“Taking Heed According to Your Word”

King David revealed a tremendously important spiritual concept in Psalm 119:9-11 (please read). Here David asked the eternal spiritual question, “how can a young man (or any man or woman) cleanse their way?” Then in the same verse David gave the eternal spiritual answer, “By taking heed according to Your Word”. Surely, we can understand the question, but do we clearly understand the answer? What does it mean to “take heed”? This word “heed” in the Scripture is the Hebrew word “shamar” which means to pay close attention to; to take careful notice of. When used in close connection with another verb, “shamar” can signify carefully or watchfully doing that action. Not only does “shamar” signify watching but it signifies doing it in the sense of fulfilling responsibility. Notice, we have the responsibility to find out “How can I cleanse my way?”, and once we find out how to do it, we have the responsibility to do it! We must “take heed” to do according to Your Word, or what the Bible instructs us to do! You may be asking, what areas of my life can the Bible change? The Word of God can cleanse our thoughts! Thoughts of anger, hatred, revenge, lust, jealousy, any and all ungodly thoughts can be cleansed by “The Word”. Read Philippians 4:6-9. The Word will cleanse our words (or our speech). Cursing, lying, criticizing, belittling and the like can be cleansed by “The Word” read Galatians 5:19-21. The Word will cleanse our actions or our lifestyle or what we do or don’t do. Read John 15:1-3. “Bearing fruit” means doing the right things according to the Word. Read Ephesians 5:25-27. Notice verse 26, “That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word.” Now, we’ve got to realize all this can only happen if we “take heed” according to “The Word”! 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” James 1:19-22 says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted Word which is able to save your souls but be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” So, this is the way you can cleanse your way, by taking heed according to The Word and being a doer of The Word and not a hearer only! Now you know how, now let’s get it done! Praise God!

Forever Following Jesus, (The Word)

Gary Pittman, Founder and Sr. Pastor