Psalm 119:147

Psalm 119:147 “I rise before dawn and cry out for help; I have put my hope in Your Word.”
 

There was a determination in David’s life that shames most of us. He had an aching in his soul for the Word of God. Because of the hope he had in God’s Word, he would rise early just to hear from Him. David said, “I have put my hope in Your Word.” The hope of our lives lies not only in God’s written Word, but also in Him spoken Word. Whenever and however God speaks to us, it is a powerful and moving experience.
 

That which determines whether or not we “hear” from God is our love for the Word. Our love for the Word is tested by our obedience to it. If we are not obedient to it, if we do not have the kind of resolve David had, we will be open to deception.
 

In Deuteronomy 13:1-4 we read about the power of the false prophet. The account tells us that they can perform miraculous signs and wonders. However, in verses 3-4 it says, “You must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart… It is the Lord your God you must follow… Keep His commands and obey Him.” Those who love God and keep His commands will not be taken in by the miraculous power of the false prophet. This “testing” sorts out the true bride of Christ from those who are simply church-goers.
 

The “test” of the Lord comes in the form of experiential Christianity versus Biblical Christianity. Today, it seems we are trying to prove whether or not something is from God by our experiences rather than by the Word of God. If we are a Biblically uninformed society, then, anything that appears miraculous will be considered to be from God. The problem with this is that not all things miraculous are from God.
 

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself if your hope is in God’s Word.
 

Continued.