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In Psalm
119 (see BELIEVE pages 216-218), we see in almost every one of the 176 verses
something that we can gain from studying the Word of God. But it is not enough to
read the virtues of God’s word, or even to hear them taught, as we see in the
two foundations of rock and sand, found in the Sermon on the Mount. No, we must
not only hear but also do what the word of God says.
Adrian
Rogers illustrates how we need to apply the virtues of the Word of God: Imagine
a person who says, “Oh, pastor, I’m just so physically weak, I can hardly get
out of bed. I’m so worn out.” After the pastor asks a few questions, he finds
out that the man only eats one day a week, but only when it’s good weather and
only when he feels like going to the restaurant. He doesn’t eat again until the
next Sunday afternoon. No wonder he is physically weak.
In the same way, some only eat spiritual food
on Sundays. They not only don’t read or study the Word of God the rest of the
week, they also do not apply the virtues found within the Word
of God throughout the week. As a result, they have no spiritual vitality.
What are
some virtues that we need? First we need to be anchored in the walk found and
prescribed in the Word of God. Look at Ps. 119:10, “Oh, let me not wander from
Your commandments,” (KJV). I mentioned earlier the two builders on foundations
of sand and rock. The house built on the hearing and
doing of the words of Christ is the house that will stand against the storms of
life. Anchor your path on the firm rock of
Christ’s teachings by studying His word. Proverbs 2 speaks about another pair,
but these, like Robert Frost’s two roads found in the yellow
wood, will make all the difference between a path to destruction or a path to deliverance.
Secondly, we
need to be built up in our faith through Bible Study and practical application.
The Bible says Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Rom.
10:17). Studying the Scriptures will not only anchor you with a firm
foundation, it will also build up your faith. Are you wavering in your faith?
Study the Word of God. Are you weak in your beliefs? Seek out Godly counsel
with others who have travelled the road a little further along than you have.
Are you weary in well doing as it says in Galatians 6:9? It is probably because
you are reaping what you have sowed and if you are not building up your faith
in God’s Word, your faith will not grow strong.
Thirdly,
we need to cleanse ourselves by the washing of the water of the Word. King
James reads Psalm 119:9 this way, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By
taking heed according to Your word.” Paul said that the water of the word of
God washes, cleanses and sanctifies us (Eph. 5: 26). In John 15:3, Jesus
said, “You are clean through the word which I have spoken to you.” God’s word
reminds us we are cleansed at salvation, it refreshes us in the present and
will reward us in the future when we are ultimately cleansed from our sins at
the resurrection.
So how can
we apply the virtues of the Word of God? It’s as simple as ABC. Let the word of
God Anchor our walk with His
firm foundation, Build our
Faith, and Cleanse our past, present, and future.
