Pastor John D Jakes

For we walk by faith and not by sight – 2 Corinthians 5:7

For the next several weeks I want to think together about the reality of faith in the life of a believer.  Paul says that the regular life of the believer is the life of faith.  He contrasts this with a life of sight.  Just what does that mean?  Well, it is the difference between living by what we have been told in the pages of God’s Word instead of what the world around us is demanding that we must believe all the time.  Defining such a life is simple.  Living by such a life is what is hard.  So, before we look at how we can live such a life, let us consider for a few moments how we might discover if a life of faith is where we are living today.

To examine that life of faith, I have 4 questions for us to consider. Let me give you one of those today.  The question is this: Is Heaven or Earth your home? Before you answer, consider carefully the ramifications of your answer.  Home is where we find contentment and happiness.  Home is what you protect.  Where home is determines how you understand your identity.  For some people, home is actually their workplace.  For others, home is a country or region or ethnic identity.  Where is home for you?  Where is the home that you are looking forward to going to?  Where is the home that you protect?  Where is the home that makes you happy?  Where is the home that determines how you see yourself?

With these thoughts in mind, now answer the question – Where is your home?  Is it Earth?  Is it Heaven?  It does make a difference.  If home is Earth, then letting go of the things of Earth will be more difficult when God asks it of you.  If home is Earth, then it becomes easier to identify with how the world does business.  However, if home is Heaven, then the focus of our life is on Heaven’s goals and Heaven’s values.  When the world states its opinion, it cannot threaten us because this world is not our home.  Heaven is.  It changes everything.

I leave you with this thought.  As Abraham grew in faith it became obvious that this Earth was not his home.  The writer of Hebrews declares that Abraham was looking for a better country whose builder and maker was God.  That changed him.  As we read Genesis we can see that change.  He stops trying to keep God’s promises for Him.  Abraham doesn’t hold onto the son of promise.  He leaves him in God’s hands.  Why?  What could make Abraham such a man of faith?  My answer is this: his home became Heaven instead of Earth.  Where is our home today?

Something to think about,

Pastor John