Am I walking by faith?

And without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. - Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)

Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed) and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. For by this [kind of] faith, the men of old gained [divine] approval. - Hebrews 11:1-2 (Amplified Bible)

Our default mode as humans is to pragmatically operate life by the phrase "I'll believe it when I see it." Executing the Christian life by faith, on the other hand, operates by "I'll see it when I believe it." In other words, you will see God's best in your life when you execute His plan for your life in faith...

...for example, building a huge boat for 120 years to rescue your family from a flood, an event that no person on earth had ever seen before...

By faith [with confidence in God and His Word], Noah, being warned by God about events not yet seen in reverence, prepared an ark for the salvation of his family. By this [act of obedience], he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which comes by faith. - Hebrews 11:7 (Amplified Bible)

…or leave your home and go to a place you knew absolutely nothing about, including where it is...

Abraham obeyed by faith when he was called [by God] by going to a place he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went, not knowing where he was going. By faith, he lived as a foreigner in the promised land, as in a strange land, living in tents [as nomads] with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise. For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has foundations, [an eternal, heavenly city] whose architect and builder is God. - Hebrews 11:8-10 (Amplified Bible)

While Enoch, Noah, and Abraham executed the walk of faith by looking forward 2000 years to the birth of the Savior, we will execute our walk of faith by looking back 2000 years to the actual event and in possession of the Word of God. Living by faith, whether 2000 years before the birth of Christ or 2000 years after His death, burial, and resurrection, is the same process; dying to self and living each day with an eternal perspective as we in faith take each step of life in full obedience to God.

Am I taking each step of this life in faith and full obedience to God?

"How Firm a Foundation" is a hymn that, for over two centuries, has assured believers of the faithfulness of Christ and the certainty of hope. The first verse is almost an introduction to the rest of the text, giving us cause to stop and ponder the Word of assurance God has given us, described in greater detail in the following four verses. Those four verses are, in fact, paraphrases of Scripture passages: Isaiah 41:10, 43:2, Romans 8:3-39, Hebrews 13:5, and Deuteronomy 31:6. In the words of this hymn then, we carry with us the Word from God, and the call to trust in that Word. But God's Word is expansive and not limited to letters on a page - the fifth verse moves us to trust in the Word made flesh in Jesus Christ. Thus we are assured by the words we sing, the Word we are given, and the Word made flesh of the steadfastness of God and His unfailing love.

Take some time to read and re-read each verse of this hymn and allow the Holy Spirit to drive these words so deeply into your heart that they intensify your faith in the Sovereign, Immutable, I AM and elevate your walk with God.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in God's excellent Word!
What more can be said than to you God hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not; I will not desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake. - Robert Keene

But without faith, it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him. - Hebrews 11:6 (Amplified Bible)

Be Encouraged to grow your faith by reading God's Word, executing God's will, and walking with God.

-Jeffrey Thornton