Who Am I? I Am Rooted, Growing, and Increasing.

"Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."  Romans 10:17 KJV

The Amplified says, "So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself)."

 

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The Merriam Webster online dictionary defines HEAR:  to perceive or apprehend by the ear, to gain knowledge of by hearing, to listen to with attention.

Whereas, the same dictionary defines LISTEN:  to pay attention to sound, to be alert to catch an expected sound.

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Two people can attend the same church, the same day, the same time, with the same message from the same pastor.  One leaves the service having received new revelation and thinks, "God really spoke to me today."  The other leaves thinking, "I have heard that before", "I did not understand that at all", or I hope so-n-so heard that message today."  

The first person came to the service expecting to receive, expecting a good Word from God, ready to listen and receive.  

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The second person may have had problems with the cashier at the gas station on the way to church, the kids fought in the car all the way, or they did not feel well today but the only parking space available was at the end of the parking lot and they had to walk.  This person is distracted, not ready to receive, did not have an open ear to God's Word, waiting to hear something new today.  

How often do we show up and do not hear God's Word due to distractions or wrong thinking?  We may be present, and we are listening, but are we hearing?  

"And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem:  and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  Luke 5:17

In Luke 5:17 Jesus spoke, but the Pharisees and doctors of the law came and listened to him speak.  They did not hear Him.  They did not come prepared to really hear (to perceive or apprehend, to gain knowledge, or to listen to Jesus with attention).  

I recently planted the same flowers in three different areas of the yard.  

One area grew quickly and began blooming.  However, the flowers were much smaller than they should have been, and the plants soon turned brown one by one and began dying.  I soon discovered the ground under them became infested with ants.  

The second area grew slowly, and the foliage on the flowers is lighter green that it should be.  They have not even bloomed yet, and the plants growth appears stunted.  These flowers were planted in a shallow area surrounded by concrete.  The flowers do not seem to grow well in the less acidic soil caused by the surrounding concrete.   

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The third area was a large flower pot on the back porch with my own potting soil mix.  These flowers have grown full and beautiful with dark green foliage and the blooms look they are going to be gorgeous once they open.   

The difference in these three areas is the soil.  One is infested, one is to alkaline, and the other is good soil.  (Mark 4:8)

What kind of ground are we when we walk into a service?  Are we ready to hear God's Word...really hear it and let it take root, grow, and increase within us?    

Our faith increases as we HEAR God's Word.