Life with Lucas July-September 2026

Raw, real and incredibly relevant LYNDON BOWRING

WITH LUCAS APPLYING GOD’S WORD TODAY

JULY – SEPT 2026

Growing In Faith

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A WORD FROM JEFF

WELCOME TO LIFE WITH LUCAS!

VIDEO INTRODUCTION lifewithlucas.co.uk /intros

Faith. It’s a small but potent word, and much misunderstood. Jesus taught that with faith the size of a mustard seed, mountains could be sent packing – the metaphor vividly captures what can happen when we pray in faith.

The disciples asked for their faith to be increased.

Scripture insists it is impossible to please God without faith. And a lack of faith apparently tied Jesus’ hands in one location: some people’s unbelief meant He couldn’t do any miracles there.

So it’s vital we grasp what it means to live by faith.

To help us, the writer to the Hebrew Christians painted the word portraits that comprise the socalled ‘hall of faith’ in chapter 11.

There are some big surprises to be found because some unexpected people are listed there. There’s an out of control, hedonistic chap: Samson; and a woman who made her living on the streets: Rahab. Of course, there are some epic heroes too – like Noah, famous for his radical obedience – but who still ended up sprawled in his tent, drunk and naked.

In this edition of Life with Lucas, we are going to take a good look at the faithful celebrated in that ‘hall’. As we do, may we grow in faith: who knows what might develop as a result of our visit together?

Surely our lives will be affected as the Holy Spirit matures us in faith.

And as always, thank you so much for being part of the community that uses this resource!

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© Novio Published 2026 by Novio Publishing – Life With Lucas, PO Box 239, Unit 3 Burnt Oak Farm, Heathfield, TN21 1EH, UK All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of Novio.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® (US version), The “NIRV”, “New International Reader’s Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Publisher.

Design by David Graham – davidgrahamdesign@me.com

PO Box 239, Heathfield, TN21 1EH | Tel 01892 752920

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INTRODUCTION

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LIFE WITH LUCAS! CHOOSE A TIME Find the best time that works for you, ideally the same time, same place every day, when you can concentrate and have the least number of distractions.

PAUSE AND TALK TO GOD Take a moment to focus on God and ask Him to speak to you as you read and reflect on His word.

READ GOD’S WORD Read the daily passage from your Bible. Don’t be tempted just to skip this part. It’s important: who knows how the Holy Spirit might speak to you as you read the actual text?

ONLINE VIDEO INTRODUCTIONS, AND GOING DEEPER When you see the video icon, this points you to a brief Video Introduction to the subject.

Make the most of the occasional Going Deeper resources when you see this icon. They will help you delve further into the passage.

GIVE YOUR DAY TO GOD Thank God for what you’ve learned and ask for help if the day’s notes brought to light anything especially applicable to your life at the moment.

MAKE NOTES Writing slows you down and helps you focus. Write in your Bible, a notebook, or in the white space in the devotions. Don’t hesitate to underline, write in the margins, or circle words.

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WED 01 JUL

FAITH CONFUSION

READ

Hebrews 11:1-34 Luke 17:5-6

FOCUS Faith is being sure of what we hope for.

It is being certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

I request prayer for someone who is sick and after the service, a man approaches me. ‘I’m believing for a complete healing’, he says. But what does it mean for him to believe?

Then I hear another person announce ‘Faith is not believing that God can do something – it’s believing He will do something.’ Sounds impressive. But is it really true? Unless God has categorically told us that, for example, physical healing is going to come in a dire medical situation, then surely insisting He will do something is wishful thinking at best and presumptive at worst?

Then a worship leader insists we sing a song yet again, because we ‘need to enter into a more intense level of faith’. But is that really how faith works – is it connected to excitement and crowd dynamics?

A friend refuses to take his sick child to a doctor, insisting that ‘faith is enough.’ But the child comes perilously close to death. I’ve seen this happen. And yet another person describes his faith, but what he says sounds perilously like having faith in faith, rather than faith in God. Like the disciples of Jesus who asked that their faith might increase, surely we’d all like to grow in authentic faith. But if that is to happen, we need to take a careful journey through the Hebrews’ ‘hall’ of faith to gain biblical clarity about what having faith really means. Let’s approach our journey together with open hearts – and ask the Lord to deepen our trust in Him as we travel.

