Advancing Encouragement By:
Bishop James Jr. Hairston

2 Corinthians 5:7: (For we walk by faith, not by sight :)

What is Paul saying here? Is he saying that we are not to walk with our eyes open? Of Course not, in this walking business is metaphorically speaking your journey through life is not all that it is. There is life after living in this physical realm. In this life is not all that there is to see, to be and to live! For Paul said in verse 1: For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Two things about our earthly house and tabernacle to be considered; the first thing is we all have some kind of house made by hands and two our tabernacle is a hut or temporary residence, (figuratively) the human body (as the abode of the spirit):--tabernacle, from skenos or skay'-nos. To make all of this plain, we cannot be worried about the temporal things of this life including our body which is our tabernacle. Paul said not to worry about the swallowing up of mortality in this life, verse 4, but God has purchase for us given in advance as security for the rest:--meaning earnest; His Spirit, verse 5. The Holy Ghost or Spirit is our down payment on our immortality, it is our assurance that is guaranteed, signed and sealed, 2Corinthians:1:22, Ephesians: 1:13, Ephesians: 4:30, that we have confidence we have a home with the Lord in Heaven. Therefore, we walk by faith and not by sight totally trusting in the Lord that we will take on immortality and not to be so caught up in this world because it is temporal. What is it in life that you worry about, what is it in life that brings you disappointments, hurts, pains, problems, frustrations, misfortunes, mishaps, and all kinds of circumstances that is hard to deal with? Now it is time to put all of those behind you and leave it behind you and give it to the Lord then trust Him to take care of it no matter how hard it may be. Our focus now is on what really matters that our relationship with God comes first and learning how to trust Him whether we are present in this life or at Home with the Lord. Paul talked about laboring for the Lord to keep a good conscience, verse 9, whether present or absent knowing we may be accepted by the Lord. Consider this, what have you done for the Lord lately in-spite of what you go through that gives you a sense of pride in Christ (proud to be a believer), ownership in Christ, gratification in Christ, self esteem in Christ that brings joy, peace and excitement to your walk of faith in Christ. Let this world go for itself it is going no where fast but you are going places that no one has ever seen in this life. Stay strong my friend in the power of Christ might and everything is going to be alright, believe that by faith and walk by faith and not by sight in Jesus Name…

James Jr. Hairston