Walking on Water / Mrs Mindy Holeman

Mrs Mindy Holeman
Grandview Baptist Church
Beavercreek, OR

Walking on Water

What is faith? How do we know we have faith? How do we know we are actually trusting God and not fulfilling a plan WE planned ahead of time? In the last few months, I have heard the words “have faith” more than I can count. As I really thought about what it meant to have faith, I realize that my faith often involved a calculated plan that I pursued for things to go my way. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen”. Hmmmmm NOT SEEN? As in NOT PLANNED?? Anyone that knows me know I like a calculated plan! Unseen could potentially mean unexplainable, unfamiliar, uncalculated, unknown, unsecure!  Which for a lady means lack of security, scary, dangerous, unorganized, fearful, and even sometimes we use manipulation when we don’t get our way.  Peter walked on water… are we capable of walking on water? Do we trust that if He says “Come” that everything will be “ok”? What if everything isn’t “ok”? What if God didn’t answer the way we thought He should. What if the plan God has, has nothing to do with our comfort? What if it isn’t about us after all? I have pondered these thoughts and many more over the last few weeks.

  The bible also says in Romans 14:23 “and he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin”.  WHATSOEVER is not of faith is sin? DO I have this “whatsoever” faith? Could I leave all and follow HIM? Even if it means persecution? It could mean trials. Jesus said “follow me” and straightway they forsook all and followed him!! No calculated plan. They had No idea what road was ahead.  I think if it were the modern woman and she were in the bible days she would need at least 30 days to sell her things and have enough money to live on. She would cash her 401k and make sure there was a retirement plan where she was going. She would need to pack everything because anything could happen. Is that faith? NO!

On July 27^th we loaded a Uhaul and followed Gods will to Oregon. The world would never understand a decision based upon the knowledge that Jesus said “COME”. To the world, It wouldn’t make sense to leave your congregation, a beautiful house that you built, people who love you like family and respect you, and follow a God you have never seen? Who in their right mind would leave all that to go to a place you have never been, live in a house you have never seen, go to a church that you have only heard about? (ALL good things by the way!!) We did! We did because FAITH is the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED for and the evidence things NOT SEEN! I don’t have to be in control. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin!! I don’t have to have my life planned before me. Jesus has it all figured out. HE knows my beginning and my end. Even after getting here, I still find myself trying to calculate my steps but that is not faith. I am constantly submitting and resubmitting MY will to the Fathers. He is taking care of me far greater than I could have ever imagined on my own. He knows what we need before we need it. He also knows I’m frail and sometimes weak and emotional. He knows I hold on to people and try to meet their needs on my own. I need to trust that He knows what’s best for others too! Above all, I need to pass this water walking faith on to my children. They must not see me struggle and if they do they must see me seek Him, trust Him and follow Him without fear. We need to follow without question, without calculations, without a blueprint or a map. Jesus loves me… so I can walk on water.