Bible League: Living His Word So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.According to the Apostle Paul, there should be a correlation between faith and God's word. In Romans 10:14-15 he outlines the relationship like this: 1.) People are sent by God to preach the word of God, specifically in this context, the gospel of Jesus Christ. 2.) The people that are sent go forth and preach the gospel. 3.) Other people hear the gospel that is preached. 4.) Some of the people that hear the gospel accept it in faith. 5.) Those that accept it in faith call upon the name of the Lord. The word that is preached is the very word of God revealed indirectly through the words of the authors of the Bible. It must happen this way, obviously, or those that hear would not understand it. However, because the word of God comes in the form of human words, there is always the possibility that those who hear will not accept it for what it truly is. This is where faith comes in. The revelation of God's word should be correlated with faith. It takes faith to believe that the words of human beings are actually a revelation of the word of God. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul tells us how faith comes about: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Faith, then, is a gift of God's grace. The Holy Spirit works in the hearts of those who hear and gives them the faith necessary to accept the word of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, for what it truly is. Although it is true that the initial saving faith we receive by the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us occurs only once in our lives, it is also true that our faith can and should increase. The more we are exposed to the word of God, the more our faith in God and His word can increase by the continuing enablement of the Spirit. In order to facilitate this process, let us pray Paul's prayer in Ephesians that God would give us His Holy Spirit, "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation" (Ephesians 1:17), so that our faith in God and His word may grow. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Chronicles 23, 24, 25 1 Chronicles 23 -- Solomon Reigns; Levites, Gershonites, Kohathites, Merarites NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 24 -- Divisions of Levites into 24 Orders NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 25 -- Numbers and Divisions of Musicians NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 11:1-17 John 11 -- Jesus Comforts Martha and Mary, Raises Lazarus; The Plot to Kill Jesus NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But the LORD is in his holy Temple.Let all the earth be silent before him. Insight Idols have no life, no personhood, no power; they are empty chunks of wood or stone. Temples built to idols are equally empty; no one lives there. But the Lord is in his temple. He is real, alive, and powerful. He is truly and fully God. Idolaters command their idols to save them, but we who worship the living God come to him in silent awe, with great respect, and with reverence. Challenge We acknowledge that God is in control and knows what he is doing. Idols remain silent, because they cannot answer. The living God, by contrast, speaks through his Word. Approach God reverently and wait silently to hear what he has to say. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Lamentations 3:21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.Memory is frequently the bond slave of despondency. Dispairing minds call to remembrance every dark foreboding in the past, and dilate upon every gloomy feature in the present; thus memory, clothed in sackcloth, presents to the mind a cup of mingled gall and wormwood. There is, however, no necessity for this. Wisdom can readily transform memory into an angel of comfort. That same recollection which in its left hand brings so many gloomy omens, may be trained to bear in its right a wealth of hopeful signs. She need not wear a crown of iron, she may encircle her brow with a fillet of gold, all spangled with stars. Thus it was in Jeremiah's experience: in the previous verse memory had brought him to deep humiliation of soul: "My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me;" and now this same memory restored him to life and comfort. "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope." Like a two-edged sword, his memory first killed his pride with one edge, and then slew his despair with the other. As a general principle, if we would exercise our memories more wisely, we might, in our very darkest distress, strike a match which would instantaneously kindle the lamp of comfort. There is no need for God to create a new thing upon the earth in order to restore believers to joy; if they would prayerfully rake the ashes of the past, they would find light for the present; and if they would turn to the book of truth and the throne of grace, their candle would soon shine as aforetime. Be it ours to remember the lovingkindness of the Lord, and to rehearse his deeds of grace. Let us open the volume of recollection which is so richly illuminated with memorials of mercy, and we shall soon be happy. Thus memory may be, as Coleridge calls it, "the bosom-spring of joy," and when the Divine Comforter bends it to his service, it may be chief among earthly comforters. Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.Proverbs 22:13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!" Hebrews 12:1,2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, • fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 9:26,27 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; • but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 7:31 and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away. 2 Peter 3:13,14 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. • Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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