The God of My Life…

Psalm 42:8 (NIV)

By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.

Our Verse of the Day comes from a familiar Psalm – the first verses providing inspiration for popular praise and worship music. This psalm speaks to the intimate nature of our relationship with God … His quiet engagement and oversight of our lives … the comfort His presence gives us when we become discouraged in our journey of faith. I have reprinted Psalm 42 for us to see the context … the expression of longing within the human heart … the deep yearning we feel for God when He seems distant during our times of suffering. In those times when we feel forlorn or abandoned, this Psalm reminds us to praise God anyway … to put our hope and trust in Him … to find strength in the knowledge of His sure salvation.

Psalm 42 (NIV)

¹As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. ²My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? ³My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” ⁴These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. ⁵Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. ⁶My soul is downcast within me; therefore, I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. ⁷Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. ⁸By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life. ⁹I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” ¹⁰My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” ¹¹Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.

Have you had one of those days when God seems so far away? Are you feeling downcast in your spirit? I pray this Psalm over you! If you wonder where God might be in your circumstances, know that He is present right there with you. The Lord is directing His love toward you. He is singing His song over you. Indeed, “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Cf. Zephaniah 3:17) Yes, Jesus is right beside you … walking in the furnace and going through the fire of affliction with you. (Cf. Daniel 3:24-27) Oh my friend, Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.” (Cf. Matthew 11:28-29) Yes, know that Jesus is interceding for you before the throne of the Father; for He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them. (Cf. Hebrews 7:25)

The Psalms always seem to bless me and bring clarity of thought and vision for the day ahead. So many focus my attention on the love of God for me … reminding me of His presence and grace when my emotions might lead me to feel otherwise. I just thought it might be good for us to read the entire Psalm to bring us hope and encouragement … because I sense there is someone reading who just needs this Word from the Lord to begin their day. I pray the love and grace of God will be poured out upon you each morning … and fill you when it seems too hard to keep walking ahead. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, I pray. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, for those who have been called according to His purpose. ~ Romans 8:26-28

Rejoicing in Obedience…

Psalm 119:14 (NIV)

I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

I have pondered over our Verse of the Day; and I have asked myself if my heart feels the same way as the Psalmist expressed. Do I REJOICE in following the statues and commands of God? If someone were to just give you a billion dollars, would the excitement of receiving those “great riches” compare to how you should feel inside for obeying God? What a provocative metaphor the Psalmist has used to exhort our view of and response to scripture … the Word of God.

Psalm 119:9-16 (NIV)⁹How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.
¹⁰I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
¹¹I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
¹²Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees.
¹³With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
¹⁴I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
¹⁵I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
¹⁶I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

As we read this particular section of Psalm 119, notice the joy, the exuberance, and the delight of the inspired writer as he considers his inner desire to follow the laws, statutes, precepts, decrees, and commands found in the Word of God. He holds nothing back! But do we? Do we whole heartedly approach obedience with this level of zeal? Or do we begrudge having to exert our own wills to resist disobedience? I think believers certainly endeavor to obey the will of God, but have we ever thought that our attitude should be one of rejoicing like someone who won the Mega Millions Lottery? The question that comes to mind is: “Do we rejoice when we obey God and His Word? Does obedience bring joy to our lives?

I am reminded of this passage from Paul found in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 which reads: “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” Could it be, perhaps, that the way out is to “rejoice” in obedience? Think about it for a moment. The last time you were tempted, did you delight in His statutes and decrees? Do you meditate on the Word of God and hide it within your heart so that you might not sin against Him? Maybe we need to consider the joy that obedience will bring more than we entertain any thoughts of disobedience … which will only lead to guilt and shame. I think that if we would attain an attitude of delight in following after God, we would be less likely to inhibit fellowship with Him because of sin.

This meditation has challenged me to examine the attitude of my heart. I think the issue here is not so much what I might accomplish by following His statutes – although there are blessings for sure; rather, the focus should really be about my motivation to follow His commands. Do I approach obedience with a cheerful and glad heart? Is obedience something that I wholly and heartily pursue as I would the pursuit of “great riches”? To me the Psalmist is saying, “Obedience is not an afterthought; rather, following the commands of God should be a forethought … a planned strategy that one should take delight in … knowing God will be pleased with every act of obedience. Obedience is not something to begrudge; rather, we should view His perfect law … His royal law … as a source of joy and delight! If we want to experience more joy in our lives, obedience to the Word of God is a great path for us to attain it.

