Introduction:

Salvation comes when we believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But did you know the Gospel is also how we are to live? The intention for Psalm 119 Day to Day is to share what the Gospel of Jesus Christ means for us who believe in which this Psalm so richly reveals.

It is my hope that these words will give insight and encouragement not only to the new believer but also those of us who have been believers for many years in reminding us of what the work and power of the cross means -that Christ died to give us.

Be sure to read the scriptures that accompany each issue as part of your study and enrichment.

 

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Psalm 119:97-104

Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.
I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.
I have not departed from Your judgments,
For You Yourself have taught me.
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.

 

I have enjoyed this Psalm so far in how it has displayed the simplicity of Christ and His Gospel and how it correlates to the writings found in the New Testament scriptures. Today, I have compiled some examples of this. Feel free to add to this as there are certainly more!

Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.

• He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. John 14:21

• If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. John 15:10

• Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:3-4

You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.

• But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25

• Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Col 3:16-17

I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.

• He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. Matt 13:11

I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.

• Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.  This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.  For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:13-18

I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.

• For “He who would love life
  And see good days,
  Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
  And his lips from speaking deceit.
  Let him turn away from evil and do good;
  Let him seek peace and pursue it.
  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
  And His ears are open to their prayers;
  But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 1 Pet 3:10-13

I have not departed from Your judgments,
For You Yourself have taught me.

• But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 1 John 2:27

How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

• Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 1 Pet 2:1-3

• For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. Heb 6:4-6

Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.

• Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good Romans 12:9, 21

Previous Posts:

Psalm 119:89-96

Forever, O Lord,
Your word is settled in heaven.
Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it abides.
They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.
Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.
The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will consider Your testimonies.
I have seen the consummation of all perfection,
But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

The Law of Christ contains all glory and power of God. This is what we have in the New Covenant that the Psalmist did not have, yet he sought the Lord in all that he did have and know through the God’s commands, laws and precepts. The New Testament is filled with the law of Christ and I encourage us to seek this out so we may gain understanding of what it is the Lord consists, not only this but to ask the Lord to grant to us understanding so we may receive into our hearts in all it’s wonder – and begin to walk in His law greater than today. The Law of Christ is found (but not limited to) in Romans 8, while another is when Jesus spoke to the seven churches to John in Rev 2 & 3 and yet still another in Ephes 1. These are not mere facts about the Lord but our reality in which God has made a way for us to join- in Christ. Contained in His law is instruction and direction, with the revelation of who He is, who we are in Him and wants to impart to us. The Word of God is living, and He lives in us! Let us get this so we may walk in the law of Christ – today!

The portion of this Psalm I have turned into a prayer that we may pray it for all who belong to Christ our Lord:

Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants. Unless the law of Christ had been our delight, We would then have perished in our affliction. We will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given us life. We are Yours, rescue us, For we seek Your precepts. The wicked wait for us to destroy us, But we will consider Your testimonies. The perfection of men has its limit but in the law of Christ there is no limit now nor in all eternity!

Psalm 119: 81-88

My soul faints for Your salvation,
But I hope in Your word.
My eyes fail from searching Your word,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
For I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
 The proud have dug pits for me,
Which is not according to Your law.
 All Your commandments are faithful;
They persecute me wrongfully;
Help me!
 They almost made an end of me on earth,
But I did not forsake Your precepts.
 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

We as Christ believers and followers are the minority in the world and will experience tribulation even in our families; Luke 21:17.  Psalm 119 is an excellent prayer to pray not only for us as individuals but as a Body of believers.  This select passage in particular would be good and we need only to change the word I, me, and my to we, us, and our so we may make petition to the Lord for His Church in the dark day and hour we live today. 

Everywhere we turn there is opposition to the commandments and law of the Lord and His Creation.  The world is upside down and what is good is deemed evil and what is evil is viewed as good.  Let us make more time to pray collectively for the Church of Christ so we may stay strong and overcome all that seeks to come against the Lord. 

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Rev 12:11

Psalm 119:78-80

Let the proud be ashamed,  For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;  But I will meditate on Your precepts.  Let those who fear You turn to me,  Those who know Your testimonies.  Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, That I may not be ashamed. 

We are citizens of the Kingdom of God where the Gospel of Christ reigns and is contrary to how the world conducts their affairs.  The law of Christ requires us to deny our natural inclinations in favor of doing what Jesus has demonstrated for us:  We must die and live crucified lives.  Matthew 6:33, Romans 6:5-7, Galatians 2:20.

In this portion the psalmist brings to our attention how he has been treated unfairly through slander and seeks the Lord and His Word for his help. Likewise, the key for us as citizens of the Kingdom of God is to not let wrongdoing against us be what poisons us with bitterness or to seek vengeance.  The law of Christ says we are to bless those who persecute us, and while this is easier said then done, anything is possible with God!  Matt 5. When we face attacks of slander the enemy is not the other person but rather is our old natural man who wants nothing more then retaliation and vindication.  I believe this is what God says to us when we have been wronged: 

‘Leave them to Me, I’ll deal with them.  I want you to express your faith in Me by trusting that I will do this.  I am more interested that you crucify the part of you that wants desperately to rise up in this matter.’   

