I've crossed the line in my life. Crossing over from hope to faith. With each step, with every faith filled word that speaks from my mouth, faith takes deeper root in my heart.
As a Christian, a missionary for goodness sake, I thought I understood faith. I thought I lived it. I thought I walked it. I certainly talked it. In reality my words were hope not faith.
I always hoped for the best. Hoped for God's promises to become true in my life, some day. Hope focuses on the future. Faith is now. I had mixed up my words and my heart.
"But without faith it is impossible to please him:" - Hebrews 11:6
Pleasing God, bringing a smile to His face, my life goal. Going after faith, studying in depth, digging deeper, what does the Word say? He's placed the ability to walk in faith in my hands. He says I need it to please Him, so it must be attainable. A realization that the responsibility rests with me whether or not I have faith propels me forward.
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the word of God." - Romans 10:17
Simple, but the greatest truths always are. Hearing God's Word, the real stuff, straight from Jesus' lips, the Word made flesh, not relying solely on other's teachings. Whatever need I have, the faith to receive my answers comes from hearing the Word of God.
No more if prayers (if this is God's will ...) No more doubt filled words. The prayer of faith, speaking the Word over any situation, changes things. My old words of "if" simply a badge of doubt I refuse to wear any longer.
Determined, I am feeding upon the Word continually. Meditating on the Word, speaking them, the truth sinking down deep. Taking root in my heart, the abundance will produce a harvest of faith. Circumstances around me, won't matter. I know I have all that God has promised me. I am seeing my faith grow, and with it my ability to receive the promises of God to His children.
I know Jesus smiles on me and I'm finally getting it. And the sand on this side of the line feels delightfully squishy between my toes.
Anyone want to join me in this faith splashing journey? Will you splash us today with how a promise of God has unfolded in your life or words of faith to drench us in God's goodness.
38 comments:
Squishing my toes in some beautiful faith-filled sand, myself. Praising GOD for moving each of us from hope to faith....teaching us..growing us..and using us!
Big hugs,
andrea
I think I understand Sara. I don't think I stepped into faith until the Father put in a place where it was trust Him or walk away. Not having any control when your worst nightmare comes true was so frightening for me - a crises of faith. I had prayed with what I thought was such faith.
Over time I came to understand that what He wanted from me was a full surrender with absolute trust. When I finally put aside the anger and bitterness and disappointment, He filled my heart with such unexpected peace. It took me by surprise. The circumstances didn't change, but there was this sense that all would be well - just as He had promised.
Thank you for sharing your journey and in so doing encouraging my heart.
Today I am resting in the truth of Psalm 139:5...His hand of blessing is resting on my head. (NLT)
Blessings to you!
Elizabeth@www.justfollowingjesus.com
Bless you dear. His faith filled promises drench my life.
Thanks for visiting! And thanks for your faithful encouragement!
so wonderful to share in your journey! i feel i'm being led in the same direction: hope, or faith? love the truth you are being taught!
Yes! I agree! I love that you share your walk so freely. I too am seeing some things in a new light. I bought the Message Bible. It has the same words but in conversational language. I am reading all these things Ihave heard before, but seeing so much of it differently. I have memorized His words before-- for two decades. But now in the last 5 years I feel I am walking in the faith that He spoke of. It is far different to know the words and to really LIVE them. Harder. :-) but better.
Oh yes to cross that line and really have the faith we need. Thanks for sharing these words. And thanks for coming over to see me today and luring me over here. I'll hang out abit myself.
Nice to meet you.
Have a Blessed Wednesday,
Sherry
Such a great message that we all need to be reminded of. I sure did!
Natalie
Crossed over that line too and loving it! The sand has never felt so good!
Lots of love precious friend!
Jill
Beautiful blog and I have so enjoyed my visit! Wonderful message and thank you for sharing.
Blessings.
Thanks so much for stopping by, I would love to get to know you better. My mom calls my oldest sond "Little King" His middle name is Ryan! Isn't that so cute. We have a instant bond. I will have to become a follower here (:
Thanks for sharing your journey - it's very encouraging for me I know!
Sara,
Thank you so much for coming over to my blog and splashing around a little bit! Just perfect since it's summer and my little one and I have been doing our fair share of splashing this week!!
I love this post! What a reality the word of God is! Nothing and I mean nothing beats it!
What I love about God's word is that if I focus on it, work on memorizing it to get it stuck in my java loving head, it changes my life!!
Philipians 4:8-9 sums it up for me!! What ever is lovely, what ever is true, what ever is of good report (which I personally decided was the Word of God and God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit) think on these things!! AND the peace of God which surpasses all understanding (thank God!) will guard our hearts and our MINDS in Christ Jesus...
enough said!!!
Have a wonderfuly splash filled day! And stop by again sometime!!
It's a joy to meet you :) I'm so glad that I followed you to your blog! I have only read one post and already know that I will visit often! Thank you for your encouraging words...."Hearing God's Word, the real stuff, straight from Jesus' lips, the Word made flesh, not relying solely on other's teachings. Whatever need I have, the faith to receive my answers comes from hearing the Word of God." This is so true....for way too long, instead of seeking out the truth myself, I relied on listening to man's words only, which of course is always riddled with opinions and flavored by personal circumstances. Happy to share this journey with you as we encourage one another! :)
XO
Shelly
Sara,
Thanks for stopping by my blog and splashing around. I pray that you found it a good place to be!
