HIDE THE WORD
(Psalms 119:11)
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Any person who truly loves Christ wants to please Him at all times. What a joy it is to serve the Lord and do those things that please Him. David speaks about a key element when striving to please the Lord -- hiding the word in our heart. The word "hid" means "to hoard" -- to gather something in extreme abundance. Therefore, one of the things we can do to help us please God is to "hoard" the word in our heart. Many hoard the word in their head, but when it's in your heart -- in abundance -- it will affect the things you do, the things you say and the things you love.
David's statement about his attitude and handling of the word of God brings three things to mind: 1) an object -- the word of God; 2) an action -- hiding and 3) a place -- where the action culminates/affects. Focusing on each one of these elements should highlight certain truths to embrace in our lives. Let's take a look.
>> THE WORD OF GOD
David's focus in this passage (and in all of Psalm 119) is the word of God. He speaks of hiding it in his heart. This speaks to the value. Basically speaking, we know that "hiding" refers to "gathering in abundance or keeping something on reserve". One will not gather something in abundance, however, unless they recognize the value of what is being gathered. David recognizes the value of God's word. He knows that it cannot be trivialized, forgotten or ignored without consequence. He is convinced of its effect on his life.
Interestingly, as a contrast, Jesus once asked a great rhetorical question in Luke 18:8 -- "when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Faith comes, of course, by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The building of our faith depends upon how we handle the word of God. The Bible is replete with statements dealing with the "withdrawal" of man towards His ways and will in the last days. Study of this issue reveals that the "treasuring" of God word is lacking in the hearts of many.
People "hide" things in their heart, but the operative question today is WHAT ARE YOU HIDING IN YOUR HEART? Is it the word of God? Is it song lyrics? Is it fiction? Is it the flattery of man? is it the fruits of your own conceits (Romans 12:16)? Is it philosophy or psychology? Is it, perhaps, the words of someone claiming to speak on God's behalf, but saying things that God isn't saying (untempered mortar)? If we want the benefit that David speaks of in this verse -- the enhancement of bearing fruit unto the Father [not sinning against Him] -- it is the word of God that we must hide.
This is a major challenge. Treasuring the word of God does not come without a price. In John 17:14, Jesus said "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." When you truly receive the word or God in your heart and your mind is renewed, you will be sanctified in Him. Those who are sanctified, as this verse deals with, will be hated -- despised, devalued, disdained. Are you ready to handle that? Are you handling that?
Make sure you're hiding THE WORD OF GOD.
>> HIDING IT
I mentioned earlier that "hid" in Psalm 119:11 basically means "to hoard -- gather in abundance". There are other definitions, however, worth noting.
- To treasure -- considering it to be an item of great wealth
- To protect -- to keep from ill exposure or destruction
- To esteem -- holding in high regard
Do you treasure the word of God? Do you consider it to be of great value? Once you receive it, do you protect it? Do you keep it from being corrupted in your heart or are you haphazard with it? Do you allow the enemy to steal it (replace it with similar, yet inaccurate elements)? Do you hold it in the highest of regards? Do you recognize its integrity and power?
Before you answer these questions, please keep in mind that the answer to this question is not marked by the verbal answer you give, but by your actions. Consider the following passages of scripture and examine yourself whether ye be in the faith:
- (Proverbs 23:23) Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction,
and understanding.
The word "buy" in Proverbs 23:23 means "to procure". "Procure" means "to obtain by particular care and effort". John 8:31-32 says, "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; {32} And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Therefore, truth is only available to people to CONTINUE IN God's word.
The word "sell" in Proverbs 23:23 means "to surrender". When we receive the truth, we must value it and take the appropriate action. Those who are inactive will fall. The Lord will not find faith in many when He comes, because too many people encounter the truth and do nothing with it. Remember, Proverbs 1:7 says that fools despise wisdom and instruction. Fools also despise truth.NOTE: Consider Matthew 7's discourse about swines and dogs. They do not have the ability or willingness to value pearls when they encounter them. They trample them and then get an attitude with the deliverer of the pearls.
