What the Word of God does…

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:97–104)

These few verses are a bit like a book review. The psalmist describes what happens in his life when he reads Scripture, but not just reading it — for one thing, he thinks about what he has read.

The books we read do have an effect on us. If I spent all my spare time in the newspaper, my emotions would change. If my reading were romance novels, or mystery, or only war stories, my thoughts would not be the same as reading children’s books, and if I read only cookbooks, that could affect my waistline.

However, as the psalmist says, the Bible has an effect on more than thoughts and emotions. Right away, he makes clear that thinking about what he is reading is important. I know that is true. I have a touch of attention deficit. That tends to mess with keeping my mind on what needs attention and leading to ignoring it. Not that what I read is unimportant, just that distraction interferes with application.

No excuse. Meditation is vital. As the psalmist says, God’s Word imparts wisdom — if it is taken to heart, considered thoughtfully. It can make the reader wiser than any opposition, even give that reader understanding beyond mentors and teachers, even those older (although there are not many of those left in my list of friends). 

Yet I note that this wisdom comes from obeying what I read. It is not for information alone but for transformation. 

Add to meditation and application is avoiding anything contrary to what God says. When He tells me to be kind to my enemies, I will not gain wisdom or be transformed if I gossip about them or am unkind in other ways. Not only that, the more I read and do what God says, the more His ways make sense to me and the better I am at seeing what is not good and what to avoid.

Jesus, how amazing that You are called the Word of God. Not only is all of God's goodness and wisdom written for us in Your Book, it is present in a living Person. You are God's example for me to follow, and my enablement to actually do it. Your Book is no ordinary book for it speaks to me. It is Your voice written so I can hear it and do Your will. I am with the writer of those words who says “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” How wonderful that You use written words to tell me how to live and then enable me to do what You say!!

God’s blessed brat…

Putting up Christmas decorations is putting my focus on the birth of Jesus Christ and on all that He has done. This babe in a manger overwhelms me. He knew His life would be taken from Him on a cross. He knew He would suffer for the sins of the world, an enormous assignment that overwhelms my mind and as I gaze at the manger scene, all this brings both angst and joy to my heart. The joy part is expressed here:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17–21)

The deep trepidation that comes personally is because new life means more than joy. Paul expressed how serving Jesus, this babe who grew and died for his sin, would lead him and all who follow Him with our whole hearts. There would be joy and goodness, but also trials:

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also. (2 Corinthians 6:2–13)

This year is about my 56th year of being a child of God, five decades of new life. I cannot help but reflect. My hardships were not like Paul’s; he suffered for serving Jesus. I suffered to learn lessons about my sinfulness and God's faithfulness. Paul experienced the joyful and comfortable blessings to keep him from giving up. I have experienced blessings perhaps for the same reason and not because of persecution or the resistance of others to what I do. Satan buffets me to keep me from praying and loving God, but I’ve not experienced those other hardships. Not that I want to, yet His grace does make me often feel like God’s spoiled brat.

Either way, trials from others or trials of ordinary life, God has blessed me by using them as He promises:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

And then I read the prayer of another who said, “Not relief from pain, not relief from the weariness that follows, not anything of that sort at all, is my chief need. Thou, O Lord my God, art my need—Thy courage, Thy patience, Thy fortitude. And very much I need a quickened gratitude for the countless helps given every day.” (Source)

PRAY: Lord, every decoration and gift under the tree is my reminder of what Paul says, “Since I have these promises, may I be cleansed from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1) This is the wonder of the babe in the manger. Such a task — for all who sin, for all time, in every place — all who hear Him speak,  and who say YES — including this spoiled brat. 

Understanding is only part of it. . . .

 

For about seventeen years, I read the Bible every day without understanding anything in it. Then came that day when Jesus entered my life. It was not a request on my part; He surprised me. After that day, after realizing who Jesus is and why He came, I began to understand what I was reading.

