Psalm 119: 97-99

          97) “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 98) Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. 99) I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.”

          The first half of verse 97 ends in an exclamation mark. In the Amplified Bible verse 97 reads, “Oh, how love I your law,” again, there is an exclamation mark. The writer wanted us to see that studying God’s word, delving into the bible daily, as important, necessary, something that must be done. Here is what the Pulpit Commentary says about verse 97: Study that leads to love: A cursory view of God’s word may have no result; but a serious study of it, a continuous and prayerful meditation upon it, will end in a strong attachment to it. It will become the source of perennial enjoyment it will be prized above all price.” (perennial means: lasting a long time, enduring; appearing time after time or year after year, recurrent. Or a synonym for that would be continual); So here we see to fully understand God’s word, we must continually read it. In doing that, the power contained within it is given to us, guiding, directing and uplifting us, as we go through our day. It’s power, in the form of the Holy Spirit, also walks with us through the difficult circumstances and trials that Satan orchestrates as he tries to hinder our walk and add doubt in our minds. The power from the words we meditate on are a “Lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” Psalm 119: 105.That light also radiates from us, so others will see it and be drawn to us, allowing us to share with them, God’s love, compassion, mercy and grace. Our daily meditation on His word also encourages us to put that word into our hearts, through memorization of the verses we read. You could say that the verses we memorize is the oil we need to keep His lamp (His word) in our hearts burning brightly, showing others who we live for. Our love for the study of His words enables the Holy Spirit to engrave in our hearts not only the love Christ has for all he has created, but for us to meditate on throughout our day. In 2 Corinthians 3:3, Paul writes this, “You show and make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with [the] Spirit of [the] living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.  We then can use those words to encourage others and show them the love that Christ has for them, to witness to them verbally and through how we live our lives allowing God to make an impact in their lives.

In verse 98 we see, “Your commands make me wiser that my enemies, for they are ever with me.”  From the Pulpit Commentary comes this explanation. “With practical wisdom, so that he can order his way aright. This is what is meant here by “wisdom” and “understanding.” By means of it he can: outwit his enemies, no matter how crafty their policy.” We can also replace the word “enemies” with the phrase Satan and his daemons.  “KNOWLEDGE: “The study of the word of God, of the will of Christ, will make the disciple to understand (1) what his enemies are ignorant of; (2) what is of greater intrinsic value than any science, or art, or language;” Through our love for His word, contained within our hearts, we can recall them, as Satan and his daemons temp us during the day. By storing up His commands, we are storing up ammunition. We can use that ammunition for our defense, firing back at Satan. When that happens, he flees from us because the word in our hearts, the Holy Spirit, is more powerful than anything Satan can fire at us, as he tries to knock us off the road that we walk for Christ. By having the word in us, we are continually armed in Christ, for Christ. Again, having His laws in our hearts and allowing that law to radiate from our lives draws others to us, to share the gospel with them, and in so doing brings added encouragement to our hearts because we know that we are obeying what God has instructed we do, for Him. Isaiah29:18 says this: “In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll. And out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.” And in 60:19 it says: “The sun will no more be your light by day, not will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” Christ has given us an obligation to tell others about Him. By giving of ourselves, by the emptying of our hearts to others, that enables the Holy Spirit to enter in, re-filling us in even greater measures. Our lives will shine forth because of how we act, speak and live. All because of our love to study His precepts daily,

          Verse 99 reads, “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statues.” Looking at the Pulpit Commentary again, we read this, “Becoming wiser than his teachers.” They (the teachers) may be full of sound doctrine, but the soul that is partaker of God’s grace is wiser than they.” “Understands more than the men of olden times.” Understanding gotten by the precepts of the word is better than that gotten by long experience.”

          Each day, as we meditate on His word, our hearts are filled with the power and knowledge of Christ. In doing that, we understand that we must live our lives as Christ shows us. Psalm 119:148 says, “My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.” Proverbs 4:7 tells us this, “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” We disregard worldly doctrines, because we live by faith, not works, as others do because Satan has blinded them to the true meaning of Christ’s word.

