Tag: Walking by Faith

“Stepping out in Faith”, Quotes and Notes on Faith (Trusting God, Heart Perspective, Resting in God’s Power)

Posted on by Linda Willows

Stepping Out in Faith

Walking by Faith means that you are placing your faith in God before all else. Often we face difficult situations that put us in a sense of bondage to circumstances. Obstacles may seem overwhelming. When we place our trust in God to lead us forward, we step out in faith. My own experience in walking by faith is one of awe on an ever-deepening journey. We are promised God’s reward in scripture. Recently in a class, my Pastor said “when we say no to God’s assignments we walk away from His Blessings!”. I underlined that. Listening and stepping out in Faith is a bold walk; it does take courage – but it is the journey homeward toward God’s Goodness, diving into His deep Mercy and yes, to His Blessings as well.

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 we “walk by faith and not by sight”, (2 Corinthians 5:7) it means that we trust God in every circumstance that we face and that we aim to choose righteousness over sin no matter what the cost. In living, the heart’s perspective is to store our treasures in heaven rather than on earth.

When we step out in daily living, we are reminded of the need for action that follows faith. Each step is given to God, with a heart aimed toward Him, that trusts that He will reveal the next. It is a faith walk. When we take this miraculous walk with God, we may not see far, yet each step is revealed in its turn as we follow trusting His plan.

Proverbs 3:5-6 –Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Faith sacrifices selflessly and acts lovingly. The actions of faith are bold and courageous. True faith works its way out in action as well as belief. It walks itself forward as faith that follows God’s will and His commands through action. We exercise faith by stepping out.

Hebrews 11:1 -Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

We rest in the power of God through prayer and moving forward in our loving actions forward. In Faith we rest securely on God’s Promises. Resting in God and His Promises also means that we put our identity in His provision, physically and eternally. (Ephesians 2:8)

Quotes on Walking by Faith

God in his wisdom, to make and keep us humble and to teach us to walk by faith, has hidden from us almost everything that we should like to know about the providential purposes which he is working out in the churches and in our own lives. –J. I. Packer

To learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings. —George Mueller

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith. – Billy Graham

Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them. — Elisabeth Elliot

In faith, there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don’t. –Blaise Pascal

If the Lord fails me at this time, it will be the first time. –George Mueller

Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. –Augustine

 Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. Faith is the belief that God will do what is right. –Max Lucado

 He calls us to trust him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through. –Francis Chan

Sainthood lies in the habit of referring the smallest actions to God. Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods. –C.S. Lewis

Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God. –William Carey

Trials should not surprise us, or cause us to doubt God’s faithfulness. Rather, we should actually be glad for them. God sends trials to strengthen our trust in him so that our faith will not fail. Our trials keep us trusting; they burn away our self-confidence and drive us to our Savior. –Edmond Clowney

 Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand. –Thomas Aquinas

“Stepping out in Faith”, Quotes and Notes on Faith (Trusting God, Heart Perspective)

Posted on by Linda Willows

Stepping Out in Faith

Walking by Faith means that you are placing your faith in God before all else. Often we face difficult situations that put us in a sense of bondage to circumstances. Obstacles may seem overwhelming. When we place our trust in God to lead us forward, we step out in faith. My own experience in walking by faith is one of awe on an ever-deepening journey. We are promised God’s reward in scripture.

“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 we “walk by faith and not by sight”, (2 Corinthians 5:7) it means that we trust God in every circumstance that we face and that we aim to choose righteousness over sin no matter what the cost. In living, the heart’s perspective is to store up our treasures in heaven rather than on the earth.

When we step out in daily living, we are reminded of the need for action that follows faith. Each step is given to God, with a heart aimed toward Him, that trusts that He will reveal the next. It is a faith walk. When we take this miraculous walk with God, we may not see far, yet each step is revealed in its turn as we follow trusting His plan.

Proverbs 3:5-6 –Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Faith sacrifices selflessly and acts lovingly. The actions of faith are bold and courageous. True faith works its way out in action as well as belief. It walks itself forward as faith that follows God’s will and His commands through action. We exercise faith by stepping out.

Quotes on Walking by Faith

God in his wisdom, to make and keep us humble and to teach us to walk by faith, has hidden from us almost everything that we should like to know about the providential purposes which he is working out in the churches and in our own lives. –J. I. Packer

To learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings. —George Mueller

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith. – Billy Graham

Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them. — Elisabeth Elliot

In faith, there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don’t. –Blaise Pascal

If the Lord fails me at this time, it will be the first time. –George Mueller

Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. –Augustine

 Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. Faith is the belief that God will do what is right. –Max Lucado

 He calls us to trust him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through. –Francis Chan

Sainthood lies in the habit of referring the smallest actions to God. Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods. –C.S. Lewis

Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God. –William Carey

Trials should not surprise us, or cause us to doubt God’s faithfulness. Rather, we should actually be glad for them. God sends trials to strengthen our trust in him so that our faith will not fail. Our trials keep us trusting; they burn away our self confidence and drive us to our Savior. –Edmond Clowney

 Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand. –Thomas Aquinas

“The Courage of Faith-Walkers”, Albert Barnes on 2 Corinthians (The Eternal Kingdom, God’s Glory, Bold Faith)

Posted on by Linda Willows

We are living in times that ask that we deepen our ability to be Faith-Walkers. In 2 Corinthians 5:6-7, Paul describes that we are to live and walk in the Spirit of Truth conducting ourselves so that God’s purposes are revealed in our hearts as we walk forward in faith. We walk by faith, with hope, in confident expectation- for the promises of God are eternal. They rise before our hearts and our lives as the flag of Truth, the Banner that carries us home on our journey. Courage stirs from witnessing the greater crown of God’s Glory. We live in His Name and walk towards His Redeeming Love.

2 Corinthians 5:6-7 “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

For We Walk by Faith by Albert Barnes

For we walk –

To walk, in the Scriptures often denotes to live, to act, to conduct in a certain way; see the notes on Romans 4:12; Romans 6:4. It has reference to the fact that life is a journey, or a pilgrimage, and that the Christian is traveling to another country. The sense here is, that we conduct ourselves in our course of life with reference to the things which are unseen, and not with reference to the things which are seen.

By faith –

In the belief of those things which we do not see. We believe in the existence of objects which are invisible, and we are influenced by them. To walk by faith, is to live in the confident expectation of things that are to come; in the belief of the existence of unseen realities; and suffering them to influence us as if they were seen.

The people of this world are influenced by the things that are seen. They live for wealth, honor, splendor, praise, for the objects which this world can furnish, and as if there were nothing which is unseen, or as if they ought not to be influenced by the things which are unseen.

The Christian, on the contrary, has a firm conviction of the reality of the glories of heaven; of the fact that the Redeemer is there; of the fact that there is a crown of glory; and he lives, and acts as if that were all real, and as if he saw it all. The simple account of faith, and of living by faith is, that we live and act as if these things were true, and suffer them to make an impression on our mind according to their real nature; see the note on Mark 16:16.

By Hope

It is contradistinguished from living simply under the influence of things that are seen. God is unseen – but the Christian lives, and thinks, and acts as if there were a God, and as if he saw him. Christ is unseen now by the bodily eye; but the Christian lives and acts as if he were seen, that is, as if his eye were known to be upon us, and as if he was now exalted to heaven and was the only Saviour. The Holy Spirit is unseen; but he lives, and acts as if there were such a Spirit, and as if his influences were needful to renew, and purify the soul. Heaven is unseen; but the Christian lives, and thinks, and acts as if there were a heaven, and as if he now saw its glories. He has confidence in these, and in kindred truths, and he acts as if they were real. Could man see all these; were they visible to the naked eye as they are to the eye of faith, no one would doubt the propriety of living and acting with reference to them.

With Confident Expectation

But if they exist, there is no more impropriety in acting with reference to them than if they were seen. Our seeing or not seeing them does not alter their nature or importance, and the fact that they are not seen does not make it improper to act with reference to them. There are many ways of being convinced of the existence and reality of objects besides seeing them; and it may be as rational to be influenced by the reason, the judgment, or by strong confidence, as it is to be influenced by sight.

Besides, all people are influenced by things which they have not seen. They hope for objects that are future. They aspire to happiness which they have not yet beheld. They strive for honor and wealth which are unseen, and which is in the distant future. They live, and act – influenced by strong faith and hope – as if these things were attainable; and they deny themselves, and labor, and cross oceans and deserts, and breathe in pestilential air to obtain those things which they have not seen, and which to them are in the distant future.

And why should not the Christian endure like labor, and be willing to suffer in like manner, to gain the unseen crown which is incorruptible, and to acquire the unseen wealth which the moth does not corrupt?

Courage

And further still, the people of this world strive for those objects which they have not beheld, without any promise or any assurance that they shall obtain them. No being able to grant them has promised them; no one has assured them that their lives shall be lengthened out to obtain them. In a moment they may be cut off and all their plans frustrated; or they may be utterly disappointed, and all their plans fail; or if they gain the object, it may be unsatisfactory, and may furnish no pleasure such as they had anticipated. But not so the Christian. He has:

(1) The promise of life.

(2) he has the assurance that sudden death cannot deprive him of it. It at once removes him to the object of pursuit, not from it.

(3) he has the assurance that when obtained, it shall not disgust, or satiate, or decay, but that it shall meet all the expectations of the soul, and shall be eternal.

Not by sight – This may mean either that we are not influenced by a sight of these future glories, or that we are not influenced by the things which we see. The main idea is, that we are not influenced and governed by the sight. We are not governed and controlled by the things which we see, and we do not see those things which actually influence and control us.

In both it is faith that controls us, and not sight.

Source: Bible Hub / Barnes Notes on 2 Corinthians

Albert Barnes