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 Romans 8:30 Whom he justified, them he also glorified.Here is a precious truth for thee, believer. Thou mayest be poor, or in suffering, or unknown, but for thine encouragement take a review of thy "calling" and the consequences that flow from it, and especially that blessed result here spoken of. As surely as thou art God's child today, so surely shall all thy trials soon be at an end, and thou shalt be rich to all the intents of bliss. Wait awhile, and that weary head shall wear the crown of glory, and that hand of labor shall grasp the palm-branch of victory. Lament not thy troubles, but rather rejoice that ere long thou wilt be where "there shall be neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." The chariots of fire are at thy door, and a moment will suffice to bear thee to the glorified. The everlasting song is almost on thy lip. The portals of heaven stand open for thee. Think not that thou canst fail of entering into rest. If he hath called thee, nothing can divide thee from his love. Distress cannot sever the bond; the fire of persecution cannot burn the link; the hammer of hell cannot break the chain. Thou art secure; that voice which called thee at first, shall call thee yet again from earth to heaven, from death's dark gloom to immortality's unuttered splendours. Rest assured, the heart of him who has justified thee beats with infinite love towards thee. Thou shalt soon be with the glorified, where thy portion is; thou art only waiting here to be made meet for the inheritance, and that done, the wings of angels shall waft thee far away, to the mount of peace, and joy, and blessedness, where, "Far from a world of grief and sin, With God eternally shut in," thou shalt rest forever and ever. Daily Light on the Daily Path Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, • instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, • looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, • who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. 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, Hebrews 9:28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. Isaiah 25:9 And it will be said in that day, "Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation." 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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