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!!

Knowledge is not enough!

And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear the Lord. Therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. So the king of Assyria was told, “The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are killing them, because they do not know the law of the god of the land.” Then the king of Assyria commanded, “Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land.” So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord. But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities in which they lived. (2 Kings 17:24–29)

While this account reveals that the gods of those days were based on the superstitions of the people rather than the true God who had been revealed to the Israelites (who had been deported) there is still a truth in this story that convicts me. Unless God teaches me and unless I do what He says, I will still struggle with gods of my own making.

It is one thing to know about God and about Jesus Christ, and quite another to have my life transformed. I can read and study the Bible, go to church and hear stirring messages, and teach what I am learning to others, but not practice what I preach.

In the above story, the king of Assyria assumed that the people groups he planted in Samaria just needed to know the law of God and they would follow it. Their gods (inventions of their minds) controlled the weather, etc. and they had rules to gain their favor. This was not true of the Lord. They had no idea of His ways and even if it was told to them, they would not be able to obey without the power of His Holy Spirit.

This is true today as well. A sincere person can learn what a Christian is supposed to be like and fake some of it, yet Jesus made it clear that God is looking for obedience from the heart, not from a good education or from anyone merely performing in their own strength.

For instance, “Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you” can be a show of niceness when that ‘enemy’ is present, and gossip when they are absent. Love from the heart cares about the well-being of others, whether they are nearby or not.

As I write that, I point fingers at myself. I can be critical of my “friends” when they are not around. Love does not do that. Hypocrisy does. I need the Holy Spirit to fill me with love and give me His ways to show it. My efforts will always fall short.

This is why teaching those nations was a waste of time. A list of rules does not change hearts. That priest may have taught them the fear of the Lord, but if attacking lions could not bring that result, his teaching could not either. 

Lord, I sometimes fear that my knowledge will always be greater than my obedience, my laziness will overcome my zeal, and my selfishness will mock Your grace. I know my weak sinfulness and need of Your Spirit to enable obedience. Fill me up — that You will be glorified.

Knowing truth is not enough…

One of the spiritual gifts in Romans 12 is teaching. It means having a great desire to gather information and pass it along to others. Those whose gift-mix has this at the top of their motivational strengths might be found in a class and a classroom, but the gift motivates libraries, many websites including Pinterest, newspaper columnists, books, home-keeping hints, and all schools and colleges.

God gave His people this inner desire for a reason. A few examples from the OT:

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. (Ezra 7:10)
On the second day the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:13)
Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. (Psalm 111:2)
Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. (Ecclesiastes 12:9)

Spiritual education is vital. Without a hunger to know the will of God, I would be ignorant of how He works and how He enriches my life. Yet Bible study is not merely for gathering information. What I learn is useless unless I do what it says. Otherwise, stuffing my head with facts and data is a negative waste of time:

My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. (Ecclesiastes 12:12)

When Jesus taught in the temple, the religious leaders were amazed and said, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” (John 7:15) This shows more about them than it does Jesus. He knew because He relied on His Father and obeyed Him. He told these leaders:

My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law... (John 7:16–19)

Paul later picked up on the same theme: knowing but not doing what you know makes learning a farce:

But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. (Romans 2:17–23)

The NT stresses that gathering information from God and about God is to transform my life, not make me into a gifted theologian who does not put to use what I know. The Lord says: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

That is why sound study includes application. It is not information gathering per se, but life changing. So when seeking to be educated about the Lord, I must understand the historical and cultural context, the literary context, make observations, and diligently apply it to my life. Otherwise, I may get the meaning but all it does is swell my head!

PRAY: Application is the hardest for information gatherers. I like to know reams of data, but often fail in the most important reason for knowing. Doing that would be like the person who collects the best way to clean out a refrigerator, but their own is absolutely filthy. I want to know the truths about You, but also be transformed by that knowledge into Your likeness. Enable me to zealously apply what You are revealing to me.

Apply this. . . .

