Take your time and read Psa. 119. There you find 176 verses of great insight. What I want you to focus on is God's child David in regard to the word of the Lord, the teachings of the Lord in his life and mind. God's word, the truth of His word should have first place in our listening to Him. But there is something else. We find people all the time that read and study from the word of the Lord yet they miss the truth. Jesus knew there were people who studied Scriptures and missed God completely (John 5:39-40). The reason is they aren't seeking the truth but using the word as something not intended by the Lord. The lawyer who came to Jesus asking what he could do to inherit eternal life (Luke 10:25-28). Jesus pointed the man to what the Scriptures taught. Somehow he had missed it! If one isn't careful they can miss (or I can miss) the truth in Scripture because our hearts aren't believing what is written but adding what we already know to what we read and the Lord doesn't reveal the truth from that point. Peter urged his fellow-Christians to desire the pure milk of the word of God to grow out of the fleshliness of envy, malice and the like (I Pet. 2:1-2).
For people to dismiss the Scriptures and the study of them by taking off on some man's book or idea didn't learn to do that from the Scripture! Be wary of those who point to man, who point to man's writings to draw one closer to the Lord. Be wary of those who use the word of God to win an argument! Be wary of those who use the Holy Word as simply knowledge to put others down. Let me remind you, it is possible to be able to quote Bible and be a reprobate. Didn't we learn that from the Pharisees? The devil did it to Jesus!
It was the Lord Jesus who opened the mind of His disciples to understand the Scripture (Luke 24:45). That tells us that the Lord is in control who gains. Those with pure motives, pure hearts, seeking for His righteousness and truth are the ones who gain. I know someone reading might think I am writing as if I have it all together. I am pointing that I continually search, keeping context and desire the truth from His word. When someone shows me something I may have missed or misapplied, I diligently seek out what is shown to see if they are correct. I'm not afraid to be wrong! Understanding comes from the Lord. It was Jesus instructing a Samaritan woman that true worshipers will worship both in spirit and truth. It's these that God seeks out (John 4:23-24).
Love the word. It's okay to read books but do not let a man or his writings over-ride the Holy Spirit inspired writings of God. Let the Scriptures mold your thinking. Let the Scriptures dwell in your heart and mind. Let the Scriptures be trusted above all else. When we trust completely God's word, we are placing our heart into His hands, calling on Him to reveal Himself through His word. That's much deeper than quoting or head knowledge!!
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