Again, a simple verse with tremendous impact. It has changed my perspective on the inner motivation of my heart and how I should view the will of God. I am reminded of Psalm 1:2 which affirms: “Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law both day and night. And King David wrote: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in His commands. (Cf. Psalm 112:1) Indeed, it is one thing to obey God out of a sense of moral duty, obligation, or respect. It is another to rejoice and delight in following His commands. It’s all about the motivation of our hearts. And I remember that Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep my commands.” (Cf. John 14:15) To me, that is the greatest reason to “rejoice” in following His statutes because I always want Jesus to know that I love Him….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. ~ Isaiah 61:10

Your Word Gives Light…

Psalm 119:130 (NIV)

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

For our Verse of the Day, we continue in Psalm 119; and again, I will put our verse in its surrounding section for context:

פ Pe

¹²⁹Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them.
¹³⁰The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
¹³¹I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.
¹³²Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name.
¹³³Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
¹³⁴Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts.
¹³⁵Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees.
¹³⁶Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.

צ Tsadhe

¹³⁷You are righteous, Lord, and your laws are right.
¹³⁸The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.
¹³⁹My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words.
¹⁴⁰Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
¹⁴¹Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts.
¹⁴²Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.
¹⁴³Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight.
¹⁴⁴Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.

As I meditate on these words and the light they bring, I cannot help but imagine the inner feelings of those who penned these Spirit inspired thoughts. I can just sense the intensity of zeal for the Word of God already available to them … for all of its instruction and wisdom in righteousness and order and goodness. Psalm 119 conveys a deep realization that God wants His people to know the truth and that He desires those who love Him to live according to it. And so there is a great hunger and thirst for the Word of God within us. It beckons us to learn and to apply and to be transformed!

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Father God, we thank you for Your Word … passed down over the millennia! We thank you for instruction in wisdom and the knowledge of righteousness! We praise you for the light you have brought into the world so that we might know you, the only true God. Indeed, we hold fast to your promise of eternal life for those who put their faith in your Son … our Savior … Jesus the Christ. I pray that Your Word will change us … transform us … conform us into His image. I pray that you would direct our footsteps according to your word and let no sin rule over us. May those who love you delight in your commands to do them. Let your grace abound, O Lord, so that we might obey your word. For I ask these things in your Mighty Name. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.” ~ Amos 8:11-12

The Way of Faithfulness…

Psalm 119:30 (NIV)

I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.

Our Verse of the Day affords us a simple, yet powerful message. The decision to be faithful –faithful to God and to one another is always individual. God has created each of us with a personal will that allows us to choose according to the dictates of our own hearts. So, we are challenged to thoughtfully consider our decisions before we make them, as well as the commitments we have determine in our hearts to fulfill. It brings to mine other verses that I believe are applicable: “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Cf. Psalm 119:11) And, “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (Cf. 1 Samuel 15:22)

The Psalmist gives us, perhaps, the most vital key to exercising the wisdom we need to apply for both short-term and long-term decisions. Actions are essentially the output or engagement of the thoughts of our hearts. And so, what we set our hearts on ultimately determines what we will do. If we set our hearts on the laws of God … His Spirit-inspired Word (the expressed will of God), then we will discern the right choices available to us. Why? Because we will have the knowledge needed to exercise our personal wills in a manner that produces correct decisions for our lives. And, again, our choice to be obedient will be manifested by our conduct. What we ultimately do will always be the expression of the inclination of the thoughts of our hearts. And therein lies the tension … the internal conviction that arises when we do not set our hearts on the will of God and surrender to Him….

