Many years ago I made a fundamental shift in how I sweeten my coffee. I switched from processed sugar to natural honey! I love the taste and according to many nutritionist it is an healthy alternative. I enjoy my coffee and are receiving nutrients that are good for me and may be improving my resistance to allergens in the air.
God’s Holy Word is amazing! It is one of only two things that will go into eternity, people’s souls and the Word of God. Psalm 119 gives many benefits and promises to the one who regularly takes in, meditates on, and lives out God’s Word. This is not an exhaustive list but a good overview:
- Power to over come defeating and stubborn sin (119:9-11).
- Bring delight and wise counsel (119:24).
- Confidence in daily life and before those in authority (119:45,56).
- Comfort in times of great difficulty (119:50).
- More valuable than much gold and silver (earthly wealth) (119:72, 127).
- Source of enduring hope (119:81)
- Is firmly established and will never fail (119:89)
- Bring life and protection in the midst of evil enemies (119:93-96).
- Increases wisdom and understanding that is greater than all our enemies, teachers and elders (119:98-102).
- Provides light to move forward in life in the midst of a dark and evil world (119:105, 130)
- Is a lasting heritage that brings joy to our inner being (119:111).
- Our hope in which to hide and find a shield of protection (119:114, 147).
- A revealer of falsehood and verifier of what is true and lasting (119:113, 128, 142, 151, 160).
- Great peace and security now (119:165)
No wonder the Psalmist proclaimed in the midst of this chapter, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey in my mouth.” Psalm 119:103.
Has this been your experience? Do you wake up looking forward to tasting the Word of God as much as sipping your first cup of coffee? Do you think about and go to God’s life delivering, giving, protecting, rescuing, saving, and sustaining Word as much or more than you think about and go to lesser sources of knowledge like Facebook, on-line news feeds, news broadcast like ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC or a plethora of other human sources?
More than ever we are bombarded by thousand of pieces, sound bites of information generated by thousands of sources, almost all with an agenda to shape our thinking. How much more must we as God’s people check in with our Father through prayer and His eternal, never fading, never irrelevant, life-changing, healing, powerful, protecting, restoring, saving, sustaining, and transforming Word.
Read about the power of God’s Word:
Hebrews 4:12 (ESV): For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
1 Peter 1:22–25 (ESV): 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
Jeremiah 23:29 (ESV) Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
1 Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV) And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
Ephesians 6:17 (ESV): and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
The Word of God is not simply a cognitive exercise. We are not advocating reciting Scripture as though it were a secret mantra. It is much more than literature. The Word of God, the Bible, is said to be alive and powerful. It is God’s Word, at work in the believer through the ministry of the Holy Spirit that brings about a fundamental change in the person.
Howard A. Eyrich and William L. Hines, Curing the Heart: A Model for Biblical Counseling, Christian Focus Publications, Ltd, Geanies House, Fearn, Tain,Ross-shire, IV20 1TW, UK, 2002., p. 29.
If your in the Word daily, keep it up. It is an investment of your energy, focus and time that will result in lasting and powerful life returns. If you have neglected the Word, what’s keeping you from it? Confess and repent and get into the Word today. If you are unsure how to get into the Word, feel free to message me. I would be delighted to give you some guidance and help.
RESTORING HOPE 