Psalms 119:130 NKJV (130) The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
Psalms 119:130 AMPC (130) The entrance and unfolding of Your words give light; their unfolding gives understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple.
Psalms 119:130 CEV (130) Understanding your word brings light to the minds of ordinary people.
Psalms 119:130 ERV (130) As people understand your word, it brings light to their lives. Your word makes even simple people wise.
When God’s Word comes into your life, it is like turning on a light in the darkness.
We know that we are seeing the Word of God when we understand it.
Matthew 13:19 NKJV (19) When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
Matthew 13:19 MSG (19) When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn’t take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person’s heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road.
(Remember, we are talking about the Word of God becoming rooted in you)
You really don’t have the Word in you to where it can do you any good until you understand it.
Understand – to have a complete and clear idea of something
How do you know that you understand it? You must be able to repeat it, explain it, and illustrate it. That is how you know that you understand the Word.
You are looking for the principle that is in the verse of scripture that you are reading or studying.
There are people who think that they know the Bible, but they never really understood the principles that are being taught. They know trivia and facts but miss the principles contained in it.
When you don’t understand the Word, you are wandering around in the dark.
When you are trying to follow God and you don’t have light, you run into things.
When you don’t have light from God’s Word, the enemy is able to come and deceive you and get you away from the real truths of God’s Word.
When you are constantly bumping into things because you are in the dark, it can discourage you.
There are a lot of people who suffer needlessly because they are walking in darkness.
We need to learn how to follow God. And walk in the light.
This is how we learn the Word and how we best make it a part of our lives.
Isaiah 28:9-10 NKJV (9) “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? (10) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”
Isaiah 28:9-10 NLT (9) “Who does the LORD think we are?” they ask. “Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children, just recently weaned? (10) He tells us everything over and over—one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there!”
There are a lot of people who think that they have been taught. But if you are really taught, you are made to understand.
The prophet is telling us that we learn on the basis of repetition.
In order to really focus in and learn the Word, you are going to have to handle it a little bit at a time. (Here a little; there a little.)
You can go to church and listen to a great message, there is so much presented, when you walk out the door, you are not sure what you have. What are you going to do? What step have you been given? What idea has been planted in your heart.
If you want to understand the Bible, you must narrow your focus on what you are learning.
You gather knowledge from God in bite-sized pieces.
It is in understanding these principles from His Word that gives you the ability to walk with God. You cannot walk with God if you do not understand Him.
Hebrews 11:17-19 NKJV (17) By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (18) of whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED,” (19) concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
We have the notion that Abraham just started walking with God and was able to believe God to this degree overnight. But Abraham was not able to walk with God like this until he understood some things about God.
In order to arrive at this place of belief and obedience, Abraham had to come to an understanding of some things about God and understand His ways before he could come to this place.
- God has a plan for your life.
Genesis 12:1-3 NKJV (1) Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. (2) I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
We must understand that God has a plan and a purpose for each of us individually.
Sometimes we do not know very much of the plan, but God will always give you enough of the plan so that you can take a step.
God always leads us in steps, not giant leaps.
Psalms 37:23 NKJV (23) The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.
If you do not know that step, then stay where you are. Keep doing what are doing.
Even when things that happen in our lives that we did not foresee, it does not mean that the plan has been stopped. God always has a contingency.
- God will provide for you in the place that He sets you. These two will go hand in hand.
Genesis 13:14-18 NKJV (14) And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are–northward, southward, eastward, and westward; (15) for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. (16) And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. (17) Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” (18) Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD.
The place where God puts you is going to the place where your provision will be.
Abraham had no guarantees of anything, but God looks out for and provides for Abraham. Not only did He provide, but He blessed and increased Abraham and his household.
Genesis 13:2 NKJV (2) Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
- God will be your protector.
Genesis 15:1 NKJV (1) After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
Genesis 15:1 AMPC (1) AFTER THESE things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am your Shield, your abundant compensation, and your reward shall be exceedingly great.
- God will perpetuate you.
God did not call you into a walk with Him so that it could end with you.
We want those after us to be able to know and experience God the way that we have.
Then God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son and this seems to contradict all that he has learned throughout the years but he knows God’s character enough to know that God has something great in store.
This is where faith comes in and carries you in obedience to where God wants you to be.
When you know and understand God, you can walk with God.