“TO HAVE FAITH” SAINT PAUL’S. Prayer for the Year of Faith Lord Jesus Christ, you have given your Church the mission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations.

“ T O H AV E FA I T H”

SAINT PAUL’S

Prayer for the Year of Faith

Lord Jesus Christ, you have given your Churchthe mission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations.May our efforts to fulfil this mission be guided by

the Holy Spiritso that we might be a leaven of new life, salt of the earth,and a light of the world – worthy missionaries and faithful to you.Make us valiant witnesses to the Faith of the

Church,and inspire us to speak the truth with love

Help us to communicate to others the joy that we have receivedAllow us to be united but not closed; humble, but not fearful;simple but not naïve; thoughtful but not overbearing;contemporary but not superficial,respectful of others, but boldly your disciples.

May we bear into the world the hope of God,which is Christ the Lord,

who rose from the deadand lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit,one God forever and ever.

Amen.

Big QuestionJust as the King in the Spyglass had a vision for his kingdom, God has a dream/vision for our world. Jesus told us how to live God’s dream/vision. What would our world be like if the dream/vision of God was the dream/vision brought to reality?What are the messages in the Gospel stories that tell us more about God’s dream/vision? Key Understandings Through Jesus we come to know our God – Jesus talked about God’s desire/wish for all humansJesus showed us how to live our lives as people of faith hope and loveJesus spent time in prayerful reflection always pondering how he could bring the reign of God to our world. The way Jesus lived is a pattern for all of us. Jesus showed us what it is like if we are filled with God.In other words he did what all of us are capable of doing if we possess the courage and faith.Jesus is our story.

Definition: Faith is belief with strong conviction; firm belief in something for which there may be no tangible proof; complete trust in or devotion to. Faith is the opposite of doubt.

Faith is possibly the single-most important element of the Christian life. Hebrews 11:6 states, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

To have faith is to believe in something; to trust that it is so. Some people believe everything they are told. Others require proof for everything. Most people cannot have faith in something unless they know something about it. That is why God has always provided man with lots of proof of his existence and his love - so we can easily believe it and have faith in him.

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We believe in God for many reasons: because we can see the incredible creation all around us, because he has provided witnesses to testify of him, because we see him working in the lives of those around us, and in our lives. God has never asked us to have a "blind faith" or a faith with no basis. It would be silly to believe in something you have absolutely NO evidence of. God has given his people many reasons to believe in him and his promises..

John 20:31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name

Stages of Faith Development