Shalom,
Proverbs 13:13-14:
13 Whoever despises the Word and counsel [Of God] brings destruction upon himself, but he who [reverently] fears and respects the commandment [of God] is rewarded. 14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.
How do you tell if someone despises the Word? This is the Hebrew word "buwz", which means: to despise, to disrespect, to hold in contempt, to hold as insignificant. "Destruction" is the Hebrew word, "chabal", which means to bind, to destroy, to pervert, to writhe in pain. Someone despising the Word of God will be in pain in some form or other in their life. They will also be bound and held captive by situations and circumstances. Do YOU see people in bondage? They MOST LIKELY are guilty of despising the Word of God on some occasion! You can be a believer in Jesus of Nazareth and still despise the Word of God. Remember that one of the definitions is to hold as insignificant! Someone who totally ignores the Word of God may not realize what they are actually doing! What do they need to do? The unbeliever needs to get born again by the Spirit of God. The believer needs to understand verse 14 and get themselves into the Word of God! We are to feed on the Word MORE than we feed on natural food (Job 23:12)! Two other verses that go right along with that are found in verses 16 and 18:
16 Every prudent man deals with knowledge, but a [self-confident] fool exposes and flaunts his folly.
18 Poverty and shame come to him who refuses instruction and correction, but he who heeds reproof is honored.
Knowledge comes from study and mediation of the Word of God, and He uses His Word to instruct and correct us! Do you see it? It is the Word, the Word, the Word!!! Go after knowledge of the Word with everything within you! Hidden within the Word of God is EVERYTHING you will ever need to be completely successful IN THIS LIFE! AMEN!
I feel that Revelation 19:10 is one of the most important verses:
10 Then I fell prostrate at his feet to worship (to pay divine honors) to him, but he [restrained me] and said, Refrain! [You must not do that!] I am [only] another servant with you and your brethren who have [accepted and hold] the testimony borne by Jesus. Worship God! For the substance (essence) of the truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy [the vital breath, the inspiration of all inspired preaching and interpretation of the divine will and purpose, including both mine and yours].
The single, most important TRUTH we should know is "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2)! We need to KNOW Him! Make Philippians 3:10 YOUR prayer and most fervent desire!
Zechariah 7:2-6:
2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to pray and entreat the favor of the LORD 3 And to speak to the priests of the house of the LORD of hosts and to the prophets, saying, [Now that I am returned from exile] should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself as I have done these so many years [in Babylon]? 4 Then came the word of the LORD of hosts to me [Zechariah], saying, 5 Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventy months, even those seventy years you were in exile, was it for Me that you fasted, for Me? 6 And when you ate and when you drank, did not you eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?
One of the things I have discovered, as a believer in Jesus of Nazareth, is that God HATES religion! He does NOT want man to live by a set of rules and regulations to try to please Him or to get Him to do what WE want Him to do! He wants us to obey His Word so that He can continue to bless us and provide for our every need (Philippians 4:19) and fulfill the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4)! He goes on to answer them in Zechariah 8:19:
19 Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah times of joy and gladness and cheerful, appointed seasons; therefore [in order that this may happen to you, as the condition of fulfilling the promise] love truth and peace.
God's desire is that we cheerfully and joyfully celebrate HIM and every GOOD THING that He has done for us! WHATEVER season YOU celebrate, do it BECAUSE of Who He is and what HE has done in and for and through you! Love Him AND His Word. They CANNOT be separated! LOVE the Word, which IS Truth (John 17:17)! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
