Understanding

Psalm 119:100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

Many people base their understanding of life on personal experience rather than leaning on God’s Word to make informed and prudent choices.  There are four reasons why God’s Word is better and more valuable as a foundation for making decisions.

First, God’s Word is Exact. The experiences of even a worldly man are only a few when compared to the wisdom contained in the Word of God. God’s Word covers every circumstance which produces happiness. The Word of God is not based on the knowledge of just a man, but on the omniscience of God.

Second, God’s Word is Absolute. It is the source for all true wisdom, while experience is ambiguous at best. It is difficult to gather great wisdom from the feelings found in experience.

Deuteronomy 29:2-4 ...Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great temptations which thine eyes have seen the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.

Third, the Word of God is Safer and Cheaper. The cost of tuition from learning by experience is expensive, but the cost of learning by God’s Word is discovered while on our knees.

Fourth, the Word of God is Shorter. Learning by experience is the long way. The foolish virgins will tell you not to wait too long to learn from God’s Word, or it may be too late.

God’s Word Produces Understanding

Psalm 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for Thy testimonies are my meditation.

Who couldn’t love the Word of God? Not only does it make you wiser than your enemies, it also gives you greater understanding than your teachers. In fact, the greatest knowledge of all is the knowledge of the Word of God. Through meditation of God’s Word our understanding will exceed the understanding of even our teachers. 

We may hear the wisest teachers and still remain fools, but wisdom is found by meditating on God’s Word. There is more wisdom in the testimonies of the Lord than in all the teachings of men if they were all gathered into one vast library. That one Book outweighs the total sum of all others.

According to this verse the surest way to excellence is to make the testimonies of the Lord your subject of study for life and to make meditation the method by which this subject is studied.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Psalm 1:1-3 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.

God's Word Produces Wisdom

Psalm 119:98 Thou through Thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

Who couldn’t love the Word of God? God will use it to make us wiser than our enemies. Although, as Jesus said, the people of this world are wise in their own generation, they are blind to spiritual wisdom. They are living well in a temporary existence, but cannot see eternal life. Everything for which the world strives is vain and will eventually end, even if it is believed to be perfect.

Even in this world our lives are more pleasant. Our guide is the Spirit of God, while Satan is the guide of the unsaved. Our security is in the power of God, while our enemies security is something that is just temporary. While the unsaved have no special grace to go through the trials of life, all our trials are faced with our hand in the hand of God.

The Word of God is always trustworthy and will never fail us. When we hide the Word of God in our hearts we have immediate access to ready help even through the greatest of difficulties. It is available to help us confront all temptations, to help us shoulder any burden, and to teach us what to do and for what we should hope. A good man will carry his Bible with him, maybe not in his hands, but always in his heart.

On the other hand, when we derive our wisdom and direction from without we are depending on something that is just temporary. Even the counsel of a great man will be imperfect because he isn’t perfect, and even the greatest of men cannot be available all the time.

God's Word Produces Love

Psalm 119:97 O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Who couldn’t love the Word of God?  It will convert our soul and give wisdom for our way. It is a light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet. It will protect us from the onslaught of the enemy and is our sword with which to do battle. Who would not claim to cherish God’s Word?

Do we truly love the Word of God? An indication of how much we love God’s Word is how much time we spend in God’s Word. You automatically spend time with the object of your love. If you love the Word of God, you will be investing valuable time in the Book.

God’s creation comes in groups of threes because it is patterned after the image of God, which is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. We are body, soul, and spirit. Time is divided into the past, the present, and the future. There are always three primary colors, whether ‘basic’ (red, yellow, blue), or ‘subtractive’ (magenta, yellow, cyan), or ‘additive’ (red, green, blue), or ‘cone’ (red, aquamarine, purple). Every object has three dimensions.

The three loves that cannot be separated are love for God, love for God’s Word, and love for people. You cannot have one without the other.

I John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 

John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God.

God's Word is Our Perfect

Psalm 119:96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but Thy commandment is exceeding broad.

Everything this world would consider to be perfect is going to have an end. Goliath - the biggest and strongest was overcome. Asahel - the fastest was overtaken. Ahithophel - the wisest was duped. The perfect car will eventually deteriorate. The perfect house requires upkeep. The world cannot produce absolute perfection.

While the world produces nothing that is really perfect, the Word of God has proven itself to be absolute perfection. Critics from varying fields of study have tried to find imperfection in God’s Word, but the closer they look and the more they study they discover that blemishes cannot be found. Whether they use scientific, historical, archaeological, anthropological, or etymological methods, the Word of God is always right. No matter how broad a person’s study may be and no matter how critical he may be of God’s Word, it proves itself to be perfect everytime.

When you consider the fact that nothing in this world is perfect, then you must admit that you are also not perfect. Also, when you consider that the Word of God is always perfect, then you must come to the point where you know that you will always fall short. 

It is when we realize this fact and seek forgiveness for our sins through repentance that we receive the perfection of the Word of God, Jesus Christ. This perfection is found inside the Gift of God and cannot be discovered by a work of man no matter how perfect it may be by our standard. Since our standard is the standard of a man and that standard is flawed, it would be impossible for that standard to produce everlasting perfection.

