Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Romans 10:17
There is a book called Lead Like Jesus that has a companion Study Guide. One of the sections is The Study of Scripture and how to apply the Word to our lives. They have broken it down into five ways we can make Scripture a part of our daily lives. They are to hear the Word, read the Word, study the Word, memorize the Word and meditate on the Word. For the next five days we will be looking at each one as we develop a habit for the Word and apply it to our lives.
At this time there are so many ways to hear the Word there is no good excuse not to. Whether it be through audio of some kind of the Word, sermons on television, radio, podcast, streaming etc. or in person, study groups, etc. the Word is powerful and transforming. Matthew 13:3-23 lists four kinds of hearers in the Parable of the Sower. The uncaring hearer, they hear it, but don’t care to receive it. The shallow hearer, they hear and receive it, but they have surface roots and when the stresses of life come, they forget what they heard. The distracted hearer, they too hear, but they let the worries and cares of this world and its desires choke it out. The last one is the productive hearer, the not only hear, but listen so they bear fruit that continues to produce and leads others to Jesus. What kind of hearer are you?
No matter what kind of hearer you are the Word is alive and will keep speaking to us if we engage and interact with it, by beginning to ask God what He is trying to tell us. Ask Holy Spirit what are the truths is it speaking to us and to help us apply it then to our lives. All we need to do is begin to take time every day to get into His word.
Tomorrow we will look at the importance of reading the word.
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