Romans 10:17 - Getting and Growing Faith.
Romans 10:17 - Getting and Growing Faith.
Romans 10:17 (NKJV) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing
by the word of God.
Romans 10:17 (CWR) So faith comes from listening to what God
says, including His word about the Lord Jesus Christ.
God's Word leads to faith. The hearing of the Word creates faith
(John 5:24; Rom. 10:17). [Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by
Warren Wiersbe re Gen. 12:1-3]
Even though the men Jesus encountered on the road to Emmaus
had been with Jesus before his death, they hadn't grasped the fact
that his death had been prophesied by the Old Testament and by Jesus
himself. So Jesus connected the dots for them. He started from the
writings of Moses and then walked them through all of the prophets,
"explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (24:27).
Now that would have been quite a Bible study! Jesus opened their
minds to the meaning of all of the prophecies regarding him. And
finally, Jesus opened their eyes, and they got it!
God's Word needs to be understood and applied to life. You
won't understand everything you read, but the more you read, the more
you'll learn and the more you'll understand. From beginning to end, the
Bible is about Jesus. It tells what happened to humanity, why we
needed a Savior, and what God did about it. It tells of God's great
love for us. It assures us of eternity. Ask God to help you "get it"
when you read his Word. [The One Year Bible for New Believers re Luke
24]
Jesus joins those who are earnestly seeking Him. Two men
walked along the road to Emmaus discussing the confusing events that
had just occurred in Jerusalem. They thought they had understood the
happenings of their day, but the death of Jesus had left them disoriented
to God and His activity in their world. They had hoped that Jesus
was the Messiah, but His death had left them perplexed and
discouraged. They needed answers.
God reads the heart and knows the honest pursuit of His will
by His children. Jesus drew near to these men, walked with them,
and opened their minds to what the Scriptures said about Him and
about the events of their day. As Jesus was speaking, their hearts
burned within them! As they listened to Jesus relate the Scriptures to
what they were experiencing, they knew in their hearts that they were
hearing God's truth. Their doubts vanished, excitement overcame them,
and they raced back to share the truth with their friends!
If you become bewildered by circumstances in your life, Jesus
can reorient you to Himself through the Scriptures just as He did
for these two men. From your human perspective, the situation may be
confusing and discouraging. It takes the presence of Christ to open your
eyes to the truth of the Scriptures. Have your circumstances confused
you? You need Jesus to give you His perspective. Once you've heard
from Him, you'll be like these two men, excited to join God in what
He is doing around you and eager to include others in the
experience. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and Richard Blackaby re
Luke 24:32]
The most amazing thing about studying the Bible is that we have
the direct assistance of its Author. God has not only provided
guidelines for life, he is also accessible to us through prayer. "Help me
understand the meaning of your commandments" (119:27) is the prayer of the
psalmist. And he continues, "Teach me your decrees, O LORD" (119:33);
"Give me understanding" (119:34); "Give me an eagerness for your laws"
(119:36). It's a mystery, but somehow, when we read the Bible with open
hearts, asking God to speak, it comes alive and changes us. Always keep
the daily reading of his Word a top priority in your life. [The One
Year Bible for New Believers re Psalm 119:129-152]
The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in
the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every
command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it
brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature
and re-creates the soul in the image of God. {Ed 126}
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