Putting our love into Practice

 Read Psalm 119:97-104.

Mem

Loving God and loving His Word is not to be a some time thing.  Such love is not confined to a place of worship, or a particular day of the week.  It is life itself.  True love is based upon a commitment, not emotions only. It requires daily discipline and the fortitude to reject all other competing ideologies.

In this thirteenth stanza, the psalmist declares his absolute love for the Scriptures and describes the influence this has on his life.  How does one put such love into practice?

1. The Scriptures should guide and guard our thinking. 
Twice, the writer said he meditated on the Word of God.  This is not only an intentional time of meditation, but throughout the day the Scriptures are turned over and over in the mind looking for wisdom and applications.  In order for that to be habit, one must invest daily time reading, studying, and memorizing portions of the Bible.

2. The Scriptures should guide and guard our behavior.
In verses 101-102, the decisions could not be more practically expressed.  "I hold back my feet from every evil way."  This is self-discipline to stay away from sin.  "I do not turn aside from your rules."  Faithfulness is practicing what you say you believe and love.

3. The Scriptures should guide and guard our world view.
What we allow to shape our perspective on life and the world will be reflected in everything else we do.  Education, friends and influencers endeavor to do this constantly.  The benefits of knowing and loving God's Word include wisdom and understanding that others may not possess.  The psalmist is not being arrogant.  He is not saying that he is smarter, has a greater IQ, or is a know-it-all.  But the Scriptures go beyond human understanding and experience to give us insight for life both here and for eternity.

 

Where do you Stand?

 Read Psalm 119:89-96.

Lamedh

The Word of God and the character of God are inseparable.  What the Holy Spirit gave to the writers of Scripture to record is based upon who God is.  This eleventh stanza contains some of the strongest statements in the Bible concerning its veracity and impact.

1. The Word of God stands forever. (v.89)
Like a towering, stone monument of remembrance, the Scriptures are firmly established for all to see.  But unlike man-made structures, what God has established is eternal.  It will never change.

2. The character of God stands unchanged. (v.90a)
He remains faithful to what He has said and what He has promised because He is faithful.  Though thousands of years have passed, generation after generation, culture after culture, may depend upon the LORD in the exact same way.  "For I the LORD do not change." (Malachi 3:6)

3. The creation of God stands fast. (vv.90b-91)
According to Colossians 1:16-17, it is Jesus Christ who created and sustains the universe.  The orbits of the planets, the rotation of the earth, down to holding together the protons of the atom are in His control. 

4. The care of God's people stands secure. (vv.92-95)
When afflicted, when feeling alone, when in the need of encouragement and direction our help and our hope are found in the unchanging Word of God.  Notice the psalmist's surrender to the LORD and his love of the Scriptures.  "...my delight...I will never forget your precepts...you have given me life...I am yours...I have sought your precepts...I consider your testimonies."

Everything in this life has a season, an end, and a limit.  But not the Word of God. (v.96)

"Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God."
R. Kelso Carter

 

 

Praying with predetermined Obedience

 Read Psalm 119:81-88

Kaph

Still praying regarding his persecution, the psalmist returned to his focus on the Word of God. 

1. His dilemma. (vv.83-85, 87)
The suffering was taking a toll on him.  He had reached the end of himself.  His insides felt shriveled and dried up.  His two questions are common to all of us: How long must I endure this?  When will the LORD intervene and do something to help? 

2. His deliverance. (vv.81-82, 86)
He realized that his true help was not in positive thinking, nor the self-help wisdom of other people.  His deliverance was in a person, God Himself.  His understanding of God and how He works in the lives of people is found in one place--the Scriptures.  There, His promises are written, and there is the source of our hope.  We may stake our eternal claim on the infallible, inerrant, unchanging Word of God.  "All your commandments are sure."

3. His decision. (v.88)
Once again, he asked "give me life."  But notice the motive behind his request for such renewal.  He had predetermined his obedience: "that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth."  Living a life that pleases God is one that obeys His Word.  Motives are important to God and a key to answered prayer.

 

Purposes in tough Times

 Read Psalm 119:73-80.

Yodh

What happens to us directly affects those around us.  Whether we like it or not, whether we are aware of it or not, people watch and take notice of how we respond in tough times.

