Teachable Spirit:
Many times throughout the Psalms, King David prayed to the Lord for His Divine teaching. This should be the posture of every believer. We have not the right knowledge in our intellect to live to the glory of God. Oh that we each would posses this year a teachable spirit. This is a position of humility and willingness, ready to receive direction and doctrine from the Lord. As we wade into this new year, let us reply with David, “Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.” Teach me Lord the way to go, teach me what to say, Teach me how to live for Thee!
Boundaries of God’s Word:
Even in a perfect world, God still gave boundaries to Adam and Eve. They had the free-will to choose if they would obey God’s commands or step across the line. Today, every believer has the boundaries of the Word of God. We can choose to live our lives within the protective and productive way of God’s Word, or choose the path of pleasing our flesh. May we cry out with David, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord…O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!” Walking within the boundaries of God’s Word not only reaps protection from the awful consequences of sin but it also invites the blessings of our God upon our lives.
Whole-hearted Devotion:
Often we are asked the question, “Did you do your devotions?” While this is important, we must understand that reading the Word of God is not enough. We do not read God’s Word to check off our to-do list. David describes his relationship with God’s Word, “I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways.” It is vital that every Believer not only read the Word of God, but have a habit of meditating upon it throughout the day. The man who is blessed, according to Psalm 1, makes a decision to avoid contact with the world, delights in the Word of God, and remains devoted to meditating upon it. When we have our devotions daily, let us endeavor with His help to live devoted each day!
Diligence; a forgotten aspect:
King David’s musings upon the Word of God recall the commandment of the Lord in regard to His Word. God had given His precepts to man and had commanded man to keep them. David highlights the attitude that the Believer is required to have in keeping the precepts of God’s Word-diligence. Diligence seems to be one of the forgotten attitudes in the Christian life. Believers are to give diligence in their work-ethic, home life, but most importantly should by their devotion to the observation of Divine Laws. Let Believers not be sluggardly when it comes to their obedience. Let them examine their obedience and cry with David, “O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes.” To understand the meaning of this term we look to a later verse in Psalm 119:167, “My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.” Just as the Psalmist loved the Word of God with all of his heart-exceedingly, so I exceedingly ought to seek to obey its every word. Is my obedience whole or halfhearted?
Seeking the Lord-Psalm 119:1-10; I Chronicles 28:9
David was called a man after God’s own heart. He was not exempt from failure, but his life was characterized by seeking the Lord. It was David who gave this godly advice to his son, “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” David also records how he sought the Lord in his record about the Word of God. “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.” Believers learn that seeking the Lord cannot be done without seeking the Word of God. As close as one is with the reading and heeding of the Words of God, is as close as one is with the God of the Word. We cannot claim closeness with our Lord if we are not in regular fellowship with Him in His Word. David also reminds us that the “blessed” or happy life comes from being in an obedient relationship with the Word of God. Let us today rise up with renewed passion to seek the Lord through His Word.
Convictions about the Word of God-Psalm 119
King David knew the value and priority of the Word of God. He believed that obedience to God’s Word would reap the blessings of the Lord. He therefore stated his convictions about his relationship with the Word of God. Psalm 119 records David’s prayers to the Lord about God’s Word. He makes personal declarations to the Lord about the importance of the Word of God generally, but also about his personal choices when it came to what he was going to do with God’s Word. Believers today ought to have these same convictions when it comes to their relationships with their Bibles. King David could not have afforded to neglect his Scriptures for he would have failed in keeping his commitments to the Lord. “I will keep thy statues: O forsake me not utterly.”-David pledged his obedience. (8) “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”-David pledged his attention. (15) “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.”-David pledged his affection. Convictions are unchanging heart choices, beliefs that are made to live and die by. David had made his convictions about the Word of the Lord known. Because of his heart choice, the Lord was able to bless him. What are your convictions about God’s Word?
Unashamed
No one enjoys feeling ashamed. Being ashamed has the idea of being disappointed with how I performed; what I did, or did not do. Ashamed is being convicted over things in my life that are not the way that they should be. Ashamed in the Bible also carries with it the meaning of being confused, or confounded, or disappointed. Certainly when a person does not trust the Word of God nor obey its teachings this will leave him in a place of shame. David desired to not have to feel this emotion. He therefore prayed that his ways would be directed to keep the statues of the Word of God. David learned to recognize that the only way to live a life free from shame is found in faith and obedience to God’s Words. It must be my hearts cry to fulfill the Word of the Lord. “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame. I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.” (Psalm 119:6, 31, 46, 80)
How often we have felt the sting of shame when we realize our shortcomings in observing the Divine laws of God. As sinners still, we will fail the Lord, and be ashamed. It is important that we do not stay ashamed, but that we confess the sin which has caused us to err, and return upon the path of obedience. It is a graceful and good thing to be able to feel ashamed. Thank the Lord for it. Allow it to cause you to speedily return to the Lord. The prophet Jeremiah describes the awful condition of the calloused people of God, “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush….”