Our attention is to be about the business of the Kingdom of God.  The more we seek this, the more we will develop a healthy fear of the Lord and others will be drawn to us by the Holy Spirit’s drawing.  The fear of the Lord is a beautiful thing to possess and if we do not know it we ought to seek to have it.  I believe the fear of the Lord comes the more we learn who the Lord is and what He has accomplished for us. 

Have you even been driving your car and when you see a police cruiser and your reaction is to lift your foot off the gas pedal?  Why is this? Because when we see them as we are breaking the law we know they have the authority to take action by giving us a fine. So much more so does the Lord deserve our reverence and fear by reason of His majesty and authority.

Let the Lord do His job while we take all that is done against us to Him and leave it there in His care -and when we do, we will see how we are much better for it!

“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created. Rev 4:11

Psalm 119:75-77

I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.
Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.

When we walk with the Lord Jesus Christ in His Gospel, we will be a living epistle for others so they may be refreshed by us.  On the road we each walk, as we yield to Him, on occasion, the Lord uses times that are hard and difficult to prove He is who He says He is.  No time of chastening is a feel good experience but afterward we look back and say – thank you Lord I needed that!  What we have gained by our chastening adds to our life experience so we may have more to offer in way of comfort to others in their time of need. 

Are you going through a time of challenge or difficulty?  Don’t fight it, but ask the Lord how to come along side Him.  Many times we prolong our times of chastening by our resistance.  Put it all in His hands and get in the passenger seat and submit to Him as His pupil in this time of valuable teaching.  Heb 12:3-11. 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.  And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation. 1 Cor 1: 3-7

Psalm 119: 73-74

Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.

The Lord has done everything for us to live in the Kingdom of God and now we can seek to learn and understand through the Holy Spirit’s guidance what exactly this means.  What a privilege it is to have the Lord Himself teach us!  Our teacher knows us and is able to open up to us the Word so we may know what He reveals to us;  1 John 2 26-28

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not only something we believe but is our way of life and the richness it contains will take us beyond our lifetime to know.  Day by day we may drink in the water of the Word and let it soak us with its truth.  May we not take for granted the Word of God but treat it as a mine filled with gold.  Each day we dig we pull out from it a precious gem that fills our heart with gladness in knowing the Lord greater than we did yesterday. 

The study of the Word of God increases our understanding of the fear of the Lord in all reverence and awe.  Those who share with us this common love and fear will be glad to see us as we share together the Word of God. 

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;     1 Peter 3:15

Psalm 119: 65-72

You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
Their heart is as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
 It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
 The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

In this passage, the psalmist expresses how in his affliction the Lord proved faithful and how his confidence in Him reveals this. 

There are times in our Christian walk when we must look back at how the Lord has been faithful to us and that if the Lord is for us, who can be against us.  Our trust in Him will determine how we handle trials, challenges, and persecution.  When we go through hard times our first prayer would be ‘what are You teaching me here Lord?’ This is a prayer that not many pray but rather ‘help me get out of this Lord!’  Another way we can pray is exampled by Jesus when He was about to take the path of crucifixion saying,

“Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Luke 22:42.

The Lord delights in all who place their trust in Him and will not forsake us in our time of need. 

Let us regularly encourage ourselves in the Word and meditate on who the Lord is and what we have through the Lord Jesus Christ!

.In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:7-14

Psalm 119: 57-64

You are my portion, O Lord;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
 I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
 I thought about my ways,
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
 I made haste, and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
 The cords of the wicked have bound me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
 I am a companion of all who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;

Teach me Your statutes.

                                                                                                                        Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; Ephes 1:3, continue to full read chapter: Ephesians 1 for a good description of what our portion in Christ is. 

I have said that I would keep Your words.                                                                                                                    God sent His Son to us who is THE WORD; John 1:1-4.  To keep God’s words is to keep Jesus and His words and what it means to be ‘in Christ.’ Jesus not only spoke the word while He walked in this world, but He also imparted to Paul His Word according the Word of the Gospel of Christ. Scriptures also declare Jesus and God’s Word throughout the pages of the Bible. See 2 Tim 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20–21, Matt 4:4 & 1 Peter 1:24–25.

Keeping the word has eternal consequences; John 8:50-52

Keeping the Word proves our love for the Lord; John 14:23-24, that we know the Lord; 1 John 2:3-4

Be merciful to me according to Your word.                                                                                                                   Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:16. 

I thought about my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies.  I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.
The Lord’s grace should impact us to TURN away from what is offensive to Him. 

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14

 The cords of the wicked have bound me,  But I have not forgotten Your law.                                                        Since our Kingdom is not of this world, we do things according to the Kingdom of God; John 18:36.  We are not to return evil for evil, but instead to keep ourselves from being tainted by the evil done to us;  Matt 5:43-48, which includes keeping ourselves free from bitterness and anger which can be done through the power of forgiveness Christ has granted us that we, in turn, extend to others; read Matt 18:21-35.   

