SOLD_Faith Comes by Hearing | Original Painting

This piece was originally meant to illustrate this verse, however it looked so much like it that I had to paint it on there! The verse goes like this,

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” ~Romans 10:17

It is not really about audibly hearing the word of God but rather spiritually hearing the word of God.

One could audibly hear, but not truly understand, integrate, or live out what they are hearing as the verse goes,

“This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’” ~ Matthew 13:13-15

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” ~ James 1:22

The “Word” is another Name for Christ.

Jesus is mentioned as the Word in the Bible, and so this is also an ability to integrate Christ into our lives, to Abide in Him.

So we see this fish symbol coming from the Bible because the Bible is a very handy tool in learning about Christ and learning about how to hear from God.

My understanding of “Faith comes by hearing” is simply about truly listening, like I mentioned; spiritually listening. But also, it is a “call” on someone’s life, who like myself, knows they are called to speak to others. And so I'm showing up for the call of this verse right now. I’m speaking Christ to others in hopes that you would listen and hear, to open your heart, open your mind, and to open your ears! Not that you must believe like me or anywhere close to how I believe, but rather that you would listen to God.

Although it might seem like a Christian is close-minded for believing in the Bible, in reality, everyone who doesn’t believe are the close-minded ones (according to the Bible). Of course there’s no need to label or create polarizing division, we can all be somewhere in between at times, never stagnate and never arriving, simply in our specific place on the journey. 

So! How about opening your mind and heart to the possibility that this could be true, just maybe? And if it is, then it will be revealed to you, and if it is not, then you have nothing to be afraid of!

It can be true that sometimes we get sucked into a fearful way of thinking, but even that can be helpful, as all trials bring more clarity into our lives. I'm so happy for the trials I've gone through lately, though at the time they were very hard, I have come out even more resilient than ever before! And I continue on the up and down journey of life. 

The word “hearing” could be replaced with “reading”. Spend some time reading the word.

As mentioned in this episode of my podcast, one of my original intentions for my art practice was to inspire people to get into the Word of God and read it. I’m starting to touch base with my original intentions again. Isn’t it interesting how our initial perceptions and hunches are often the most authentic?

Even though I feel called to share my journey, it’s really not up to me to say anything. That’s one reason inspiring people to read the Bible is one of my goals, because then it’s not me doing the teaching, but rather the teachings of Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew).

If people start reading the Bible, that's all they need, because the Word is alive and will speak to you, it will open up your world to spiritual truth, guidance, and revelation. Indeed, by truly hearing Christ, that is where Faith comes in. In allowing Yeshua to seep into your mind, that is where spiritual revelation and understanding begins.

And I've been leaving out one of the most important pieces of this verse which is my middle name, “Faith”.

If Faith comes from hearing, then what is Faith?

Faith is truly the ability to trust our entire lives to God, to trust and believe beyond doubt, beyond sight, beyond proof. Faith is surrendering our entire heart to God and allowing it to be changed, moved and morphed. This is not always easy, and I am far from “good” at this. In fact, Faith is a muscle that must be exercised and strengthened. Through practicing “Faith-strengthening-surrender”, or “Faith-strengthening-action”, we start to see its fruits in our life: i.e. More Peace!

This is something I am on the way to and may never “arrive” at, yet even the peace I feel now is more than I used to embody. Even so, as time goes on, I will find the Peace of Christ welcoming me deeper and deeper.

Acceptance of Jesus into our lives is the ability to believe, not of our own accord, but of God’s power at work in us. One of the most beautiful aspects of Faith is what Christians refer to as Abiding in Christ because Christ said it Himself “Abide in Me and I will abide in you.”

“Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ...As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love.” ~John 15:4-5, & 9

True faith is that connection! Unity! Being one with God, His Spirit living in us. Not that we are God but that we are in God and The Spirit in us!   

God's Spirit is The One that's here with us, moving in us and creating a life worth talking about, a life worth sharing! A Faith worth sharing!

That is the Faith that we show up for!

That is the faith we open our minds to. 

That's the Faith we open our hearts to!

That's the Faith we open our ears to.

So again, how do we gain Faith in our life?

And how is it by hearing? 

It is through your spiritual ears. Listen to Jesus Himself and His teachings of assurance will give you the strength needed to exercise that muscle, and the motivation to turn back for more help when we grow weary. 

Jesus Himself said,

 “ ‘Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.’ 

Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ ” ~John 14:1-7

He also said,

“ ‘I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ ” ~John 10:9-10

Don't you want that kind of Faith? I know I do and I know that I experience it, not only in this lifetime but even more fully when Christ draws me unto Himself, face to face!