#9 Inquire of the Lord

#9 August 30, 2005

"We did not inquire of him (the Lord our God) about how to do it in the prescribed way." 1 Chronicles 15:13b


Have you ever noticed when you are reading your Bible that God spoke so specifically to people when they prayed? He answered them audibly, clearly and told them exactly what He wanted them to do. The other day I was reading 1 Chronicles about King David who asked God if he should attack the Philistines. He did this twice and God answered specifically each time, letting him know what action to take. I stopped and said, "Lord - do you still speak like that to people today?" And as clear as a bell, I heard him say to my heart, "Donna, I've given you my Word."

Then I read today's verse. God broke out in anger against the Levites because they did not inquire of Him in the past regarding bringing up the ark of the Lord. He wanted them to ask Him how to do it in the prescribed way - His way!

What importance do you place on God's Word - on your Bible? Is it a coffee table or book shelf decoration? Have you believed Satan's lie that it is outdated and not relevant in today's modern world? Do you only pull it out on Sunday mornings to carry to church? We don't even have to do that anymore do we? After all - it's up on the big screen, isn't it?

When you hold your Bible in your hands, you are holding everything you need for life and godliness. Everything! 2 Peter 1:3 says that "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by His own glory and goodness." Do we have knowledge of Him? The only source of that knowledge is His word! And it seems to me that we don't get what we need for life and godliness unless it's through our knowledge of Him. His word --- Knowledge of Him --- Everything we need for life and godliness!

If we truly want to live for Christ we must have a knowledge of His word. We need to read it, study it, meditate on it. You can't put it into practice if you don't know it. Good works won't do it. Church attendance won't do it. We have to be in the Word on our own. God told Joshua in Joshua 1:8, "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."

God wants us to inquire of Him about how to live our lives. He longs to guide us and direct us because He knows that if we follow His way there is life and blessing and safety in our path. He is the Good Shepherd. God is the only one who can control our lives without destroying them.

We have our own thoughts, our own ways of doing things. But we need to check those things out according to what the Word says. We may be deceiving ourselves unless we line up everything with the Word. God says that His thoughts are not our thoughts or His ways our ways (Isaiah 55:8). So what are His thoughts, His ways? Read the word and you'll find out. We must begin to line up our thoughts with God's thoughts. Where are those? In His Word!

Our thoughts lead us to our actions which then influence our lives. We think something, then we do it and it sets something in motion in our lives. Good thoughts lead to good fruit. Wrong thoughts produce wrong actions and produce no fruit or bad fruit. Romans Chapter 12, Verse 2 tells us that we must be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Then we will know what God's will is. When we renew our mind, we will replace the world's thoughts with God's thoughts and again -- God's thoughts are all in His Word.

Change your thoughts
Change your actions
Change your life.

Paul told his young friend Timothy that "all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man (or woman) of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) For every issue of life, the Bible speaks a word.

How do you have a good marriage? Search the Word!
How should you raise your children? Turn the pages of the Bible - your answers are there.
What kind of an employee should you be - God's word again!
What about your finances? BINGO! In the Word!!

There are over 2000 promises that God makes you in His Word. How can you claim them? A lot of them are given to you after you've obeyed God in a prescribed way - how do you know the way to your promise if you're not in the Word?

How do you fend off Satan, his attacks and his lies? The Bible says the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. Jesus used it against the enemy in the desert. How can you defend yourself with it if you don't know it?

I heard someone talk about the Genesis 3 Question. After Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden, they hid themselves from God. When He asked them where they were Adam said that he was afraid because he was naked. God said, "Who told you that you were naked?" WHO TOLD YOU? Who is telling you what to believe? God, Satan, your friends, the world system, political parties?

God didn't just leave us with His Word. He also put the Holy Spirit on the inside of us. The Holy Spirit only speaks what the Father and Jesus would say. His indwelling presence and voice will confirm His Word. Again, you must know the word to know whether the voice you hear is the Spirit's, the enemy's or your own.

This may have been basic for some, new to others or a needed reminder. I believe that there is absolutely nothing more important than God's word. Carry it, search through it for truth. For every question or decision you have, ask "what does the Bible say about that?" Memorize it. Feast on it. Most importantly - OBEY IT!

A worn, broken and tattered Bible usually indicates a life that is not!

If you don't have a Bible, call me, I'll buy you one--

Donna Schultz
Savemom@aol.com



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