Psalm 1:1-3 - The Blessing of Gods Word.
Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV) Blessed is the man Who
walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor
stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat
of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the
law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day
and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by
the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit
in its season, Whose leaf also shall not
wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
WORD STUDY
Law of the LORD: means all of Scripture:
[Life Application SB]
Christian Meditation: is persistent
reflection on Gods Word. You can learn how to follow
God by meditating on his Word. Meditating means
spending time reading and thinking about what you
have read. It means asking yourself how you
should change so you're living as God wants.
Knowing and meditating on God's Word are the first
steps toward applying it to your everyday life.
[Life Application SB]
INTRODUCTION
Apart from Him you have no life. You have no
power to resist temptation or to grow in grace and
holiness. Abiding in Him, you may flourish. Drawing
your life from Him, you will not wither nor be
fruitless. You will be like a tree planted by the
rivers of water... Our growth in grace, our joy,
our usefulness, - all depend upon our union with
Christ. It is by communion with Him, daily, hourly,
- by abiding in Him, - that we are to grow in
grace. He is not only the Author, but the Finisher
of our faith. It is Christ first and last and
always. He is to be with us, not only at the
beginning and the end of our course, but at every step
of the way. SC68-70
COMMENTARY PEARL
From Seedling To Tree
It is no accident that the Bible compares
us to trees, urging us to grow spiritual roots
that are deep and strong. But a tree wasn't
always a tree. It began as a small seed. Spiritual
life also begins with a seed - the seed of God's
Word planted in the soil of our souls that
eventually sprouts and becomes a new seedling as we are
born again. But though we're saved, we aren't
meant to remain spiritual seedlings, weak and
vulnerable to every temptation or doubt or falsehood or
fear. God's will is for us to grow strong in our
faith and become mature, grounded in the truth of
His Word and firmly committed to doing His will
(1 Peter 2:2).
Giving your life to Christ is an
essential first step - but it is only the first step.
God's will is for you to become spiritually
mature, growing stronger in your relationship to
Christ and your service for Him. Conversion is the
work of an instant; spiritual maturity is the
work of a lifetime.
Is your faith like a seedling, a sprout,
or a mature tree? [Peace for Each Day by Billy
Graham]
COMMENTARY
There is nothing more calculated to
strengthen the intellect than a study of the Bible. No
other book is so potent to elevate the thoughts,
to give vigor to the faculties, as the broad,
ennobling truths of the Bible. If God's Word were
studied as it should be, men would have a breadth of
mind, a nobility of character, that is rarely seen
in these times.
No knowledge is so firm, so consistent,
so far-reaching, as that obtained from a study
of the Word of God. If there were not another
book in the wide world, the Word of God, lived
out through the grace of Christ, would make man
perfect in this world, with a character fitted for
the future, immortal life. Those who study the
Word, taking it in faith as the truth, and
receiving it into the character, will be complete in
Him who is all and in all. Thank God for the
possibilities set before humanity. . .
The time devoted to a study of God's Word
and to prayer will bring a hundredfold in
return.
The Word of God is the living seed, and
as this seed is sown in the mind, the human
agent must give diligent care to the successive
stages of its growth. How is this to be done? After
the Word has been prayerfully received, it is to
be cherished, and practiced in the daily life.
It is to spring up and bear fruit, putting
forth first the blade, then the ear, then the full
corn in the ear.
It is not enough to study the Bible as
other books are studied. In order for it to be
understood savingly, the Holy Spirit must move on the
heart of the searcher. The same Spirit that
inspired the Word must inspire the reader of the
Word. Then will be heard the voice of heaven. "Thy
Word, O God, is truth" will be the language of the
soul.
The mere reading of the Word will not
accomplish the result designed of Heaven; it must be
studied, and cherished in the heart. The knowledge of
God is not gained without mental effort. We
should diligently study the Bible, asking God for
the aid of the Holy Spirit, that we may
understand His Word. We should take one verse, and
concentrate the mind on the task of ascertaining the
thought which God has put in that verse for us. We
should dwell on the thought till it becomes our
own, and we know "what saith the Lord."
The Word of God is the bread of life.
Those who eat and digest this Word, making it a
part of every action and of every attribute of
character, grow strong in the strength of God. It gives
immortal vigor to the soul, perfecting the experience
and bringing joys that will abide forever. {LHU
111}
When Reading Isnt Enough
Theres nothing as good as freshly
prepared food, is there? Sometimes my wife doesnt
have everything on hand for what she wants to
make, but she still can go into the kitchen, take
all the ingredients, and make something
fantastic.
Thats how it was with the manna God
provided for the Israelites in the wilderness. They
needed to prepare it. They didnt just eat this
manna; they made things with it.
Its the same way with the Word of God.
We need to read it, but then we must
internalize it. Interestingly, we find this promise in
the book of Revelation: Blessed is he who
reads and those who hear the words of this
prophecy, and keep those things which are written in
it; for the time is near (Revelation 1:3
NKJV).
This is referring to the book of
Revelation, but I think this promise also applies to the
Bible in general. The person who reads, hears, and
keeps the Word of God will experience blessings as
a result.
It isnt enough to simply read the
Bible. We need to hear the Bible, and by that, I
mean as Jesus said, He who has ears to hear,
let him hear! (Matthew 11:15 NKJV). You can
read an entire chapter of the Bible without
comprehension. Thats why we not only need to read
Gods Word, but we need to hear it, think about
it, internalize it, memorize it, and meditate on
it.
The word meditate might bring to
mind the Eastern form of meditation, but biblical
meditation is different. In Eastern meditation, they
try to empty their minds, but in biblical
meditation, were filling our minds with the Word of
God. Theres a significant difference.
We can find everything we need to know
about God in the pages of Scripture. We can find
everything we need to know about life there as well. So
take time to read, hear, and keep Gods Word.
[Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Just as a tree soaks up water and bears
luscious fruit, we also are to soak up God's Word,
producing actions and attitudes that honor God. To
achieve anything worthwhile, we must have God's Word
in our hearts. [Life Application SB]
Seek to be an evergreen tree. Wear the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the
sight of God of great price. Cherish the grace of
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. This is the
fruit of the Christian tree. Planted by the rivers
of water, it always brings forth its fruit in
due season (MS 39, 1896). 3BC1142
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
Psalm 1:1-3 - The Blessing of Gods Word.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220210-0919.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
