Daily Worship, Spirit and Word Aug. 29, 2024
How important is listening to God’s Word and keeping them in your heart and in your mouth so that you may observe and do them?
“So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”” (1 Samuel 15:22–23, NKJV)
King Saul was given a word from God. He didn’t do it. Saul “re-interpreted” it to allow everyone to do what they wanted to do. As a result we get these words from Samuel. “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” “Listening is better than the fat of rams.” “Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft.” “Stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry.” When we reject the word of God, we are rejecting the authority that appointed us to our authority and kingship.
We attend to the word of God because we want His words written on our hearts. We keep His words in our mouth so that we will not forget who made us. We meditate in His words day and night so that we may observe and do them. “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11, NKJV) “I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.” (Psalm 119:16, NKJV) “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105, NKJV)
Whether you want to say, “A believer should”, or, “A believer gets to”, know that continuing in and abiding in the words of Christ Jesus are essential to faith. There is no faith without God’s word. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. There is no redemption and salvation without faith. There is no drawing near to God without faith and there is no faith without God’s word abiding in you. The word of God is essential to believing God. Write His words on your heart by continually speaking them to your heart. Then, when you have a need, your heart will speak them to you. “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:8–10, NKJV)