Wisdom from the Word
The Words of Christ are the very source of wisdom for the believer. It is impossible to have spiritual wisdom, discretion, and discernment without a fruitful relationship with the Word of God. It must be the goal of the Believer to seek out the wisdom of Christ, pray for discretion, and use the principles of the Word of God. Only as the Scriptures are used will they produce a discerning Believer. God is the one who provides us wisdom, but He does so through the Word of God. (vs. 98) David had such a love for the Word of God that he made it his constant source of meditation. He left no “stone unturned” in his pursuit of the Wisdom of God. Because of this passionate pursuit, he had a heart full of understanding. “O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” Will I pray for wisdom and actively seek it in the pages of Scripture?
Rejoicing Spirit
There are many pressures that can cause discouragement to arise in the heart of a believer. The condition of the world, the corruption of the culture, the heat of spiritual battle, difficulties in relationships, just circumstances beyond our control. When we begin to focus upon all that is going on around us, our spirit can easily become affected. Especially is this true when a Believer steps aside from obedience from the commands of the Word of God. The most unhappy person is a Christian who is not living for the Lord. On the contrary, blessing, joy, and praise flow from the life of a Christian who is walking in obedience to God’s Word-whose meditation and focus is upon the Word of God. David exhibited this joy in his life because of his relationship with God’s Word. “I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements…I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches…Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” (Psalm 119:7, 14, 54) Let us endeavor to be the Christian whose spirit is joyful because of our relationship with the Word of God. The answer is not a change in external circumstances, but rather a renewed focus upon the Word of God.
Delight in the Word
What do you get excited about? What peeks your interest and attention? For what do you have an appetite? As believers our appetite should be for Spiritual things. The Word of God is the very bread of life that can satisfy the hungry soul; it is the pure water of life that can satiate the thirsty soul. Peter admonishes believers to desire the sincere milk of the Word for spiritual growth. We must set our desires upon God’s Word. David had a desire for the Word of God that caused him to continually partake and depend upon its nourishment. “I will delight myself in thy statues: I will not forget thy word…My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgements at all times…Thy testimonies are my delight and my counselors…Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight…And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved?” (16, 20, 24, 35, 47) David chose to set his appetites and his affections upon the Words of God. This no doubt led to his obedience of God’s Words and his personal reaping of the blessing of the Lord upon his life. Let us cry with David, “O how love I thy law…”
Meditation: the Lost Art-Part I
Many people may ignorantly believe that meditation involves some sort of new-age, middle-eastern form of yoga. In reality it is a fully Biblical concept. It is the meditation of the Word of God that is said to be the avenue of blessing upon the life of the believer. Reading is good, but meditation is better. Meditation involves reading, prayer, and devoting oneself to the study of a particular passage so as to ascertain what the practical lesson for one’s life may be. It can be synonymous with: reflection, prayer, devotion, musing. Meditation does not allow for a quick and casual look at a passage. The goal of meditation ought to be to reap the benefit and blessings out of the passage. Perhaps this can be heard in David’s thought, “While I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue.” (Psa 39:3 KJV)
Meditation: the Lost Art-Part II
God’s Word should so grip our hearts that we cannot but help to speak about it to another person. Any preacher worth his weight in salt ought to follow this pattern. Never speak to others what has not personally ignited your heart! Jeremiah seemed to understand this thought when he spoke of God’s Word being a fire, kindled in his bones. It is God’s Word that will fan a fire in our hearts as we meditate upon the Scriptures. Consider those two lonely disciples on the road to Emmaus as they meditated upon the Living Word, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32 KJV) Let God’s Word kindle a fire in our hearts through the avenue of meditation!
Revival in Affliction:
Every Believer must go through the furnace of affliction. Afflictions are sent or allowed by the Lord not for our destruction, but rather for our benefit. These afflictions, be they physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual do not always seem to by joyful in the present. When we view them through the lens of the Word of God we realize that these afflictions have been sent to draw us in closer to the Lord. Afflictions cause us to think upon our steps, they cause us to evaluate our present spiritual condition, and they teach us to seek after the Lord with renewed obedience. Let us as Believers allow the afflictions to kindle a fire of revival in our hearts. Let us recognize as with David, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes…I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me…Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” (Psalm 119:71; 75; 67)
Scripture: The Ground of our Trust
The Word of God is the very source of the believer’s Faith. “…Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17 It is the Word of God that birth’s us into the very family of God. “Being born again…by the Word of God…” I Peter 1:23 Our faith must be grounded upon the principles and promises of this very Word. The source for the Believer’s confidence is not found in himself or this world, but it is found as he rests upon the person of Christ through the Word of God. We can depend upon what Christ has said! David had learned this great source of confidence and his spiritual life was shaped by the grounds of his trust. “…I trust in thy word…Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. (Psalm 119:42; 66) Let us reaffirm our trust in the inspired revelation of the Word of God.