NUN – The 14th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
(Psalms 119:105)
This is a verse that I would venture to say we are all familiar with. We have probably heard it so many times in fact that we now can hear it and process it with out catching what it really says. Let’s take a minute here and take it apart.
The Word here is compared to a LAMP and a LIGHT.
Now the word used here for LAMP means just what it says… a lamp. We use lamps to light up spaces. Rooms, hallways, even outdoors, lamps provide light so we can see OUR ENVIRONMENT for what it is, and SAFELY INTERACT WITH IT.
The Word light on the other hand talks specifically about the role light has in illuminating things. This is really interesting. Not only does light illuminate our SURROUNDINGS but it can illuminate US. It reveals truths about who we are and where we are.
Notice what this lamp and this light do for us: THEY GUIDE OUR FEET and ILLUMINATE OUR PATH. See, the thing that the Word is Illuminating is the path we walk on, and it does it so that we can safely navigate the road we walk in this world.
Now, knowing this about the Word, do you realize that walking in this World without really reading, studying, meditating on God’s Word is like going into the woods at night with a flashlight but never turning it on?
You know the truth about God’s Word, but are you applying it? You know that it is a light, but are you USING IT?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Psalm 119:97-104
Mem – The 13th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of Your laws. I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept Your commandments.
(Psalms 119:98-100)
Do you love the Word of God? Do you think about it all day long? Do you see it as a constant guide? Is it sweet to your taste, sweeter than honey? I hope in light of today’s verses you can answer yes to those questions…
This section of verses compares and contrasts the Word of God with worldly sources of wisdom. It points out that the source of our understanding should be the WORD OF GOD; and it reminds us that the wisdom we draw from God’s Word is far superior to the stuff of this world.
WORD vs. ENEMIES – By nature, our enemies (the world, the flesh, and the devil) are always trying to get a leg up on us. They want the upper hand so they can DEFEAT us. In this psalm, we read that we can be WISER than those enemies if the Word of God is our constant companion! You wanna beat the devil? You wanna gain the victory over your flesh? You wanna see the things of this world lose their grip on you? Then let the Word be your guide as you walk the straight and narrow path that traverses this broken place we call earth. Love the Word of God; let it dictate how you walk, where you walk, when you walk, and who you walk with. It truly can give you the victory!
WORD vs. TEACHERS – We can learn a lot from our teachers. They are people who want to share with us what they have learned as they have walked through life. However, the Word can give us insights into life that a teacher never could. The Word can cut in and discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts… a teacher can never do that! If we can “Think Biblically”, we may find that the insights we have into what is going on in the world around us excel even our teachers. Even the smartest of the smart in this world are nothing in comparison with the Word of God!
WORD vs. ELDERS – I am sure in life you will have people tell you that “you’ll get it when you are older”. Sometimes this is true, but other times it is an excuse. There are times when those who are older and “wiser” (in the worldly sense) than we are can give UNBIBLICAL bad advice. Just because someone is older doesn’t mean that what they have to say is correct. Ultimately, the Bible is where we need to go to get TRUE WISDOM.
MY FRIENDS, DRINK DEEP AT THE WELL OF GOD’S WORD!
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of Your laws. I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept Your commandments.
(Psalms 119:98-100)
Do you love the Word of God? Do you think about it all day long? Do you see it as a constant guide? Is it sweet to your taste, sweeter than honey? I hope in light of today’s verses you can answer yes to those questions…
This section of verses compares and contrasts the Word of God with worldly sources of wisdom. It points out that the source of our understanding should be the WORD OF GOD; and it reminds us that the wisdom we draw from God’s Word is far superior to the stuff of this world.
WORD vs. ENEMIES – By nature, our enemies (the world, the flesh, and the devil) are always trying to get a leg up on us. They want the upper hand so they can DEFEAT us. In this psalm, we read that we can be WISER than those enemies if the Word of God is our constant companion! You wanna beat the devil? You wanna gain the victory over your flesh? You wanna see the things of this world lose their grip on you? Then let the Word be your guide as you walk the straight and narrow path that traverses this broken place we call earth. Love the Word of God; let it dictate how you walk, where you walk, when you walk, and who you walk with. It truly can give you the victory!
WORD vs. TEACHERS – We can learn a lot from our teachers. They are people who want to share with us what they have learned as they have walked through life. However, the Word can give us insights into life that a teacher never could. The Word can cut in and discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts… a teacher can never do that! If we can “Think Biblically”, we may find that the insights we have into what is going on in the world around us excel even our teachers. Even the smartest of the smart in this world are nothing in comparison with the Word of God!
WORD vs. ELDERS – I am sure in life you will have people tell you that “you’ll get it when you are older”. Sometimes this is true, but other times it is an excuse. There are times when those who are older and “wiser” (in the worldly sense) than we are can give UNBIBLICAL bad advice. Just because someone is older doesn’t mean that what they have to say is correct. Ultimately, the Bible is where we need to go to get TRUE WISDOM.
