What Have you Been Hearing?

“So then Faith comes by hearing…and hearing by the Word of God” Romans 10:17

My husband gets tickled at me as he watches me grab bits and pieces of conversations all around the room. Problem is I just get bits and pieces. I may hear two or three words, but then if I don’t hear the whole thing I may perceive a whole different story than was actually spoken. Later I might ask him about the $90,000 house to find out that particular conversation revolved around 90 people not $90,000!

There is much to listen to in this world. Even the weather channel no longer deals strictly with weather. You can find politics and other stories if you watch for very long. And when it comes to reporters, even those who are considered conservative will wander over into views that aren’t really that conservative. So much information, only two ears and throw in muffled talk and muted voices and you could make up your own version of most any story.

When it comes to faith, though, we don’t have to take other peoples’ word for the truth. They may be speaking the truth, but for us faith comes by hearing and that hearing should be coming straight from the Word of God. Our best quality of information gathering comes when we go straight to the Word of God for our information.  There are many “channels” of faith talk, but we must always sort through the Word of God for ourselves – straight to the source – to make sure we’ve heard things right.

What have you heard?  Maybe you heard that you are useless, castoff, done for. You may have been given a piece of information that said you don’t fit in, you don’t have the right criteria, you are less than. You may have thought you were hearing correctly when the sentence of judgment came past your ears. Those things don’t feed your faith because they don’t line up with the Word of God. Unless you go straight to the source and find out the truth for yourself, you will be destined to live in the darkness of untruth and half-truth.  Partial information hinders your walk, maims your life and keeps you fettered on the sidelines, unable to break the chains and run free.  

Oh beloved, faith comes by hearing! Hearing the Word of God! Hearing the truth about you! You are not less than, you are more than. You are not beaten down, you are an overcomer.  You can dance free from any chains that seek to bind you by others’ words because you are free in Christ! It doesn’t matter what others say, because it’s not about them. Keep your ears attuned to God’s Word and watch as your faith grows and grows. And when your faith grows your fears subside.  It doesn’t matter what the enemy says, for you don’t have to listen to a word he speaks. He is a liar and the father of all lies. Get that  - the father of, the originator of – all lies. Anything that is spoken about you or over you that doesn’t line up with the Word of God is not a word of faith. You may need to repeat the Word out loud over the lies that come your way or the half-truths that threaten to derail your faith, but lies cannot stand in the presence of Truth.

Every Word of God holds true. The more you hear the truth, the stronger your faith will be. The stronger your faith is, the better your hearing becomes. Eventually you will begin to cast out the things you hear in the background as you discern the difference. God loves you and that’s the truth, backed by the Word of God, and He’s for you – which is another truth backed by the Word, so that you can live with clear hearing and strong faith and that’s what God has for you all the days of your life.

Luke 11:28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.

Matthew 4:4 But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Psalm 119:38 Establish Your word to Your servant, As that which produces reverence for You.

Psalm 138:2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.

Let Your Faith Treadmill Do It's Work!

The little cricket of our childhood Disney adventures sang, “When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are…” I spent much of my childhood just like other kids, wishing upon stars.  I do remember even as a little girl praying after every wish, “Dear Jesus, please make it so.”

I still have dreams and wishes. I still have hopes and plans. I still look for the silver lining and the first star of the night. But wishing isn’t enough.  People wish all the time – that they had fame, fortune, favor, etc.  A wish is a very comfy sofa. You can lounge there forever.  It takes nothing to lounge and the rewards are nowhere to be found.

But faith is a treadmill. It’s work! It runs on and on. It takes you where you can’t be on your own. It will make you feel much better, but it will cost you. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It’s the evidence of things not seen. Why would anyone run on a treadmill if they didn’t expect results?  No, they’d recline on the sofa and dream their life away.  Faith jumps up and demands action. Faith gets the blood pumping and the heart pounding. Faith responds to faith. So as we build on faith we find we have more faith!

Unlike the cricket who sings to us to wish on a star, the Lord shows us how to increase our faith. He gives us His precious promises so that when we pray we know we are heard.  Our own wishes, hopes and dreams can fail us, disappoint us and leave us seeking for more, but God’s will never leaves us hanging.  As we hop on the treadmill of the Word and learn it and put it into practice, we find we become stronger and stronger in the faith.  We can spend our entire lives trying to fulfill our own dreams, make our own wishes come true and still fall short of contentment, joy and peace. But once we make God’s goals our goals and let Him infuse our dreams with His will we find the greatest fulfillment in Him.

Oh beloved, you may be sitting in a heap, looking at your dashed hopes and unfulfilled wishes. God knows that you had great hope for your life, your family, your spouse, your job…  You’ve tried to make it all happen, yet people, places and things disappoint you over and over.  You haven’t been feeling fulfilled in such a long time that you may be thinking of chunking your wishes out the door and giving up.  Don’t despair! God is with you. He promises to stay by your side and to make all things new. He will either exchange your dreams for His and give you a fresh start or He will refine your dreams that are from Him and make them come to pass!

He can be trusted! Why? Because He loves you! His Word can be taken in and lived out! Why? Because He is God! Let Him have your wishes, put away the stars and let Him have your heart, your mind and your soul and rejoice as your faith treadmill does its work just the way He plans for you!

Philippians 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Romans 8:27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Isaiah 55:9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself). ( AMP )

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.