The Faith Journal: Romans 10:17

I'm starting this new project called the Faith Journal. I want to dissect a verse about faith and really study what it's saying and what it means and how to believe it. Worshiping to awesome Hillsong United songs, joining Bible Study, and doing daily devotionals is great and wonderful but I feel like there's something more. I want to have a greater faith in the Lord and I think that begins by getting back to the basics: reading and studying His word.

Today I want to look at Romans 10:17 in different translations and then delve into what God is trying to tell us in this passage. Links in the chapter for you to find more resources

Romans 10:17 (ASV) So belief [cometh] of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Romans 10:17 (BBE) So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Romans 10:17 (CEB) So, faith comes from listening, but it's listening by means of Christ's message.

Romans 10:17 (CJB) So trust comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through a word proclaimed about the Messiah.

Romans 10:17 (ESV) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Romans 10:17 (KJV) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17 (MSG) The point is, Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ's Word is preached, there's nothing to listen to.

Romans 10:17 (NIV) Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Romans 10:17 (NLT) So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

I've struggled with this concept of "hearing" God. I don't hear an audible voice, so how can I 'hear' God? When you're going through a tough situation and you silently say a little prayer, does a voice come over the radio and instruct you which path to take? Maybe it does. I know for me personally, that lightning-bolt-in-your-face moment doesn't happen. Does that mean God is silent and I'm forgotten? 

Romans 10:17 reminds me that I can't expect to be spoken to if I'm not listening to the right station. How can I expect to hear my favorite country song when I'm listening to the smooth jazz station? I've got to be in the Word. The Word is God's amplifier to us. He speaks through the words in the Bible. When you're sitting at your ropes end and not sure what to do, it's that small voice in your head that gives you peace or direction. Those songs on the radio that hit you like a bullet even when you've heard it 1,000 times. Those moments are God speaking to you and giving you a sense that He is there, He cares, and He is listening. We've just got to be open to receive it. Just like you can't expect to do well in school without studying, we've got to take time to study what God says to reap the benefits.

So faith comes from hearing, so lets read and hear what God has to say today. 

The Promise of Possibility

The promise of possibility

Life can be incredibly overwhelming. Daunting and exhausting, deadlines loom in our face reminding us of all the things we still need to accomplish. If you're like me, the post-it note and iPhone note lists go on and on even when the light of day disappears. It's easy to look down at your list and think "This is impossible, I'll never get all of this done in time!".

Life can be hard. We face hardships and trials. Financial struggles, relationship issues, problems at work. How often do you look around and think "I don't think I can do this. What am I going to do?"

Life can get complicated. We take on too much. We don't learn to say no. We attempt something and fail. Do you ever just want to throw your hands up and give up, "it's impossible" running through your mind?

Jesus replied "What is impossible with men is possible with God"
 Luke 18:27

I'd venture to say most of us have heard the Christmas story. Mary, a virgin girl, becomes pregnant with a baby boy. She travels to Bethlehem with her husband Joseph to register in their 'hometown' of sorts. While she's there, she goes into labor but no one has room for her and Joseph to have the baby. With no other options, they settle into a manger and she gives birth to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. A Star shines brightly over Bethlehem causing shepherds and wise men from across the land to seek and search for this star. They arrive and bow down to this new born baby, the Savior of the world. 

It's a great story, right? The humble beginnings of the greatest King to ever grace this earth, lowly and quiet. But this morning as I was reading through my Advent devotional I was struck by the strength of Mary and the miraculous power of the Lord. When the Angel of the Lord appeared to Mary and told her that God had chosen Mary to carry His son, her response was:

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 

In modern translation she's basically like "What?! That's impossible since I'm a virgin". It's got to be hard to wrap your mind around the fact that you're not only going to have a baby but the son of God.

I am plagued by the thought that things are just not possible, that there's no way I can do something, that X is too hard, Y is too much, and Z…well I can't handle that. But God tells us in so many areas of the Bible that what is impossible with men is possible with God….that we can do all things through Christ. As I read through the Christmas story another time, I was struck by the idea of something being so impossible and unfathomable was completely possible and capable with the help of God.

The Bible is laden with accounts of God doing miraculous things, things that seemed impossible at the time but were completely possible with His help.  
Impossible: escaping Egypt and the Pharaoh's brutality
Possible: with God's help, He led them out of Egypt
Impossible: crossing over the Red Sea
Possible: God split the sea for them to walk
Impossible: Thousands of hungry people and not enough food
Possible: God provided fish and bread tenfold to the masses
Impossible: one young man taking down a giant
Possible: God provided David the strength to fight His battle
Impossible: A virgin to get pregnant
Possible: God chose Mary and blessed her with strength to give birth

All of these scenarios seem impossible at the moment. It's unheard of, it's too much to wrap your mind around but it is the truth. God promises to do the impossible in our lives, we just have to wait and seek His counsel. God can do ANYTHING He wants; He can move mountains and rebuild broken homes, so surely whatever you're facing right now- remember that everything is possible with God if you just believe. What is impossible with man is possible with God, so whatever you're going through right now just remember there is a God who loves you, is fighting for you and will make the impossible possible if you just believe. 

