Walking in Confident Faith

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:7

Shoe Exchange

We all have brought shoes only to find out that they are not comfortable when we get them home. Invite the women to bring these shoes to the meeting as they may fit someone else in the group. Donate any shoes not wanted to the thrift store.

The Best Shoes I Ever Bought

Invite the women to share what brand of shoes is their favorite and what it is about them that they like. Also, where they bought them. Have they found an inexpensive store to purchase shoes. One online store is www.6pmshoes.com.

Bulletin Board Decorations

https://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/flip-flop?version=print Use this flip flop template and invite the women to color or decorate the flip flops. Write out 2 Cor. 5:7 as a reminder to walk by faith, not by sight. Display them on the corps bulletin board.

Song

“I Walk by Faith” by Praise Band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0-eljXhRMM

Learning to Walk

Have you ever watched as a baby discovers the use of their legs? They begin to leverage themselves by using the coffee table and sometimes inadvertently pull things over on top of themselves. They try and try again, and eventually stand up. Until their legs are strong enough, they might fall right back down, but a baby is resilient and does not give up.

Then comes the day the baby not only stands, but holding onto the table, begins taking timid steps until they have mastered walking the circumference of the coffee table . . . walking, staggering, falling, and bouncing back up again. As their confidence grows, the baby eventually steps away from the table. As the baby practices, their falls become less, and their steps increase. Watching them make progress is so amazing.

Think of your own faith journey. I personally have failed many times trying to live by faith, especially when I was a baby Christian. Babies make so many mistakes, but they are constantly learning, constantly growing, constantly maturing. The key for us to have confident faith is to keep our eyes on Jesus. Peter learned that lesson the hard way when he took his eyes of Jesus when he tried to walk on water.

Read Matthew 14:22-33 (NLT)

Jesus had just preached to the crowd and fed the 5,000 with 5 loves and two fishes. When He had dismissed the people, He sent His disciples ahead of Him and went off by himself to pray. Jesus knew the importance of prayer. If Jesus who is God needed regular prayer, how much more do we. Prayer refills us, replenishes us, and gives us strength. Prayer is necessary to walk by faith.

Did you notice that Jesus came to His disciples at three in the morning? He knew that his disciples were in trouble and were not confident on their own. His arrival initially brought fear, but instantly Jesus spoke to them saying, “Don’t be afraid!” His words brought calmness and reassurance.

Peter upon seeing Jesus said, “If it’s really You, tell me to come to You, walking on the water.” Jesus needed the disciples to trust Him and to believe in Him. He needed his disciples to learn to walk by faith not by sight. So, Jesus beckons Peter to come and at first Peter does so with confidence. He climbs over the side of the boat and begins to walk on the water, but then he makes the mistake of looking around. He takes his eyes off Jesus. Peter panics and calls out to Jesus to save him. While Jesus immediately saves Peter, He also rebukes Peter for his lack of faith.

Likewise, we as believers in Christ do not begin our faith journey by running. We have to practice by first learning how to walk by faith … learning to trust the Lord and learning to keep our focus upon Him. Are you ready to let go of the coffee table and to step out in faith? We read in 2 Cor 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (KJV)

Going Deeper: “How to Walk by Faith”  www.wikihow.com

This website gives you step by step pictures as well as a summary of how to walk by faith. The article found at this website will show you 1) how to have faith in promises you cannot see, 2) how to let go of your fear, 3) how to focus on things with eternal value. It will 1) provide information on obeying God’s Word, 2) speak of trials along the way,  3) speak to giving God glory in everything that you do, 4) speak to the importance of prayer, 5) help you learn to listen for direction from God, 6) speak of the importance of service to others and 7) tell you how to stay yoked to other believers.