Romans 10:17

"...faith comes from hearing the Message, and the Message is heard through the Word of Christ."

Now, I have shared from here before, but it is an important follow-on from last week's message out of Romans 12.  As we saw last week, our mind's need to be renewed from the pattern of the way the world thinks to the pattern of the way Christ thinks.  Christ thinks positively.  He always has hope.  He always sees life.  We need to see things from His perspective.

How do we do that when we are faced with negative circumstances and depressing stories on a daily basis?  Well, it is absolutely imperative that we immerse ourselves in the Word of Christ.  Notice that the translation of this verse I have used actually says "the Word of Christ", not the "word of God".  There is a difference.  The Word of Christ reveals the Glorious Nature and Person of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.  We need to immerse ourselves in that Word that breathes life into all situations.

When we do so, faith will naturally arise in our hearts.  Just like when the Springboks (not in this case) won the Rugby World Cup it doesn't take much for you to get up off your chair and clap and shout.  Faith isn't something you need to work up.  It is the natural by-product of the hope-giving Message of the Word of Christ.  

THis is why it is imperative we immerse our ears and eyes in Scripture, teachings, preaching, books and sermons that reveal the Good News of Jesus.  When we do so, our minds will be renewed to think about things from Christ's perspective and not the perspective of this world's hopeless pattern.  And when we're thinking that way, the Kingdom will come in so many more ways than we can imagine!