I ran across a note in the margin of my Bible today that stirred me up.
Psalm 33:6, By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
In the margin I saw a note I had written some time ago that said, “What are YOU making with the word of God?”
Scripture tells us plainly what God made with His words – the heavens and the tangible universe that we live in every day. At some point that scripture prompted me to ask myself what I was making, using the word of God. I can see what God created so what world am I creating?
I’ve been reading Christ the Healer by F.F. Bosworth, specifically chapter 12. I have read that chapter multiple times lately and really haven’t wanted to move beyond it. It is so rich with revelation, and I love how simple it is. I have found the things of God are usually simple. They might not all be easy, but they are simple. We have a way of overcomplicating faith – I’ll confess I’ve done that a time or two. 😊
The chapter is all about God’s garden, the seed, the planting, the watering and the growth. The seed Bosworth is referring to is the word of God. He says, “Nothing can take the place of the seed, not even prayer. Prayer is not the seed; the Word is the seed. The only purpose of God’s promises is their fulfillment” (p 167).
Notice it is vital to plant the seed of the word of God. It is insane to think we will reap a harvest until we’ve sown seed; the kind of seed that will produce the harvest we want to see! The last statement jumped out at me. The only purpose of God’s promises is their fulfillment. He made us these promises so that we would experience them. And there is a plethora of them! He wants to give us so much more than we have the ability to comprehend. Spiritual things, relational things, financial things, natural things. He’s looking for someone who will believe Him and take these promises and run with them. Are we accessing the promises? They are exceedingly great and precious (2 Peter 1:4).
With what we know from scripture, when we sow good seed (the word) in our hearts, by reading it, thinking about it, saying it, and letting it get rooted in us, it’s simply guaranteed to produce fruit. Seed was designed to grow, and it has everything it needs within itself to produce a crop. It simply needs good soil and water. It is supremely intelligent to fill our minds and mouths with the words of God! The more we hear it, the more it gets rooted in our hearts. If we want to see what He promised, it’s not enough to just think about it. It’s not enough to just hear about it twice a year. It’s not enough to sit back and wait for the promises to appear.
There is a higher and better way to do life than just waiting to see what happens each day. I’ve lived passively and I’ve lived proactively. Proactive living is much better. This requires expectation and preparation.
We have His word because He wants us to experience it. Take these seeds and plant them today in your heart. Keep feeding on the promises of God – your favorite ones or the ones you aren’t currently experiencing. The reason to continue feeding on them is not because it takes a long time, but because the heart is where receiving takes place. Feed your heart until it becomes so real to you that your faith grows.
Isaiah 26:3 – You (God) will keep him (us) in perfect peace (which is translated peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare, tranquility, health), whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Psalm 34:7 – The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, (this means to reverence Him) and delivers them.
Proverbs 10:22 – The blessing of the Lord makes one rich and He adds no sorrow with it.
Ephesians 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. (Spiritual blessings do not mean they don’t manifest tangibly. God intended for His blessings to manifest in tangible ways. It means every blessing of God must be accessed in the spirit first. That’s where the blessings are – we appropriate them by faith and lay hold of them. This brings the manifestation. It’s as simple as saying, God said it, and I believe it, so I say it too.)
There are so, so, so many promises in scripture and I’m certain you can find one that pertains to your situation.
Maybe this question written in the margin of my Bible will provoke you to ask yourself the same thing. What are YOU making with the word of God?