What role does faith play in recognizing God's purpose for our lives? Seeing God’s Hand in Moses’ Birth – Acts 7:20 “At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.” • God calls a life “beautiful” before that life can do anything to earn it. • Purpose is rooted in God’s prior choice, not our later performance. • Moses’ parents recognized something divine at work, even under Pharaoh’s death decree—faith noticed what fear could not. Faith Opens Our Eyes • Hebrews 11:23 confirms the link: “By faith Moses’ parents hid him… because they saw he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the king’s edict.” • Faith refuses to let hostile circumstances define reality; it lets God’s promise do that. • Without faith, Moses’ birth looks like a tragic risk; with faith, it looks like the launch of deliverance. Faith Aligns Us with God’s Purpose • Romans 8:28 – “God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.” • Jeremiah 1:5 – God knows and appoints before birth; faith receives that appointment. • Recognizing purpose is not guessing the future; it is trusting the God who already wrote it. Practical Ways Faith Discerns Purpose 1. Treasuring what God calls good (Acts 7:20). 2. Acting courageously when obedience is costly (Hebrews 11:23). 3. Holding God’s promises above visible threats (2 Corinthians 5:7). 4. Expecting preparation seasons—Moses spent forty years in Midian; faith waits. 5. Walking daily in good works prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10). Reinforcing Examples • Joseph – Genesis 50:20 shows evil re-stitched into God’s saving plan. • Esther – Esther 4:14 reveals purpose discovered at a decisive moment. • Paul – Acts 9:15 illustrates God selecting an unlikely instrument for His name. Living It Out Today • Identify where culture’s “edict” pressures you to silence faith; answer with trust like Moses’ parents. • Celebrate evidence of God’s providence in small details; faith notices beauty others overlook. • Cultivate expectancy: if God preserved you, He intends to employ you. • Serve where you are while God shapes you for what is next—Moses tended sheep before leading people. Faith does not fabricate purpose; it recognizes the purpose God already placed over our lives and steps forward, convinced He will fulfill what He began. |
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