Faith: The Reach of an Empty Hand

by James Schuppe

Faith is a world-wide business. Getting people to believe drives the billions of dollars spent yearly in the advertising world. In 2017 the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl add exceeded $5 million. By 2022 they were up to $7 million! Companies buy key words on search engines that will put their names at the top of our internet explorations. Why? It's all a part of getting someone to believe. But what is faith? Is it really a leap in the dark? Or is it a cold, calculated choice to accept what someone claims about global warming, or Covid, or holistic medicine? And how does faith relate us to God? After all He said, "without faith it is impossible to please Him." What is the stuff that pleases Him? Does everybody have it? Can everybody get it? A little four-word sentence informs the discussion on faith in major ways. It reads "faith comes by hearing" (Romans 10:17). What does "hearing" refer to? And how does faith come out of it? Significant issues in every person's relationship with God result from that rather insignificant looking sentence. In fact every facet of every relationship hinges on our ears. This book explores the importance of the ear and how faith and eternal life come from a choice to listen. It's a process best pictured by the title, The Reach of an Empty Hand.

276 pages, Paperback

Published April 8, 2022

Reviews

[Elizabeth Hanshew · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is faith? It starts with our ears. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”. So faith requires listening to God’s word. Next we believe that word to be true. Then we obey his word by doing what he says (i.e. “come to me”, “ask”, “call”, “receive”.)
This book is a great explanation of what faith is and what it isn’t, as well as how we live by faith after salvation. It covers many questions and misunderstandings about faith, and does so in a very practical and easy to understand style. I would recommend to new and old believers alike.

[Rev Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely excellent. He invites the reader on a journey to consider the nature of faith and why faith brings us to Christ and new life and then maturity in Christ. Schuppe never talks down to the reader but just encourages us to go deeper with him. It's like a long conversation around a delicious pie with a favorite teacher.