of this trust.

Faith in Scripture:

• Ancestral References: Reflect on Abraham’s journey, drawing parallels to your own path of faith.
• Embracing the Unknown: Like biblical patriarchs, you’re invited to step forward in trust, even when the destination is not yet in sight.

Remember, it’s not through clarity but through faith that you navigate, energized by the trust you’ve placed in your Creator.

Schedule for Spiritual Reflections

Every Sunday, you join a special community, not just out of habit, but as part of the 1% most devoted followers during this season. Remember, participating in worship this week may just lighten the guilt of indulgence in the upcoming feast—we jest, of course, knowing the true reason for our gathering is to celebrate and give thanks.

Upcoming Gatherings:

• November 26: A day of gratitude and worship.
• December 10: Year-end Trust Offering service. Prepare to express your thanks and trust in the Almighty with a hearty contribution, either in person or online at elevationchurch.org.

We’re on the brink of December, and it’s not just a time for gratitude but also for looking ahead with faith. We draw our upcoming teachings from Hebrews, focusing on a faith that, like Abraham’s, is active and ventures into the unknown trusting in God’s promise. This exploration will take us through the end of the year, diving into the idea that God’s knowledge surpasses our own, and in that, there’s comfort.

Sermon Series:

• “God Knows You Don’t”: Delving into Hebrews 11 and the journey of trust and obedience exemplified by Abraham. Understanding that sometimes, God’s plan for you unfolds as you take steps of faith into the unknown.

While we approach the season with joyful anticipation, we also recognize it’s a time to affirm our trust in God for the future. Your presence and participation truly reflect the essence of faith and community.

Abraham as a Model of Belief

Venturing into Uncharted Territory

When you were beckoned to leave your comfort zone without knowing the destination, you did so believing in a grander plan. You left behind the familiar, stepping into a space where the future was a canvas yet to be unfurled. The journey you embarked on was not led by sight, but by the assurance within you. Like a traveler without a map, you moved forward, guided by a conviction steadier than the stars.

Inheriting a Promise Through Faith

Your faith became the inheritance you would pass down, a belief in what was assured though not yet seen. You stood in a place that wasn’t quite home, yet through eyes of faith, it was more than just a plot of land; it was a promise. In this holding space between promise given and promise fulfilled, your hope was not dimmed. As you walked the earth, your steps hummed with anticipation for what was promised would indeed come to pass.

Longing for a Divine Homeland

With a gaze fixed on a horizon that transcended earthly boundaries, you longed for a city designed and built by divine hands. Acknowledging your transient status on the earth, you didn’t lament but rejoiced in the promise of a heavenly country. This longing did not come from a place of dissatisfaction but from a vision of what is eternally enduring. In this acknowledgment, you found a profound truth: your ultimate citizenship was not of this world, but of a divine kingdom.

Conquering Self-Doubt and Insecurities

The Unseen Struggle with Authenticity

Everybody faces moments of self-doubt, where achievements seem undeserved and fears of being exposed as a fraud loom. People often feel as though they’re just lucky and not genuinely deserving of their success. In workplaces and personal endeavors alike, the feeling that one’s accomplishments aren’t a result of their own talent can hinder the acceptance of success as part of one’s own identity. You might find yourself in important roles feeling weak or having large influence while feeling insignificant. Recognize that these experiences of feeling like an imposter are common, and they’re a testament to the human experience where anxiety and self-questioning are more typical than often admitted.

Embracing the Unknown

Life brings phases where everything seems uncertain, and you find yourself moving towards goals without clear visibility of the path. Just like Abraham who embarked on a journey without knowing his destination, you might find yourself feeling like a newcomer in unfamiliar territory. Yet, it’s in these times where embracing uncertainty opens you to new experiences and growth. Embracing the unknown allows for a journey where faith and resolve grow stronger despite, and perhaps because of, the very lack of clarity that initially seems daunting.

Confronting Concealed Doubts

Inside every person are hidden doubts, often overshadowed by outsized confidence or declarations of certainty. Even in faith, where assurance can be a hallmark, it’s natural to wrestle with skepticism. For instance, when facing an overwhelming challenge, you may resonate with the mystery of faith rather than the certainty. It’s okay to feel less sure about the unseen and the yet-to-come. Like the winds and waves faced by Peter, doubts can arise even amidst the pursuit of a profound belief. Remember, these quiet questions are not signs of failure but fragments of your humanity seeking understanding amidst life’s complexities.

Ultimate Wisdom – Beyond Human Comprehension

Paradoxical Nature of Skepticism and Conviction

You often find yourself in this delicate interplay where you trust in something wholeheartedly, yet there’s a nagging skepticism in the back of your mind. Imagine being certain that your Redeemer lives, that love orchestrates all things for good, yet there’s a part of you wrestling with uncertainties. Surely, at the core of worship is a profound sense of certainty. Yet, here you are, facing moments where the known and unknown collide, leaving you in a state of wonder.

• Trust Professed: ‘I know that all things work together for good.’
• Doubt Felt: ‘Yet, why do I sometimes question this?’

Abraham’s Passage as a Metaphor for Individual Belief

Consider Abraham’s voyage to an undisclosed land as a parallel to your private walk with faith. He left not knowing his destination, ignited by a promise from God. This mirrors a deeper truth in your own journey. While you may stand on the assurances given, there’s often the unspoken reality that much lies beyond your understanding.

• Obedience: Abraham heeded the call without knowing the endpoint.
• Numerous Descendants: From just one man’s willingness to follow, generations blossomed.