40 Verses to Ignite Your Faith

Polich Short Laurie

Description

Many of us have our "go to" verses. The ones we memorize, post on social media, and hang on our walls. But sometimes we need a fresh word or promise for the season we find ourselves in--something that ignites our faith in the face of fear, doubt, loneliness, insecurity, or overwhelming circumstances.In this powerful, accessible new book, author and speaker Laurie Short mines the Scriptures, revealing insights and promises from 40 verses we often overlook. Digging in to these "in between" verses, she unearths fresh wisdom, guidance, and encouragement that will help you seek and experience God in new, dynamic ways. From trusting God's timing, to not worrying about the future, to holding on to faith when things look dark, the hidden insights found in these verses will help you navigate the challenges that cross your path, breathe new life into your weary soul, and ignite your faith once again.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 02 avril 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781493417414
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Cover
Endorsements
“Laurie’s life experience gives her great wisdom in bringing insights to life from Scripture verses we often miss, and these insights will deeply encourage your walk of faith.”
—John Burke, pastor; New York Times bestselling author, Imagine Heaven
“In her latest volume, Laurie Polich Short takes a thought-provoking look at 40 verses that all of us have probably skimmed over dozens of times but never stopped to ‘chew on.’ Laurie’s reflections into each of these passages of Scripture provide powerful insights and meaningful application as we walk out our faith.”
—Jim Daly, president, Focus on the Family
“How many times have I said to God, ‘I could just get through this if I had enough faith!’ Sometimes things seem so hopeless that it’s hard to remember who God is, how faithful He is to keep His promises, and how He works. Laurie’s study serves as an altar in the desert of our struggle, pointing to heaven whilst we remain grounded on earth. Both encouraging and challenging, Laurie leads us verse by verse from a place of hopelessness to joyful faith.”
—Aarti Sequeira, winner, season 6, The Next Food Network Star ; TV host
“I’m not sure how she does it, but Laurie hears the conversations in my head and answers questions stirring in my heart. I’m excited to have a resource that helps lead me to honest reflection and life-giving insight by using the Bible in a practical but thought-provoking way.”
—Helen Denmark Musick, associate pastor, Lexington City Church
“Faith is a muscle that atrophies if it isn’t exercised. Laurie Short will help each day become a chance to train.”
—John Ortberg, senior pastor, Menlo Church
“You will find a depth of faith and insight on every page. Laurie Polich Short is a most incredible communicator who looks at each of these verses in a unique and fresh way. I used her book as a companion to my d evotional reading and each day reached deep within my soul.”
—Jim Burns, PhD, president, HomeWord; author, Doing Life with Your Adult Children
“Laurie Polich Short has a way of making every reader feel as if they are having an intimate one-on-one chat with a friend. She writes with clear messages and thought-provoking questions that make us think and ponder biblical truths in a new, enlightening way. This is a great book for those who are ‘afraid’ of reading a book that might be overwhelming and complicated. I love this author’s down-to-earth style.”
—Kerri Pomarolli, comedian
Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2019 by Laurie Polich Short
Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2019
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-1741-4
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Scripture quotations identified ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016
Scripture quotations identified NASB are from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
Scripture quotations identified NLT are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
All italics in quoted Scripture passages have been added by the author.
Cover design by Rob Williams, InsideOutCreativeArts
Author represented by WordServe Literary Agency
Dedication
For all who seek God and wisdom and hope . . . and wonder where to go.
Contents
Cover 1
Endorsements 2
Half Title Page 3
Title Page 5
Copyright Page 6
Dedication 7
Introduction 11
1. GENESIS 3:3 The Subtle Insertion of Doubt 13
2. GENESIS 16:2 Moving ahead of God’s Timing 17
3. GENESIS 16:13 Never Alone 21
4. GENESIS 41:1 Remembering and Living Our Waits 25
5. EXODUS 3:12 The Sign Comes after You Obey 29
6. EXODUS 16:19 Manna, Maggots, and Trust 33
7. EXODUS 32:1 The Temptation to Find Another God 37