Prayer: Lord, increase my faith, and develop my understanding of what it means to daily walk the life of faith. Amen.

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THUR 02 JUL

THE CONTEXT IN HEBREWS

READ

Hebrews 10:19-39 2 Timothy 2:1-13

FOCUS You need to be faithful. Then you will do what God wants.

You will receive what he has promised.

Hebrews 10:36

For many of the first century Jewish Christians, times were very tough. In the letter to the Hebrews, the writer encourages them to persevere, and reminds them God has not been silent in history, but in various ways (and ultimately through Christ), has revealed His heart and will to humanity.

When life is chaotic, let’s remember, however much we might feel everything is spiralling out of control, there is a God. He is not watching nonchalantly from a distance, but He speaks and has come in Christ. In the place of pressure, we affirm the Universe is not a meaningless place (God has spoken) and we are not abandoned (God has sent His Son). And the writer wants to remind those who struggle that Jesus Himself has struggled, and came to do the mighty work of salvation on their behalf.

But perhaps one of the greatest gifts the letter to the Hebrews offers is the realistic acceptance that life will be tough as we determine to follow Christ. We are shown a lonely, suffering Jesus, who pushes through rejection and despondency and determines to go all the way to the cross. Christianity is not a quick fix way to guaranteed happiness; on the contrary, there will be times of extra suffering for those who follow Jesus.

Just as the writer of Ecclesiastes insists all life ‘under the sun’ is hard, so Hebrews reminds us that discipleship demands endurance – and it’s in the context of suffering that great faith is often to be found, as we’ll see tomorrow.

Prayer: When I struggle, Lord Jesus, may I remember You know what it feels like to be alone, anxious, and in despair. Amen.

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FRI 03 JUL

FAITH AND ENDURANCE

READ Hebrews 10:19-39 1 Timothy 1:18-19

FOCUS Remember those earlier days after you received the light.

At that time you stood firm in a great struggle.

Hebrews 10:32

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

I know, I’ve asked you to reread the passage. I’d like the truth of it to really land in our hearts.

‘If we had more faith, we’d see more miracles.’

So laments a friend who is desperate to see more of God’s power unleashed. In a sense, he’s right. It’s clear from the ministry of Jesus that people’s faith provided a context where the supernatural power of God could be released; and, contrarily, unbelief stifled that power (Mark 6:5-6).

But let’s be careful with the idea that faith is only found when miracles unfold. Just as Hebrews urges us to faith expressed in faithfulness and persistence, so my discovery has been that great faith is often discovered in the cancer ward and the hospice. It was not because jaw-dropping miracles were done there, but because women and men stubbornly determined to hang on to God and love Him still, even though their dying bodies were racked with terrible pain. That’s one of the many reasons for my indignation when unwell people are told they’d get better if they just had more faith, when in reality their faith and faithfulness is maybe far greater than that of their accuser!

As we begin to walk through the Hebrews’ hall of faith, we’ll notice many were celebrated, not for a faith that led to miracles, but for their enduring insistence on trusting the Lord in the face of tragedy. Let’s be careful if we’re tempted to question the faith of someone who is suffering: we may be in the presence of a faith colossus.

Prayer: Mighty God, help me to have faith for miracles, and faith when miracles don’t happen. Amen

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WEEKEND 04/05 JUL

NOT A GENIE IN A BOTTLE

READ Hebrews 11:1 Hebrews 5:7-10

All of this talk of confidence in what we hope for has led some to teach we should decide what we want from God, and then act and speak as if we already have it. This is ‘positive confession’, and wrenches this verse completely out of context. The writer to the Hebrews points to our trust in the creative work of God in the beginning, and what the saving work of Christ has done in His death, resurrection and ascension. To suggest faith means we make a wish list and then ‘believe’ our wishes have already been granted turns God into a genie in a bottle, or a heavenly Santa Claus. Our confidence should be in what God has, in His wisdom, decided to do, and what God will do – our eternal hope – not some spiritualised wishful thinking about something He might yet do, just because we’ve decided He should!

