Open the Eyes of Your Heart

This week’s message, Pastor John Carter reminds us that faith is rooted not in what we see, but in what is written in the Word of God. Faith is an internal quality of what is believed, and an external demonstration in what is spoken.

Faith works together with the constant renewal of our spirit. Our bodies may be aging, but the Word tells us our spirit is being renewed day to day. This will at times create this tug of war inside of us – body vs. spirit. But don’t forget, the Bible calls the struggles of our flesh light and momentary afflictions, and that they are actually working for us.

They are helping us to recognize our need and to operate by our true design. If we are born again, we are a new creation. Our spirit is ageless, and that is the true us. The true us is spiritual by design and forever being made new. Your spirit hungers to operate by faith, because faith feeds your spirit. We need the Word of God to feed our faith so we can live according to our true design.
Key Scriptures: 
  • [2 Cor. 5:7 NKJV] 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 

  • [2 Cor. 4:13, 16-18 NKJV] And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, ... 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward [man] is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen [are] temporary, but the things which are not seen [are] eternal. 

Discussion Questions:
1. What is the connection between believing and speaking when it comes to faith? 
2. How do you think your spirit is renewed daily? 
3. How do learn to look beyond what is in front of you distracting you? 
4. How can you fill your vision with the Word of God? 

Life Application:
This week as you study the key scriptures, consider what Pastor John said, “What you look at determines whether or not you rise by faith or recede in fear. You can’t look to the world around you to grow your faith. You have to look toward the Word of God and intentionally allow it to fill your vision. Let it coat what you see, so you are able to see beyond what is in front of you to what can only be seen by faith.”

This week consider what is most important – learning to see with the eyes in your head or the eyes in your heart? The eyes in your head can mislead you, can trip you up with the challenges of the moment. But the eyes of your heart work by faith in the word of God. They see what can be. What situations in your life do you need to start seeing differently? Begin to look at your life through the lens of God’s Word and walk by faith, not by sight!

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