Looking forward to following you and getting to know you better, also!
In Christ,
Christie
What a beautiful post from a beautiful heart! So glad you splashed your way over to my blog yesterday so I could meet you! Now following you! :)
Beth
"Hope focuses on the future. Faith is now." You've made a poignant distinction here! So simple but so true!
I'm enjoying your blog! :)
Denise at The Quiet Quill
PS...I'm one of your newest "followers" (my husband cracks up at this! he said it sounds like a cult..lol)
Just beautiful. Thanks for splashin' by my place.. :)
Here's to letting that is "IF" go....
Faith is a know you know...
Not hoping you know...
I always wanna know that I know that I know...
and I know because HE LIVES!!!
Thanks for dropping by today
Sara. Glad you felt at home.
You have a wonderful place
here yourself.
Big, big difference in hope
and faith. God's promises
are ever-unfolding in my life,
too many to count. From the
time I get up until I go to
bed His Word continues to
come to pass in my life.
Blessings,
Sandy
Hi Sara, thanks for your visit today and for leaving a comment, it's always so much fun to meet new bloggers. Hope you enjoyed 'splashin around' :) I'm off to do a little myself.
Have a blessed day
Hugs Denise
Hi Sara!! It is great to meet you!! Yo9u made a beautiful post and so true!! I am with you just splashin' about!! God is so good!! ((BIG HUGS))!!
Sara, God has been teaching me to rest in Him. Only when we do that will we be completely at peace. God has been teaching me a lot of things over the past year or so and I trust I am learning what He has in store for me. Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier. Your post was a blessing to my soul.
Thanks for stopping by today. I love your blog and will stop by again.
Hi Sara,
It is SO nice to meet you! Thank you for coming by my blog. I LOVE your blog and how you share your heart!! I totally connect with what you are sharing. I am so very hungry and thirsty for the Word and spending time with the Lord..love this place God has me at right now. I am learning more and more to rest in Him..let not my heart be troubled. OH how I love Him!
OK, I could go on and on. :-)
Take care and I will be back..adding you to my blog roll.
~hugs&blessings~
One of the (many) things I love about you is your willingness to lay bare your soul ...
Thank you for this. You live well.
Keep splashin', girl.
Beautiful
Great message Sara, definitely crossed that line myself, I do go from hope to faith, praise God for that leap, he so gently told me and the just shall live by faith, I was just simple enough to believe him, and I have never been sorry. Thank you sweetie for splashing around my blog too, I enjoyed your comments and love your blog, thank you for the path that lead here. Hugs and Blessings Barbara
Mercy! God has spoken to my heart this morning through your post. He and I were prayerfully discussing some of the same topics yesterday afternoon as I was studying Ephesians! Were you there too??? :) I know exactly what you mean by the "if"--I'm struggling with that at the moment! And I shouldn't be. I plan on reading your post again, sweet new friend! I'll be back to splash around with y'all!
Hugs!
Susan
This post is absolutely beautiful. I am so thankful that you visited my site so that I could find your site!
Hello there,
Thank you for visiting me, and leaving such a wonderful comment.
I'm happy to be here, and I love this post, it's so true and something I often think on. I never want my faith to cross the line and turn into pressumptions and my own will. I love how you put this, "He says I need it to please Him, so it must be attainable." Wonderful to know that we can please Him. And indeed without faith, it's impossible.
It was great to have you visit, Sara!
This post was a must read for me. It is easy to be deceived into thinking that we are living by faith when really, we have been living by hope!
Faith requires us to act in the present out of an obedience to God's Word. Hope, although good, requires nothing out of us and we can easily waste this blessed life doing nothing by hoping!
The waters you splash in seem a little more dangerous and uncharted, but I like them!
God bless!
Enjoying reading this. And I agree that sometimes unknowingly to us our prayers are laced with doubt. His Word is His will.
Blessings,
Wanda
I enjoyed your post very much, I felt "At Home" reading.
Thanks for the visit and comment, Splash ariund all you want.
Yvonne.
Wow I loved this post!!! Since you decided to swim over to my blog today I thought I would take a little dip in yours! I think I will be returning!!!! I think the paragraph that hit me the most was the "if" paragraph. I am a big "iffer" you are right there should be no if. I am really at a crossroads right now feeling like I am not where I need to be in my spiritual life so I think your blog is maybe a step for me to grow closer to him. Wow that was deep for a first time read and post!!! You have a beautiful family feel free to dive into my blog anytime!!
I am SO with you on this! My husband has been laid off for 6 months now and the Lord has abundantly provided all we need and then some! It is humbling to think we once refused to walk by faith, but rather we walked hesitantly by sight!!
Just recently, in regards to a decision in ministry, the Lord has pointed me to Hebrews 11. I am reminded over and over to walk by faith to plese the Lord. I am learning that when I step out into what is unexplained and just follow Jesus...WITHOUT having it all figured out...THEN the Lord is pleased. Because then I walked by faith!
fellow faith-walker,
Mariel
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