MY FRIENDS, DRINK DEEP AT THE WELL OF GOD’S WORD!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Psalm 119:89-96
Lamedh – The 12th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
Even perfection has its limits, but Your commands have no limit.
(Psalms 119:96)
What an awesome little section of scripture. The focus is on the ETERNALITY of God’s Word. The psalmist tells us that God’s word will abide forever, and points out that the commands contained in it remain relevant even today.
The last verse of the section is my favorite. The psalmist reminds us that though even those things we think are “perfect” here on earth have a limit, His Word has NO LIMIT.
Think about the most perfect day you have ever had… No matter how great it was it, came to an end. The perfect family never stays perfect… The “perfect guy” or “perfect girl” never turns out to be as perfect as they look on TV, and even a baseball pitcher who throws a perfect game will never have a perfect season, let alone a perfect career.
All the things we call PERFECT here eventually come to an end. A flaw appears, or the circumstances change, and what was once perfection becomes a thing of the past.
The Word of God is different. It is PERFECT. Not in the way things of this world are perfect though… It is perfect in the heavenly sense. It will endure forever. Knowing that, do you think you should spend a little more time in it, and take what it says a little more seriously? Think about it.
Even perfection has its limits, but Your commands have no limit.
(Psalms 119:96)
What an awesome little section of scripture. The focus is on the ETERNALITY of God’s Word. The psalmist tells us that God’s word will abide forever, and points out that the commands contained in it remain relevant even today.
The last verse of the section is my favorite. The psalmist reminds us that though even those things we think are “perfect” here on earth have a limit, His Word has NO LIMIT.
Think about the most perfect day you have ever had… No matter how great it was it, came to an end. The perfect family never stays perfect… The “perfect guy” or “perfect girl” never turns out to be as perfect as they look on TV, and even a baseball pitcher who throws a perfect game will never have a perfect season, let alone a perfect career.
All the things we call PERFECT here eventually come to an end. A flaw appears, or the circumstances change, and what was once perfection becomes a thing of the past.
The Word of God is different. It is PERFECT. Not in the way things of this world are perfect though… It is perfect in the heavenly sense. It will endure forever. Knowing that, do you think you should spend a little more time in it, and take what it says a little more seriously? Think about it.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Psalm 119:81-88
Kaph – The 11th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
This set of verses is really unique. The Psalmist describes himself as “Waiting for God’s rescue” and “straining his eyes to see God’s promises come true”. At times we might feel like this. We are waiting, waiting, waiting… and we may begin to feel like God’s rescue will never come, or His promises will never be realized. It is at this time that we realize WHY it is so imperative that we are in God’s Word. If we have been in the Word, we will not lose heart, for we will be reminded daily of the promises of God, and we will see vivid examples in the pages of scripture showing us how He has always been faithful.
My friends, stay in the Word. It doesn’t guarantee that life will always go your way, but it does keep us in a place of HOPE and ASSURANCE. You will go through times of difficult just like the psalmist describes… but the Word will be the thing that keeps you from being swept away!
This set of verses is really unique. The Psalmist describes himself as “Waiting for God’s rescue” and “straining his eyes to see God’s promises come true”. At times we might feel like this. We are waiting, waiting, waiting… and we may begin to feel like God’s rescue will never come, or His promises will never be realized. It is at this time that we realize WHY it is so imperative that we are in God’s Word. If we have been in the Word, we will not lose heart, for we will be reminded daily of the promises of God, and we will see vivid examples in the pages of scripture showing us how He has always been faithful.
My friends, stay in the Word. It doesn’t guarantee that life will always go your way, but it does keep us in a place of HOPE and ASSURANCE. You will go through times of difficult just like the psalmist describes… but the Word will be the thing that keeps you from being swept away!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Psalm 119:73-80
YODH – The Tenth Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
You made me; You created me. Now give me the sense to follow Your commands. May all who fear You find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in Your word.
(Psalms 119:73-74)
Here in this little section the psalmist talks about how God MADE him, and continues to care for him in every way, even by DISCIPLINING him! As he talks about this “Womb to Tomb” relationship with the Lord, He points out what a central role the Word plays.
As we look at this section, I want to focus in on the first two verses in particular (vs 73-74). The truth contained in the first verse is universal… God made each and every one of us! The second half of the verse is left up to us. Will we allow the Lord to give US the sense that we need to really FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS?
The Lord’s wisdom often runs contrary to the ways of this world. Often, for us to have the “sense” we need to follow the Lord, we will end up looking at least slightly crazy from the perspective of this world. Self-preservation is the focus of the wisdom of this world, but God’s wisdom teaches self-sacrificial love. Self esteem is a must have for those who operate by this present ages rules, but from God’s perspective, humility is the way up. Truly, we need God’s wisdom to follow His commands… and that means rejecting a lot of what this world calls wisdom.
If we seek the wisdom of the Lord and reject the wisdom of this world, then the second verse can be a true statement of the testimony we will leave: A SOURCE OF JOY FOR THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD!