Of course, that doesn’t mean we can’t bring our needs and requests to God with expectation and faith – but to insist He will answer every petition with a ‘Yes’ is to set ourselves up for disappointment, and misunderstand what authentic faith in God means.

Jesus prayed in Gethsemane that He would not have to drink the cup of horror and death (Matt. 26:39) – and Hebrews tells us the Father heard His prayers. But hearing didn’t mean ‘Yes’ – Jesus still had to face the terror of the cross. Ultimately that prayer was answered on Easter Day in the resurrection. But He was not spared the agonies of Calvary. He is our faithful Saviour: not a genie.

To ponder: How do you respond when you fervently pray for a specific outcome, but the answer seems to be ‘No’?

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MON 06 JUL

REST ASSURED READ Hebrews 11:1 Hebrews 10:19-23

FOCUS Faith is being sure of what we hope for.

It is being certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

GOING DEEPER

lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper

I don’t own a safe, mainly because I don’t have anything valuable. But there is one item we keep safely at our local solicitor’s office – the title deed of our house. It is the proof of ownership of our property. When houses are bought with a mortgage, the lender holds the deed until the debt has been fully paid off, before handing on the title deed to the owner. The word for being sure used here in Hebrews 11:1 was frequently to be found in Greek legal documents and it means ‘title deed’.

We saw yesterday that faith is invested in the invisible – but that doesn’t mean our beliefs are placed in flimsy or speculative ideas. Faith is not wishful thinking, and it is certainly not a leap in the dark, but rather a walk in the light of the revelation of God. The Lord has spoken, and faith is a response to what He has said.

And faith is not based on whimsical feelings which come and go. We ‘hope’, not in the vague hopefulness that the sun might shine (a precarious hope in the UK!), or England’s football team might win the World Cup, but with the solid hope that comes because we have determined to believe the word spoken by the trustworthy God. As we grow in faith, we build our lives on the most solid foundation.

And there’s a sense in which this first verse of Hebrews 11 is not a description of what we do in faith, but what faith does for us: confidence and assurance are ours as we trust. Faith: it makes sense. Rest assured. Our anchor is secure (Heb. 6:19).

Prayer: Thank You for the solid hope that is found in You, risen Jesus. Help me to walk by faith today. Amen.

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TUES 07 JUL

PRAISED

BY GOD

READ Hebrews 11:2 1 Corinthians 3:1-15

FOCUS That is what the people of long ago were praised for.

Hebrews 11:2

It’s exhilarating to pass a test, complete an examination successfully, or win an award. I enjoy watching the annual Academy Award ceremony, where the Oscars are given. Despite the glitz and the glamour (and the commercial breaks every twenty seconds, or so it feels), it’s heartwarming to see artists honoured by their peers.

Imagine what it would feel like if God presented you with an Oscar – for your faith. That’s the sense of this second verse, as the writer talks about the ‘ancients being commended’ (NIV) or ‘praised’ (NiRV).

And this idea of being commended speaks of God testifying as a witness to the wonderful trust people of faith have placed in Him. Another translation of this text says, ‘They received a good report.’ Do you remember what it was like to get an A+ on your school report? It didn’t happen too much to me, and it was a very long time ago, but I still remember feeling great when I showed that glowing report to my parents.

When we trust God, He notices, and celebrates our faith. We please Him when we hang on tight to Him, in faith. And even though everything we achieve is accomplished through His grace, there will be a day in eternity when awards and prizes are given. Earlier in Hebrews we read that our confidence in God will be rewarded (Heb. 10:35-39).

Our trust in Jesus is not met by stony-faced indifference: on the contrary, when we put our faith in God, He is thrilled, and commends us for it.

Prayer: Lord, You are the God of encouragement. You notice. Help me to please You today, and to have a sense of Your pleasure. Amen.

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