By Pastor Mike
Walk by Faith
The Bible tells us that, for the time being, we have to function in the Christian life without the benefit of “seeing” the important and eternal things that we live for and live by (2Cor.4:18; 5:7; 1Pet.1:8; et al.). Our hope in God – his forgiveness, his blessing and his presence, just to name a few – are realities we claim without the aid of our physical senses.
While God has provided historical, objective proof for our faith through predictive prophecies and the resurrection of Christ, today must be lived without the tangible confirmation of their benefits. But Scripture continually urges us to not lose heart or grow weary. One day our “faith will be sight,” we will “see him face to face” and the truth we live by will be as tangible as the morning newspaper in the New Jerusalem.
So for now, “fix your eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2Cor.4:18). “Walk by faith, not by sight” (5:7) and keep praying the prayer Christ taught his disciples to pray: “Your kingdom come!” (Mt.6:10). It will be here before you know it!
Hey Pastor Mike,
I really appreciate the way you teach about the New Jerusalem. The way some people talk about heaven it seems like we are just “imagining” what it is going to be like. However, you really help us see it in a tangible way and give us an impression of what it is really going to be like…Thanks!
Pastor Mike,
In today’s culture it is easy for the church to lose heart and grow weary. What a timely reminder that we are to fix our eyes on the eternal benefits of our faith, rather than focusing on what is temporal. Daily Bible study (like our Daily Bible Reading program) is just one great tool that will assist all of us to fix our eyes upon the author and perfecter of our faith!
Thanks for this encouraging post Pastor Mike! This is the perspective I’m aspiring to keep all the time . . . to not lose heart, knowing our troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that will far outweigh them all. I am so excited for the kingdom to come, to see the unseen, and to see him face to face. We can only imagine what that will be like.
Thank you for the encouragement Pastor Mike!
I was talking to two people last night and many over the weekend at Resolved about how important it is to deal with the problems and tragedies of this trouble-filled life (John 16:33) by setting our minds (Col 3:1-2) on the next life where happiness and rest are promised for the Christian.