Perfection of the Heart

Remember that you live in a fallen world: an abnormal world tainted by sin. Much frustration and failure result from your seeking perfection in this life. There is nothing perfect in this world except Me. That is why closeness to Me satisfied deep yearnings and fills you with joy.

I have planted longing for perfection in every human heart. This is a good desire, which I alone can fulfill. But most people seek this fulfillment in other people and earthly pleasures or achievements. Thus they create idols, before which they bow down. I will have no other gods before Me! Make Me the deepest desire of your heart. Let Me fulfill your yearning for perfection.

“You shall have no other gods before me.” —Exodus 20:3

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. —Psalm 37:4

This is the exert from today's Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (I highly recommend getting this devotional, it's a great quick 2-minute start to your day and always seems to applicable to what I'm going through that day). Today really spoke to me as I struggle with perfection on a daily basis. I love how it was put, that God planted a longing in each of hearts for perfection. He created a desire in our hearts to crave perfection but only one thing can satisfy that, an that is Him. How beautiful is that? Normally 'perfection' is painted in such a negative light but really it's something we should strive for every day because ultimately our goal is to be more like Him. 

Perfection doesn't have to be such a negative thing. I think of the bracelets we all got in Sunday school "WWJD"- What Would Jesus Do. These were meant to remind us as kids to think of how Jesus would react to a situation before we acted. That is the simplicity of pursuing perfection; striving to act and think more like Christ. Christ is love, patience, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and grace. When we set our eyes on Christ and try our hardest to embody Him, that is what true Christianity looks like. It's not about wearing a bracelet or a cross around your neck, it's not about posting scripture on social media, and it's not about owning every single type of Bible out there- that's what looking like a Christian looks like. Striving and looking like Christ is a step shy of perfection (because obviously, we all fail daily and hourly to be 'perfect'). It's about laying down yourself and picking up the cross daily. 

Lay down your pride and pick up humility. Lay down your greed and pick up a giving heart. Lay down your ego and pick up your compassion. Lay down your fear of the future and pick up faith and hope. Lay down your anger and pick up love. Lay it down and lean on God to show you what to do, how to react, what to say, where to go. He is Lord, perfect and beautiful in every way, and He will mold you into His perfect image day by day if you'll only lay down yourself and open yourself up to Him.

Perfect in the Imperfection

This devotional was from my June 1st Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

I am involved in each moment of your life. I have carefully mapped out every inch of your journey through this day, even though much of it may feel haphazard. Because the world is in a fallen condition, things always seem to be unraveling around the edges. Expect to find trouble in this day. At the same time, trust that My way is perfect, even in the midst of such messy imperfection.

Stay conscious of Me as you go through this day, remembering that I never leave your side. Let the Holy Spirit guide you step by step, protecting you from unnecessary trials and equipping you to get through whatever must be endured. As you trudge through the sludge of this fallen world, keep your mind in heavenly places with Me. Thus the Light of My Presence shines on you, giving you Peace and Joy that circumstances cannot touch.

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

—Psalm 18:30

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

—Isaiah 41:13

A bad habit of mine is to go throughout the day with my plan, my checklist and my nose to the grind. 

[x] Crossfit

[x] Make lunch

[x] Return emails at work

[x] Schedule a girls night with friends

When I'm going through those actions I don't connect them back to Jesus. I do a devotional in the morning, I rush about my day, and then I end with a prayer at night. But the thing is, God isn't just there at my morning devotional and my prayer time at night: he's here with me now. He's here with me of every second, of every moment of every day. He has orchestrated my days well-before I've even started to create that days to-do list. When I'm working out, He's with me and knows when I'll face my hardest moments and want to turn back. When I'm making a lunch for work, He's already 'prepared' what I'm going to take. When I'm at the office and juggling 30 things at once, He is there helping me get through it all. All of it- He is with me. 

Yet I'm not conscious to it. I don't often enough glorify God in the small moments of life; subconsciously I recognize that He is always with me, but I don't verbalize it often enough. "As you trudge through the sludge of this fallen world (aka our every day lives), keep your mind in heavenly places with Me". If we remember that God is with us, He will never fail or forsake us, than it makes getting through the sludge a little bit less grueling. Not to say that our day-to-day lives will be a scene from a Disney fairytale, but His way is perfect, protecting and profound. In the end, it's comforting to get the gentle reminder that He is always with us, protecting and guiding every one of our steps. 