Here are some other Scriptures that might bring some additional insight on this subject:

1 Chronicles 28:8-9 (NIV)

“So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever. “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NIV)

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was like a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

James 1:22-25 (NIV)

Do not merely listen to (or read) the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to (or reads) the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard (read), but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

My friends, we know the will of God has been expressed in His Word, but it is up to us to align the inclinations of our hearts and to surrender ourselves to His revealed will! The difficulty here for us is that no one truly has the capacity to change their own heart. It is God who changes the heart and conforms us to the image of His Son. It is the merciful gift of His Spirit and grace that draws us to Christ Jesus so that we can be filled with the power of His anointing! And, as we have learned, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (Cf. 2 Peter 1:3) Even so, as believers, we will experience a continual spiritual battle for our minds because thoughts determine behavior; and the thoughts of our hearts must be brought captive to the Word of God at all times. “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Cf. Hebrews 4:13) Yes, we need to be reading the Word … studying it … knowing what it instructs … and applying it to our hearts.

A simple short verse can awaken us once again to the choice of faithfulness! I feel so strongly about the message it imparts. God has been unfailing in His faithfulness to us! (Cf. Psalm 89) So, if we want to be faithful to God, then we will have to discipline ourselves and our thoughts through the light and wisdom of His Word. If we want to be effective and productive in the Kingdom of God, we will have to be students of the Word of God. If you get a moment this week, I would encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 2. I believe you will find it applicable to the general discussion here. If we want to live as Jesus did and be conformed to His image, then we will need to have His mind. And Paul asserts we do have the mind of Christ because His Spirit imparts His thoughts to us as believers. It is my prayer that we will reflect on this truth more deeply. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. ~ 3 John 2-4

Learning Your Righteous Laws…

Psalm 119:7 (NIV)

I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.

Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm in the book; and it extols the virtue and veracity of the Word of God. From its lengthy discourse, we are afforded insight into the power of Scripture to accomplish wisdom, righteousness, and obedience in our lives. Our Verse of the Day indicates that our praise and worship of God matures as we learn His commandments and judgments. I really love The Living Bible (TLB) translation of this verse which renders it: “After you have corrected me, I will thank you by living as I should!” The New Living Translation (NLT) phrases it: “As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should.” The point here is that the Word of God impacts how we should think … how we should conduct ourselves … and how we should intimately relate to God and worship Him. We can look at just the first few verses of this Psalm to get a glimpse of its overall teaching:

Psalm 119:1-16 (NIV)

¹Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. ²Blessed are those who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart— ³they do no wrong, but follow His ways. ⁴You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. ⁵Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! ⁶Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. ⁷I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. ⁸I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. ⁹How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your Word. ¹⁰I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. ¹²Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. ¹³With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. ¹⁴I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. ¹⁵I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. ¹⁶I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Further on, we will read about our response to the Word of God. When we exercise our “free will” and ability to choose (a willful decision), the question is what will you and I choose when confronted with the Word of God. The inspiration and deliberation within this Psalm should lead us to this same decision:

Psalm 119:30-37 (NIV)

³⁰I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. ³¹I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame. ³²I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding. ³³Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it for its reward. ³⁴Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. ³⁵Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. ³⁶Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. ³⁷Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

Paul shared similar exhortation regarding the Word of God with Timothy when he wrote: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of Truth” (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:15) And, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction (training and discipline) in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (Cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17) The inspired writer of Hebrews makes this point as well: “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Cf. Hebrews 4:12)

My friends, there is a continued message for us: “Stay rooted and firmly planted in the Word of God!” For the Word of God is the power of God in your life and mine. This cannot be underestimated or overstressed. The struggle for the human will to choose righteousness and obedience is fought on the battlefield of our minds … where our thoughts are formed; and we attach words to those thoughts in order to define them. What we say and do is the outcome of our thought life. We need to remember that the Word of God reveals the mind of God … thoughts that reflect His heart and are expressed through words to us by His Spirit:

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (NIV)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. (Citing Isaiah 64:4) ¹⁴The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him?” (Citing Isaiah 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ.

As we have studied, Jesus said: “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will and it will be done for you.” (Cf. John 15:7) And framed in a similar construct, the Apostle John affirms: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (Cf. 1 John 5:14) When we have the mind of Christ … understanding His thoughts through His words as communicated by the Holy Spirit, we will engage in prayer that will be heard and conduct that will be rewarded. This is why we need to spend time in study and mediation of the scriptures; and Psalm 119 provides a great outline of how the Word of God sustains every aspect of our lives. Jesus Himself affirmed, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Cf. Deuteronomy 8:3) And I believe Psalm 119 amplifies this truth….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Your Word is Light…

Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light unto my path….