The key my friends, is what we find at the close of verse 74… Where is your hope? Is it in the Lord, or is it the things of this world? The decision of where you place your hope will greatly affect the path you take and the mark you make… the choice is yours!
You made me; You created me. Now give me the sense to follow Your commands. May all who fear You find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in Your word.
(Psalms 119:73-74)
Here in this little section the psalmist talks about how God MADE him, and continues to care for him in every way, even by DISCIPLINING him! As he talks about this “Womb to Tomb” relationship with the Lord, He points out what a central role the Word plays.
As we look at this section, I want to focus in on the first two verses in particular (vs 73-74). The truth contained in the first verse is universal… God made each and every one of us! The second half of the verse is left up to us. Will we allow the Lord to give US the sense that we need to really FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS?
The Lord’s wisdom often runs contrary to the ways of this world. Often, for us to have the “sense” we need to follow the Lord, we will end up looking at least slightly crazy from the perspective of this world. Self-preservation is the focus of the wisdom of this world, but God’s wisdom teaches self-sacrificial love. Self esteem is a must have for those who operate by this present ages rules, but from God’s perspective, humility is the way up. Truly, we need God’s wisdom to follow His commands… and that means rejecting a lot of what this world calls wisdom.
If we seek the wisdom of the Lord and reject the wisdom of this world, then the second verse can be a true statement of the testimony we will leave: A SOURCE OF JOY FOR THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD!
The key my friends, is what we find at the close of verse 74… Where is your hope? Is it in the Lord, or is it the things of this world? The decision of where you place your hope will greatly affect the path you take and the mark you make… the choice is yours!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Psalm 119:65-72
Teth – The Ninth Letter in the Hebrew Alphabet
Your instructions are more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver.
(Psalms 119:72)
In this section of our Psalm, the writer begins to talk about how valuable the Word of the Lord has been to him. As I began thinking about this section, specifically about Verse 72, I caused this question to rise in my mind: “How valuable is the Word of God to you?” Another way to put it would be to ask, “How much is your Bible worth?”
Now, I want you to think about this, because how YOU might answer that question initially may be quite different from the truth. So, let me ask you a couple of other questions to help you out…
1. What is the most valuable thing you own?
2. If time and attention were the “tell tale signs”, what would they indicate is thepossession that is most important to you?
3. If we asked your family, how valuable would they say your Bible is to you?
4. If we asked your family, what things would they say are worth more to you than your Bible?
Think about these questions for a little while, and then look at the Psalmist. He says the Word of God was worth more than MILLIONS in GOLD and SILVER. That is pretty intense. There is a lot you can do with millions. Can you honestly repeat the sentiment of the psalmist? Does it show?
Friday, November 14, 2008
Psalm 119:57-64
HETH – The 8th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow Your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey Your commands. Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to Your instructions.
(Psalms 119:59-61)
I really dig these 3 verses and the connection they make between God’s WORD and our BEHAVIOR. The way I look at these verses, we see 3 specific things that God’s Word does to modify, change, or improve our behavior.
Changes our direction – The first thing I notice is that when we are submitted to God’s Word, it can and will alter the direction our life is taking. Here the Psalmist is looking at his own life and pondering the direction he is heading, and when he introduces the WORD we see that it causes him to TURN. Sometimes this turn is slight, a degree here or a degree there… other times it is a full 180 degrees. Regardless of how significant the change may be, we see that if God’s Word is really allowed to work in our lives, it should be producing COURSE CORRECTIONS on a REGULAR BASIS.
Moves us forward – Secondly we note that if the Word is being heard and heeded properly it will produce INSTANTANEOUS OBEDIENCE. Often we know the right thing to do, and we may even plan on doing it, but we delay. We think, “I realize this probably isn’t the best thing I could be doing, but I’ll deal with it later”. That attitude is an indicator that we are not allowing the Word to do the work God wants it to. When our heart attitude is right we will HURRY TO OBEY the commands of the Lord.
Keeps us steadfast – Even while we are moving forward, changing direction, hurrying to serve and obey, we need to be FIRMLY ANCHORED. This world constantly throws us curveballs, but if we will keep relating to the Word of God the way we should, we will never be pulled off of our firm foundation. Do you realize that there are people who actually want to drag you into sin? Most people that don’t know the Lord are not going to make holiness easy… they will attempt to make it difficult. In light of this, we need to be ANCHORED in the Word of God. We need to KNOW it so that it can serve to keep us firmly anchored in truth.
My friends… read God’s Word! Be doers, allow it to actually change your life! Listen to what it speaks, and believe it as you seek to follow Jesus, the “Living Word”.
I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow Your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey Your commands. Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to Your instructions.
(Psalms 119:59-61)
I really dig these 3 verses and the connection they make between God’s WORD and our BEHAVIOR. The way I look at these verses, we see 3 specific things that God’s Word does to modify, change, or improve our behavior.
