A friend of mine made a great comment the other night. He said that he notices an energy that surrounds a conversation that includes the Scriptures. I'm sure many of you have noticed it too. I notice it on Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, and recently, Thursday nights. I've noticed it at work, on camping trips, and family get-togethers.
The comment made me think of a Bible verse, Luke 24:32, "And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" Just reading that verse and typing it created that energy!
I think most of you know what I'm talking about. God's word is powerful!
Let's look at Psalm 119. "Word" is mentioned thirty-eight times. I could be wrong and I'm willing to be corrected but I think that God's word, statutes, and the Scriptures are basically the same. They all come from God.
What can the word accomplish according to Psalm 119? Let's look at it.
v.9 - cleanse your way
v.11 - keep us from sin
v.16 - give us delight
v.17 - bountiful life
v.25 - revive us
v.28 - strengthen us
v.38 - reverence for God
v.41 - salvation
v.42 - provide answers when taunted
v.43 - provides hope
v.49 - provides hope
v.50 - comfort when afflicted, gives life
v.58 - mercy
v.65 - good dealings with God
v.67 - keeps us from straying
v.74 - joy in fellowship with others who revere God
v.76 - comfort
v.81 - hope
v.82 - comfort
v.89 - stability
v.101 - restrain us from doing evil
v.105 - light our way
v.107 - revive us
v.114 - protect us
v.116 - uphold us
v.123 - perseverance
v.133 - direct our steps
v.140 - time tested, tried (confidence)
v.147 - hope
v.148 - source for meditation
v.154 - revive us
v.158 - disgust of sin
v.160 - source of truth
v.161 - stability
v.162 - joy
v.169 - understanding
v.170 - deliverance
v.172 - proclaim, can't keep silent
John refers to Jesus as the Word. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.......And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
2 Timothy 3:14-17 says, "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you have learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
Are you feeling it? That's the Spirit working through the Word. God bless y'all real good.
5 comments:
First of all NH, I love that passage you listed from Luke 24! I've often referred to it. What a story to contemplate!!
You also reminded me of another favorite passage, Jeremiah 20:9 "And I can't stop! If I say I'll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am weary of holding it in!" God's Word is more than what is heard when air moves past one's larynx. Duh...!
I should add, on a tangent, that the word "law", from the Hebrew "Torah", occurs some 25 times in Psalm 119. We see David celebrating the word and the law, the real meaning of God's Law and His Word.
Hey KH!
I was thinking some more about your post. I wonder if another ingredient is necessary to bring about the “energy” that you mentioned. The Scriptures don’t always bring the desired response. Though they have dynamite power, as does God’s Word and The Word, something extra is needed. In chemistry some reactions require a catalyst, without which a reaction cannot take place.
I wonder if there is catalyst needed to bring along this “energy”. Two things come to mind which might fit the bill. One is FAITH. Without faith things do not happen, and it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11).
Or more simply maybe it is the presence of the Holy Spirit, whose presence is often aided by faith.
The German Theologians, and others who don’t see the scriptures as inspired, “god-breathed”, read and write about the Scriptures, but it is all intellectual. No power. Or energy.
Just to add to Rudy's 2nd post. I was reading just this morning Acts 16:14 "A woman named Lydia from the city of thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul." Without the Lord doing something in us, they are just words.
I liked the analogy of a chemical reaction and the Holy Spirit being the catalyst.
I often have to be very careful when speaking about the scriptures that I don't begin debating simply out of love for debate. I think I can fall into the habit of trying to win somebody over by mere logic. It is the Lord that has to "open up our heart to respond to the things spoken".
BTW I love talking about the scriptures. I love bouncing things off of other people. I love to hear what God is teaching others and the whole idea of "iron sharpening iron". But I need to balance that with alone time with God and his Word.
You'll have to check out my most recent post. I never knew how much I craved to learn Scripture until I had a good teaching about the Scripture. My question is, why have so many churches departed from the hard teachings and wish to hold on to the same basic message? They aren't making disciples then. And due to this drifting from Scripture, this is why people like me have felt so stagnant in their walks.
I must also admit, we each have our own responsibility to remain in the Word. But it is interesting, the more I read, the more I learn, the hungrier I am, and the more I want the Lord to shape my life to be just what the Scriptures teach.
I have been contemplating this a little more and another verse came to mind:
"So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." Is. 55:11
This is the energy that surrounds the word, the catalyst that Rudy spoke of. God is always accomplishing something through His word. Think of Genesis 1. God speaks and it happens. What an amazing thought! God can do exceedingly more than we can think or imagine - and all He has to do is speak.
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