"How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter that honey to my mouth." Psalm 119:103

This week let us go back to our brief study of the Word of God. We have seen what names Scripture uses of itself, what Scripture compares itself to and how Scripture describes itself. We look now to see what is the proper attitude to have toward the Word of God. Scripture does not leave us in doubt about this as we see in the following-- 

Of the Word, we:
Stand in awe:
"Princes persecute me without a cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your word." Psalm 119:161

Tremble:
"...This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word." Isaiah 66:2

Speak faithfully:
"'Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has My word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with the grain?'
declares the Lord." Jeremiah 23:28

Search:
Paul and Silas speaking of the Jews in Berea, "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." Acts 17:11

Speak boldly:
Peter and John pray for boldness to speak the Word after the Sanhedrin commanded them not to preach, "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word." Acts 4:29 And, "And when they prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." Vs. 31

Preach:
"So when they (Peter and John) had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans." Acts 8:25 (My parenthesis)

Receive:
"The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him." Acts 11:1 (Read his explanation Vs. 3-17, Vs. 18 is the result.) "When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God saying, 'So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.'"

Glorify
Here Paul and Barnabas reveal God's word to the Gentiles and their response, "For so the Lord has commanded us:
'I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.'
Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed."
Acts 13:47-48

Teach:
Paul teaching in Corinth,
"Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, 'Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.' And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them." Acts 18:9-11

Handle accurately:
Paul to Timothy, 2 Timothy 2:15,
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."

Do:
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22 & 25

Thank you, Father, for making it clear in Your Word what our attitude and response is to be concerning Your Word! There is no guessing! Thank you Holy Spirit for leading us into all truth! Thank you Jesus for You are the person of truth! Amen