Changes our direction – The first thing I notice is that when we are submitted to God’s Word, it can and will alter the direction our life is taking. Here the Psalmist is looking at his own life and pondering the direction he is heading, and when he introduces the WORD we see that it causes him to TURN. Sometimes this turn is slight, a degree here or a degree there… other times it is a full 180 degrees. Regardless of how significant the change may be, we see that if God’s Word is really allowed to work in our lives, it should be producing COURSE CORRECTIONS on a REGULAR BASIS.
Moves us forward – Secondly we note that if the Word is being heard and heeded properly it will produce INSTANTANEOUS OBEDIENCE. Often we know the right thing to do, and we may even plan on doing it, but we delay. We think, “I realize this probably isn’t the best thing I could be doing, but I’ll deal with it later”. That attitude is an indicator that we are not allowing the Word to do the work God wants it to. When our heart attitude is right we will HURRY TO OBEY the commands of the Lord.
Keeps us steadfast – Even while we are moving forward, changing direction, hurrying to serve and obey, we need to be FIRMLY ANCHORED. This world constantly throws us curveballs, but if we will keep relating to the Word of God the way we should, we will never be pulled off of our firm foundation. Do you realize that there are people who actually want to drag you into sin? Most people that don’t know the Lord are not going to make holiness easy… they will attempt to make it difficult. In light of this, we need to be ANCHORED in the Word of God. We need to KNOW it so that it can serve to keep us firmly anchored in truth.
My friends… read God’s Word! Be doers, allow it to actually change your life! Listen to what it speaks, and believe it as you seek to follow Jesus, the “Living Word”.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Psalm 119:49-56
ZAIN – The seventh letter in the Hebrew alphabet.
These eight verses are really neat… the talk about how the Psalmist HAS relied upon God’s word in the PAST, and currently all he knows to be true is being assaulted by his enemies. In light of this, the Psalmist declares:
Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
(Psalms 119:54)
What a cool concept! Let’s break it apart, take a close look at it, and then put it back together so we can see how it applies to us.
YOUR STATUTES HAVE BEEN MY SONGS – Statutes are literally MANDATES or DECREES… they truths God has declared that have immediate implications for our lives. Not simple statements, but declarations that require a response. The psalmist writes here that those things that God had decreed and mandated had become SONGS HE WOULD SING. A song is often an expression of what is going on in the heart of a person. When I write songs, I attempt to give voice to the work God is doing in my heart. I believe that is what the psalmist is talking about here… the things God decreed had become the “songs of His heart”. No longer cut and dry “regulations”, these Statutes of God had become the very breath of life to the psalmist.
IN THE HOUSE OF MY PILGRIMAGE – This is an AWESOME statement! It is somewhat paradoxical in nature, but gives us a picture of the life of a real believer. This person KNEW that they were on a PILGRIMAGE. Pilgrimage is in essence an attitude of SOJOURNING, a recognition that this world is not our home, that we are merely passing through. In this life of pilgrimage, the Psalmist found that IN GOD AND HIS WORD He found a PERMANENT DWELLING PLACE! So, we are just passing through, but we have a permanent resting place in the Lord!
If we put this together, it tells us this:
We may experience difficulty, and at times we may see circumstances that make believing the promises of God difficult. At these times, we need to let the song of our heart be the statutes of God, and remember that though we have a permanent place in Him, we are merely passing through this world! My friends, it can be a lonely road… We need to know the Word of God, and be in constant communion with the God of the Word if we are to sing pilgrim songs as we rest in Him!
These eight verses are really neat… the talk about how the Psalmist HAS relied upon God’s word in the PAST, and currently all he knows to be true is being assaulted by his enemies. In light of this, the Psalmist declares:
Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
(Psalms 119:54)
What a cool concept! Let’s break it apart, take a close look at it, and then put it back together so we can see how it applies to us.
YOUR STATUTES HAVE BEEN MY SONGS – Statutes are literally MANDATES or DECREES… they truths God has declared that have immediate implications for our lives. Not simple statements, but declarations that require a response. The psalmist writes here that those things that God had decreed and mandated had become SONGS HE WOULD SING. A song is often an expression of what is going on in the heart of a person. When I write songs, I attempt to give voice to the work God is doing in my heart. I believe that is what the psalmist is talking about here… the things God decreed had become the “songs of His heart”. No longer cut and dry “regulations”, these Statutes of God had become the very breath of life to the psalmist.
IN THE HOUSE OF MY PILGRIMAGE – This is an AWESOME statement! It is somewhat paradoxical in nature, but gives us a picture of the life of a real believer. This person KNEW that they were on a PILGRIMAGE. Pilgrimage is in essence an attitude of SOJOURNING, a recognition that this world is not our home, that we are merely passing through. In this life of pilgrimage, the Psalmist found that IN GOD AND HIS WORD He found a PERMANENT DWELLING PLACE! So, we are just passing through, but we have a permanent resting place in the Lord!
