Proverbs 7:1-4:
1MY SON, keep my words; lay up within you my commandments [for use when needed] and treasure them. 2Keep my commandments and live, and keep my law and teaching as the apple (the pupil) of your eye. 3Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4Say to skillful and godly Wisdom, You are my sister, and regard understanding or insight as your intimate friend
The word, "keep" in verse 1 is the Hebrew word, "shamar", which means: to guard, to have charge of, to keep watch over, to observe, to protect, to retain, to treasure up, to celebrate. We are to guard and protect God's Word in our lives. Why do we need to do that? Do you remember the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:14-20? The enemy comes immediately to try to steal the Word. Weeds (cares of this world) try to choke the Word. One of the best ways to protect the Word of God in your heart is to meditate it (think about it, talk about it, write it down and continue to look at it over and over), sing it, teach it and, most importantly, obey it! Treat the Word of God as your most precious possession and rejoice every day that you are privileged to even HAVE this wonderful Word of God! Giving the Word of God a high priority in your life will put you in position to be successful in every area of your life!
In keeping with the message of the importance of the Word of God, we see John 17:17:
17Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.
It is the Truth of God's Word that sets us apart from the world and unto God! An unbeliever cannot understand the Word of God. You must be born again by the Spirit of God to understand the Word of God because it is one of the roles of the Holy Spirit to teach us the Word! 1 Corinthians 2:12-14:
12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Once we receive Jesus of Nazareth as our Lord and personal Saviour, the Word of God will begin to make more sense to us! For even greater understanding and comprehension of the Word of God, and the anointing upon that Word, you need to be filled with the Spirit of God! Check out our website at www.thespokenwordchurch.org to find out more about this and other precious Truths from the Word of God!
In 2 Samuel 1-2 we see another account of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. David laments their deaths, even though Saul sought to kill David at every turn! Why did David do this? One reason is because David and Jonathan were very close. (1 Samuel 18:1) The other reason that David mourned the deaths is because he very highly valued the anointing of the Lord. David knew that Saul had been anointed with oil by Samuel in obedience to the instructions of the Lord. The gifts and callings of God are without repentance! (Romans 11:29) Saul still carried the calling and anointing of God on his life. He should have obeyed God and then his kingdom would not have come to the end that it did, but the anointing of God was still on him. David knew what God felt about His anointed: 1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15:
22Saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm.
15Saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm.
What is the best approach to take with people who sin? Pray for them, bless them according to the Word and never speak out in judgement of another believer! God will take care of them! We need to keep ourselves in the Love of God and protected from the traps of the enemy! Remember that our faith works by love (Galatians 5:6) and love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8a)!
Shalom in Him!
