That principle of learning through hearing is true for young and old alike. During our childhood years is when we are most receptive to teaching, because we have very little to unlearn. Older people usually have set ideas that are difficult but not necessarily impossible to change. We must learn to make worthwhile use of our God-given gift … our free will by which we make choices.
We must be careful about what we hear, because our minds are very easily programmed by the human viewpoint presented to us from every kind of media this world system has to offer, and Satan uses those avenues to keep us from finding God’s purpose and plan for our lives. The apostle Paul warns us in Colossians 2:8: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit … after the tradition of men, and not after Christ.”
As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we should take Paul’s advice and follow his example by filling our minds with the Word of God that we learn, believe and metabolize. When we do all three, we will be ready to apply Bible Doctrine (teaching) to every problem with which we may be faced. (Philippians 8:9)
Problems cannot be solved by reacting emotionally to them, because emotions have no thought, no ability to reason and they have no discernment. God has given His written and complete canon of scripture for us to study on a daily basis. (2 Timothy 2:15) Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:16 that the Bible is the very thinking of Christ, so in order to look at situations and problems in life as Jesus would, we must find out how He thinks.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.” (Isaiah 55:8)
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation is only the beginning of the Christian way of life. If we truly want to grow up spiritually and find God’s plan and purpose for our lives, we must walk by faith. Paul said in Colossians 2:6, “As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” And in 2 Corinthians 5:7, Paul said “we should walk by faith and not by sight.”
What is the definition of faith? Hebrews 11:1 defines it like this: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen.”
Why is it so important for us to increase our faith? Because, Romans 14:23b tells us “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
How can we develop more faith? In one way only: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
If you desire to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord, He will provide a prepared pastor/teacher for you … a man who has studied the original languages of scripture and is able to build you up in the faith through sound Bible teaching on a consistent, daily basis by way of face to face teaching whenever it is possible, but also by way of audio cassette tapes, videos, MP-3’s and CD’s.
The Lord has made all the provision for us, so when we stand before Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ to be evaluated for rewards, we will not be able to offer any acceptable excuse for not knowing His Word.
Written by Lois Delnay
Fallbrook Ranch Productions
04/14/07
loisdelnay@hotmail.com
Books for sale by L. Delnay
http://www.amazon.com/Bible-Schoolhouse-Studies-Children-Teens/dp/1438212003/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212685141&sr=8-1
links to Lois Delnays Children Bible Study
http://gettoknowyourbible.org/
http://loisdelnay.bravehost.com/index.html
link to Lois Delnay's writings on Helium