If we put this together, it tells us this:
We may experience difficulty, and at times we may see circumstances that make believing the promises of God difficult. At these times, we need to let the song of our heart be the statutes of God, and remember that though we have a permanent place in Him, we are merely passing through this world! My friends, it can be a lonely road… We need to know the Word of God, and be in constant communion with the God of the Word if we are to sing pilgrim songs as we rest in Him!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Psalm 119:41-48
VAU – The Sixth Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
Let your love, GOD, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised; Then I'll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word.
(Psalms 119:41-42)
This is one of the many benefits of knowing, reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God that we do not often think about. If we are regularly interacting with God’s Word, then we KNOW WHAT IT PROMISES and are able to PRAY ACCORDINGLY.
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people praying for things that ARE NOT IN ACCORDANCE with the Word of God, and then wondering why He didn’t answer the way He thought they would. Just as often, I am sure there are people failing to ask God for certain things, because they are UNAWARE of the promises He gives in regard to them.
Here we see the psalmist give us a powerful example. He asks the Lord to shape His life with the ongoing work of salvation, BY His love, according to His promise. Many of us might think “huh? I thought salvation was all about going to heaven?” Guess what… If we read our bibles more, we would know that SALVATION is something that HAS happened, IS happening, and WILL happen. We HAVE BEEN justified, we ARE BEING sanctified, and we WILL BE glorified.
To put this same thought into my own words it might look like this: “God, thank you for your love for me, and thank you that your Word promises to save me fully. I’m glad salvation isn’t just a past act, but that it is something going on now, and something I can look forward to in the future. I’m so glad you wanna make me more like you, and I can’t wait until that day when I will actually be saved from this sin nature that constantly fights within me. God, please keep working in my life, the way you have promised, keep shaping me into you image by the ongoing work of your love, saving me completely.”
When we can relate to God and His word this way, the second verse I quoted above (vs. 42) can be true in our lives. When we actually trust in God’s Word in real tangible ways, when we pray God’s promises like we really mean it, then the opposition we face in this life will not be able to take us out. The psalmist here says people mocked him and ridiculed him… yet he didn’t fall or falter. Why? Because he trusted in the WORD OF GOD! My friends… trust the Word of God, and you will be prepared for whatever comes your way.
Read it.
Know it.
Believe it.
Live it.
Love it.
Let your love, GOD, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised; Then I'll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word.
(Psalms 119:41-42)
This is one of the many benefits of knowing, reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God that we do not often think about. If we are regularly interacting with God’s Word, then we KNOW WHAT IT PROMISES and are able to PRAY ACCORDINGLY.
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people praying for things that ARE NOT IN ACCORDANCE with the Word of God, and then wondering why He didn’t answer the way He thought they would. Just as often, I am sure there are people failing to ask God for certain things, because they are UNAWARE of the promises He gives in regard to them.
Here we see the psalmist give us a powerful example. He asks the Lord to shape His life with the ongoing work of salvation, BY His love, according to His promise. Many of us might think “huh? I thought salvation was all about going to heaven?” Guess what… If we read our bibles more, we would know that SALVATION is something that HAS happened, IS happening, and WILL happen. We HAVE BEEN justified, we ARE BEING sanctified, and we WILL BE glorified.
To put this same thought into my own words it might look like this: “God, thank you for your love for me, and thank you that your Word promises to save me fully. I’m glad salvation isn’t just a past act, but that it is something going on now, and something I can look forward to in the future. I’m so glad you wanna make me more like you, and I can’t wait until that day when I will actually be saved from this sin nature that constantly fights within me. God, please keep working in my life, the way you have promised, keep shaping me into you image by the ongoing work of your love, saving me completely.”
When we can relate to God and His word this way, the second verse I quoted above (vs. 42) can be true in our lives. When we actually trust in God’s Word in real tangible ways, when we pray God’s promises like we really mean it, then the opposition we face in this life will not be able to take us out. The psalmist here says people mocked him and ridiculed him… yet he didn’t fall or falter. Why? Because he trusted in the WORD OF GOD! My friends… trust the Word of God, and you will be prepared for whatever comes your way.
Read it.
Know it.
Believe it.
Live it.
Love it.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Psalm 119:33-40
HE – The fifth Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
These eight verses work together to help us remember that in our relationship with the LORD, HE is the initiator and WE are the responders. As we read the Psalm we see a back and forth between the LORD’S work and the PSALMISTS response. One cannot take place without the other… if the Lord didn’t initiate, we would not be able to respond… on the flipside, if we didn’t respond, the Lord would not move on. Sometimes you may feel like your relationship with the Lord has stalled, or maybe reached a plateau. I would venture to say that what you are observing is an indication of a failure to respond on your part. God speaks… we must respond.
