If you are facing a difficult time in your life we would love the opportunity to pray for you.
“So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17, KJV).
Martin Luther said he studied his Bible in the same way he gathered apples. First, he shook the whole tree, that the ripest might fall; then he shook each limb, and when he had shaken each limb, he shook each branch, and after each branch, every twig; and then he looked under every leaf. He admonishes us:
“Search the Bible as a whole, shaking the whole tree. Read it rapidly, as you would any book. Then shake every limb – study book after book.
“Then shake every branch, giving attention to the chapters when they do not break the sense. Then shake each twig, by careful study of the paragraphs and sentences. And you will be rewarded if you will look under each leaf, by searching the meaning of the words.”
Seek to know the Lord with all your heart. While you may have no difficulty in worshiping the omnipotent God, you cannot really know God unless you study His Word. The one who spoke and caused the worlds to be framed is waiting to reveal Himself to you personally.
Faith is not given to those who are either undisciplined or disobedient. Faith is a gift of God which is given to those who trust and obey Him. As we master His Word and obey His commands, our faith continues to grow.
It is my strong conviction that it is impossible to ask God for too much if our hearts and motives are pure and if we pray according to the Word and will of God.
Every time you and I open and read God’s Word carefully, we are building up our storehouse of faith. When we memorize the Word, our faith is being increased. When we study or teach a Sunday school lesson, or hear a sermon faithfully expounding the Word, we are growing in faith.
Bible Reading: Hebrews 11:1-6
Today’s Action Point:
I will read, study, memorize and meditate upon God’s Word daily, knowing that in the process my faith will grow, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
About this Author Dr. Bill Bright
Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Every Nation: Thinking “Others” instead of “Self”, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog
Tags: Bible, bill bright, disobedient, faith, Lord, Martin Luther, memorize, omnipotent, pray, sermon, Sunday school, undisciplined, worshiping
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I respectfully disagree that “faith is not given to those who are either undisciplined or disobedient.” That is the beauty of grace, that God grants us what we don’t deserve! Discipline certainly may strengthen one’s faith, but it isn’t necessarily a requisite of it. Neither does disobedience disqualify faith. Our sin nature may hinder our faithwalk, but it does not preclude faith. Yes, faith is a gift of God, a Holy Spirit empowerment to believe and to seek to know Him more intimately through His Word and through His people!
good point marilyn
Dr. Bright, thank you sir for the devotional today. The first year I read the Bible daily, from the Old to the New Testament. Now well into my second year I continue to the Bible daily from the Old to the New Testament. I am still learning but the difference today is that I feel a lot closer to God in our relationship and I’m actually growing spiritually. Mind you I consider myself to be just as a babe still but that’s okay because I know I am growing spiritually. I feel the growing pains within sometimes. So the verses I read the first time round, well, much to my delight I’ve felt His Word come to my heart more now.
I’ll seek and continue to read as I am able and will still find wondrous wisdom and guidance within the pages.