- (John 14:21, 24) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it
is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and
I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (24) He that loveth me
not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the
Father's which sent me.
In John 14:21,24, we see a few key elements. One is "keep" -- to guard from loss or injury -- the same as "protect". I just mentioned this so you would see the parallel to Psalm 119:11. First Corinthians 8:3 says, "But if any man love God, the same is known of him." John 14:21, 24 makes this plain. This is one of the ways we should identify a person who loves God -- by how they treat His word!!! Someone who despises God's word doesn't love Him. Someone who doesn't guard the word from loss or injury doesn't love Him. Someone who doesn't keep God's sayings doesn't love Him. Someone who doesn't keep God's word will not receive the "manifestation/revelation" that Jesus speaks of and, therefore, does not know Him. This is an extremely plain, yet ignored fact in Christendom.NOTE: When you "keep the word", many may accuse you being a Pharisee. Contrariwise, it is usually the accusers who are Pharisees. The Pharisees and Sadducees, mistakenly, are considered to be keepers of the word and strict, when, in fact, they were not very knowledgeable of the word and spent more time defending their traditions and personal agendas. Truth is, Pharisees and Sadducees have issue with people who keep the word. Selah.
- (Hebrews 2:1) Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things
which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
In this verse, the word "slip" means "to carelessly pass". The phrase "give the more earnest heed" simply means that we should "pay more attention to". We hear the word, but as previously stated, it is WHAT we do with what we hear that marks our path to victory -- whether we attain it or not.
Interestingly, when a person treasures something and stores it, he or she is well aware of what is stored. If you take family heirlooms and place them in a safe deposit area, you are well aware of what's there. If you have money taken out of your payroll check for an IRA or a 401k, you at least check from time to time to see what you balance is. Hiding the word is no different. In order to "hoard", this means you must constantly be in pursuit of and acquiring the word (remember the definition of "procure"). People don't forget about what they treasure. This is why Jesus exhorts us to lay up treasures in heaven . . . for where our treasure is, there will our heart be also (Matthew 6:19-21).
You and I cannot take "inventory" or check a balance when it comes to the word of God, but if you're lacking, it will be apparent and God will encourage you to take the appropriate action to counter the lack.
Proverbs 21:5 says, "The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want." Do you have a "plenteous" attitude when it comes to the word of God? Are you diligent? Are you "hoarding" the word? If not, spend more time reading. Spend more time exposing yourself to the word of God -- not Christian fiction and new age philosophy.
Consider the exhortation of Isaiah 55:1-3 -- Ho, every one that thirsteth,
come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea,
come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. {2} Wherefore do ye
spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth
not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your
soul delight itself in fatness. {3} Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear,
and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
even the sure mercies of David.
>> IN YOUR HEART
Now that we've identified the "object" -- the word of God -- and the "action" -- hiding it -- let's discuss WHERE these two shall meet -- where the culminative action will take place.
There is much said today about memorization of God's word. Interestingly, though the word of God mentions remembering, it gives no credence to the philosophy of memorization whatsoever. Bible bookstores sell materials that talk about memorizing scripture. People talk on the radio about memorizing scripture. People in general conversation encourage folks to memorize scripture. Examination of the word, however, doesn't talk about memorization. It talks about exposure (and over exposure --as a good thing) and the major vehicle of remembrance -- the Holy Ghost.
Why take time to mention this? Because David talked about hiding the word in his HEART, not in his HEAD. Though the words "heart" and "mind" are used interchangeably many times in scripture, differences in application are apparent. "Head" is a memory issue. "Heart" is a passion and affection issue.
Here are the problems with memorization and alternatives:
- By attempting to memorize, you are putting trust
in your flesh. YOU and I cannot be trusted to REMEMBER things of great
value in the proper season. Therefore, memorization -- the process of "cramming" something
into your head, is futile. It didn't work in college, yet, many seek to
employ this practice when it comes to the things of God. Our memories are
frail at best. Spare yourself some pain and frustration. We'll give you
a better alternative.
