Abiding: Fruit by Connection, Not Effort

Most of us were taught that faith means "trying really hard to believe" — especially with our finances. But in the Bible-study-style episode, Bob & Linda unpack Hebrews 11, Romans 10:17, and Jesus' "abide" teaching to reveal a surprising truth:

👉 Biblical faith isn't mustered. It's received.

And once you see that, anxiety shrinks, striving stops, and finances shift.

Join Bob & Linda as they walk through their own misconceptions about faith, why effort-based Christianity wears us out, and how to let God grow real, evidence-bearing faith in your financial life. This one is equal parts devotional, Bible study, and super pracitical conversation.

What We Cover

• Why "trying harder to have faith" never works
• What Hebrews 11 actually teaches about faith as "evidence"
• Linda's family devotions and how teaching Scripture unlocks new revelation
• The surprising connection between faith, abiding, and legal authority in Scripture
• How faith grows (and why it's not through willpower)
• Why community + hearing the Word matters
• What Noah, Sarah, and Abraham teach us about doing hard things "by faith"
• How to apply faith to money without resorting to wishful thinking
• Why budgeting, paying bills, and taking small obedient steps are acts of faith
• How to pray Scripture over your finances when you feel uncertain

Key Scriptures (NLT)

• Hebrews 11:1 — "Faith shows the reality of what we hope for…"
• Romans 10:17 — "Faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News…"
• Psalm 46:10 — "Be still and know that I am God."
• John 15 — Jesus' teaching on abiding
• James 1:22 — "Be doers of the word, not hearers only."

Memorable Moments

• "If faith is evidence, it can't originate from me."
• "Abiding produces fruit — not effort."
• "Sometimes the faith God gives you feels like hope… but with legs."
• "Faith without works is dead — but striving isn't a fruit of the Spirit."

Practical Takeaways

• Immerse yourself in Scripture and let God give you faith rather than trying to manufacture it
• Look for the "tiny mustard seed" God is already giving you
• Identify one Scripture that keeps getting highlighted — that may be where God wants you to act
• Don't avoid financial decisions out of fear; small steps are how faith grows
• Teach what you're learning (to kids, friends, spouse) — it expands revelation

Resource Mentioned 📘 Prayers for Finances (Free PDF) — Scripture-based declarations to build faith in your money life. Grab it at: SeedTime.com/prayer

Episode Takeaway You don't need more willpower — you need to abide, hear the Word, and act on what God gives you. Faith grows where striving stops.

BONUS: Ever dreamt of hanging out with us for 6 weeks in your small group or church? Head to https://seedtime.com/true for details or shoot us a DM on Instagram (http://instagram.com/seedtime).

If you haven't checked out our best-selling book Simple Money, Rich Life (https://seedtime.com/smrl/), we think you'll love it. It was named the 2022 Book of the Year by ICFH and has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, and is best described as "a money book for people who don't read money books."

You can take it for a test drive for FREE at https://SeedTime.com/sample where you can download chapter 1 of the audiobook, grab the 1st 2 chapters of the ebook version, and even get the 5-week book study companion guide.