Mary: An Average Woman with Extraordinary Faith
The New Testament character of Mary is known for her obedience, humility, and faith. She was an average young woman who had no idea what God had in store for her life!
Our world desperately needs models worth following. Authentic heroes. People of integrity whose lives inspire us to take God seriously, to follow His Word obediently, to pursue Christ passionately.
Thankfully, the Bible places before us a spiritual "hall of fame"—raw, uncensored, gritty stories of men and women sometimes soaring, often stumbling, through the incredible life of faith. They wrestled with sin, experienced God's grace, struggled with weakness, and overcame by faith. Their inspiring biographies have been memorialized in Scripture, not simply because of their faith in God but because of God's faithfulness to them.
These great lives from God's Word not only provide realistic portraits for appreciation but also relevant principles for application.
The New Testament character of Mary is known for her obedience, humility, and faith. She was an average young woman who had no idea what God had in store for her life!
The Old Testament character of David is known for his passion, humility, and faith. Although he was a man after God’s own heart, David made many mistakes in his life, mistakes God redeemed, giving us hope that our mistakes can also be redeemed.
Esther, a courageous and obedient queen, dedicated her life and actions to the Lord and He used her to save a nation. Through her story we learn how to face life’s difficulties with grace and trust Him to make things right in the end.
Moses, a leader and profit who was meek and dedicated to the Lord, teaches us through his life story that where you start is not where you end up, with God’s help, and failure is never final.
In the Old Testament, Abraham was known as the "father of many nations” and a “friend of God.” He had a deep relationship with the Lord and followed His guidance even when he didn’t understand it! Let’s learn a bit more about this remarkable man.
Nehemiah’s discernment helped him frustrate the plots of his adversaries. In the same way, God-given discernment can help us face intimidating circumstances in our own realms of leadership.
While carrying his great burden for the people and conditions in Jerusalem, Nehemiah began the tough job of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem...by getting on his knees in prayer.
There was a process during which Peter wallowed in remorse, wishing he could, if possible, correct his error...but he couldn’t. And somewhere in the midst of it he heard the Lord say to him, “Peter, I forgive you. I understand.”
Every follower of Jesus must do the same. Influence in your little corner of the world begins there. This is precisely why Barnabas’s account is given to us in the book of Acts—he is a role model for followers of Jesus.
If you need a standard by which to gauge your own business integrity, Joseph is a perfect example—he demonstrated integrity in every aspect of his life. And by observing his business life, we’ll learn how to order our priorities and test our motives.