In this tenth stanza, the psalmist continued to refer to his affliction from God (see vv.65-72).  However, there is a decided turn in his praying.  In verse 76, he asked God to comfort him with his faithful love.  This would confirm that God was not being mean to him but lovingly correcting his behavior.  Such comfort, then, had an even greater purpose.

There are two major supplications concerning the testimony of his faith to others.
1. What others would see. (v.74)
He prayed that others who witnessed his affliction would rejoice and be glad.  The joy and gladness was not about his suffering but about his hope.  Through it all, he never wavered in his faith that God loved him enough to intervene and correct him.  Such steadfastness of faith in tough times could open the door for ministry to others.

2. What others would do. (v.79)
Having gone through his time of discipline from the LORD, he could speak from experience to those in similar situations.  God does not waste our time.  When He gives us something it is to be used to help others.

"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 affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

 

Encouragement for the Afflicted

 Read Psalm 119:65-72.

Teth

In this ninth stanza, the psalmist's concern was his personal affliction.  The Hebrew word for afflicted means to bring down, to humble, depress or weaken.  Some afflictions may be caused by satanic attack, self-destructive decisions, or so-called natural causes.  But in this case the affliction came from God Himself, "You have dealt well with your servant" (v.65).  Sometimes God must intervene to gain our attention when our behavior is in violation of His Word and remains unchecked.

What did God do to afflict him?  He allowed and used the uncaring arrogance of his enemies to smear his reputation with lies (v.69-70).  Their words hurt and brought him low.

Hurting people have a choice.  Some choose to curse God for the affliction.  Many will ask "why?"  But in this case, he knew why; "I went astray" (v.67).  He confessed that he brought this on himself.

This is no strange thing.  It happens to everyone.  The difference-maker in life is what we choose to do next. 

1. He trusted in the goodness of God.
"You are good and do good" (v.68).  This is a test of our faith.  When the circumstances are not good, we must trust in God's character and love for us.  Everything He does has the purpose of shaping our lives toward Christ-likeness.  The psalmist took comfort in sound theology. 

2. He acknowledged his need for discipline.
The affliction motivated him to learn.  He recognized that he had used bad judgment.  So, he prayed for the LORD to teach him according to God's Word (vv.66, 68).

3. He corrected his desires.
It may have been that wealth and financial gain had caused him to stray (v.72).  But having been stopped by God, he realized that the true riches of life are found in knowing and obeying the Scriptures.

"...he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:10b-11)

 

What a fully devoted follower looks Like

 Read Psalm 119:57-64.

Heth

How important is the Bible to your daily life?  If you did not have access to the Scriptures would it make a difference in how you lived each day?   If the LORD were to remove His presence, would you notice?

In this eighth stanza of Psalm 119, note how pervasive the Word of God is to the psalmist. 

1. My portion, or lot in life, is my relationship with God and keeping His Word. (v.57)
2. My heart is set to seek God's favor. (v.58)
3. My feet, the places I go and the direction I am headed in life, are in alignment with the God's Word. (v.59)
4. My priorities are to immediately obey God's Word. (v.60)
5. My perspective in life is drawn from the Scriptures and not the culture around me. (v.61)
6. My attitude is full of non-stop praise for what God has done for me. (v.62)
7. My influencers in life are those who honor God and His Word. (v.63)
8. My learning about God's love and faithfulness is constant just by looking all around me. (v.64)

Being a fully devoted follower of Christ is not a sometime thing.  It is life itself.

How do you measure spiritual Maturity?

 Read Psalm 119:49-56.

Zayin

Physical maturity can be mostly self-evident as children grow and adults grow older.  Spiritual maturity is not immediately discerned but certainly can be observed over time.  Nothing reveals the depth of one's walk with God quicker than trouble and stress.

The psalmist, in this seventh stanza, continued to reference some arrogant, wicked mocker of his faith.  It made him rage inside with anger (v.53).  So, how does this penman that God used to write this portion of the Scriptures respond in a spiritually mature way?

1. He found hope in the Word of God. (v.49)
2. He found life-giving comfort in the Word of God. (v.50,52)
3. He found the Word of God made him sing. (v.54)
4. He found solace in the Word of God in the darkest hours. (v.55)
5. He found blessing through faithful obedience to God's Word. (v.56)

An infant requires someone else to feed them and do everything for them.  As one grows up, they learn to feed themselves.  Spiritual maturity is knowing the Scriptures and how to put them into practice.

"But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." (Hebrews 5:14)