- In attempting to memorize, you're saying that you
know what you'll need to know later in various situations. We don't know.
If we "hoard" the word,
without prejudice, we are more likely to have what God wants us to have in
our "reserve". After all, He knows what we're going to go through and what
we'll need to get through it. Again, the alternative will cover this.
- The first alternative to "memorization" is "learning". Yes, learning. We
are CALLED TO LEARN. Jesus said "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." He
never asked us to memorize anything. Interestingly, however, when we truly
learn something, we know it. What we know is in our memory. God can tap into
that and bring it back to our remembrance at the time(s) appointed.
T he other alternative to memorization is reflected in John 14:26 says, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." I don't know about you, but my main source of remembrance is the Holy Ghost. This is a far too often overlooked benefit in God (because a lot of people claiming the Holy Ghost don't really have it). When I was born again, almost 22 years ago, the first week during my walk with the Lord, I read John 14:26. God spoke to my heart and just said "READ". I obeyed. Interestingly, the word "read" in the scriptures means "to encounter" or "to know again". Think of it as "exposure". The more we expose ourselves to God, the more likely it is that we will learn His ways, know Him and, therefore, remember things in due season -- including scripture.
In Deuteronomy 6, we see an exhortation to the children
of Israel. It says, (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall
be in thine heart: {7} And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest
by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. {8} And thou
shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets
between thine eyes. {9} And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house,
and on thy gates." They were commanded, basically, to expose themselves to
the word of God (or overexpose for that matter) on a daily basis.
In Deuteronomy 17:18-20, the commandment to eventual kings states: "And it
shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write
him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the
Levites: {19} And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days
of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words
of this law and these statutes, to do them: {20} That his heart be not lifted
up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to
the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in
his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel." The purpose of
reading (exposure) is to facilitate the learning process.
In reading (and that quite often), I learned that God
deals with us just like computers, in a sense. Try to open a document on
a computer that doesn't reside on a computer. You can't do it. If the DATA
has been entered into the computer, however, you can retrieve it. Reading
the word of God expands the point of reference between us and God. It gives
us a point of familiarity with Him. It also helps John 14:26 come alive in
our lives because God, who always keeps His word, will "retrieve data" that
has been input into our hearts and bring it to the forefront of our minds
(cause us to remember) when the time is right. Trust in God in this area
and you'll find yourself remembering things that you haven't looked at for
months or years even.
Trust HIM with your memory by following His guidelines -- learning and exposure.
Don't be a memorizer. Have you ever observed a "memorizer" and a "learner" side-by-side?
In college perhaps? The learner is calm, ready and confident. The memorizer
(also known as the crammer) is anxious, frustrated and insecure. This observation
speaks to our hearts.
Make sure that you fulfill the call to "learn of Him" (Matthew 11:27-29). In so doing, the word will be in your heart and not in your head. Remember, what's in our hearts affects how we walk and how we live. What's in our heads? Who knows? Be wise, child of God. Be wise.
>> CONCLUSION
What are you doing with the word of God? Is it in abundance in your heart or is it just in your head? Is it something you try to memorize, like a script, or is it real to you? Does it come back to mind when faced with pressure or is it a fleeting fancy?
Some try to fight the good fight of faith with weak and beggarly elements. Do you hide song lyrics? Some do. If they're not reflective of the word, they won't have the impact necessary to be victorious. Some hide fables. No explanation necessary there. Some put stock in their works. Not good enough. Strive to hide the word of God in your heart. Let your life revolve around its wisdom and let it renew your mind. You'll be glad you did.
Until next week, keep the word and be blessed!
Cry Aloud: Volume 5, Issue 14 --
Hide the Word
Copyright © 2001, CyberSaint/Scenario Ministries International
An outreach ministry of Remnant Christian Assembly, Inc. All rights reserved.
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