Ezra 7:10 says, “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Joshua 1:8 helps us understand how we are to prepare our hearts. It says, “…meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.”

Everything in our progressive sanctification journey is predicated in God’s word. He is to be our priority over and above all that we do. Since all actions come from thoughts, we need to examine what we believe.

Do we really believe that hiding God’s word in our heart will keep us from sinning? Do we really believe that experiential truth will set us free and keep us free? Is God’s word the center of all that we think, say, and do?