Our Verse of the Day aligns with our continued look into the wonderful things found in the Word of God. I feel compelled to reprint a few of the 22 stanzas of Psalm 119 for us to see our verse in some additional context. Although the exact author of Psalm 119 is unknown, most scholars have proposed it was written by David, Ezra, or Daniel. Each of these proposed authors suffered serious hardships in their lives, and the Psalmist engages that theme to demonstrate how he endured his suffering through a deep trust in God because the truths he learned from the holy scriptures. Ultimately, we know that the author of this psalm and all the holy scriptures is the Holy Spirit! (Cf. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21) So, I hope you will find the following stanzas uplifting and inspiring for your own faith….

ב Beth

⁹How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your Word. ¹⁰I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. ¹²Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. ¹³With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. ¹⁴I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. ¹⁵I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. ¹⁶I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

ה He

³³Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end for its reward. ³⁴Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. ³⁵Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. ³⁶Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. ³⁷Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your Word. ³⁸Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. ³⁹Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. ⁴⁰How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life.

ט Teth

⁶⁵Do good to your servant according to your Word, Lord. ⁶⁶Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands. ⁶⁷Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I obey your Word. ⁶⁸You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. ⁶⁹Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart. ⁷⁰Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law. ⁷¹It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. ⁷²The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

ל Lamedh

⁸⁹Your Word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. ⁹⁰Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. ⁹¹Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. ⁹²If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. ⁹³I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. ⁹⁴Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. ⁹⁵The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. ⁹⁶To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless.

מ Mem

⁹⁷Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. ⁹⁸Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. ⁹⁹I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. ¹⁰⁰I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. ¹⁰¹I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your Word. ¹⁰²I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. ¹⁰³How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! ¹⁰⁴I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore, I hate every wrong path.

נ Nun

¹⁰⁵Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. ¹⁰⁶I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. ¹⁰⁷I have suffered much; preserve my life, Lord, according to your Word. ¹⁰⁸Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. ¹⁰⁹Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. ¹¹⁰The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. ¹¹¹Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. ¹¹²My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end … for their enduring reward.

פ Pe

¹²⁹Your statutes are wonderful; therefore, I obey them. ¹³⁰The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. ¹³¹I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. ¹³²Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. ¹³³Direct my footsteps according to your Word; let no sin rule over me. ¹³⁴Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts. ¹³⁵Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees. ¹³⁶Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.

I just love how the Word of God itself has been exalted throughout Psalm 119. Again, I highly encourage you to read the entire Psalm. It expounds on the blessings of living in accordance with the commandments, laws, statutes, ordinances, decrees, precepts, promises, and principles found within the sacred writings authored by the Holy Spirit. The whole counsel of God can be discovered within the pages of the Bible … the riches of wisdom and understanding and knowledge to guide us into all Truth! As the Word of God is affirmed, the character (nature) of God Himself is revealed. Indeed, He is righteous, trustworthy, truthful, faithful, unchanging, eternal, and holy!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Open My Eyes…

Psalm 119:118 (NIV)

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your Law….

As I read our Verse of the Day, I immediately connected with the message. For the past couple of years, I have endeavored to read through the entire bible from Genesis to Revelation each year. It has been a challenge at times, but I am proud to say that I have stayed the course so far. I’m a little behind at this moment, but I have been doing additional study and reading commentaries that have slowed my reading plan. I share this not to elevate myself; rather, I think it explains why my eyes have been more open to see and understand the “wonderful things” available to us in the Word of God.

I have been a serious student of the bible ever since I was saved and entered into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. I have read the entire bible from Genesis to Revelation several times over the years; but most of my study time, I tended to stay in the New Testament … honing my theology and knowledge of Christ. As a result, I did not venture into the foundations of the Old Testament as often as I should. So, it has been exciting for me each year to “re-discover” so many nuances and details that I have missed or forgotten since my last reading. It has truly been a delight to become disciplined again in my reading … connecting the dots … visualizing the course of God’s redemptive plan over the history of mankind … and gaining renewed perspective on the spiritual heritage God’s holy prophets and apostles have passed along through the millennia.

