A Life of Faith is a Life Connected to the Word

A Life of Faith is a Life Connected to the Word
Today we continue to talk about faith. Lets again look at Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
Let’s also look at Hebrews 10:38“but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back,my soul has no pleasure in him.”
How do we get faith? Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
We see that faith is connected to hearing the Word of God, the Word of Christ, the Message of Christ. They all are referring to the same thing. 
Faith is connected to hearing the Word and so living by faith is also connected to the Word.
The Word of God must be a priority in our life because it’s our source of faith and faith is how we live. Faith is how we live a life that is pleasing to God.
The Word of God, the message of Christ, the Gospel produces faith in those who will hear it and receive it.
Let’s look at Isaiah 556 “Seek the Lord while he may be found;    call upon him while he is near;7 let the wicked forsake his way,    and the unrighteous man his thoughts;let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,    so are my ways higher than your ways    and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven    and do not return there but water the earth,making it bring forth and sprout,    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;    it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
A few things I want to point out.
We are seek God and forsake our own way and our own thoughts. How do we do this? By the Word. 
Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
The Word of God reveals the Will of God and once we know the Will of God and receive it as the Will of God, the truth of God’s will, then faith can be produced in our lives.
That’s what the Word is sent forth to do and just like rain waters the earth bringing forth sprouts, so does the Word of God water our spirits bringing forth faith. His Word will produce faith in our hearts if we will receive it as the Word of God, revealing the will of God.
And it’s this Word produced faith in our hearts that we are to live by!
Now let me say something about the difference of belief and faith.
I can believe the weatherman when he says it will rain tomorrow. And that belief can influence my plans for tomorrow. So that’s one type of belief but it’s based on the circumstances. The weatherman is sharing what he believes based on weather patterns.
But then there’s believing God. That’s not based on the circumstances at all. It based simply on trusting God and what God says is his will. That type of believing is faith.  Faith is based on knowing God’s will as revealed in his Word. Faith is believing God.Ordinary believing is based on circumstances. 
Faith is knowing God’s will and taking hold of it even if it contradicts the circumstances because you b