          In the second reference, it stated, “precepts gotten by the word is better than that gotten by long experience.” You can take the words “long experience” one of two ways. 1^st meaning may be that experience gained through worldly ways is not sufficient for being saved. That type of experience relies on our own power and strength, which is fallible, unable to accomplish anything close to what our Savior can, and does, for us and all who truly believe. The 2^nd meaning may be, the experience we gain by living our lives by what we meditate on daily. Matthew 7:24 tells us this, “So everyone who hears these words of mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock,” AB. James 3:17 says this, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace—loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

          In closing, we must daily do these 4 things: 1) love the word! Jeremiah 15:16 “When your words came. I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.” Allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with the power, grace, mercy and peace, as we daily live for Him. 2) meditate on and in, that word at the beginning and end of your day. Romans 6: 22 “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.” 3) Open your heart so that Christ can direct your steps, words and actions. James 3:17 “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”   We must always keep in mind that we may well be the only way others see Christ. Again, if we truly radiate Christ love, mercy and grace through how we live and treat others, they will be drawn to us. And 4), When God opens a door for us to share, use the power and courage, we have gained through our meditation on His word. Psalm 39:3 “My heart grew hot within me. And as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:” As we have heard here, we need to just let the words He will give us, flow out of our mouths. Use the “fruits” that He has given us, to be used to further His Kingdom, bringing His light, that radiates out of our hearts, touch others’ lives in order that our Savior may become their Savior, so that they can use the power of God in their hearts to add more light into this dark world.

white as snow

 

It snowed here today and the ground was covered by a white blanket that made everything look so beautiful. But underneath was still the dirty old ground, with it's rocks, sand, mud and un-racked leaves. Does that sound like your life? Oh, you go to church on Sundays, say amen once or twice, greet others with a smile on our faces. Then we walk out, and our lives take up where they left off when we first walked in. The stress's and worries and fears all come back, sometimes bigger, and worse. The sermon that we listened to seems to fade quickly, and the happy feeling that you may have gotten are disappearing, the closer you get to the car to drive away.

 

And you wonder how you will cope through this coming week. Your insides start to ache, not a heartburn type of pain, but a pain of loneliness. It's like you don't have anyone to turn to in order to get the pains and hurts and sorrows out of your heart. Your wife or friends just would not understand how, or what, you are going through. So you just "suck it up" and go on, all the while continuing to hurt. Or could it be that you are searching for something, answers maybe?

 

Too many of us look at our lives and say to ourselves "who could help me? Look at me and the state that I am in. My life sucks." Many of us take a look at our situations and think we know why God feels so distant. "I can't live like he says I should. Besides I am too far gone now to ever return to God." So you continue to wallow through life as best you can. Groping around in the dark trying to find the door that will finally allow you to find the happiness that you have been so desperately looking for.

 

I have shared this before, but I had the same feelings. And it wasn't until I laid in the rubble of my life that God got my attention. With no where else to turn, I had to turn to my Savior. Oh Jesus had given me many, many opportunities to come to Him in the past, but this world was so much better, or so I thought. During my sentence, God showed me that this world can only destroy. I began to learn that by just giving up, allowing Jesus to lead, I saw that this world is only a place to live in. See, giving up, if you will, was just too hard. Living a life, different than what this world told me to live, was just too hard to do, "God, it's too hard to change. I won't be like everyone else."

 

"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 souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11: 28-30.

Are you weary from living a life that had been hidden from everyone. Is your sinfulness a burden that you can no longer carry. Come to Christ, lay yourself out in front of Him, and ask for forgiveness. When you do, He will give you the rest to go through life. It was a rest from the life of sin, of living in darkness and pain. Take His yoke upon yourself, the one that you thought would be too tough to wear, the yoke that this world told you that you are not worthy to wear because of the life you lead, the yoke that you thought would be too constrictive, or would not let you have the fun you want to have, and found out that it is easy. Through His word Christ shows us that He does not condemn, but corrects. It shows that Christ does not lie, He had always been beside you, calling out to you to follow Him. Christ speaks words of love, compassion, and healing into hearts. Your soul will able to rest because you no longer will have to hide anything. Let me say here, God knows what's going on in your lives because nothing is hidden from Him! His yoke is easy, and it is light. God does not steer us with a whip and sharp tugs, one way or another, He gently corrects our walks bringing us to a fuller knowledge of Him. Your burden is light because of the Holy Spirit that enters in when you confess your sins and make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life! All Christ asks from us is to follow Him and in so doing, He gives us the strength to do it.

