by Maureen Totterer

Created on: September 26, 2010   Last Updated: September 30, 2010

Our faith helps us keep our eyes on Jesus. Without faith we are empty vessels blowing about in the wind. "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

What is faith? Faith is something we can't feel or touch. It's intangible. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith is also one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." If we are walking in the Spirit and keeping our eyes on Jesus, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Instead we will exhibit the fruits of the Spirit.

Why is our faith so important? "But 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 diligently seek Him."

Our faith, not fear, causes a positive and forward moving chain-reaction in the life of a believer. Faith causes us to live a better life, a victorious life, a fulfilling life because fear and uncertainty have been replaced by faith in God. Faith in God leads us to trust in God to show us the way, step by step. Making future plans is a natural thing to do as human beings but we should be prepared and flexible when God leads us down a different path.

Every door that we walk through by faith is eventually met by another door. Sometimes it's not a door we should go through but we go through it anyway instead of patiently waiting for God to impart his peace to us about proceeding forward. Sometimes we are afraid to go through the door. We remain stalled in neutral unable to move forward out of fear or uncertainty. God might close a door we were hoping for only to find a new door where God wants us to knock.

"Why can't God just tell us what to do once and for all?" Because he wants us to walk by faith. We walk by faith by reading his word and applying the words to our life. Romans 10:17 tells us, "so then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." This means staying on the narrow path as portrayed in John Bunyan's, "The Pilgrim's Progress." Born in England in 1628, Bunyan was arrested and thrown into prison for preaching without receiving permission from the Established Church. He remained in prison for 12

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