Based on Psalm 119:161-168 (New King James Version)
“Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your word. I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure. I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your law. Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments. Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble. Lord, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments. My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You.”
There are two things that are fundamental for every person that confesses to be a Christ follower, and these are: loving God’s Word and remembering God’s testimonies. There is nothing else that can strengthen us more than these two things, especially if we desire to have an immovable faith. These things in all reality should be the base of everything in our lives because they are immovable and irrefutable.
If we see the first point, loving God’s Word, it is necessary to understand key things about this. The Word of God is the foundation for everything that exists. We must remember that everything was created through the Word of God. If we read the beginning of the book of Genesis, we see there that God spoke or used His Word to create everything. As it is written: “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” Genesis 1:3. “Then God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.’” Genesis 1:6. “Then God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear’; and it was so.” Genesis 1:9. “Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth’; and it was so.” Genesis 1:11. “Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth’; and it was so.” Genesis 1:14-15. We could continue citing more Scripture, but you will notice that God “said”, “spoke”, pronounced words that came out of His mouth, and the incredible was produced, because God is the only Being in all of the universe that can create, or make something out of nothing. Man cannot create anything; only manipulate what already exists.
We see those that were able to attain great things because they also understood the simple fact that by God just saying something, or pronouncing Himself somehow, that miracles would happen. We see this in the following story, as it was also left written: “Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.’ When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour.” Matthew 8:5-13.
The Word of God is vital to everything in this life and in eternity. As the Lord Himself said it: “‘…It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’’” Luke 4:4. Everything depends on the Word of God. Everything was created through the Word of God. Everything has life because of the Word of God. The great miracles and acts of God are possible through His Word. The knowledge of God and of all things are in the Word of God. In summary, the Word of God is everything, and in Him are all things, the past, the present, and the future. From Genesis to Revelation, we find God’s complete counsel to man. That is why His Word are not mere words printed in a book or as we have them today, as information on a screen. Whatever form the Word has, whether it is printed, whether if its through a screen, or even if it is mentioned by another human being, the Word of God is precisely that: The Word of God. And what makes it so special, so powerful, is that the Word of God is God Himself, His Person, the person of Christ, as it is also written: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4. And through this is that we also know that the person of Christ is what makes everything exist and consist possible, as it is written: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17. This is the power and Person of the Word of God. That is why His Word is so important and must be foundational in our lives.
Now then, and in conjunction with what has been said, are His testimonies. What are His testimonies? The things God has done, His actions, His works. Through this is that we know that God is God, and that everything is possible for Him. Through His acts are that we know that He is Who He is because there is no one that can do the things He has done. God created everything (as we saw earlier) through His Word. God was the God of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob, of Moses, of Elijah, of David, of the prophets, and He did different things for them. His acts speak of Who He is. We see this also in the Word: “Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:19-20. Everything that was created speaks of His greatness, of His acts, they give testimony of Who He is and of what He is capable of. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1. Every time we see the sun, the moon and the stars, that we see the mountains, the valleys, the waters, the animals, and even when we look in the mirror, it all speaks of Him. And of course, the greatest testimony of His love for us is when He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, so that He could die for all of humanity’s sins, for your sin and my sin. Nothing compares to the testimonies of my God. Great are His testimonies!
Loving God’s Word and remembering His testimonies are what finally help us understand Who He is and how to come to love Him, and that is man’s all, because: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5. So then, what place does God’s Word and His testimonies have in your life? Lord bless! John