Get Your Own Faith!

In my Friday morning Bible study, we're reading the book "Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl", by Lysa Terkeurst.  There's a story she tells about how she loved to eat pineapple, but because she couldn't figure out how to cut a fresh pineapple properly - she settled for canned.  She said that for years she took the same approach with studying the bible.  She'd look at it from afar, take information from other people, or only read books that talked about the bible.  Just like settling for the canned pineapple, she learned about the Bible from less than a fresh source...the real thing.

In Luke 3:8 we see how John rebukes many of the people and religious leaders for relying on their family tree instead of their faith for their standing with God.  We need to realize, like they did, that a personal relationship with God isn't passed down from our parents.  You can't rely on someone else's faith to get you into Heaven!!  This is something I've had to learn for myself...I've had friends who are strong and mature in their faith, and God showed me that I was latching onto their faith and trying to use it as my own.  But it doesn't work that way.  I had to start learning what God says to me in his Word (the Bible), and use that to fuel my faith and put that into action.

A friend of mine has this quote on their Facebook page:

"Going to church doesn't make you a Christian

any more than standing in a garage makes you a Chevy"