God's Word

A quote I found among my many readings that has helped me realize that not everyone who 'says' they are saved is actually saved.

"The Word of God is determinitive.

What a person does with the Bible, God's Word, reveals his relationship with God.

If a person 'listens' to the Bible it shows he belongs to God.

If a person does not 'listen' to the Bible it shows he doesn't belong to God."

To listen is much more than just to hear the bible read. It goes beyond mere hearing. Listening is active, it involves action as a result of what is heard. The action begins with understanding, which leads to belief, which leads to a change in attitude toward what is read as well as a change in behavior that comes from commitment to what is understood and believed.

How many people do you know who say they are a Christian but do not follow Christ by reading or obeying what God's Word teaches. Many do not want anything to do with God at all and yet claim that at some point in time they prayed a prayer and believe that prayer saved them so they are 'okay with God'. To me this is scary- there are too many warnings in God's Word for us to let someone believe that way. What if we just take their word for it and not 'judge' them according to God's Word and they die and go to hell. No, I believe we must warn them by giving them the whole gospel- not just the "feel good" part.

In the next three blogs I am going to be explaining how this works by sharing my notes from a message I heard by Steve Lawson called- "Faith is...". I tried to take very careful notes but you can also go to his site- New Reformation (see my favorite ministries) to listen to the whole message for yourself.

This 'listening' is faith and this faith is a gift from God to us. Somehow He imparts it to us so we can respond to Him. Somehow He implants it in us so that we will respond to Him. I am amazed at the deep love of God for me. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one can boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2: 8-10

I hope this will be a blessing to you

to the praise of the glory of His grace,

Norma