At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,  Because of Your righteous judgments.                                                  A good remedy for an evil assault is to take our eyes off the perpetrator in anger and place them on the Lord in remembrance of His goodness towards us through praise and thanksgiving.

Paul and Silas give a good example of this:

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. Acts 16:24-26

 I am a companion of all who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
As believer’s in Christ our desire is to be a people who love, respect, honor, and obey the Lord in all we think, say, and do; Matt 22:37.  We are people of integrity and what God looks for and we will want to be around others who have the same God-fearing and God-loving heart as ourselves.

Psalm 119: 51-56

The proud have me in great derision, Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.  I remember your judgments of old, O Lord,
And have comforted myself.
 Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
 I remember Your name in the night, O Lord,
And I keep Your law.
This has become mine,
Because I kept Your precepts.

God has told us that His ways are not our ways; meaning that the way and logic of the world are not going to agree with God’s laws.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. Is 55:8

 We will be faced with making stands against what is considered normal and what is widely accepted because God commands us to. Today, I dare say if the world agrees with us and we have no conflict – it might indicate we are ‘friends with the world’ – see James 4:4-10.  No matter what may come of the ‘proud’ and the ridicule or contempt they project upon us, we can take comfort in the Word of God that reminds us- though we may not be right in the world’s eyes, we are right in God’s eyes and that is all that matters.  He will help us get through the rough patches that come when we defy what society accepts with His abundance of grace.  Grace is not only what God grants us to be accepted by Him but through Jesus, it is a power that He gives us to overcome the world.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14

Psalm 119: 49-50

Remember the word to Your servant,
Upon which You have caused me to hope.
This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.

As believers in Christ our primary source is the Word.  The Word is not merely letters written down for us within the pages of the Bible but so much more than this.  The Word is Jesus Christ; John 1 & 1 John 1 and is living and powerful; Heb 4:12.  The understanding of the Word is contingent to our growth and development as a saint of God.  This kind of understanding comes (only) as we submit ourselves to the Lord and His teaching, seeking Him with diligence. 

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb 11:6.

The Lord will work in us how much we are willing to work in Him.  We will not know the depths of comfort that the Word gives as the Psalmist exemplifies unless we give ourselves to seeking it. 

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom 10:17.

There is an account in the Bible of a woman who was near starving and the prophet Elijah told her to go and gather jars because they were going to be filled by God Himself with oil. Read 1 Kings 17:8-16.   Oil that would be enough for her and her family and so she may sell as a means of income.  God filled every jar she collected.  He would have filled more if she had more.  In the same way, God will give us – knowledge of Himself; His Word, as much as we are willing to avail ourselves to Him and it is He that teaches us; John 14:26, 1 John 2:27, as we apply ourselves to His Word. 

Psalm 119: 45-48

And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
 I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
 And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes.

Early in the Acts of the Apostles, Stephen who was filled with the Holy Spirit of God went before an angry religious mob, of his own people who did not take too kindly of who he spoke. Read Acts 7:51-60.  Many people will rise up against the name of Jesus Christ and not really know why.  When in truth, only by the Spirit of God can anyone see let alone understand what the Kingdom of God is all about; John 3:3-7. We may understand the concept but still can be untouched by it in our-inner man that affects us on an intimate personal level. The psalmist explains here what is true for all who have been born of the Spirit of God, that we will do things that are absolutely contrary to what we as unsaved souls would ever want to!  Further to this, we will not be afraid or ashamed to present the Gospel to even kings if we were presented with the opportunity.  How can this be?  It is not anything we can take credit for, as this is done by the power of the Spirit of God.  Stephen spoke harsh words to his own and even to the leaders and did not back down even unto his own stoning death.  He even was able to ask the Lord to forgive them for the evil deed they do against him!  Now that is a power that is for all of us who put our complete trust and faith in Jesus Christ in what He accomplished on the cross.  The life of a son or daughter of God is to believe in His Son (John 14) with our entire being which will cause us to make hard stands against the evil tides around us no matter what the cost may be. Amen

Psalm 119: 41-44

Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord—
Your salvation according to Your word.
So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever

The psalmist expresses consistently his dependence upon the Word of the Lord.  The Word is our Life (John 14:19) who is the risen Jesus Christ; John 1.  The Word is living and speaks to ears that will hear.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. Heb 4:13-14

 How we approach and handle the Word will be displayed in the level of trust we have towards our Lord and Savior; Rom 10:17.  I know of some who have been believers for decades and have not yet read the bible from cover to cover.  Something is amiss if there is drudgery in getting through the pages of scripture.  If this is you, be concerned but also encouraged to know that you can begin in the exciting journey to acquaint yourself with the Word today.  The Lord will open our eyes to Himself as long as we give to Him the time to do so. Do not depend (only) on others to tell you about what the Bible says. The Bible is the most exciting Book ever written and the Word in contains is definitely worth knowing!  May we approach it with a new freshness and discovery today!  Amen!

Psalm 119: 36-40

Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.

