I want to commend you on your post (9/16) entitled: “study to find yourself approved”.  

 

You went to some lengths to explain this verse of scripture and how it impacts you.  But...as your post explains, your world changed when you heard HIm speak to you!  I took from your post that you experienced a new and great faith in HIm and His presence in your life...after this incident.  Hallelujah!

 

        “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

 

In this verse, the phrase ‘Word of God’ does not refer to the Logos (written/revealed Word but refers to the Rhema (uttered/quickened) Word of God – (Vines Expository Dictionary, page 1242, paragraph two).  Of course the clue was there in the verse all the time (i.e. faith comes by hearing).

 

Scholars differ about the understanding of Logos (the written/revealed) Word and Rhema (the uttered/quickened) Word of God, but the clearest interpretation of the Rhema Word that I could find comes from Elwin R. Roach.  He put it this way:

 

        “When one hears a Rhema Word by the Spirit of God, faith is the result.  A common factor with all the patriarchs of faith is that they all heard the Rhema Word of God by the anointing of the Spirit.  It was not the eardrums sending signals to the natural mind that caused faith enough to move mountains.  Jesus made this clear when He said:

 

        “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing.  The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life (John 6:63 KJV).

 

Studying the written Word in order “to show yourself approved” is not only valuable but a mandate and a very important instruction in the acquisition of knowledge.  But the Rhema word is indispensible in the acquisition of insight, understanding and developing a personal relationship with the Lord.  BOTH the Logos and Rhema words of God are important in providing a full measure of understanding  of His Written Word and His Kingdom.  David the Psalmist said:

 

       “I sought the Lord and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalms 34:4).

 

        “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish” (John 10: 27, 28).

 

        “When He puts forth all his own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him because they know His voice (John 10:4).

 

Thank you for your testimony.  I consider it a very important word.  Tyler Cole