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” —Isaiah 41:13

Thankful Heart

Jesus Calling

July 24th 

"Thankfulness opens the door to My Presence. Though I am always with you, I have gone to great measures to preserve your freedom of choice. I have placed a door between you and Me, and I have empowered you to open or close that door. There are many ways to open it, but a grateful attitude is one of the most effective.

Thankfulness is built on a substructure of trust. When thankful words stick in your throat, you  need to check up on your foundation of trust. When thankfulness flows freely from your heart and lips, let your gratitude draw you closer to Me. I want you to learn the art of giving thanks in all circumstances.See how many times you can thank Me daily; this will awaken your awareness to a multitude of blessings. It will also cushion the impact of trials when they come against you. Practice My Presence by practicing the discipline of thankfulness."

Psalm 100:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:18

It is no secret that I have been struggling to have a positive spirit or a positive outlook at my job. Lately I've dreaded every single day going into work and it's just a miserable experience until 5 o'clock rolls around. I find myself in a pit of complaints: complaints about the work, my boss, the commute, the strict new rules we must follow…definitely not a very Christianly spirit. I haven't been grateful to God for the things I should be thankful for and goodness knows I haven't expressed them to Him. 

After reading this mornings devotional in Jesus Calling, I prayed that the Lord would help me to have a grateful heart, recognize the blessings He has given me, and verbally praise God for His goodness. I went about my morning like normal and while driving to work the heavens opened up and it poured monsooned rain. Guess whose umbrella was in the trunk of her car- this girl!! I absentmindedly prayed that the Lord would let the rain stop when I arrived at work so my hair wouldn't look liked a drowned rat going into work. Pulled into the work parking lot and -poof- rain stopped for 4 minutes to let me get inside pretty much dry. Blessing #1 

Later in the afternoon I got an e-mail from my boss and in an uncharacteristically kind and thoughtful gesture, she had sent me a Starbucks gift certificate to 'thank me for all my hand work and dedication lately'. Considering I have little interaction with her anymore, the fact that she went out of her way to send me the gift card was a kind and thoughtful gift.  Blessing #2

On my afternoon lunch break I had to take my car into the shop for an oil change. I thought I'd be clever and book it for the late afternoon so less people would be there and it'd be quick. Well an hour and a half later I was still sitting in the lobby! Finally the technician came in and retrieved me and brought me back out to my car. He apologized that it took so long and told me that because it took so long, this one was on the house today. Blessing #3

I got back into my car and headed back to work, going back to my devotion that morning: "See how many times you can thank Me daily; this will awaken your awareness to a multitude of blessings. It will also cushion the impact of trials when they come against you. Practice My Presence by practicing the discipline of thankfulness." Blessings can be small and tiny things throughout a day from a rainbow, a singing bird, a breeze on a hot day, but when you start viewing them as blessings from the Lord they become that much sweeter. There are seasons in life when it doesn't feel like Lord is blessing you but maybe if we start praising Him for the small things in life, that season will become more bearable and positive.  The Lord is good all the time, and all the time the Lord is good. 

Stop & Be Still

"The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all." Psalm 34:19 

How easy is it to get overwhelmed and stressed out in everyday life? Little things suddenly add up and before you know it- boom- your plate has exploded. Getting to work on time, working out, packing a lunch, balancing the checkbook, paying bills on time, trying to figure out dinner, walking the dog, laundry, ironing, filing the car with gas...I know I don't need to go on because everyone goes through the endless checklist in their head on a daily basis.
  
However, although it's so easy to get caught up in the day to day monotony, it's important to remember who is in control. When life feels like it is spiraling out of control, it is so difficult to maintain order, maintain a gracious heart and keep a positive spirit. It would take every once of my being to maintain a graceful spirit when my life is falling apart, and that is why I constantly need God's Holy Spirit to renew my heart and cleanse my spirit. Don't stress about getting it all done.

I was reminded recently how busy everybody is, but someone asked if we were too busy for the Lord. How many times do we delay quiet time because we need to finish something at night, or skip church because we want a day to sleep in? I've found myself many times skipping out on reading the Word at night because I was so exhausted from a long day at work or not go to church because Sunday is my only day to sleep in. It was highlighted to me recently that when we listen to God and give him what he wants: our heart and our attention, he blesses us beyond our dreams. When we tithe, when we spend time praying, when we spend time in the Word, when we sit and listen and when we just sit in silence God uses those moments to mold, shape and change our lives.

Stop. Be Still.