Thursday, November 14, 2013

The Vital Importance of Reading the Word of God


How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from the hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.   Romans 10:14-17


These verses shows us why the people of the Word, the Jews missed Christ and the gospel. It is not that the Word of God failed. The people did not give the Word a hearing. They refused to believe and remained in their unbelief.

We are told in verse 17 that Faith comes through hearing the words of Christ. We must hear the Word of God. That means that we need to hear the Word of God preached primarily. It also means that we must read the Word of God for ourselves.

It has been said that we need to preach the gospel to ourselves daily. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1)

"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,  as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17) (Hab. 2:4)

These verses show us the importance of faith. Romans 10:17 is an indication that God uses the Word of God as a means to increase our faith. Therefore, it is of vital importance that we read the Word of God. That we see the Word of God for what it is; The revelation of the only true living God. Our Creator. The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119, which is an exaltation of the Word of God. Read it prayerfully, and seek by God's grace and mercy, to get a degree of the sense of the value of the Word of God.

Faith is important for us, it is a gift from God, through which we exercise our will to believe and trust in Jesus Christ. God, by His Grace has provided the means for us to increase/develop our faith, and it is through the Word of God. That's why it is vital for us to set under preacher's called by God. Preacher's who are gifted by God to preach His Word. We are also gifted by God with the desire to know Him, and that shows as we spend quality time studying the Word of God.

People of God, God is for us, our faith can be frail at times, but our faith must be centered on God.

"so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:5)

"who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God." (1 Peter 1:21)

Our faith is in God, the God we read about in the Word of God. Our faith is not based on our wisdom, our anything else, but God.

We all know that we are in spiritual warfare. We can't see demons or angels, we don't need to. We need to trust and remember the Word of God. Peter denied Christ, Judas betrayed Christ. Peter wept bitterly afterward, Judas also was sorry, knowing that he had betrayed innocent blood, yet Peter was restored and Judas hanged himself.

Here is the difference. "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, "strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31-32)  Jesus prayed for Peter. Might we think, yeah, Peter was a apostle he was establishing the church. But Jesus prayed for us, for each individual Christian, the prayer of John 17. Read it and be encouraged in whatever situation you may be in. Has sin got you in a bind, read John 17 and remember Peter and Judas. You are on the side that Peter is on.

We may be battered in the spiritual warfare that is going on, but like I heard a preacher say, we will never be knocked out, we might get staggered, knocked to the mat, hanging on the ropes, but we will NEVER be knocked out, Christ will always pick us up, give us His Word to refresh us and we will be ready to go out when the bell ring, each and every time. That's how we mock Satan, He can't defeat us.

God spoke to and through the prophets of the Old Testament, He spoke through the Apostles in the New Testament, and all of them find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is not speaking through prophets, or apostles, His Word is what we go to to hear from God today. His Word is a precious treasure. God has condescended to write His Word Down for us. All we have to do is pick up and read.

Blessings to all in Christ, Our Risen God and Savior!!!

 

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