Throughout Psalm 119, we hear a repetition of what seems to be the same or similar requests but needfully so!  Our heart is quick to waver and forget from one day to the next, and here we are focused and tuned in to the Lord God Almighty.  When we offer the Lord a desire such as displayed within this Psalm, what we ask is only God’s delight to give us!  In fact, we already have all that this Psalm contains – in Christ Jesus.  We need only now to walk in what the Lord has for us.  2 Cor 1:20-22, Ephes 3, Col 2:6-7.  The Lord has provided for us all that we need to live not only holy, righteous lives but also filled with His presence; all we need is faith to believe this!

May we never cease to ask the Lord to increase both our love and faith for Him as we continue to seek Him daily – Amen. 

Psalm 119: 34-35

Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.

We read in Romans 3:11,

“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
 “Theirthroat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;“Whosemouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
 “Theirfeet are swift to shed blood;
Destruction and misery are in their ways;
And the way of peace they have not known.”
“Thereis no fear of God before their eyes.”

This is a stark and accurate description of our hearts – BEFORE Christ enters us.  No human being can ever conjure up within themselves a desire to seek God, let alone obey Him.  God must initiate this for us; John 6:44.  This Psalm continually teaches us how asking the Lord is key to our spiritual life and growth.  This is what the Lord desires from us.  If we lack desire for the things of God, we must ask Him for it!  Jesus reminds us that God is willing to give us all we need to walk with Him.

If we do not feel like praying or reading the Bible, we MUST ask the Lord for His help, but that does not mean we just wait until we magically get zapped with enthusiasm.  God helps us as we participate with Him in what we ask for. 

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:9-13

Life and its distractions often are the culprits of our lack and zeal for the things of the Lord.  It is up to us whether to continue on the path that leads us away from God or if we stop and ask the Lord to help us back to Himself.  Sometimes we don’t even know what to ask for.  That is why Jesus defines what we need to ask:  for His Holy Spirit to lead us and help us.  We can never exhaust God by asking Him for help, but we must never ask Him for it if we are not really wanting it.  When we ask for the things of God, we will receive them with delight, and our faith is ignited because this is what the Lord’s will is.   Ephesians 3 is a wonderful reminder of the wonderful promises God desires for us that we may ask for today.

Psalm 119:33

Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.

When we ask the Lord to teach us, be prepared for a life lesson. Life lessons will be what will bring the Word alive to us in our own personal circumstances. It can be small and seemingly insignificant, or when life throws us a severe blow – in each God can give us valuable teaching if we sit under Him to gain such education. In this place of learning, we will align our will and attention to God’s Word every day; John 15. Often and regrettably, we do not lend ourselves to the Lord in this way as much, if at all, as He desires us. His Word becomes multi-dimensional when we do, and we are spiritually changed by it. 

We all read that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and how we can have peace with God and enter fellowship with Him (John 14:6). To access this promise, we must walk out what the Word says – so we may obtain it. When we (truly) believe in Jesus Christ, we will be willing to forsake all (Luke 9:23-24) and will walk in the Light as Jesus is in the Light (1 John 1:7) and grow like a seed planted on good ground; Matt 13:18-23. Our level of belief is revealed in our willingness to walk with Jesus as He walks.   If we do not possess such faith, we will not be able to learn what the Lord desires to personally teach us. 

Jesus tells us that

For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. Matt 25:29

One thing we have is faith. 

If anyone has faith the size of a mustard seed, that is all it takes to begin in a vital multi-dimensional walk with the Lord and His Word where we increase for Him; Matt 14:13-30.   

Let us ask the Lord to teach us with newness and excitement and expectancy that He will increase in us the Kingdom of God for His glory. Amen!

Psalm 119: 28-32

My soul melts from heaviness;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
Remove from me the way of lying,
And grant me Your law graciously.
I have chosen the way of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
I cling to Your testimonies;
O Lord, do not put me to shame!
I will run the course of Your commandments,
For You shall enlarge my heart.

As the Lord’s Followers who walk abiding in the Vine; John 15, we will encounter His burdens to carry. In these verses, we get a sense of what it feels like when carrying such a burden and how to manage it. If we are in a mess of turmoil through the sin and wickedness of another, we must be careful to not make it about ourselves and our feelings. When we do this, we lose our effectiveness in praying for the situation presented before us. When we face such circumstances, we must refresh ourselves on who the Lord is, and His word says. Coupled with this, it is imperative that we crucify our flesh and do not let our minds be led by this world in how it thinks we should deal with it, or our friends who always will have opinions no matter how well-meaning and sincere they may be. The counsel that these ( likely ) offers will be, most often, good sound advice that seems quite logical but will not be what the word of God directs. God’s way is never man’s way; 1 Cor 2. We learn this in the counsel that Peter gave our Lord when He told the disciples the way of the cross He was about to embark on (read Matt 16:21-23). Peter was led by his emotions, well-intended enough – but we see how they are satanic in the Lord’s rebuke saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

The way of the Gospel of Christ is not going to sit well with the counsel of this world, nor will it listen to our emotions and feelings, for these are, as Jesus describes, ‘the things of men.’  Carrying the burden of the Lord is not for the faint of heart but for one who is familiar with not letting their flesh rule and where they may have the privilege to join with the Lord in conducting the Father’s business; Luke 2:49.   This is the place where Jesus told us we would cast mountains into the sea! 

o Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. ”Matt 21:21-22.

