Proverbs 18:21
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Hebrews 3:7 7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:"Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,In the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,And saw My works forty years.
Hebrews 3:12 12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
Hebrews 3:19 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews 4:11 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Romans 10:17 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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A couple of weeks ago, I went with my pastor and some of my church members to hear a Bible teacher from out of town. I didn’t know what his subject was until I got there. He taught about the language of faith, and how our words reflect our faith in God.
On my way home from that study, Randy called to tell me he had just bought me a set of CD’s from another teacher on the Language of Faith. Hmmm…. Could be more than just a coincidence. So I started paying more attention to what I was saying.
Now, for years I rejected the concept that our words can affect our reality. It just sounded too “New Agey” to me—until the Lord started pointing out scriptures that challenged my opinion.
Do you see what Hebrews 3 and 4 are saying? The Jews could not enter God’s rest (the Promised Land) because of “an evil heart of unbelief.” Yet, Hebrews 3:7 reminds us that they SAW the mighty miracles of God. Hebrews 4:11 tells us in the same breath that we must be diligent (not let down our guard for a second) in order to enter that rest, and that the word of God is our living, powerful weapon.
Now, watch this. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. I know from personal experience that my faith grows by leaps and bounds when I hear myself speaking God’s promises out loud. What the Lord pointed out to me this week is that UNBELIEF also comes by hearing. When I listen to negative, complaining people, and especially when I complain or talk about my problems, I am feeding the unbelief in my heart. And I CANNOT enter God’s rest—His promises for my life—if I have “an evil heart of unbelief.”
I know, you’re thinking you HAVE to talk about your problems if you’re going to get help. But, are you really looking for help? Are you asking for prayer to change your situation? Or do you just want some sympathy? Even when I’m asking for prayer, sometimes I feel a little “catch” in my spirit that I am focusing too much on my problems instead of focusing on God’s promises. To quote Bible teacher Joyce Meyers, “You can be pitiful or powerful, but you can’t be both.”
Personally, I think I want “powerful”! What do you want?
Cathleen
Hebrews 3:7 7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:"Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,In the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,And saw My works forty years.
Hebrews 3:12 12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
Hebrews 3:19 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews 4:11 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Romans 10:17 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
-----------------------------------------
A couple of weeks ago, I went with my pastor and some of my church members to hear a Bible teacher from out of town. I didn’t know what his subject was until I got there. He taught about the language of faith, and how our words reflect our faith in God.
On my way home from that study, Randy called to tell me he had just bought me a set of CD’s from another teacher on the Language of Faith. Hmmm…. Could be more than just a coincidence. So I started paying more attention to what I was saying.
Now, for years I rejected the concept that our words can affect our reality. It just sounded too “New Agey” to me—until the Lord started pointing out scriptures that challenged my opinion.
Do you see what Hebrews 3 and 4 are saying? The Jews could not enter God’s rest (the Promised Land) because of “an evil heart of unbelief.” Yet, Hebrews 3:7 reminds us that they SAW the mighty miracles of God. Hebrews 4:11 tells us in the same breath that we must be diligent (not let down our guard for a second) in order to enter that rest, and that the word of God is our living, powerful weapon.
Now, watch this. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. I know from personal experience that my faith grows by leaps and bounds when I hear myself speaking God’s promises out loud. What the Lord pointed out to me this week is that UNBELIEF also comes by hearing. When I listen to negative, complaining people, and especially when I complain or talk about my problems, I am feeding the unbelief in my heart. And I CANNOT enter God’s rest—His promises for my life—if I have “an evil heart of unbelief.”
I know, you’re thinking you HAVE to talk about your problems if you’re going to get help. But, are you really looking for help? Are you asking for prayer to change your situation? Or do you just want some sympathy? Even when I’m asking for prayer, sometimes I feel a little “catch” in my spirit that I am focusing too much on my problems instead of focusing on God’s promises. To quote Bible teacher Joyce Meyers, “You can be pitiful or powerful, but you can’t be both.”
Personally, I think I want “powerful”! What do you want?
Cathleen
posted by BreadBakers at 1:43 PM
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