The Word of God

The Word of God is God's thoughts and intent for us. If we want to know what God thinks, we have to go to the Bible. Every verse in Psalm 119 is about the Word of God. (All verses cited come from Psalm 119 unless I say otherwise.)

Through God's Word, we are blessed and gain understanding.

Keeping God's Word is a blessing. (119:1,2) Verse 4 sets the standard. We're to keep His Word diligently. Ignorance is not bliss. The Book of Hosea says God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6...My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.)

(Jeremiah 15:16 (NIV) says...When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty.) Keeping God's Word means to seek God with your whole heart and to hide His Word in your heart so that you don't sin against Him. (10,11) We are to proclaim God's Word and rejoice in it because in God's Word we find blessings and great riches.  (13,14) When we treat the Word of God like great treasure, we lock it inside (meditate on it). (14,15) We are to delight in/enjoy God's Word. (16)  We can ask God to teach us His Word, and He will help us to gain understanding and strengthen us. (26-28,104)

How to meditate on God's Word:

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up" (Deuteronomy 6:5-7).

"For this commandment which I command you today, it is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it". (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).

It takes work to meditate on God's Word to gain understanding. We mull over a Bible verse in our minds and hearts. We read verses that are similar and check the context. The understanding may not come immediately. But God says it's not too mysterious for us. It's not too far off that we can't have access to it. We are to keep God's Word in our mouths and hearts and do it.

The Word lights our path. It is a lamp. (105)

God's Word is a heritage forever and the rejoicing of our hearts. (111) We are to lay up God's Words in our hearts and souls. (Deuteronomy 11:18) The Word of God gives us hope.  (114) We are to love God's Word above fine gold.  (127) The Bible, God's Word, is right, and it is wonderful. (128,129) The Word of God gives us light and understanding and gives order to or establishes our steps. (130,133) It is a lamp for our feet and a light on our path. (105) We need to pay attention to God's Word. This world is a dark place, and our minds can be a dark place. God's Word is our source of light and understanding. He makes our feet like hinds' feet, and sets us upon high places. (Psalms 18:33) Hind's feet makes me think of the alpine ibex. It can climb an almost vertical dam in the Italian Alps. The ibex lives in very steep and rocky terrain. They are great climbers and have no fear to climb up or down the steep dam’s face. The locals call it the crazy mountain goat. (http://mudfooted.com/goats-climbing-vertical-dam/) God orders our steps and makes our feet like hind's feet.

"You shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul" (Deuteronomy 11:18).

God and His Word are Righteous. (137)

God's Word is righteous and faithful. (138) According to 2 Peter 1:19, God's Word is completely reliable. We can count on His Word! God's Word is pure. (140,142) God's righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and His Word is the truth. (142) We can believe what God says and trust in Him.

2 Peter 1:19 (NIV) We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Stand in Awe of God's Word, Rejoice! (161,162)

I rejoice at thy Word, as one that findeth great spoil (treasure). (162)

The City of St. Paul runs a winter carnival each year. This year it's scheduled for January 23-February 2. During the carnival a medallion worth $10,000 is hidden. Each morning a local radio station gives a clue to the location of the medallion. People will endure sub-zero weather, snow and ice to find the medallion. They'll hike and dig through the snow, and climb in trees. People cover a lot of landscape, and they don't stop until the medallion's found. It's this kind of zeal we need when we search the scriptures. The Word of God is great treasure. We are to love God's Word. (163)

"Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:3-6). "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:20-23). "My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands within you. Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart" (Proverbs 7:1-3). God wants us to pay attention to His Word. God wants us to listen to what He has to say and take His Words to heart.

We are to rejoice at God's Word; and God has feelings too. God feels joy or gladness when we walk in the truth (His Word). I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 1:4)

The Word is Great Peace for Those Who Love It! (163, 165)

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not  break through nor steal: for where your  treasure  is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew  6:20,21)

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. (James 3:17)

We are to seek God first and treat His Word like treasure. God's wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, and merciful.

The Word is Deliverance! (170)

Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. (173) When we choose God's Word, He will help us.  In Proverbs 3:1,2...We are told to remember God's law.  We are to keep God's commandments in our hearts because it will give us length of days, and long life, and peace. The Word of God is alive and active. It is sharper than a double-edged sword. The Word can divide soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 NIV) Every word of God is pure.  He is a shield for those who trust in Him.  (Proverbs 30:5)

We are to attend ourselves to God's Words, and listen and take it to heart. God's Words are life to those who find them and health (medicine) to the flesh. (Proverbs 4:22)  The Word of God is deliverance for us.  We are sanctified through the truth, and God's Word is that truth.  (John 17:17)

The Word of God stands forever! God will keep every promise!

Psalm 138:2, “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

The name of God is highly exalted, yet God has chosen to magnify His Word above His name. Why is this? Because God's name is only as trustworthy as His Word. If God's Word isn't reliable, then His name wouldn't mean that much. Praise the Lord, God will keep every promise. Thank you LORD! God promises in His Word that until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter or the least stroke of a pen will disappear from His Word until everything is fulfilled or accomplished. (Matthew 5:18)  God's Words will not be broken, not the least of His Words. (John 10:35)  The Word of God stands or endures forever.  (Isaiah 40:8)