Mensa Otabil - God's Word Transforms Us
- Watch
- Donate
Welcome to Where to Go and to a brand new week. We’re continuing our study of God’s Word. This week we’re going to look at Psalm 19, which celebrates the Word of God. In the past couple of weeks, we’ve talked about the Word of God; we discussed the parable of the sower, which shows us the importance of receiving God’s Word. Then we looked at Naaman and examined the value of obedience to God’s Word. Psalm 19, from verse 7, states: «The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.» Psalm 19 is divided into two parts. The first part discusses God speaking to us through His creation: «The heavens declare the glory of God.» The second part focuses on the Word of God to us.
Usually, when we hear or know God through His creation, it is called general revelation; it means we have a general idea of God. But when we read His Word, we receive special revelation, providing us with more accurate information about God. Therefore, we’re going to focus on the second part of the Psalm, which conveys two important things about the Word of God. First, it states that the Word of God is God’s law. The term translated as «law» in Hebrew is «Torah,» which means instruction. So, when we view God’s Word as law, we are not seeing it in a legal sense, but rather as God’s instruction to us—God telling us how to live our lives.
It says that the law of the Lord is perfect; when God’s Word teaches us, we receive perfect teaching. God’s Word becomes our rule and the standard by which we live our lives. Because it is perfect, we cannot go wrong obeying God, nor can we go wrong in doing the Word of the Lord. So remember, the Word of the Lord is our instructor and teacher; it helps us live our lives. When it does this, the passage states that it is a perfect instructor.
The second thing the passage says about the Word of God is that it is the testimony of God, which is an interesting observation. This means it is God’s witness to us. The phrase comes from when you go to court, and someone must support a fact by giving a testimony. So, when we read the Word of God, we are hearing God’s testimony about Himself—God witnessing to Himself, showing us who He is, His nature, His power, what He can do, and what He likes and doesn’t like. Thus, the Word of God is God’s testimony to us. So, anytime we encounter the Word of God, remember: God is instructing us through His Word and giving testimony of Himself through it.
When He says, «I am the Lord who heals you,» that’s His witness of Himself. If He says He will make you the head and not the tail, that is Him testifying to what He can do for you. If He says that He can give you victory in battle, that is God’s testimony. Therefore, anytime you approach the Word of God, remember you are receiving instruction and God’s testimony of Himself—what He says about Himself to us in His Word. As a testimony, God’s Word is trustworthy; it can be depended upon. He is a trustworthy witness. The Bible states that when we receive God’s Word as instruction and testimony, He makes wise the simple. In other words, ordinary people become very sophisticated. He gives us intelligence, wisdom, and makes us extremely wise people.
May God give you wisdom through His Word this week as we encounter it deeply. Let’s share a word of prayer. Say with me: «Heavenly Father, thank You for the testimony of Your Word to me. Your Word is my perfect instructor and guide.» In Jesus' name, Amen and Amen. That’s our beginning; we will continue. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.