Today’s devotional says it is good to read the Bible regularly, learn the facts of Bible history, memorize as much of the Bible as you can and study the blessed doctrines of the Bible, then adds that it is possible to do all this yet gain no spiritual benefit. The author says this benefit comes only to the degree that we understand it. The author adds that this understanding can only be gained by the instruction of the Holy Spirit.

For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:11–16)

Various lists tell how the mind of Christ affects a believer’s life. For instance, any love for worldly things will change. Instead of the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life, the mind of Christ calls me to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of my mind” for this will help me discern the will of God and what is “good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

Another list says His mind creates a humble, submissive, and obedient faith. The list of spiritual fruit point to new attitudes that include love for others, peace in my heart, joy, and more (Galatians 5:22-23).

Included in that ‘love for others’ is a new desire to seek their salvation by sharing with them His love in action and words that explain the good news of the gospel.

Another example of what will change: New knowledge of who Jesus is and what He has done, submission to His lordship expressed in obedience, trusting Him alone and not my own works, or goodness, or my efforts, along with a deepening rejection of sin and not wanting to run my own life.

As the book of James says, this thinking is more than new attitudes. It creates new actions such as caring for the needs of widows, orphans, the poor, and not being a respecter of persons but treating all with the same loving care.

For this reason, I’m convinced that I cannot limit the changes in my life to attitude only or even understanding. While actions flow from the heart, if they are not there, I have to look in the mirror (God’s Word) and not forget what I see, but do something about it.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1:22–27)

PRAY: Lord, I’ve known for a long time that thinking and saying what I know is good, but doing it is vital. It is often easier to keep my mouth shut when I want to speak, or keep my mental focus on You rather than worldly or selfish stuff, than it is to simply do what You say. May Your mind rule my actions as well as all other parts of my life.

Building spiritual stability . . .

 

Simon, who is called Peter was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to be a fisher of men. His first encounter with the Savior indicated that this man would be a “new creation” because of the transforming work of God as Jesus gave him a new name:

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). (John 1:40–42)

This new name means “rock” which contrasts Simon’s nature. He was impulsive and vacillating, unlike the man he would become as a leader in the church. When he sinned, Jesus called him by his old name, and when Peter acted in strength, Jesus called him by this new name. And He often called him “Simon Peter” as he drifted between sinful Simon and spiritual Peter.

I identify with Peter, and other Christians do also. We get annoyed with ourselves for taking matters into our own hands, forgetting to pray, being fearful or being proud, displaying old traits instead of living in the joyful power of God. We also complain about our spiritual instability and regret our fleshiness, wondering if we will ever ‘grow up’ and be more like Jesus and less like that old person.

Jesus worked with Peter and transformed him into a true spiritual rock. When He asked, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied,

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:15–18)

Jesus used this profession His identity to bless Peter and to affirm that this impulsive man’s declaration of it would be the foundation of His church. In other words, even those who complain about their instability are kept, not because they have earned it by being consistent but because faith in Christ, the Son of the living God, has secured their eternal future.

It is faith that transforms our lives. Hearing and believing the Gospel changes us from self-focused, self-centered sinful people to servants of the most High as we realize our efforts apart from Jesus are useless. Failure in self-effort is also used by God to teach us how much we need to rely on His Spirit.

God wants me to be a spiritual rock, just as He wanted that for Peter. Peter later wrote:

You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5).

That occurs as I “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) and as I realize the truth of: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20) and learn to:

Walk by the Spirit, and not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep me from doing the things I want to do. But if I am are led by the Spirit, I am not under the law . . . . because those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If I live by the Spirit, let me also keep in step with the Spirit. Let me not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:16–26, personalized)

An important part of walking in the Spirit is confessing sin and asking the Lord to refill me: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness . . . .” (1 John 1:5–10)

Jesus, don’t let me neglect confession, or resist putting sinful selfishness to death. This is for my good. You can forgive and remove that sin and enable me to put it out of my life. Better to obey in the first place, yet when that does not happen, may I be quick to get on my knees.

READ 1 and 2 Peter. Note all that God gives me to be a ‘rock’ from these words that were written by a  man who once was anything but!