October 16th
Day By Day Grace Readings October 1, October 2nd October 3rd October 4th October 5th October 6th October 7th October 8th October 9th October 10th October 11th October 12th October 13th October 14th October 15th October 16th October 17th October 18th October 19th October 20th October 21st October 22nd October 23rd October 24th October 25th October 26th October 27th October 28th October 29th October 30th October 31th
Once More on the Source of Faith
Then He who sat on the throne said... "Write, for these words are true and faithful"...Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"... So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Revelation 21:5; 22:6; Romans 10:17)
Jesus is the faithful and true witness, who gives us the reliable truth that we must have in order to find life and live life as God intended. "Jesus Christ, the faithful witness... the Faithful and True Witness... And He... was called Faithful and True" (Revelation 1:5; 3:14; 19:11). As we see His faithful and true character, faith toward Him develops in our lives. His word is a vital part of this process, since it has the same character that He has (faithful and true). "Write, for these words are true and faithful... These words are faithful and true."
When people humbly receive the word of God, the scriptures change their lives. This is how we started out with God: "Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because 'All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.' Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you" (1 Peter 1:23-25). We were born again into the family of God when the incorruptible, living, eternal word of God was planted like a seed in our hearts. This occurred by our hearing of the gospel. We believed the good news of Jesus Christ, and this gospel seed germinated within us unto life eternal.
After being born again by grace through faith in Christ, God's plan was that we continue to respond to His word (like those in Thessalonica did). "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:13). These saints welcomed the scriptures into their lives. They knew that it was not a mere human message. They knew it was from the Lord. They were eager to hear it and to rely upon its life-nurturing message. Therefore, it effectively worked in their hearts, as they believed in the truths they were hearing. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Initially and continually, faith comes by hearing the faithful and true words of God, and that faith accesses grace.
Dear Lord, even as You are faithful and true, so Your word is faithful and true. I began by a faith that was stirred through the gospel message of Your word. I know that I can only grow in faith as I humbly receive Your word into my life day by day. Lord, I long to live by faith that I might grow in Your grace, in Your holy name, Amen.