Hearing, reading and living the Word

Hearing the word, reading the word and living the word. Once I became intentional about being a follower of Christ suddenly all these barriers came up. It felt like the ‘thou shalt not” increased manifold. Yes I am forgiven and yes I am loved but now  a certain expectation was instituted. Without meaning to I realised I carried the responsibility of being a good example to others. I now had the responsibility of drawing people to Christ or pushing them further away. Is it uncomfortable, yes but if it wins souls for the Kingdom then it will be well worth it. I realised I would need help and below are the tools that I am depending on.

Hearing the Word

Romans 10:17 ‘So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of God‘. So this verse is popular in getting people riled up about the importance of preaching the gospel. I tend to underestimate the power of the word. And yet the word has the power to save, give life, heal, protect , rescue etc. Going to church is a good place to start, you can join a bible sturdy. Listening to sermons and teachings is very effective in understanding what the word says. Because let’s face it the bible can be difficult and intimidating to understand. You can also hear the word by allowing it to speak to your heart when you read the bible

Reading the Word

Reading the bible is one sure way of getting to know God better. If we have decided to be in a relationship with God then it is important to get to know Him better. The bible is full of stories that tell of God’s character and His exceptions and even His intentions. The  four gospel give us the precious words that Jesus spoke while on earth. Reading the bible is the only way to be certain that you have a good picture of who God is. When reading the bible watch out for your own biases that may tilt interpretation of the word through the lens with which you view life.

Living the Word

Living the word simply translates into obeying the commands that are in the bible. It means doing what the word says. I have to resist the urge to second guess what God is up to and how what He meant can best suit my situation and interests. Just like in losing weight I have found that if I attempt to do all things at once I will fail. To gain some things I have realised I have to lose or let go of other things. Dying to self is important in the process of attaining humility. Which is necessary to lay down my will and submit to God’s. Because that is the only way I will grow spiritually mature as I live out the word.