For Ezra had prepared and set his heart to seek the Law (the Word) of the Lord [to inquire for it and of it, to require and yearn for it], and to do It, and to teach in Israel Its statutes and Its ordinances (Ezra 7:10 --Amplified Version).
We must set our hearts to seek to do the Word of God on a daily basis, throughout the day. The Bible clearly instructs us to be an active participant of the Word, not just a hearer of it (in one ear and out the other), (mentally and emotionally) deceiving only ourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth] (James 1:22). The Bible is full of Scriptures that encourage us to seek out God's Word and His will. There are no exceptions in our seek or in our application of God's Word. We, who have been born of the water and of the Spirit of God must be fully invested in the Word of God.
The Holy Spirit instructs us to hide the Word in our hearts, that we may avoid actively engaging in sin both in our hearts and in our actions (Psalm 119:11/ paraphrased). There's a divine blessing in doing the Word of God and being mindful of it. What is the blessing? The Word of God empowers us to live like God in nature, thought and expectation.
Yes, our expectations change when we fully engage with the Word. We expect to be holy. We expect to have joy and God's peace. We expect to prosper! We expect to live in accordance to the will of God and to please Him everyday, wholeheartedly.
Why do we live in expectation? We live in expection, because we have the mind of Christ. Moreover, the mind of Christ enables us to comprehend the Word of God and God's will for our lives through the ministry work of the Holy Spirit (1Corinthians 2:9-16; Ephesians 3:5/ Amplified Version).
Knowing the Voice of God
It is imperative that we know God's Word. God's Word reveals God's voice. The voice of God is holiness without compromise found in the Word. On May 10, me and my sister in the Lord, Dominique Harris, were discussing the importance of distinguishing God's voice from that of a stranger; the Familiar voice vs. the foreign voice.
Jesus said, "My sheep know My voice and another they will not listen to (John 10:14 & 16)." God's voice will never, I repeat, will never lead you away from the Word of God or scatter you. Jesus, showed great sorrow as He viewed the state of His sheep (the church; the body of Christ). We can definitely count on the Word of God holding us together in those moments we feel scattered or discombobulated. Moreover, God's Word will never lead us away from the voice of God. God's voice will ALWAYS lead us to the Word not the world or its views.
1John 2:15 warns us not to cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him or her. ...As the Word remains, so are those who keep it (Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; 1Peter 1:25; 1John 2:17; Revelation 22:14).
If we regularly take the time to hide God's Word in our hearts and keep it, we will ALWAYS have the voice of God near us, to lead us and to guide us out of trouble in this world, into the perfect will of God.
The DNA of God
God's Word also reveals the personal DNA and nature of God. God is holy, and He hates sin, because sin draws us away from God. However, God's Word teaches us how to come out of darkness, into the marvelous light of Jesus Christ and who God is. As we obey the Word of God and listen to the voice of God, we find strength and refuge in who God is. He is a present help in the time of trouble. It is the nature of God to protect His sheep. How do we know that this is His nature? Because it's found in His Word.
David, king and shepherd of Israel (Psalm 78:70-72), dedicated a whole entire chapter on the importance of knowing God's Word. Psalm 119 is actually the longest chapter in the entire Bible. This chapter not only reveals the importance of knowing God's Word, but, also, the impact it should leave on our lives personally and our personal DNA. David understood, as king and shepherd to God's people, it would be impossible to affectively lead them without learning, knowing and obeying the Word of God and knowing who God is.
So, I encourage you today, like David, to get in the Word of God. Become a diligent student of the Word, studying to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who has no reason or cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully [teaching] the Word of Truth (1Timothy 2:15).
Through the Word of God you can live holy and teach other's to do the same. Isn't that Good News? Absolutely!
KINGDOM BUILDING UNITED
(Promoting the Good News of Jesus Christ around the globe)
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