Pastor's Power Points

Re-Thinking How We Apply God’s Word

God’s Word is liberating because it is transforming. When you put together the powerful revelation of God, the illumination of the Holy Spirit and the receptive (fertile) soil of a biblically informed mind, the result is genuine life change.

The conventional wisdom of applying the Word of God, however, goes something like this:  “We’ve heard the Word of God, now we must apply it to our lives.”  While this sounds good and has elements of truth, I get the sense that this is just another element of the “try-harder” walk of faith. In other words, the interpretation of such a statement goes like: “Now we know what the Bible says we should do, so let’s try hard to make it happen in our lives this week.”  Does this not relegate the Scriptures to a mere code of conduct?

Warning: if your walk of faith consists of hearing God’s Word taught on Sunday then trying to “just do it” through the week then you are kidding yourself.  You are probably sensing frustration in your progressive sanctification, and this is because you have set yourself up for failure.

It is time we wise up about applying God’s Word.  It does not happen by just trying to do it.  Here is the key: an attempt at changing your behavior without changing the way you think (habits of thought) is an exercise in futility. This is why we are instructed to be renewed in the spirit of our minds (Eph. 4:23). It is your mind that must be changed before your behavior will genuinely change. Without this one’s walk of obedience (faith) is merely external conformity. That makes faith a drudgery.

But consider the refreshing, liberating contrast of Psalm 1: “How blessed (happy!) is the man… [whose] delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night.”  Notice the nuance of unending resource and renewal when the Psalmist writes, “he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.”

Proverbs 2 provides a clear description of powerful biblical application that genuinely transforms one’s life through a focus on renewing the mind which leads to a liberated life of goodness. Verses 1-4 use eight verbs to paint the portrait of a passionate pursuit.

            Receive my words:  The word receive  means to take in hand and carry along. It is the word used of a man taking a wife; also of God’s choosing of Israel (Deut. 4:34).

            Treasure my commands:  Treasure means to store up and protect something of great word or value. This word is describes how God treasures His people (Ps. 27:5).

            Incline your ear to wisdom:  The word incline speaks of paying close attention to details. King Saul was reprimanded for not doing so in I Sam. 15:22.

            Apply your heart to understanding: To apply one’s heart is to stretch it out – a word for growth. It also mans a turning toward – a loyalty to.

 Notice the objects of these verbs:  words, commands, wisdom and understanding. Where do we get these?  The LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding (v.6).

What stands out in verses 3-4 is the passion and work that are to be invested in this pursuit.  Cry out and lift up your voice  betray a deep, passionate longing for God’s wisdom and knowledge. Seek and search (as for treasure) describe the effort (digging) God’s people ought to put into discerning and understanding the riches of God’s truth. What then is the benefit of such a zealous pursuit? Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God (v.5).

It is telling that the first six verses of this chapter speak of no moral conduct – only the pursuit of God’s wisdom and knowledge through His word.  When the Christian’s heart and mind are trained and molded by a focused, fervent quest of God’s truth, then (and only then) will he understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path (v.9). This is how we are to “apply God’s word” for the practical, moral impact on the believer’s life.