Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. English Standard Version (ESV)
Yesterday we considered the lives of those listed in the Hall of Faith, the heroes of the faith, described in Hebrew 11 where we were also told in verse 6 that "without faith it is impossible to please God." Today's verse from Romans 10 ties in with that and tells us that faith come from hearing, and hearing from the word of Christ." The Message paraphrase does a good job of putting it in today's language "before you trust you have to listen".It points again to learning God's Word. If you're not sure where to start you can definitely learn from the Word of Christ preached in Matthew 5-7, Jesus' sermon on the mount. If you can go through that and apply what you've heard you will have faith. You couldn't do it on your own.
As we spend time in His Word and hear others teach and preach from His Word and trust in it, applying it in our lives we will change and our love for Christ will grow. Blackaby writes, "As you continue your personal study of God's Word, you'll see your love for the Lord growing - and your faith in Him, along with it. Fill your heart and mind with God's Word, and watch your faith grow."
God causes all things to grow
Through every season we know
He will guard the life
That He's planted in our souls
And when we feel the cold winds blow
We'll hold to what we know
God causes all things to grow (Steve Green - God Causes All Things to Grow")
I'll close with some advice from Hebrews 12, today's New Testament through the Bible passage. Take a new grip on your life, strengthen it in God's Word and let it mark out your path, a path of faith.
Hebrews 12:12-13 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. New Living Translation (NLT)
-- In Christ, Mike Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. NIV
Romans 10:17The Message (MSG)
14-17 But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That's why Scripture exclaims,
A sight to take your breath away!
Grand processions of people
telling all the good things of God!
But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another: "Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?" The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ's Word is preached, there's nothing to listen to.
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