Psalm 119:25-27

My soul clings to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
I have declared my ways, and You answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
Make me understand the way of Your precepts;
So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.

It is not a matter of if but when we come face to face with dry seasons in our walk of faith.   Dry places in our spiritual lives may be a time for testing in which the Lord wants to prove in us what we profess.  It is in hard times we will see clearly if we trust in the Lord to continue to obey His Word or if we will seek others or things instead. Times of dryness also can come by our own doing in which we veer off the path of Jesus Christ into one of our own.  The flow of the Lord will not continue, so we will ‘dry up’ inside; 1 Thess 5:19, Ephes 4:29-31.  Unless we are willing to see our folly, our ears will grow weak in hearing God as we once did.  This can be true in certain areas of our lives in which we fully submit and commit to God but in other places we hide and ignore.  So let us make certain we look with scrutiny in all areas allowing God to see and know us in all our ways. 

No matter what the reason for our dry season, we can be assured that God will lead us as He sees to it – as we surrender to Him.   Let us be like King David who was an open book to His Lord and tender to the will of God.  It starts always with being honest first with ourselves and our lives and sometimes it is good to go before God to ask Him no matter what season it may be asking:

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting. Ps 139:23-24

When we do, we will surely receive the Lord’s counsel in our time of need.  

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Heb 10:19-23

Psalm 119:24

Your testimonies also are my delight

And my counselors

Our gift from God is found in His Son, Jesus Christ; Ephes 2:4-10.  

We can be locked up or down, yet we will never be stripped of this glorious gift as we continue to place our hope and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  As believers in Christ, we will not become His Followers unless we become acquainted (and abide) with His Word; John 15.  Jesus is the Word!  His Word is our counsel and delight.  The Word is also God’s Testimony; John 1:1-34, became flesh and dwelt among us, who also is our Counselor; Is 9:6.   As many as receive Him become His Followers.  His followers take delight in Him, and so receive His counsel!  What a true blessing indeed!

Ps 119:23

Princes also sit and speak against me,
But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.

As believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we must make it our regular habit to read and meditate on the scriptures, and not only this but DO what the Word instructs us; James 1:22-25.  Only when we walk out the Bible’s truths in our own lives will we begin to ruffle the feathers of people who would oppose, even authorities.  In light of this, we cannot stand for something unless we know its why and what, and I learned this through personal experience.  It wasn’t until I asked myself what I believed and why-did I realize how terribly vague my faith was.  It is a question that I still am discovering and realize how little I still know! 

Ps 119:22

Remove from me their scorn and contempt,
for I keep your statutes.

By our (new) nature, we will always be an object for scorn in one way or form to those around us.  Our witness and testimony will be in contradiction to what society is and does because the world and all who are not God’s are under the rule of the god of this world; 1 John 5:18-20. It is difficult to be rejected and treated with contempt by those who we entreat in the name of the Lord’s love for them so we need to be reminded of Jesus’s words that this is evidence that we are blessed of God! Matt 5:11-12.  In the hour we experience the rebuke of our loved ones and those who we share the Lord Jesus Christ let us make sure we silently ask the Lord to ‘remove from me their scorn and contempt,’ so we may not harbor ill-will by it.  God will lift us up above so we may receive from Him in the hour of our need as we keep our eyes upon Him and His word and off of ourselves. 

You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.  But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak.  For it will be given to you that Hour what you should spak:  for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.  Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.  But he who endures to the end will be saved. Matt 10:18-22.

Ps 119:21

You rebuke the proud-cursed,
Who stray from Your commandments.

Pride will always bring a curse.  Jesus told us that to be great in His Kingdom we are to be people who serves one another and the mark of humility.  Pride says no, you will do as I say because I am greater than you!  You will serve me!.  Our human carnality will always be in pride because Self is who sits on the throne of our lives when we allow it.  Jesus says, no, cut off the areas in our lives that cause us to sin against His commandments.  Matt 18:8-9.   God will have none of prides selfish works and will allow us to fall by it.  When we wander off in pride we will not readily hear the Word of the Lord’s command so the Lord will often bring into our lives or allow circumstances to be our teacher to reveal the sin of pride. 

But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Matt 23:11-13.

Ps 119:22

My soul breaks with longing
For Your judgments at all times.

Jesus has told us that the mark of us being His will be His Spirit in us. 

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39

The evidence that the Holy Spirit dwells in us is we will long to do what is right, and the miracle is that it is the Lord’s righteousness in us that desires this.   The saint’s life is by faith in believing in Jesus Christ, and out of this, we will do the Lord’s will through obedience to His Word through the help of the Holy Spirit. 

From time to time, we may go off in our own way, apart from the Holy Spirit’s leading, and even when we do, He, the Spirit, will convict us of our sin.  Sometimes, we may not pay attention to His conviction; what then?  We will lose the longing, and the rivers of living water will dry up in us.  Indeed this is a dangerous place to be.  Thankfully the Lord is gracious to the soul that recognizes his sin and restores us when we turn back to Him!