Piper’s devotional for today gives an example of summarizing a passage to apply it.He used Luke 18. I tried it with Philippians 4 and here is the result. . . . 

Stay Firm

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Stay United

I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Stay in Peace

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Stay Mindful

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Stay Contented

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Stay Generous

Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Stay Loving
To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (Philippians 4:1–23)

This could be divided into more sections and have even more applications. I picked those that first caught my attention. Besides this, God spoke to me again in a dream. I was feeling yucky last night and complained about it. In my dream, He clearly said, “Choose joy” and reminded me of my ‘hero’ at church who is always “just fine’ when he has many things wrong with his body. His joy is infectious and an example of always being filled with the Holy Spirit who is the author of joy.

PRAY: Jesus, again You give me much to think about and to do. Stand strong in faith, promote unity not division, pray about everything, think godly thoughts, be satisfied and joyful no matter what, and be loving and generous to all. In other words, be like You! Thank You for living in me. Otherwise all this would be totally out of reach.

Faith overcomes trials and temptations

A friend usually has good theology, but sometimes struggles with living it out. This person easily memorizes Scripture and can quote entire passages, but has a gap between that knowledge and its application, often without realizing it.

I know this problem. The spiritual gift of teaching is about gathering information and sharing it with others. The flesh tosses in the problem of thinking just because I know it, then I have it. Sometimes the gap is explained as head knowledge rather than heart knowledge, as if the mind grasped a truth but the inner person missed the point of it, or didn’t connect it to life. A reason? The old nature of a teacher is proud of knowing things, and that pride stands between knowing and doing? Whatever the reason, this is addressed by the NT:

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. (James 1:22–25)

Hearers with a desire to share easily forget to act, likely to go on in search of new information. This is opposite to doers, even though those who are quick to act also have problems. They sometimes see needs and jump into doing something without first seeking God’s will.

That said, Jesus is my Savior and uses all things to change my fleshy reactions and spiritual motivations to doing what pleases Him. He wants me to be like Him rather than wanting glory for myself, or to simply ignoring what He is trying to tell me.

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)

One of the ‘all things’ is temptation. While God is not the author of it, He does use it…

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:12–15)

God has the uncanny ability to used temptation against itself, first as a revelation to show me any attitudes and desires that need confession and certainly any actions that give in to those attitudes and desires. That means when I have a problem that could be a temptation to sin, God uses it to motivate faith and make the trial become an asset:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

Whether I call them trials, temptations, or tests, the negative stuff of life is about God revealing to me how much I need Him and need to trust Him. This makes faith the victory that overcomes temptation, turns trials into good things, and therefore grant me a passing mark on another test. As today’s devotional writer says: “We are nothing: Christ is all” and that means I am standing and walking by faith.

PRAY: Jesus, You are teaching me about my helplessness and that I cannot do anything for myself. I must hand all temptation over to You and trust You to conquer it for me. Sometimes it is hard to put a problem into Your hands and leave it there, yet You want me to patiently endure without yielding to a fleshy response or believing any lies. Faith cannot see the answer, but faith trusts You, even when all seems dark. I leave myself and my concerns in Your hands.

Another Blind Spot

Genesis 39; Job 5; Mark 9; Romans 9

Most of us know at least one person who researches everything. I’m thinking of the people who will not buy just any toaster but must examine Consumer Reports and every other evaluation possible until they find the very best one for their needs. They do thorough work but they can have blind spots.

Job’s ‘friend’ Eliphaz claimed to have searched out Job’s situation and that his conclusion was correct. He told Job that all he had to do was deal with the sin in his life. Then God would bless him . . .

You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season. Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good.” (Job 5:26–27)

Toasters are one thing but when it comes to knowing the needs of others and the mind of God, even the most careful research fails to cannot connect all the dots. Each of us, including the wisest of Bible scholars, must admit to blind spots.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29)

We are mere mortals. God does not tell us everything. Who could handle such knowledge? We would run interference anyway, like Eliphaz did. Instead, God lets us in on what we need to know. In this situation, Job’s faith was put to the test by terrible trials. Even he was not told why this was happening to him.

