Believing God, Pt. 2

If your faith meter is running low, here is one thing I recommend above all others: read the Bible. Our faith indeed grows as we hear the word of God.

If your faith meter is running low, here is one thing I recommend above all others: read the Bible. Our faith indeed grows as we hear the word of God. Believing God, Pt. 2 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) Do you believe God? It's a simple question, but the answer you give is most revealing. We have two options: we either believe God or we do not believe Him. Of course, as a follower of Jesus Christ, we surely believe *in* God, or we would not be a Christian. But what about as a follower of Jesus: do you believe God? Do you and I really trust Him with our lives? In this week's devotions, I am sharing from a place of weakness, not of strength. I do not have the spiritual gift of faith, as some undoubtedly do. But that does not excuse me from the responsibility and privilege to always trust in God and for all things. If your faith meter is running low, here is one thing I recommend above all others: read the Bible. As Romans 10:17 puts it so clearly, our faith indeed grows as we hear the word of God. God's Word is powerful, and each time we read it, we are hearing from the Lord God Almighty. Hebrews 4:12 states, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The more you and I can saturate our minds with the Bible, the better off we will be. God's Word strengthens both our relationship with God and our resolve to do the right thing. I am convinced a key aspect of the Devil's strategy is to keep Christians from the Bible because he knows when we read God's Word, we are empowered to advance Jesus' kingdom and diminish his. If you are finding it hard to read Scripture, if you feel you just do not have time, or you do not understand what you are reading, etc., rest assured, there is a force of darkness behind every excuse for you not to read the Bible. Hell trembles before a praying follower of Jesus who is reading his or her Bible. I read Jim Denison's daily email recently and, as usual, it had some very helpful advice for Christians. The context of his article is how followers of Jesus can respond to this ever-increasing "woke" secular culture that has an agenda very much in opposition to what the Bible teaches. Denison writes: While many evangelicals have been living as though the world would always be what it has been, those advocating for LGBTQ advancement and other progressive agendas have been working systematically and strategically to bring about the changes we are witnessing today. It is time for Christians to respond in kind. I believe the following biblical imperatives to be crucial to the future of American society. 1.Be empowered daily by God's Spirit to be the change you wish to see (Ephesians 5:18). 2. Study Scripture daily and systematically (Psalm 119:15). 3. Respond biblically and redemptively to current events and cultural issues (cf. 1 Chronicles 12:32). 4. Focus on discipling your children and grandchildren, remembering that the Christian faith is always one generation from extinction (cf. Deuteronomy 6:7). 5. Develop your gifts and calling to maximize your cultural impact (Matthew 5:13–16). (Source.) Each imperative is biblically based. Go back and read #2. Study your Bibles! Why? It will keep you from sin, increase your faith, and empower you to live on-mission. Podcast of the Week   Readings and Homilies in Romans, Pt. 3 Pastor Danny continues his new series, reading through the book of Romans one chapter at a time and afterwards offering a homily (a brief commentary on the Scripture that was just read). In this episode, he reads and comments on Romans Chapter 3. Listen on your preferred platform:   Apple     Spotify     Stitcher     YouTube Facebook Twitter Instagram Website Share Tweet Fwd Copyright © 2021 Danny Forshee Evangelistic Association, All rights reserved.