Psalm 1:1-3 - Head or Heart Religion (continued).
Psalm 1:1-3 - Head or Heart Religion (continued).
Psa 1:1-3 (KJV) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the
counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth
in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the
LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be
like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his
fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he
doeth shall prosper.
It is possible to spend your whole life knowing about the
truths of God and never experiencing any of them. Simply knowing about
the truths of God does not mean that they have become a part of your
life. Here is the important question: What are you doing with the word
of God? Some people allow themselves to come under the influence of
ungodly thinking to the point that God's Word makes no difference to
them. If you seek your counsel from ungodly persons, you will find
yourself moving away from the direction God's Word commands. If you
intentionally seek out sinners as your companions, they will lead you down
paths that take you far from God. If you choose to join those who are
scornful, you will eventually become cynical.
The righteous man does not find encouragement in the opinions
of others but in God's Word. He is not content with a surface
knowledge of Scripture but meditates on it day and night until he is
satisfied that what he reads reflects his own experience. He becomes like
a fruit tree standing firmly on the bank of the river. The tree is
well nourished and produces delicious fruit and bountiful leaves.
People come from miles around to sit in its shade and eat its fruit.
If you allow God to implement His Word in your life, others
will draw encouragement from you. The more you grow in God's
righteousness, the stronger you will become. Some people would look in vain to
find anyone they were encouraging, but not so the righteous person. A
constant stream of people will seek you out because they know that your
life will be a blessing. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and
Richard Blackaby Psa. 1:1-3]
There is nothing more calculated to strengthen the intellect
than a study of the Bible. No other book is so potent to elevate the
thoughts, to give vigor to the faculties, as the broad, ennobling truths
of the Bible. If God's Word were studied as it should be, men would
have a breadth of mind, a nobility of character, that is rarely seen
in these times.
No knowledge is so firm, so consistent, so far-reaching, as
that obtained from a study of the Word of God. If there were not
another book in the wide world, the Word of God, lived out through the
grace of Christ, would make man perfect in this world, with a
character fitted for the future, immortal life. Those who study the Word,
taking it in faith as the truth, and receiving it into the character,
will be complete in Him who is all and in all. Thank God for the
possibilities set before humanity. . .
The time devoted to a study of God's Word and to prayer will
bring a hundredfold in return.
The Word of God is the living seed, and as this seed is sown
in the mind, the human agent must give diligent care to the
successive stages of its growth. How is this to be done? After the Word has
been prayerfully received, it is to be cherished, and practiced in
the daily life. It is to spring up and bear fruit, putting forth
first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. {
It is not enough to study the Bible as other books are
studied. In order for it to be understood savingly, the Holy Spirit must
move on the heart of the searcher. The same Spirit that inspired the
Word must inspire the reader of the Word. Then will be heard the
voice of heaven. "Thy Word, O God, is truth" will be the language of
the soul.
The mere reading of the Word will not accomplish the result
designed of Heaven; it must be studied, and cherished in the heart. The
knowledge of God is not gained without mental effort. We should diligently
study the Bible, asking God for the aid of the Holy Spirit, that we
may understand His Word. We should take one verse, and concentrate
the mind on the task of ascertaining the thought which God has put
in that verse for us. We should dwell on the thought till it
becomes our own, and we know "what saith the Lord." . .
The Word of God is the bread of life. Those who eat and digest
this Word, making it a part of every action and of every attribute of
character, grow strong in the strength of God. It gives immortal vigor to
the soul, perfecting the experience and bringing joys that will
abide forever. {LHU 111}
Make Christ first and last and best in everything. AH106
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