God's Word is Our Refuge

Psalm 119:95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider Thy Testimonies.

We need to be vigilant to constantly keep our thoughts upon God’s Word which will protect us from the malice of the wicked. The Word of God will give us peace in the midst of the storm and a calm harbor of safety in which to dwell. The Testimonies of the Lord will drive away the plans of the wicked.

The desire of the enemy of God is to turn our thoughts from the study of the Word of God, which will steer our hearts from His holy desires and cause our feet to stray from the straight and narrow way. The wicked are the natural enemies of holy men and holy thinking. If they could, they would not only damage us but destroy us, and if they cannot do this today they will just wait for another time, always hoping that their evil goals will be achieved. As long as our eyes are on the Word of God they will just have to wait in vain, because we will remain unmoved without giving the plans of the wicked a second thought.

The wicked are diligent to wait for any occasion to do evil. They are cruel and without mercy, and have no problem waiting to fulfill their destructive purposes. Their malice is insatiable, but just as Daniel was preserved in the midst of the lion’s den, so God watches over us and protects us from the ravening wolves. 

Although it is a great temptation to take our eyes off of Christ when the waves beat upon us. It is then that we need to keep our eyes on the Word of God, which will deliver us in the midst of hopeless despair.

We Belong to God

Psalm 119:94 I am thine, save me; for I have sought Thy precepts.

First - God is faithful to take care of any of His possessions. Just as good parents will take care of their children, God will take care of His children. In Isaiah 44:15 ‘Can a woman forget her sucking child? Yet will I not forget thee,’ God is telling us that even if a mother could forget her children He will not forget us.

Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Second - When we can say to God, “I am thine,” we are revealing our relationship with Him. Although many will deny it, because of Jesus Christ we belong to Him.

Isaiah 63:16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.

Third - If we belong to God, then God belongs to us. He is our Father and our God. It is a privilege and a blessing to be able to proclaim that we are servants of the Lord. It is so nice; King David proclaimed it twice.

Psalm 116:16 O LORD, truly I am Thy servant; I am Thy servant... 

Fourth - We are His because we have sought His precepts. When we have earnest affection for the Word of God, we prove to Him that we are His.

Hebrews 11:6 ...he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

God's Word is Our Strength

Psalm 119:93 I will never forget Thy precepts: for with them Thou hast quickened me.

It is through the Word of God that the Holy Spirit is able to give us life. Without the Word the Spirit would have no Sword and without the Spirit the Word of God would have no power.

Hebrews 12:4 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Unlike a physical sword which takes life from those who have it, the Sword of the Lord gives life to those who don’t. The Word of God takes that which is dead and gives it life, it takes that which is cold, and sad, and miserable and provides happiness and joy. 

The Word of God should not be used just to inform us, but to also inflame us. Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like a fire? saith the Lord. It is by God’s Word that we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Let’s not forget to read, to memorize, to study, and to meditate on it.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

God's Word is a Delight

Psalm 119:92 Unless Thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

This verse can be summed up very simply, The solution to affliction is God’s Word. Even if the affliction is bad enough to cause a man to perish God’s Word is still the answer.

In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus warns His disciples to Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. This warning gives us a picture of the spiritual condition of most Christians and how unprepared they are to face the afflictions of life.

Statistically, only nine percent of people who claim to be Christians base their choices in life on the Word of God. It is apparent that Jesus was right when He stated, “many there be which go in thereat,” when considering the fact that ninety-one percent of Christendom are on the broad way that leads to destruction.

They are on this broad way because they do not delight in the Word of God. The Word of God is the strait gate and it is the narrow way which leads away from the path of destruction and whoever delights in it will find it leads to an abundant life.

Though the cover is worn, and the pages are torn, and though places bear traces of tears; yet more precious than gold is the Book worn and old, that can shatter and scatter my fears. When I prayerfully look in the precious old Book, as my eyes scan the pages I see many tokens of love from the Father above, Who is nearest and dearest to me. This old Book is my guide, ‘tis a friend by my side, it will lighten and brighten my way; and each promise I find soothes and gladdens my mind as I read it and heed it today.

God's Word is Settled

Psalm 119:91 They continue this day according to Thine ordinances: for all are Thy servants.

While man debates what is and is not Scripture, what is and is not error. There is not the slightest doubt in the heart of God about what He has spoken. Men are quick to question the Word of God, because we have the same ear that Eve had and hear the question, “Yea, hath God said?” 

This verse refers to heaven and earth, which are mentioned in the two preceding verses. The entire solar system is the servant of God, and just as the sun will rise tomorrow, and the moon will continue to reflect its light, and the stars will continue to shine, God’s Word will continue to be true.

Is there an absolute authority in your life? Do you approach God’s Word with doubts? Do you really know that what God has said is true? Are you certain of His Word, or do you look at God’s Word with the eye of a skeptic?

The Word of God is settled forever in heaven. His faithfulness is unto all generations. All creation spins in appointed orbits in obedience to His Word. The Word of God is settled in the heart of God, but is it settled in your heart?

According to I Thessalonians 2:13 God’s Word is truly able to be effective when we believe it. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. I don’t waste even one second of time wondering whether or not I have God’s Word. He inspired His Word and He preserved it in the King James Bible.