This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Joshua 1:8 HCSB
I have never been great at memorization… I have never been the guy that can quickly recite a verse of scripture and dictate it’s chapter location. I’m not sure that memorization is the ULTIMATE goal, perhaps the goal is more of “dwelling on”.
You see I love to read other things as well, novels, biographies, mysteries, and fiction. Yet, this verse above in Joshua reminds us of the ULTIMATE reading place. The WORD OF GOD. That we are to recite and repeat and be wise to it’s every written word. We are to “observe” what is within it. This “dwelling on the Word” is bringing us to a place of listening to God’s ACTUAL voice and intentions for us.
The more soaked into scripture we are, the more obvious and consistent it becomes to “hear” God speak. Not only for hearing the Lord on a constant level, but for wisdom and obedience of life, His Word remains… Let’s read on for a few more references to the power within God’s Word…
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God[b] may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16
I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the wordofGod abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Revelation 22:18-19
Do you have consistent reading going on ? Who are your authors of choice? Do you make a habit of putting down some of your standard reads and pick up the bible? How much reading is that of scripture, breathed out by God Himself vs. those books of the world and man?
God’s Word is the road map for your life. To act like Jesus and love like Jesus we need to learn about Jesus. To learn about Jesus and God’s ways we need to be saturated with His Word. For years, before I came to salvation, I knew of the bible and read parts of it but it had never spoken to me like it does today. The difference? Belief.
Belief in God and His Word will change it’s impact on your heart and on your life.
This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Joshua 1:8 HCSB
Barnabas Man 