God’s revelations are always a mystery. One person might read the Bible and ‘get it’ but another reads it and has no clue. Jesus spoke clearly to His disciples about His death and resurrection, but they did not grasp what He said.

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying and were afraid to ask him. (Mark 9:30–32)

Paul give an important example of how this mysterious revelation happens. God choose the Jews to be His people and in giving them the Law, they were held responsible to keep it, but they did not. Their failure was that missing ingredient, the blind spot of faith.

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 9:30–33)

The Jews did not realize their inability to keep God’s Law, and if they did, they did not repent and turn to God for grace. They kept trying, reshaping the Law and became increasingly blind to their shortfall. When Jesus came, they were so bent on saving themselves by their works that they missed seeing Him as God’s revelation of Himself. Instead of turning to Him in faith and trusting Him as their Savior, they put Him to death. They didn’t get it. They were done in by their blind spot.

Today, I’m in the dark about God’s purpose in my sudden nosebleed. He says He uses all things for my good, yet this threatens travel to my sister’s Celebration of Life on Saturday. Instead of speculating His reasons, I am trusting Him. He may choose to reveal why this is happening or not. In the meantime, I will obey what I do know and trust in Him with my blind spots.

God loves me — so what?

The Bible teaches that God wants the best for us. The enemy denies that, even lies to us saying that God does not care or is not listening or whatever will keep us from listening to God or doing what He says.

Yet the promises of God are clear. He told Joshua how to thrive as a leader of Israel; he must seek God’s will and do it:

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

The psalmist also had it figured out. He knew that he must read what God says, meditate on those truths, and delight in them. They would change his life:

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.” (Psalm 119:15–16)

Jesus made several statements that reinforce the love of God in giving His commands. He said that keeping them was vital toward being a valued member of God’s kingdom:

“Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)

In contrast, Jesus also said that knowing the commands yet ignoring them would bring disaster:

“And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” (Matthew 7:26)

Based on these and many other passages that say God gives His people instructions because He loves us and wants the best for us, Tozer makes some bold statements. He says, “I am convinced that some Bible classes are nothing more than a means whereby men become even more settled in their religious prejudices.”

I’ve thoughts on that too. What good does it do to study for mere academic knowledge? How can my life be changed if I can exegete passages, explain mysteries, or write scholarly commentaries, but do not do what God says? Tozer quotes the American evangelist, Charles Finney as saying it is sinful to teach the Bible without moral application. Why read it if it will be ignored in life?

Sunday school teaches children to read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it, and do what it says. I need to follow that same instruction. I’ve had the bad habit of doing the first two and maybe the fourth one but leaving out memorizing and obedience. My pride assumes that if “I know it” that is all there is. Wrong.

A professor I know wrote a book that thoroughly covers what the Bible says about demons and Satan. Many reputable scholars highly rate this book. I’ve not read it, but all indications are that this book leaves the reader to figure out how to apply it.

In contrast, we pray with another couple for our families. We are using a book about the strategies of Satan. It is highly practical. The author is a pastor who has been through spiritual wars, just as we are experience warfare in our prayer time. The book tells us what Satan is trying to do, how he does it, and what we need to do to overcome his tactics. I’ve this image in my head of the devil’s reaction to our study and obedience — he is not happy and trying to think of other ways to stop us. At the very least, our prayers are changing our lives.

^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I am an academic by nature, but a practical person by heart. If something has no value for life, I am not going to do it just to add a framed piece of paper to my wall. In the kingdom of God, study is useless without obedience for it is obedience that shapes me to be more like You. You said that eternal life is about knowing God and knowing You. It is also what I do in response to what and who I know. I cannot say I love You without doing what You ask of me. This seems a no-brainer yet all of us brainy types tend to get caught up in knowing and forget about doing. As Your Word says, “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” Love is all about obedience. Forgive me — and continue to discipline me to get with it!