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.

God Wants to Reveal His Plan to You

Loretta Young has always been one of my favorite actresses. During the holidays Danny and I watched Come to the Stable, a movie about two French nuns who come to a small American town and involve the townsfolk in helping them to build a children's hospital.

They had a mandate given to them from God. As they began working God’s plan, they weren’t exactly welcomed everywhere they went. They were told by people, including their leaders, that it couldn’t be done. Some of the people they met along the way worked hard to stop them. But they kept going forward because they felt that was where God wanted the hospital to be. They even made people mad!  They were accused of working against people, yet all the while they were just getting orders from the Lord and expecting Him to work it out. They continued working towards the goal, never letting resentment or animosity work into their system. They never let anyone’s doomsday predictions become their focus. They just kept smiling and kept expecting God to honor His plan.  

As the deadline approached it looked like their plans weren’t going to be finished, they were told they would be relieved of their duties and sent home.  They did not retaliate, fuss, fume, insist or manipulate.  They just prayed and kept trusting God.   Guess what? God honored their fidelity and commitment and the Children’s Hospital became a reality. God used two women who were not considered to be important at all but because of their prayer life and their expectations that God would answer they fulfilled their calling. 

Oh beloved, perhaps you’re thinking, “That’s just a movie”. But God wants to reveal His plan to you!  He has a marvelous plan for your life and even if it seems small to you, His plan is out of this world! He has promised to work through your faithfulness in the face of mocking, despair, antagonism and more. He promises to work around your hurts, your brick walls and your foes.  Maybe you’re in the middle of His plan and like the nuns, you’ve run into obstacles.  Don’t walk away now! Don’t quit! Don’t throw up your hands! For God Himself is with you!  You may consider yourself to be insignificant, restricted, unable or more, but God’s plan transcends your mortal weaknesses. 

Run to the Lord this morning and seek His face, for surely He is calling you and surely He is able to perform that call all the way to its completion! He loves you and He’s on your side to work and to will His plans on your behalf for the Gospel and for your blessing.  Just pray and hang on, for what God says He will perform and that’s all that really matters!

Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Psalm 37:23 If the LORD delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm (NIV)

Psalm 90:17 And may the Lord our God show us His approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!