Here we are at day 4 of our 21 Days to Spiritual Renewal. Perhaps
it’s a good time to ask God to give us a check-up from the neck-up, so we can
receive an attitude adjustment. All of us struggle with pride and
self-sufficiency in one form or another. Spiritual pride is directly opposed to
spiritual renewal.
Spiritual Wordkeeping can only be done by an individual who is
eager to hear God’s voice through the Word. It takes a humble heart, and a
teachable spirit. All personal opinions must be set aside, and God’s opinion
must be uplifted in high esteem. When we have a humble, teachable spirit, God
rejoices, because He can come and dwell in us. The proud heart, the
independent, self-sufficient person can never taste of the delights of
Wordkeeping.
Wordkeeping should never be undertaken without prayer. The cry of our hearts must be, “Lord, teach me Your will. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I may comprehend what You are saying to me. Show me Your truth. Make my heart willing to receive it. Empower me to follow what You reveal to me in Your Word. Mold me into Your image. Without You, I am nothing.”
Wordkeeping is in effect saying to God, "Take away my thoughts and feelings and replace them with Your thoughts and feelings." God says, "I will gladly do that for you, my child, as you expose your mind to My Word. There you will see My character as revealed in Jesus. As you gaze on Me through the Wordkeeping experience, you will become like Me."
When our approach to the Word of God is made with a reverent
attitude, we are ready to receive the truth God has in store for us. Our hearts
will stand in awe of God as He communes with us. Then we will treasure every
Word of God. This is true Wordkeeping.
The reason why so many don’t appreciate the Bible is that they
tread on holy ground in a careless, profane manner. They come to the Bible to
prove their pet theories, or to place their selfish expectations on God. They
demand that He fall in line with their perverse thinking. If something crosses
their desires, they ignore it, or twist it to suit their interpretation. They
may congratulate themselves that they are avid Bible students, and feel that
they have a great knowledge of scriptural facts, but the Spirit is absent from
their study.
Reading the Bible with a careless attitude or opinionated view
will not bring spiritual benefit to the reader. One verse or passage studied
and meditated upon by the Wordkeeper (who is truly willing to keep the Word)
yields more spiritual treasure than reading the entire Bible by a
non-Wordkeeper.
When we have a humble attitude of a learner, every phrase and
verse in the scripture brings a message from God. Solemn joy will fill our
hearts as we sense God’s presence. The beauty of the scriptures unfolds more
and more as the seeker probes deeper and deeper into the treasure house. Deep
hidden meanings are unveiled with great rejoicing.
The beauty of the Bible is that the more we Wordkeep, the more
humble and teachable we become! The more we read of Jesus, and His selfless
character, the more we admire Him. That admiration translates into imitation,
because even subconsciously we imitate that with which we are familiar. The
more familiar we become with someone, the greater his influence over us.
What a marvelous plan God has for us! As we become familiar with
the character of Jesus through Wordkeeping, then that character is developed in
us.
It takes concentration and deliberate focus to keep from being
distracted because our enemy is constantly trying to draw our minds away from
this sacred communion. But holy angels will be by our sides, shining divine
light on the Word of God.
We must exercise our mind to grasp these truths, or it will grow
weak. We can’t depend on someone else to spoon feed us, we must discover and
eat the words of truth for ourselves. As we study with a prayerful, earnest
heart, God will reveal gems of truth that will be ever so precious to us.
We need to approach the Bible with the reverence and awe of a
little child coming to a vastly superior Being. We must sense our inability to
comprehend without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. No greatness of
intelligence can master the difficult passages of scripture.
We need to have a prayerful dependence on God. Our humble hearts
must be bowed down in submission and receptivity to what God wants to say to
us, without argument of resistance on our part. Only those with a humble and
teachable spirit will receive spiritual wisdom from the Word.
Father, I come to you as a little child, seeking to be taught. Oh, how I need your Spirit. Please save me from my pride and know-it-all attitude. Help me to lay down all my opinions at your feet. I desire only Your truth. Please teach me your truth. “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Psalm 119:18
Here are your ten texts for today.
|
Psa
5:2 |
Hutvomc, mK, amG: fuTwIp. |
Psalm
5:2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will
I pray. |
|
Psa
5:3 |
MvsThitm. OL; itmwIdmpuT, awlu. |
Psalm
5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I
direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. |
|
Psa
19:14 |
Ltwomm, atmomh, baits, OL, ms, amr. |
Psalm
19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable
in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. |
|
Psa
23:1 |
TLims, Isnw. |
Psalm
23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. |
|
Psa
23:2 |
Hmmtldigp: hlmbtsw. |
Psalm
23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the
still waters. |
|
Psa
23:3 |
Hrms: hlmitporfhns. |
Psalm
23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for
his name's sake. |
|
Psa
23:4 |
Y, tIwttvotsod, Iwfne: ftawm; tratstcm. |
Psalm
23: 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort
me. |
|
Psa
23:5 |
Tpatbmitpome: tamhwo; mcro. |
Psalm
23: 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou
anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. |
|
Psa
23:6 |
Sgamsfmaldoml: aIwdihotLfe. |
Psalm
23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I
will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. |
|
Psa
27:14 |
WotL: bogc, ahssth: w, Is, otL. |
Psalm
27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine
heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. |
In His Love,
Linda Kirk
(805) 239-1120