"Therefore
shall ye lay up
these My words
in your heart
and in your
soul.' -- Deut.
11:18
"Son of
man, all My
words that I
shall speak
unto thee,
receive in
heart.' --
Ezek. 3:10
"Thy word
have I laid up
in mine heart,
that I might
not sin against
Thee.' - Ps.
119:11
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Long for the
milk, that ye
may grow
thereby.
This charming
word taught
every young
Christian that,
if he would
grow, he must
receive the
word as milk,
as the living
participation
of the life and
the love of
God. On this
account is it
of so great
importance to
know well how
we must deal
with the word.
The Lord says
that we must
receive it and
lay it in our
heart. (Deut.
30:14; Ps. 1:2;
119:34,36; Is.
51:7; John
5:38; 8:31;
15:7; Rom.
10:8-9; Col.
3:16) The word
must possess
and fill the
heart. What
does that mean?
The heart is
the temple of
God. In the
temple there
was an outer
court and an
inner
sanctuary. So
also is it in
the heart. The
gate of the
court is the
understanding;
what I do not
understand
cannot enter
into the heart.
Through the
outer gate of
the
understanding,
the word comes
into the court.
(Ps. 119:34;
Mat.. 13:19;
Acts 8:30)
There it is
kept by memory
and reflection.
(Ps. 119:15,16)
Still it is not
yet properly in
the heart. From
the court there
is an entrance
into the
innermost
sanctuary; the
entrance of the
door is faith.
What I believe,
that I receive
into my heart.
(John 5:38;
Acts 8:37; Rom.
10:10,17) Here
it then becomes
held fast in
love and in the
surrender of
the will. Where
this takes
place, there
the heart
becomes the
sanctuary of
God. His law is
there, as in
the ark, and
the soul cries
out: `The law
is within my
heart.' (Ex.
25:16; Ps.
37:31; 40:9;
Col. 3:16)
Young
Christian, God
has asked your
heart, your
love, your
whole self. You
have given
yourself to
Him. He has
received you,
and would have
you and your
heart entirely
for Himself. He
will make that
heart full of
His word. What
is in the heart
one holds dear,
because one
thinks
continually on
that which
gives joy. God
would have the
word in the
heart. Where
His word is,
there is He
Himself and His
might. He
considers
Himself bound
to fulfil His
word; when you
have the word,
you have God
Himself to work
in you. (Gen.
21:1; Josh.
23:14) He wills
that you should
receive and lay
up His words in
your heart:
then will He
greatly bless
you. (Deut.
11:10; 28:1,2;
Ps. 1:2,3;
119;14,45,98,165;
John 27:6,8,17)
How I wish that
I could bring
all young
Christians to
receive simply
that word of
their Father,
`Lay up My
words in your
heart,' and to
give their
whole heart to
become full of
God's word.
Resolve then to
do this. Take
pains to
understand what
you read. When
you understand
it, take then
always one or
another word to
keep in
remembrance and
ponder. Learn
words of God by
heart; repeat
them to
yourself in the
course of the
day. The word
is seed; the
seed must have
time, must be
kept in the
ground: so must
the word be
carried in the
heart. Give the
best powers of
your heart,
your love, your
desire, the
willing and
joyful activity
of your will,
to God's word.
`Blessed is the
man whose
delight is in
the law of the
Lord; and in
His law doth he
meditate day
and night.' Let
the heart be a
temple, not for
the world and
its thoughts,
but for God and
His thoughts.
(Ps. 119:69;
John 15:3,7;
17:6,8,17) He
that, every
day, faithfully
opens his heart
to God's voice
to hear what
God says, and
keeps and
carries about
that word,
shall see how
faithfully God
also shall open
His heart to
our voice, to
hear what we
say to Him in
prayer.
Dear Christian,
pray read yet
once again the
words at the
head of this
section.
Receive them as
God's word to
you -- the word
of the Father
who has
received you as
a child, of
Jesus who has
made you God's
child. God asks
of you, as His
child, that you
give your heart
to become
filled with His
word. Will you
do this? What
say you? The
Lord Jesus
would complete
His holy work
in you with
power along
this way. (John
14:21,23; 1
John 2:14,24;
Rev. 3:8,10)
Let your answer
be distinct and
continuous: `I
have hid Thy
word in my
heart;' `How
love I thy law:
it is my
mediation all
the day.' Even
if it appears
difficult for
you to
understand the
word, read it
only the more.
The Father has
promised to
make it a
blessing in
your heart. But
you must first
take it into
your heart.
Believe then
that God will
by the Holy
Spirit make it
living and
powerful in
you.
O my Father,
who hast said
to me: `My son,
give Me thine
heart,' I have
given Thee mine
heart. Now that
Thou chargest
me to lay up
and to keep Thy
word in that
heart, I
answer: `I keep
Thy commands
with my whole
heart.' Father,
teach me every
day so to
receive Thy
word in my
heart that it
can exercise
there its
blessed
influence.
Strengthen me
in the deep
conviction that
even though I
do not actually
apprehend its
meaning and
power, I can
still reckon on
Thee to make
the word living
and powerful in
me. Amen.
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Scripture
Studies
(Deut.
30:14; Ps. 1:2;
119:34,36; Is.
51:7; John
5:38; 8:31;
15:7; Rom.
10:8_9; Col.
3:16 Ps.
119:34; Mat..
13:19; Acts
8:30 Ps.
119:15,16 Ps.
119:15,16 John
5:38; Acts
8:37; Rom.
10:10,17 Ex.
25:16; Ps.
37:31; 40:9;
Col. 3:16 Gen.
21:1; Josh.
23:14 Deut.
11:10; 28:1,2;
Ps. 1:2,3;
119;14,45,98,165;
John 27:6,8,17
Ps. 119:69;
John 15:3,7;
17:6,8,17 John
14:21,23; 1
John 2:14,24;
Rev. 3:8,10) |
1. What is the
difference
between the
reading of the
word to
increase
knowledge and
the receiving
of it in faith?
2. The word is
as a seed. Seed
requires time
ere it springs
up. During this
time it must be
kept silently
and constantly
in the earth. I
must not only
read God's
word, but
ponder it and
reflect upon
it: then shall
it work in me.
The word must
be in me the
whole day, must
abide in me,
must dwell in
me.
3. What are the
reasons that
the word of God
sometimes has
so little power
in those that
read it and
really long for
blessing? One
of the
principal
reasons is
surely that
they do not
give the seed
time to grow,
that they do
not keep it and
reflect upon
it, in the
believing
assurance that
the word itself
shall have its
working.
4. What is the
token of His
disciples that
Jesus mentions
first in the
high-priestly
prayer? (John
17)
5. What are the
blessings of a
heart filled
with the word
of God?
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