Notice the first two verses:
GOD TEACHES HIS STATUTES – THE PSALMIST KEEPS THEM TO THE END
GOD GIVES UNDERSTANDING – THE PSALMIST KEEPS THE WORD WITH HIS WHOLE HEART
There is this call and response… God teaches, psalmist responds; God enlightens, the heart of the hearer is enlarged. This description of God’s work and what it causes goes on, and the emphasis is on this ongoing work that GOD is doing, and the fact that He is doing it in connection to HIS WORD. Verse 40 (the final verse in this section) marks a real shift in the content of the Psalm… Here the psalmist cries out that he “LONGS FOR GOD’S PRECEPTS”. – This causes me to ask myself a question… am I longing for God’s Word? Do I hunger for it? Am I finding myself drawn to it? If not, then maybe I need to look back and see if I have failed to respond to God’s ongoing work in my life. Maybe I have allowed myself to Plateau by not pressing in… and now I’m losing my appetite.
God is the great initiator, but that does not excuse us from PURSUING HIM. Here the Psalmist tells us that in light of all God does, HE IS LONGING FOR GOD TO SPEAK. Beyond that, He wants God to QUICKEN him in HIS righteousness. Are you hungry for God’s righteousness? Are you thirsty for His voice? Do you long to see Him work in your life? If you answered yes to these questions, then look for HIM to speak, and be prepared to respond!
These eight verses work together to help us remember that in our relationship with the LORD, HE is the initiator and WE are the responders. As we read the Psalm we see a back and forth between the LORD’S work and the PSALMISTS response. One cannot take place without the other… if the Lord didn’t initiate, we would not be able to respond… on the flipside, if we didn’t respond, the Lord would not move on. Sometimes you may feel like your relationship with the Lord has stalled, or maybe reached a plateau. I would venture to say that what you are observing is an indication of a failure to respond on your part. God speaks… we must respond.
Notice the first two verses:
GOD TEACHES HIS STATUTES – THE PSALMIST KEEPS THEM TO THE END
GOD GIVES UNDERSTANDING – THE PSALMIST KEEPS THE WORD WITH HIS WHOLE HEART
There is this call and response… God teaches, psalmist responds; God enlightens, the heart of the hearer is enlarged. This description of God’s work and what it causes goes on, and the emphasis is on this ongoing work that GOD is doing, and the fact that He is doing it in connection to HIS WORD. Verse 40 (the final verse in this section) marks a real shift in the content of the Psalm… Here the psalmist cries out that he “LONGS FOR GOD’S PRECEPTS”. – This causes me to ask myself a question… am I longing for God’s Word? Do I hunger for it? Am I finding myself drawn to it? If not, then maybe I need to look back and see if I have failed to respond to God’s ongoing work in my life. Maybe I have allowed myself to Plateau by not pressing in… and now I’m losing my appetite.
God is the great initiator, but that does not excuse us from PURSUING HIM. Here the Psalmist tells us that in light of all God does, HE IS LONGING FOR GOD TO SPEAK. Beyond that, He wants God to QUICKEN him in HIS righteousness. Are you hungry for God’s righteousness? Are you thirsty for His voice? Do you long to see Him work in your life? If you answered yes to these questions, then look for HIM to speak, and be prepared to respond!
Psalm 119:25-32
DALETH – the fourth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
The psalmist continues to sing his praises to God for his Word, doing so by starting each “verse” in this 8 verse “poem” with the letter DALETH. I want us to focus in on 3 of these 8 verses in particular today. They are:
I lie in the dust; revive me by Your word.
(Psalms 119:25)
I weep with sorrow; encourage me by Your word.
(Psalms 119:28)
I cling to Your laws. LORD, don't let me be put to shame!
(Psalms 119:31)
Just looking at these 3 verses, we see that when a person is:
SPIRITUALLY DRY – The Lord can revive them; but the vehicle through which He often does this is HIS WORD. Maybe you have had this kind of experience before… spiritually you feel like your sucking dust, you’re in a desert place and you long for a drink of water. The Word of God is no Mirage… it is a FOUNTAIN of life, a RIVER of living water. All we have to do is be faithful to turn to it, to open it’s pages and open our hearts, and the Lord will speak and REVIVE us. The King James uses the word QUICKEN to describe what God’s word does… I like that, it gives us the impression of a dead thing being INFUSED with life.
SPIRITUALLY WEIGHED DOWN – The Lord can relieve the burden! God’s word offers us both strength and encouragement. We go through times of sorrow, times when as the King James puts it, “our soul melts with heaviness”. At these times we often cry out to the Lord for RELIEF, when what the Lord really wants is to GIVE US STRENGTH TO BEAR THE BURDEN. When we turn to His word in these times, He is able to give us strength that can come from no other place! My friends, seek God in times of difficulty, and do it by opening his word.
Notice the attitude of the Psalmist… because he knows that the Lord can do these things through His word, HE CLINGS TO THE LAW OF THE LORD! My friends, are you clinging to God’s Word? Are you hanging on to it for dear life, or is your relationship to it casual? I pray that as we continue to study this Psalm it would cause all of us to fall more in love with the Bible, and recognize the central role it should play in our lives.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Psalm 119:18
Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.
