Receiving answers. Renewing faith. Travelling on…


The byFaith Journey – Part 4

(Warning : Longish post – but my most precious one!)
I wanted to know if I should continue with byFaith, or release it. While I believed there was more, I wondered if I was to adjust my sails and change course. And so I said, “Lord, I need to know. I really do. Do you want me to stay with this, or as painful as it is, do you want me to release this? I want a sign. No, not just a sign, I want to hear you loud and clear. Speak to me this morning in no uncertain terms, since my heart is so clouded with questions. Oh… and one more thing – it would be nice if I heard my name with the word you speak – just so I know for sure!”

Talk about being demanding, huh?!

I head to church that Sunday. The Pastor begins the sermon. It just so ‘happened’ that he was beginning a new series titled “Living by Faith”. Pastor Ashish begins by talking about faith… okay, so I’m thinking, I’m at church – it’s common to hear about faith. Then he speaks about ‘living by Faith’… and I think okaaayy…. And then he goes on to speak about how God designs our lives by faith!

Here are excerpts of the message: “Everything you do in life must be birthed out of faith in God. If you are pursuing a dream, if you are pursuing a goal simply because you have faith in God, then God is pleased with that. In your natural, there is no logic or reason as to why you are pursuing that goal/dream, but you are doing it because of your faith in God and when you are living life like that, the Bible says it pleases God. When you’re stepping out into something and you think ‘I have never done this before and it is highly likely I’m going to fail, but I am doing it because God said so, because I have faith in God,’ then that does please God. That excites God, when you launch out into something because of faith.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Faith is the title deed of what you are hoping for. Things you are dreaming about, desiring for in your future. What you have faith for will come into your life.

Faith is the conviction of unseen realities. It is not wishful thinking or presumption. Faith is rock solid.

What has God spoken? Your faith in that is what God wants. The Word of God also carries the design and the ability to construct everything that God wants for you in your world.”

Towards the end of the message Pastor says, “I’d like to title this message – byFaith designs” and then goes on to say… “I wonder if Karuna is here today!”

That was as loud and as clear as it can get. I stepped out, knowing I had to stay on course. Stay strong. Stay committed. Knowing I wasn’t alone in this. Knowing that the Designer of our enormous universe, was mindful of this girl’s questions and concerned with the details. I must travel this journey, sail to the horizon He’s shown me, trusting, believing and minding this business – byFaith.