Believing God

[Dr Denis O'Callaghan]

 From the Hebrew Perspective

 

A HEBREW SAGE MIGHT SAY. . .
Don't pray because it makes sense to pray, pray because life does not make sense without it.

BELIEVING GOD
"Abraham obeyed ME and kept MY Charge, MY Commandments, MY Laws, and MY Teachings." [Genesis (Bereshith) 26. 5 Tanakh, Torah]

Abraham heard the COMMANDMENTS OF YEHOWAH and he kept GOD'S Charge (Hebrew: mishmar — safeguard, watch) and Commandments (Hebrew: mitsvot — law, ordinance, precept); Statutes (Hebrew: chuqqim — to engrave, carve, portray...thus, describes "written rules of conduct"); and Laws (Hebrew: Torah — precept, statute, teachings).  Abraham "believed the LORD, and GOD accounted it to him for righteousness." [Genesis (Bereshit) 15. 6 Tanakh, Torah]

The basic reason that so many people have trouble understanding the HOLY SCRIPTURES is that they try to interpret the WRITTEN WORD to fit their private opinions, idioms, and idiosyncrasies and they are unable to understand because their minds and hearts are already bound to their own opinion.  "For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them." [Matthew 13. 15]

The HOLY BIBLE, the SCRIPTURES OF TRUTH, does not need to be interpreted at all, just believed!  The LORD GOD said what HE means, and means what HE says.  When HE speaks in parables or allegorically, SCRIPTURES clearly say so.  Otherwise, the HOLY WORD is literal and should be believed literally word-for-word as it is written.

The ALMIGHTY OMNISCIENT ONE wants to communicate HIS AUTHORITATIVE WORD to those who have obedient hearts and are willing to devote themselves to diligent study of all SCRIPTURE.  "But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them...HOLY SCRIPTURES, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in CHRIST JESUS. All SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of GOD, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of GOD may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." [2 Timothy 3. 14 - 17]

May our testimony ever be, "I have not deviated from what HIS lips commanded; I have treasured HIS WORDS more than my daily bread." [Job (Iyob) 23. 12 Tanakh, Kethuvim]   "When YOUR WORDS were offered, I devoured them; YOUR WORD brought me the delight and joy of knowing that YOUR NAME is attached to me, O LORD GOD OF HOSTS." [Jeremiah (Yirmeyah) 15. 16 Tanakh, Nevi'im]   IF you have a believing heart like our father, Abraham; a love of the LORD, like Job; and, like Jeremiah, a hunger for the SWEET PRECIOUS WORD — you will find great joy and rejoicing in your own heart.  "If you call to understanding and cry aloud to discernment, if you seek it as you do silver and search for it as for treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and attain knowledge of GOD." [Proverbs (Mishle) 2. 3 - 5 Tanakh, Kethuvim]  Such a blessed promise and so many more treasures our precious "ROCK OF AGES" has for HIS children.  How blessed we are to have the WRITTEN WORD as our ANCHOR, for it does not change and we are secure in HIS shelter.