We have all heard the term, "More than meets the eye." You have also heard "Never judge a book by its cover." I do not know about you, but I like to be pleasantly surprised. I like it when things or people go beyond my expectations. I have played sports for years. It is always fun when the person you think will be no good ends up being the best person on the court.
Enter the Word of God. The Psalmist asks the Lord to open His eyes: "that I may see Wondrous things from your law." What type of Wondrous things? Imagine all the prophesy pertaining to Jesus before He came. Imagine the gift it was to understand all these things. One man did. His name was Simeon. By the brief story we recognize that this man knew a the general time Jesus would come to earth (probably judging by the 70 week prophesy in Daniel). He also recognized that Jesus would do far more than set up and earthly kingdom, but that he would be the salvation of both Israel and the Gentiles. What a Wondrous thing indeed!
Read God's Word. Ask the Lord to open your eyes. There are great and Wondrous things He is just waiting to reveal to you.
We have all heard the term, "More than meets the eye." You have also heard "Never judge a book by its cover." I do not know about you, but I like to be pleasantly surprised. I like it when things or people go beyond my expectations. I have played sports for years. It is always fun when the person you think will be no good ends up being the best person on the court.
Enter the Word of God. The Psalmist asks the Lord to open His eyes: "that I may see Wondrous things from your law." What type of Wondrous things? Imagine all the prophesy pertaining to Jesus before He came. Imagine the gift it was to understand all these things. One man did. His name was Simeon. By the brief story we recognize that this man knew a the general time Jesus would come to earth (probably judging by the 70 week prophesy in Daniel). He also recognized that Jesus would do far more than set up and earthly kingdom, but that he would be the salvation of both Israel and the Gentiles. What a Wondrous thing indeed!
Read God's Word. Ask the Lord to open your eyes. There are great and Wondrous things He is just waiting to reveal to you.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Psalm 119:9-16
Psa 119:9-11 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. (10) With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! (11) Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
These are some of my favorite verses in the Bible. The first verse answers a difficult question. The second verse asks the Lord for help. The third verse is a declaration of love and commitment.
There is one thing that stands out above all in these verses. It is the power of the Word of God. How can a young amn stay pure? Only by the Word. How is it that we keep from sinning against the Lord? By hiding His word in our heart. It becomes crystal clear that there is power in the Word of God.
This world is influential. It sends messages to us through everything! Every time we turn on the tele it is telling us we want. How often have you seen a favorite drink or food on the television and wanted it? More so then anything, they are not trying to convince you of their product immediately, but are simply trying to introduce you and familiarize you with their product. This not only applies to a product, but applies to every sort of message the world is trying to communicate.
Enter the Word of God. When you read the Word of God, you may not even remember the verses you read. Nevertheless, what you are reading is having an incredible effect on the decisions you will make that day. It is a cleansing, purifying, anti-world we need. Most of all, it has greter power than the influences of the world.
We are involved in a great tug-of-war. Without the Word hidden in your heart, you will not stay pure and you will sin against the Lord. With the Word hidden in your heart you will not be swayed by the influences of the world.
These are some of my favorite verses in the Bible. The first verse answers a difficult question. The second verse asks the Lord for help. The third verse is a declaration of love and commitment.
There is one thing that stands out above all in these verses. It is the power of the Word of God. How can a young amn stay pure? Only by the Word. How is it that we keep from sinning against the Lord? By hiding His word in our heart. It becomes crystal clear that there is power in the Word of God.
This world is influential. It sends messages to us through everything! Every time we turn on the tele it is telling us we want. How often have you seen a favorite drink or food on the television and wanted it? More so then anything, they are not trying to convince you of their product immediately, but are simply trying to introduce you and familiarize you with their product. This not only applies to a product, but applies to every sort of message the world is trying to communicate.
Enter the Word of God. When you read the Word of God, you may not even remember the verses you read. Nevertheless, what you are reading is having an incredible effect on the decisions you will make that day. It is a cleansing, purifying, anti-world we need. Most of all, it has greter power than the influences of the world.
We are involved in a great tug-of-war. Without the Word hidden in your heart, you will not stay pure and you will sin against the Lord. With the Word hidden in your heart you will not be swayed by the influences of the world.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Psalm 119:1-8
Psa 119:5-6 Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes! (6) Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments.
Have you ever been ashamed before Jesus? I love the passion in which the Psalmist writes down his words. "Oh, that my ways were directed to keep your statutes!" The psalmist is not just singing, he is crying out. He is requiring of the Lord from the bottom of his heart.
I find it funny that we either get ashamed before the Lord, or we get ashamed of the Lord. Ever carry around your Bible and get ashamed, or embarrassed? Both have the same result, we cower away from what the Lord wants.
The fact of the matter is that we all get ashamed in one way or another. We should not. Take a moment to just go to the Lord. Ask Him to direct your way. Ask Him to direct, that you might not be ashamed. If we had no care for our own personal image, and we stood confidently before our Lord, who knows what God could do through us!