In closing, Christ wants for you, the same thing that He wants for all of humanity.......Rest!!! And through that rest, in Him you gain peace. And through that peace you gain understanding of just how much God loves you and wants to bless you. I know that trying to close your ears to what this world says you need is not easy, because God's way is not the way of the world, there is a constant "tug of war" in us. But that is the way Satan wants it, he is prowling around constantly. Roaming throughout this world looking for the weak to devour. Know this for a fact, your life is never removed from God. Your Father, yes the one that created you, has you in His hands. His desire for you is to have peace "that passes all understanding." And His shed blood has given you forgiveness for your sins. Yes, when Christ looks at you all He sees is a whole, pure person. When Christ looks at you, you are as white as snow. You don't have to work for it, you don't have to live a certain way or act a certain way because Jesus took your sins upon Himself when they crucified Him on the cross. Take the step and allow Him to put on you His yoke and guide you upon the path that He set before you to walk. One that is flat and level and leads to many blessings. Turn your blackness to white, and your darkness to light. The light that comes from His glory and love for you!



 

Galatians 4:21-31

Last month in “Today in The Word” from Moody Bible. They went through the book of Galatians. God laid it on my heart to talk tonight on these verses, and how the Lord spoke to me on what to write about.

Blood lines. It is our fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers. As believers, we now have a different blood line, that is Jesus Christ. Before we accepted Christ, we were of the blood line of Hagar and Ishmael, slaves to this world. And just as Hagar was sent out into the desert, to die, we too were in the desert of our sins, dying. We sat in the burning sun of despair and hopelessness, surrounded by the sands of unrighteousness and a dead heart. We Looked to ourselves to find water to quench our thirsts. We were born “according to the flesh,” so we lived by the flesh. Constantly living to satisfy our wants and desires. Think about it, our power, our thoughts or ideas, our way of accomplishment is futile. Our vision of the future, and how we wanted things to work out was flawed by our sinfulness. When we lived as we wanted, chasing our dreams, we were slaves to those wants and desires. We used our power and intellect to make it happen in our time frame. We listened to the lies that Satan was whispering in our ears, “You need it now!” “No one else matters, it’s what you want that counts.”

In Genesis Chapter 21:19 it says, “Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink” God did that for us, when we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. He opened our eyes, and hearts, to understand the love He has for us. Our blood line was changed, because we had a transfusion from the blood that Jesus shed on Calvary in order that our sins were washed away, separated from us, forever.  For us, the believer, Abraham & Isaac are our blood lines now. Our trust in Christ enabled us to pitch our earthly tents next to His oasis of living water. The words we read in our bibles daily, during our devotions, is that water. We go daily to be refreshed, to drink in the power, strength and courage to face what the devil will throw at us. It continually shows us that we are from Abraham and Isaac’s blood line not Hagar & Ishmael’s. Daily our hearts gladly welcome the Holy Spirit in, knowing that by it dwelling inside us, we are in God’s hands. It also reminds us that when we fall, and oh boy how we do sometimes, that we cannot be snatched from His hands, because of the shed blood of Christ. The blood that is inside us.

                   His word also encourages us to solder on, to express to others the change He has brought into our hearts, and lives.  The Holy Spirit empowers us to live our lives as examples, to live a life as Jesus did. And lastly, we are encouraged to pray for others. The Holy Spirit gives us the patience to continue lifting others in prayer, knowing God is at work, breaking hearts of stone, providing for the hungry, lonely and lost people around us. The living water of His word gives us the strength to face our trials, gives us courage to walk through our “Valleys” and the heart that praises Him, in all we say and do. It is awesome to ponder, that the same promise we receive daily, because we believe, Abraham & Isaac also received. In Genesis 15:6, from the Amplified Bible version we read “And he [Abram] believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God).” So, then, when we accepted Christ and truly knew that we were forgiven, and began living as Jesus commanded us, we too were credited as being righteous before our Father in heaven, we were no longer slaves to sin. We were from the blood line that frees us from the slavery of Satan’s lies, allowing us to live, having Christ’s redemptive blood flow over us and through us.