Psalm 119:17-19

Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.

The Psalmist recognizes the power of the Word of God and his need to know it.  He seeks God to grant to him only what God can do – open his eyes to see. 

As blood-bought saints of God, we have been given spiritual riches that go beyond our human understanding, and for this reason why we need the Holy Spirit to guide us; John 16:13.  We will not know nor understand such depths unless we are led by the Holy Spirit, who interprets the Word of God for us.  God grants to each the knowledge of the truth into the things of His Kingdom and rule that we must not take lightly but be students of His Word.  Many passages in the Bible describe what it is we should seek, pray for, and is ours to walk in.  Our faith expands when we read the Word of God and hear what the Spirit reveals to us; Rom 10:17.  Here are a few that allows us to see God’s will for us who believe:   Ephes 1, Ephes 3:8-21, 2 Peter 1 &  Col 1:9-29. 

Jesus tells us what is to be our sole focus which is to seek His Kingdom; Matt 5:33, to which the author of Hebrews explains further–

‘But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.’ – Heb 11:6.

God supplies us with all that we need to get to know who He is and what His will and Word are so we may come to the knowledge of the truth – which is found in the Lord Jesus Christ.   It is up to us to set out and seek in sincerity to discover what this is.   Let us (only) not look to others to tell us but to the Lord Himself through His Spirit – Amen!

Psalm 119: 13-16

With my lips I have declared
All the judgments of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.
I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

For us to be able to declare, rejoice, meditate, and delight in the Word of God we must have the Holy Spirit in us.  Anyone can do these things, but not everyone will truly see and understand the spiritual depths and knowledge that only the Spirit gives; 1 Cor 2:10-14. Jesus spoke harshly to the religious in His day who were well learned in the scriptures but did not see that the Messiah they looked for was right in front of them because they were without the leading of His Spirit.  Read John 8:19-59. 

Daily is our practice to open our Bibles to join the Lord through His Spirit to seek His instruction and learn who our great God is. We must take care in the handling of truth to put it into practice.  For those who only read and do not practice, God takes from them such knowledge.   

“No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.” Luke 8:16-18.

James tells us that those who only hear the word will forget what they learned; James 1:22-25.

We must be careful we are not like the religious that Jesus rebuked as we study and seek God in His Word.  For we will not gain, nor will we grow in the depths of God and will be unable to express love and devotion for God’s Word as the Psalmist so beautifully does, for without the Spirit, it is only empty religion we practice.

Psalm 119:12

Blessed are You, O Lord!

Teach me Your Statutes. 

When we recognize the blessedness of the Lord, our response will be as the psalmist cries out,  teach me more!  

Peter eloquently speaks of the riches that have been granted to us and O how we need the Lord to teach us such depths! 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  1 Pet 1:3-5

May we continually cry out to the Lord to work out in us these truths – ‘teach me!’  so it becomes our personal experience and testimony, Amen.

Psalm 119:11

Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.

The Word came down and became flesh; John 1:1-18. He dwelt among us and did not sin. 

He was the perfect sacrificial lamb that could take upon Himself the curse of sin that was pronounced on all of us and save us; 2 Cor 5:20-21. He died, and God raised Him to everlasting life. Rom 6:3-5. Out of this miraculous exchange, God gives us a new heart so we may know His Word. Ez 36:25-27, and only those who obtain this can understand His Word; 1 Cor 2:13-15. Not only this, God has granted us power and grace by His Spirit, in us, that we may walk obediently according to His will. What does this mean? Christ freed us – from ourselves! That is selfishness, which stems from our carnal mind, will, and emotions. 2 Cor 3:16-18. 

Jesus says, come to Me (Matt 11:28-29) – that when we come to Him, we at the same time walk away from selfishness, and this is our way to walk.  

His Word is how we overcome Self, Sin, and ultimately Satan. The more we fill up with the Word found in the scriptures, the more arsenal we have against our flesh’s attempts to dethrone the Lord; Rev 12:11.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

Psalm 119:10

With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!

Can we say, ‘with my whole heart I have sought You,’ as the psalmist has said?  Even as he boldly proclaims this, he realizes that he can wander from the will of God as he pleads for this not to be so. As believers, under the new covenant, we take for granted and even neglect a vital aspect of our faith: which is a godly fear. Many will deny any such idea as fear the Lord because it does not line up with the Jesus they know. The Jesus they know and believe has granted much grace and acceptance, so how can they fear such a compassionate and loving God?  We tend to major on these attributes and put little to nothing on His righteousness and justice and so end up having an unbalanced and unbiblical view of who He is. 

Threaded within this Psalm is such fear and is expressed in many ways, one of which in this verse, is the fear of wandering away from God.  Something for us to remember is the Lord has given us Himself and in Him are all the promises of God; 2 Cor 1:20, and this is wonderful! But with this, He warns us to keep all that He has commanded us; John 14:21, and doing so, we will be able to endure and overcome (the world and sin); 1 John 5:3-5. To not follow in His instruction is to wander away from Him and into darkness which is a place where the judgment of God rests; John 12:44-50. 