Have you ever been ashamed before Jesus? I love the passion in which the Psalmist writes down his words. "Oh, that my ways were directed to keep your statutes!" The psalmist is not just singing, he is crying out. He is requiring of the Lord from the bottom of his heart.
I find it funny that we either get ashamed before the Lord, or we get ashamed of the Lord. Ever carry around your Bible and get ashamed, or embarrassed? Both have the same result, we cower away from what the Lord wants.
The fact of the matter is that we all get ashamed in one way or another. We should not. Take a moment to just go to the Lord. Ask Him to direct your way. Ask Him to direct, that you might not be ashamed. If we had no care for our own personal image, and we stood confidently before our Lord, who knows what God could do through us!
Psalm 119 - Intro
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the whole Bible. Rather than try and do the whole thing in one sitting, we are going to break it up in pieces. You see, Psalm 119 is what is known as an “acrostic” and it goes through all 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order, one stanza for each letter, an each line of a particular stanza starts with the letter it represents.
Just as the layout of the psalm is planned, so is the content. It isn’t random, but is actually very intentional in what it addresses. This beautiful Psalm is all about the WORD OF GOD. It talks about what the Word of God is, what it does, and how we should relate to it. So, over the next 22 days we will be taking a look at this psalm, and getting to know the WORD a little better… What it is, what it does, and how we should relate to it as believers.
So, start reading Psalm 119 now, and let it stir up a deeper hunger in you fro the glorious Word of God!
Just as the layout of the psalm is planned, so is the content. It isn’t random, but is actually very intentional in what it addresses. This beautiful Psalm is all about the WORD OF GOD. It talks about what the Word of God is, what it does, and how we should relate to it. So, over the next 22 days we will be taking a look at this psalm, and getting to know the WORD a little better… What it is, what it does, and how we should relate to it as believers.
So, start reading Psalm 119 now, and let it stir up a deeper hunger in you fro the glorious Word of God!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Psalm 118
The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing, and it is wonderful to see.
(Psalms 118:22-23)
There is a Jewish traditional tale that may be true, or it may be a myth… it goes something like this…
When Solomon’s temple was being built, all of the work was done offsite. Stones were cut, things were prepared, and all of the noisy messy stuff was done far away from the temple mount. When pieces were ready they would be brought to the temple mount and as silently as possible put into place. One day a stone came that didn’t seem to fit with the other stones. No one knew what to do with this stone, so it got shoved to the side and soon forgotten. When the temple was nearly done everyone realized that one majorly important piece was missing… THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE! This was a special stone that would sit at the top of one of the corners, a CAPSTONE. As the builders all frantically looked for this stone, someone eventually found it. It was pushed off to the side, the very stone that no one could find a place for, it had been neglected and rejected, and it was the most important stone of all.
This story, whether true or not, is a shadow of what this Psalm is prophesying. Jesus is the stone that the “builders” (the religious leaders of the day) rejected. He was cast aside, not fitting the picture they had of who Messiah was and what He should be all about. After he was crucified, He rose again and became the MOST IMPORTANT PIECE IN THE “TEMPLE” OF GOD! You see, Jesus is our foundation, he is the chief cornerstone. He is the show piece, the most beautiful thing God could ever give us… yet He was rejected by men, cast off as if He were garbage!
What are you doing with Jesus today? Are you honoring Him as the precious cornerstone of your life, or are you pushing Him away because He doesn’t fit in with your plans??? Think about it… And don’t make the mistake the Pharisees made!
(Psalms 118:22-23)
There is a Jewish traditional tale that may be true, or it may be a myth… it goes something like this…
When Solomon’s temple was being built, all of the work was done offsite. Stones were cut, things were prepared, and all of the noisy messy stuff was done far away from the temple mount. When pieces were ready they would be brought to the temple mount and as silently as possible put into place. One day a stone came that didn’t seem to fit with the other stones. No one knew what to do with this stone, so it got shoved to the side and soon forgotten. When the temple was nearly done everyone realized that one majorly important piece was missing… THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE! This was a special stone that would sit at the top of one of the corners, a CAPSTONE. As the builders all frantically looked for this stone, someone eventually found it. It was pushed off to the side, the very stone that no one could find a place for, it had been neglected and rejected, and it was the most important stone of all.
This story, whether true or not, is a shadow of what this Psalm is prophesying. Jesus is the stone that the “builders” (the religious leaders of the day) rejected. He was cast aside, not fitting the picture they had of who Messiah was and what He should be all about. After he was crucified, He rose again and became the MOST IMPORTANT PIECE IN THE “TEMPLE” OF GOD! You see, Jesus is our foundation, he is the chief cornerstone. He is the show piece, the most beautiful thing God could ever give us… yet He was rejected by men, cast off as if He were garbage!
What are you doing with Jesus today? Are you honoring Him as the precious cornerstone of your life, or are you pushing Him away because He doesn’t fit in with your plans??? Think about it… And don’t make the mistake the Pharisees made!
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