So why have I shared my personal bible study disciplines? Because I want to encourage all of us to spend more time in the study of God’s Word. I want us to see through spiritual eyes all the wonderful things, insights, and inspirations that God has revealed to us through His Word. Indeed, it is a life-long journey of study … learning to probe the depths of its knowledge and to find its hidden treasures of wisdom. For it was written by the Holy Spirit as He inspired and prompted holy people over the ages to record the expressed thoughts that our Creator and Father wanted to communicate with us. As Peter explained:

2 Peter 1:16-21 (NKJV)

¹⁶For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. ¹⁷For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” ¹⁸And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. ¹⁹And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; ²⁰knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private origin or interpretation, ²¹for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Yes, the Word of God is spiritual, and it is received and understood within our spirits. When Jesus taught with parables, He once commented to His disciples: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (Cf. John 6:63) The Apostle Paul affirmed: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:12-14)

So, here is the application. We cannot discover the “wonderful things” contained in the Word of God if we do not read it. Our hearts and minds will not be open to its wisdom and understanding for life if we do not have the Holy Spirit leading us into its truth. (Cf. John 16:13) Again, as Paul instructed Timothy, “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the 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.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 3:14-17)

Indeed, the Word of God has the incredible ability to impact and change our lives:

Therefore, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)

For this reason, we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

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. (Hebrews 4:12)

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God. (1 Peter:22-23)

These are just a few passages that emphasize the “wonderful things” we can see in the Word of God. Yes, I encourage you to spend more time in your reading and study. I am sure you will find more insight each time you open up the scriptures; and what you discover for yourself will be exciting to learn … and to share with others. Indeed, Lord, open our eyes and our hearts to see and apply your word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

“Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light to my path.” ~ Psalm 119:105

The Words of My Mouth…

Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

As I read our Verse of the Day, the first thought I had was: “What words? What meditation?” So, I stopped to read the entire Psalm and find out. I have reprinted it here for you:

Psalm 19 (NIV)

¹The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
²Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
³They have no speech; they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
⁴Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
⁵It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
⁶It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

⁷The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
⁸The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
⁹The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.

¹⁰They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
¹¹By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. ²But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Wow! King David had a remarkable awareness of God … an intimate relationship with Him. He understood God as the loving Creator of all things … the entire universe and all of its inner workings, the stars and galaxies, the planets, and all that fill them. David understood His inconceivable power and divine being and that God is worthy of reverence and worship from all created things. He even meditates here that the heavens testify of God’s being and His glory. Then David moves to recognition of God’s Word. Words … speech … languages are nothing more than the articulation of thoughts … of concepts. They can be descriptive or definitive. But words (and sounds) are connected to the ideas intended to be communicated and shared between living creatures. In this context, the Word of God is the articulation (revelation) of God’s thoughts and of His will. David declares the thoughts of God are perfect, refreshing, trustworthy, radiant, joy giving, wisdom instilling, righteous, pure, highly valuable, and eternal. In keeping (observing and obeying) the Word of God, we receive the reward of knowing Him in an intimate way. We discover the passion of His thoughts toward us and His sovereign will for us. We conceive and experience the “heart” of God … full of love (agape) for us – creatures made in His own image. I cannot think of any greater reward than His gift of everlasting life and being surrounded by His presence and glory.

So, what are the meditations of your heart today? What thoughts have you or will you share with God today? David gave us an awesome example that I believe God found “pleasing” to Him. As for me, my thoughts drifted to this verse in Isaiah as I began to write:

Isaiah 64:4 (NIV)

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

1 Corinthians 2:6-14 (NIV)

⁶We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen,what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”the things God has prepared for those who love Him— ¹⁰these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. ¹⁴The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 1:18-30 (NIV)

¹⁸For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (Citing Isaiah 29:14) ²⁰Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. ²²Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. ²⁶Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no one may boast before Him. ³⁰It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Lord God, may it be that only your words become the words of my mouth. May it be that the meditation of my heart is upon you and you alone. May I see the wisdom of your Word … may it be my only guide … a lamp for my feet and a light unto my path. (Cf. Psalm 119:115) This is the meditation and desire of my heart, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. There is no one like you. There is none besides you. You alone are Creator. You alone are Savior. You have blessed my soul with thoughts too deep for me; and yet, my soul rests in you. Indeed, those who know your Name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation! Yes, I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” Amen.