1. The Bible Is the Inspired Word of God
According to Barna, less than six percent of adults in 2022 believed that the Word of God was infallible —meaning God’s Word contains no errors, is completely true and applies to our lives today. That is a huge drop in previous surveys and can only be viewed as a victory for the enemy. Yes, the same enemy who's primary goal for you and me is to steal, kill, and destroy our lives. The enemy understands that in his quest to erode our faith, his first step is to introduce doubt into the equation. And this is exactly the worldview that our culture has embraced. If God's Word cannot be trusted, (and by proxy God Himself) than all bets our off regarding what we believe and how we choose to live. It is my personal belief that the Bible cannot be treated as a buffet, only selecting the verses and stories that you agree with, because at that point we have shifted the authority from God to ourselves.
Thomas Jefferson took this humanistic approach to the Word of God, I remember when I visited his home in Virginia our tour guide mentioned Jefferson's personal bible, which he had modified to remove any reference to any supernatural event in the New Testament. Here is a excerpt from an article depicting Jefferson's effort to rewrite the bible in his own hand, "The ex-president bent over the book, using a razor and scissors to carefully cut out small squares of text. Soon, the book’s words would live in their own book, hand-bound in red leather and ready to be read in private moments of contemplation. Thomas Jefferson was known as an inventor and tinkerer. But this time he was tinkering with something held sacred by hundreds of millions of people: the Bible.
Using his clippings, the aging third president created a New Testament of his own—one that most Christians would hardly recognize. This Bible was focused only on Jesus, but none of his mystical works. It didn’t include major scenes like the resurrection or ascension to heaven or miracles like turning water into wine or walking on water. Instead, Jefferson’s Bible focused on Jesus as a man of morals, a teacher whose truths were expressed without the help of miracles or the supernatural powers of God. Made for his private use and kept secret for decades, Jefferson’s 84-page Bible was the work of a man who spent much of his life grappling with and doubting religion." Reference link here.
Let me be as clear as possible, God’s Word is either all truth or all lies, for there is no middle ground. We either trust in the authority of God to communicate His will to humans through the Bible or we don't. I believe that God is truth, and I believe that He is incapable of dishonesty. I pray that my daughter will embrace God's Word as one of her greatest gifts, and to strive to obey its words as she lives her life.
"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13).
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." (Timothy 3:16).
2. Faith Will Help You in the Real World
Our mainstream culture reflects a distinct disdain for the things of God, His authority, and His will for our lives. I believe the total opposite of what most of the voices that surround me keep repeating. I believe that God loves me, that He cares about me, and that He died for me so that we could be together for eternity. I believe that He has provided His Spirit to guide me throughout this life, and I believe that even though we live in a fallen world, and our corrupted by desires of our flesh, He still promises to make all things right, no matter what evil and injustice we endure on this planet.
I pray that my daughter will look to the Word of God for guidance in her life. I pray that faith, not fear would rule her choices and life. I pray that the peace of God would surround her daily thoughts so that she would not be swayed by the evil one and his desires for her life. I pray that the blessings of God would daily create an attitude of thanksgiving in her life, and I pray that she would trust in the goodness of God no matter what happens in her life. I pray that she will remember the faith of our family that has preceded her, that even though we are all fallible humans, that our overarching desire was to please God. I pray that she would be thankful for her faith foundation, that is the direct result of her family's prayers and choices, some of which she has never met. I pray that when she is faced with questions or crisis in her life that she would seek God in prayer and look to His Word for wisdom.
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible." (Hebrews 11:1-3)
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
3. Faith in Christ Means You Have a Purpose
In a world where parents teach their kids that they can do and be anything they want — my prayer is that my daughter and her children embrace the purpose of Jeremiah 29:11-13 and Psalm 139. I pray that she will grow to understand that nothing else in this life will truly satisfy her, because she was designed and created for a eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. I want my daughter to know that she was created for a God-appointed task — born with unique talents and destined to fulfill a purpose no one else can do.
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)
"For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:16)
I want her to intimately understand Ephesians 2:10 with regards to being God’s masterpiece. My deepest desire is that you eternally embraces that the ultimate purpose and meaning of life are found only in Jesus Christ! That our first and foremost priority is to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness above all else (Matthew 6:33). I pray that she would not try to live the Christian life in her own power, because that will lead to fatigue and frustration, but that she would immerse herself in the grace of God and recognize that He will provide everything that she needs on a daily basis.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
I pray that she will understand that faith is love in action. That faith is being the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s seeing a need in our community and taking action when the Holy Spirit prompts. Our faith shows itself in things we say and do and in the way we treat other people. And that faith without works is dead. I pray that when she doubts her faith, (and she will), I pray that she will return to the source of all wisdom, God's Word, and that no matter her feelings she would dedicate herself to learning what God says about her life, not her emotions or her external environments.
Ultimately, I pray that my daughter would love God with all her heart and follow His ways. Joshua 25:15 says, “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” I pray that she remembers the legacy of her great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents, who all believed in the goodness of God, and despite all of our immense personal failings, placed our trust in the promises of God.