As this psalmist cries to God, so should we! For we are like sheep who quickly get distracted by whatever dangles in front of our eyes to lure us away from believing and seeking the Way, Truth & Life – who is Jesus Christ; John 14:6.

Psalm 119:9

How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.

Our young people would certainly do well to pay special attention to this verse and the old alike, for it contains valuable information that is good for us when applied. It by no means is new advice but is practical and vital just the same.  

For all who come to the cross of Jesus Christ and believe in Him and His gospel, God grants us forgiveness of our sins. Sin in us is unclean. The blood of Jesus washes us clean, so we stand blameless before God – praise His name!  

However, the question this psalmist asks is not regarding the finished work of Jesus, but how can he personally attain cleanliness in his life.  

It is BECAUSE we are the vessels of God through the blood of Jesus that we are to ‘pay heed according to the Word.’  

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Tim 2:20-22

We now walk out and away from sin and the world – according to the Word of the Lord.  

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21.

Psalm 119:8

I will keep Your statutes;
Oh, do not forsake me utterly!

In our walk with the Lord, there will be times where we may not see or feel like the Lord is near, which invariably describes the walk of faith. It is not by sight or our feelings but resolves in who we believe – no matter what we are experiencing. We are encouraged as Jesus Himself cried out to God:

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Crying out like this is not a lack of faith – but expressing our need for God in our human condition. Let us not mistake this to become a cry of complaint to God. God hears all who cry out to Him in their lack – to those who look to Him to give what they need and not what they think they need. As we keep His Word by walking in His ways, we can cry out with honest hearts in times of silence, pain, and sorrow and be confident that He hears and is nearer to us than we could ever imagine.   

It could be a moment where God is waiting for us to 

Be still, and know that I am God;

 I will be exalted among the nations,

 I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10

And just as He revealed His Glory in Jesus, so He waits to do the same with us!

 

Psalm 119:7

I will praise You with uprightness of heart,                            When I learn Your righteous judgments.

When the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ enters our hearts in Spirit and truth, we are in the correct posture to offer God acceptable praise and worship and is the kind of worship the Lord wants; Jesus explains:

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.  You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth.” John 4:21-24

We must understand worship is what God wants and not about our preferences and enjoyment.  Many have grown dependent on music, and individuals or groups to ‘lead’ us ‘into’ worshiping God.  This is not necessary if we understood that worship is not something we do but rather is our way of life.   It is not an emotional feeling or something that we must work up to ‘enter in.’

Our lives are to be living sacrifices to God.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

True worship comes by being faithful to the Word of God by His Spirit where we are one with God through His Son, and out of this union, we become responders to the Lord’s majesty – in us.  We gladly humble ourselves because in doing so we lift Him up.  Our life is a song we sing to the Lord that will form in us, if we allow it, to become words we may sing to Him in Spirit and truth daily in our secret closets in which He takes great delight.

This kind of worship depends on nothing but being one with the Living God; John 17:20-23. 

Psalm 119:5-6
Oh, that my ways were directed
To keep Your statutes!
Then I would not be ashamed,
When I look into all Your commandments.

We read that Adam and Eve did not feel ashamed as they walked with God in the garden, but this changed. Read Gen 2:18-25 &  Gen 3.  Adam & Eve enjoyed their fellowship with God, but when they listened to the serpent to be deceived by his words to them, they disobeyed God in what He commanded and sinned.  Sin makes us want to run from God, not run to Him because of shame.  Shame is a fruit that sin produces in us.     

When shame causes us to run from God it becomes rebellion.  To be in rebellion comes a hardened heart; Heb 3:7-11.

The only way God directs us is through His Word.  It is up to us to take what He gives to heart and put it to practice. The Holy Spirit will always lead us to the obedience of the Word.  

It is essential to know that Lord does not shame us; shame comes upon us as an indicator we have sinned.  And the Word of God will reveal where we have strayed provided we let it. 

The Good News of the Gospel says the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished freedom from the power that sin has over us.   It takes faith in Christ and courage to turn from our sin.  He will lead us out of our misery as long as we ask Him in sincerity and desire Him to lead us to keep His statutes.  As we turn from whatever is cause for shame, He will provide the light and His cleansing so we may see our way out – of shame. 

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7

Psalm 119:4 

You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.

Jesus promises us that He and the Father will come into us – WHEN we keep His Word. 

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words, and the Word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent me” John 14:23-24

The Holy Spirit will teach us, and it is up to us to keep the instruction of the Lord’s Word.  To keep the instruction, we must find out what this is.  In our pursuit, we mustn’t rely on other’s study of the Word to replace our own personal study. Today, this is easy to do with all the wealth of information we have access to literally at our fingertips. They are excellent resources and sources of inspiration, but nothing can give us what our own personal quest does.  It is where the Holy Spirit imprints deeply into our inner man – the truth, and when we hear it, obey and abide in it, it becomes part of us, and our faith is strengthened that much more, in the Lord because we put into practice what we learn. 