8. NUMBERS 13:27–28 The But s That Steer Our Faith 41
9. DEUTERONOMY 10:13 For Our Own Good 45
10. JOSHUA 1:7 Not Turning to the Right or Left 49
11. JUDGES 7:2 Too Much of You Is Not Enough of God 53
12. 1 SAMUEL 3:10 Hearing God’s Voice 57
13. 2 SAMUEL 11:1 The Decisions before the Decision 61
14. 1 KINGS 17:3–4 Elijah’s School of Faith 65
15. 1 CHRONICLES 17:23 The Courage to Pray for the Bigger Story 69
16. ESTHER 4:14 The Story within the Story 73
17. JOB 1:8 God’s Affection in Our Trials 77
18. JOB 42:3 Seeing Our Life in Context 81
19. PSALM 131:2 A Weaned Faith 85
20. PSALM 143:5 Looking Back for Our Future 89
21. ECCLESIASTES 5:15 Nothing You Can Carry 93
22. ECCLESIASTES 11:5 God’s Activity 97
23. ISAIAH 30:21 The Voice behind You 101
24. ISAIAH 50:11 Lighting Your Own Fires 105
25. JEREMIAH 29:5 Build Houses and Settle In 109
26. JEREMIAH 31:33 The Writing on Our Hearts 113
27. EZEKIEL 37:3 The God Who Breathes Life and Hope 117
28. JONAH 1:5 Running Away from God 121
29. JONAH 3:4 The Small Step God Can Use 125
30. HABAKKUK 3:17–18 Defiant Faith 129
31. MATTHEW 1:6 Goodness Is Not Forgotten 133
32. MATTHEW 11:2–3 When Circumstances Bring Doubt 137
33. MARK 2:5 The Answer You Weren’t Looking For 141
34. LUKE 22:32 When You Have Turned Back 145
35. JOHN 11:35 The God Who Weeps 149
36. JOHN 20:21 Sent with Our Wounds 153
37. 2 CORINTHIANS 12:8–9 The Power of Our Thorns 157
38. EPHESIANS 1:18–19 The Eyes of Our Heart 161
39. PHILIPPIANS 1:12 Trusting the Greater Plan 165
40. 1 JOHN 4:12 Making the Invisible God Visible 169
Acknowledgments 173
About the Author 175
Back Cover 177
Introduction
G od can sometimes be missing from where we would like God to be.
This observation keeps many people at a distance and can chip away at a believer’s faith. After I wrote a book about my own experience of sitting in the silence of God, my inbox was filled with emails from people who needed encouragement in their waning faith:
Jessica asked why she should hold on to God when it felt like God had let go of her. She spent ten years serving in ministry, had her deepest prayer answered then stripped away, and she wondered why God had abandoned her. All she heard was silence.
Lauren asked if she should continue pursuing her dream career, when she experienced rejection at every turn. She believed God was directing her, held fast to the encouragement of Bible verses, and solicited prayers from people who affirmed her call. So far, all she had been met with was a string of closed doors.
David felt paralyzed by the Scriptures he had memorized (and taught to others) that seemed to have failed him. As he watched friends receive the healing he himself longed for, he was envious and disturbed. He wondered why God seemed to overlook him while granting others the desires of their hearts.
From these conversations, the same questions kept surfacing: Why do the verses I read in the Bible fail to come true in my life? How can I have confidence that God is near when my experience is that God is far away? Are there any Scriptures that can speak to my experience of being fearful and disappointed, and encourage me to hold on to faith?
That last question was the impetus behind this book. For years, when I’ve spoken at conferences, people have said to me, “You highlighted a verse in the Bible I’ve never seen before.” Enough of these comments showed me there was a need for someone to write about the lesser-known Scriptures that often go unnoticed. Be careful when you think, Someone should do something . It may end up being you.
In this book, I have sought to expose new or glossed-over verses that give us a better understanding of how God works. I have discovered that it is in the “in-between” verses—the ones that whisper rather than shout—that some mysteries about God become a little clearer.
My hope is that the insights in this book will provide you with new confidence when you experience the fear, disappointment, and silence that play an integral part of your relationship with God. The lesser-known Scriptures that we pass over help us discover new angles that can breathe life into our faith.
I believe there are times when God may be willing to temporarily risk your belief in order to deepen your understanding—for the purpose of ultimately strengthening the relationship you have. So if you have ever been in a place where you wondered if you could even believe anymore, you may be closer to God than you think. Read on and discover why.
1 The Subtle Insertion of Doubt


GENESIS 3:3
But God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.”

I f you read this verse too fast, you’ll miss it. But if you look closely, you will see the moment where doubt begins. The response from Eve to the serpent reveals how the strength of our faith is undermined or enforced by