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17

Unless we know the Word, how can we believe? So it is imperative to our testimony to diligently seek Him to find out who He is and the Gospel of His Kingdom. His Story is found in the pages of the Bible, and it is only to our benefit that we read it as His love letter to mankind. No matter how many times we have read the Bible cover to cover, there is always something that the Lord reveals to us from His vast depths to add to our knowledge of Him.  The Lord enjoys giving to us more as we seek to partake with Him – more. This is one of His spiritual laws:  Read Luke 8:16-18.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb 11:6 

If we remember one thing, that is to not neglect the value of our own personal study and pursuit of the Lord as we diligently seek Him in the Word of God.  To join with the Holy Spirit as He opens up to us the truth that is the living water (John 7:38-39) so we may not only drink but have enough to share with others!

Psalm 119:3  

They also do no iniquity  They walk in His ways.

What is sin?  It is all that is unlawful in the sight of God.  It is to go the opposite way of what the Lord commands.  Sin is iniquity and unrighteousness.  None is righteous in the eyes of God; in fact, there is no natural desire in any human being to do what is right – UNLESS the Lord gives it to us.  This can come no other way but by Jesus Christ.   When we understand that we are sinners and need a Savior, we will repent of our sins and be in the correct position so we may receive Jesus Christ not only as our Savior but that He also becomes our Lord.  It is essential to know that repentance is not something we merely say, but it is an act of changing our whole thinking line–to agree with God and His Word.  If this has been done, the evidence will be that we will have a new growing desire to walk in the way, truth and life, the embodiment of Jesus Christ and found in the Word of God.  

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

We cannot skip the steps in the Gospel of Jesus Christ; otherwise, we will be spinning the religious wheels that leads nowhere.  The mark of those who have genuinely grasped Jesus and His Gospel is we will have a new relationship with sin.  Previous to Jesus, we were dead in our sins, post we are now dead to sin.  When we are dead to sin, we no longer live to serve and be slaves in it.  Read Romans 6.  Jesus has promised us that the truth will set us free provided we abide in it;

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-31

There is no such thing as being a slave to sin in the Kingdom of God, and if this is so, it only reveals that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has not been fully grasped and believed to abide in.  God will do what He says when we do our part.  It is far easier for us to lay the entire work on Christ that was not meant than to die to ourselves so we may live in His fullness and freedom. 

Until we are with the Lord in heaven, we will always have something that He desires us to lay down for His name’s sake, for this is the Christian life and our sanctification.  If we are not experiencing this work in our day-to-day lives, it may indicate an area that may need attention.  Let us not forget that to die to ourselves is always gain in the Kingdom of God and to not be afraid to ask the Lord to convict us where He wants to work in sanctification, though it is painful for a moment or two, it is far better once we look on the other side of it; Luke 9:23-26.

Psalm 119:2

Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!

The Kingdom of God will bear fruits that will testify of its existence through us in the lost world. Matt 21:43.  Such fruits are keeping God’s testimonies and the life pursuit of seeking God with the whole heart.  What gives us this drive is the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us.  When we participate with the Holy Spirit, He witnesses in/to us that we are the Lord’s Children;

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:14-16

We will have inner rejoicing in us because we know we are His, which propels us to walk the path (obedience) that the Lord calls us. 

As believers in Christ, it is up to us to make sure that we have this witness in us, to make sure our calling and election are sure – 2 Pet 1:10 because Jesus tells us that many are called but few are chosen (Matt 22:13-15), and He explains that not everyone who calls Him Lord shall enter the Kingdom of God; Matt 7:21-23.  It is a priority to establish that we have been born of the Spirit and received a new heart. Our entrance into the Kingdom of God is contingent upon the new birth experience (see the previous post). Further to this, those who practice the rules of this Kingdom are able to remain in it; John 15:1-17.  We will thrive, and our lives will testify the Lord Jesus Christ as we are diligent to love the Lord God with everything we have and when we settle for nothing less!

‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ‘This is the first and great commandment. Matt 22:37.

Psalm 119:1

Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the Law of the Lord!

Jesus explains what defiles us in Matt 15:1-20, and we learn it is our human heart and all that comes out of it that soils us. How can anyone hope to ever be blameless before God with this unpleasant reality?  Thankfully we are not doomed because the answer is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ or the Good News. Jesus tells us unless we are born again, we can’t even see the Kingdom of God let alone be one of its citizens!; John 3:3.  The new birth is where we begin with the Lord to start living life in Christ with our new hearts. How can this be but by the miraculous work of God?  By faith through His Spirit.

The new birth does not come by a prayer we pray or words we confess but a complete and honest mind/heart change in turning to God and away from self, sin and the god of this world, Satan. Listed below are practical steps in receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and New Birth:

• Acknowledge to God that we are defiled and need to be washed of our sins.
• Turn from living to serve ourselves and sin to live to serve God, which is repentance.
• By faith, we receive the forgiveness of our sins and the Lord Jesus as our Savior so we may begin to walk with the Lord AS Lord over our lives.

New Birth was revealed in the Old Covenant hundreds of years before Jesus came, and the promise it holds is for us today!  Read Ezekiel 36:24-29. 

The words that begin this Psalm are appropriate because they describe all who have been born of the Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord and good cause to rejoice for we are a blessed people indeed!