          So, no matter your past, no matter how far you feel that you have walked away from Jesus, He continues to love and cherish you. It was for you that He willingly, yes willingly went to the cross to die for you. I pray today that you will turn to Jesus and allow the righteous blood that He shed for you to cover you, forgive you, so that you too will know that your blood line is in Him.

Psalm 119:97-99

Psalm 119: 97-99

          97) “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 98) Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. 99) I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.”

          The first half of verse 97 ends in an exclamation mark. In the Amplified Bible verse 97 reads, “Oh, how love I your law,” again, there is an exclamation mark. The writer wanted us to see that studying God’s word, delving into the bible daily, as important, necessary, something that must be done. Here is what the Pulpit Commentary says about verse 97: Study that leads to love: A cursory view of God’s word may have no result; but a serious study of it, a continuous and prayerful meditation upon it, will end in a strong attachment to it. It will become the source of perennial enjoyment it will be prized above all price.” (perennial means: lasting a long time, enduring; appearing time after time or year after year, recurrent. Or a synonym for that would be continual); So here we see to fully understand God’s word, we must continually read it. In doing that, the power contained within it is given to us, guiding, directing and uplifting us, as we go through our day. It’s power, in the form of the Holy Spirit, also walks with us through the difficult circumstances and trials that Satan orchestrates as he tries to hinder our walk and add doubt in our minds. The power from the words we meditate on are a “Lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” Psalm 119: 105.That light also radiates from us, so others will see it and be drawn to us, allowing us to share with them, God’s love, compassion, mercy and grace. Our daily meditation on His word also encourages us to put that word into our hearts, through memorization of the verses we read. You could say that the verses we memorize are the oil we need to keep His lamp (His word) in our hearts burning brightly, showing others who we live for. Our love for the study of His words enables the Holy Spirit to engrave in our hearts not only the love Christ has for all he has created, but for us to meditate on throughout our day. In 2 Corinthians 3:3, Paul writes this, “You show and make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with [the] Spirit of [the] living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.  We then can use those words to encourage others and show them the love that Christ has for them, to witness to them verbally and through how we live our lives allowing God to make an impact in their lives.

In verse 98 we see, “Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.”  From the Pulpit Commentary comes this explanation. “With practical wisdom, so that he can order his way aright. This is what is meant here by “wisdom” and “understanding.” By means of it he can: outwit his enemies, no matter how crafty their policy.” We can also replace the word “enemies” with the phrase Satan and his daemons.  “KNOWLEDGE: “The study of the word of God, of the will of Christ, will make the disciple to understand (1) what his enemies are ignorant of; (2) what is of greater intrinsic value than any science, or art, or language;” Through our love for His word, contained within our hearts, we can recall them, as Satan and his daemons temp us during the day. By storing up His commands, we are storing up ammunition. We can use that ammunition for our defense, firing back at Satan. When that happens, he flees from us because the word in our hearts, the Holy Spirit, is more powerful than anything Satan can fire at us, as he tries to knock us off the road that we walk for Christ. By having the word in us, we are continually armed in Christ, for Christ. Again, having His laws in our hearts and allowing that law to radiate from our lives draws others to us, to share the gospel with them, and in so doing brings added encouragement to our hearts because we know that we are obeying what God has instructed we do, for Him. Isaiah29:18 says this: “In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll. And out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.” And in 60:19 it says: “The sun will no more be your light by day, not will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” Christ has given us an obligation to tell others about Him. By giving of ourselves, by the emptying of our hearts to others, that enables the Holy Spirit to enter in, re-filling us in even greater measures. Our lives will shine forth because of how we act, speak and live. All because of our love to study His precepts daily,

          Verse 99 reads, “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statues.” Looking at the Pulpit Commentary again, we read this, “Becoming wiser than his teachers.” They (the teachers) may be full of sound doctrine, but the soul that is partaker of God’s grace is wiser than they.” “Understands more than the men of olden times.” Understanding gotten by the precepts of the word is better than that gotten by long experience.”

          Each day, as we meditate on His word, our hearts are filled with the power and knowledge of Christ. We daily gain a better understanding that we must live our lives as Christ shows us. Psalm 119:148 says, “My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.” Proverbs 4:7 tells us this, “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” Through that meditation and wisdom, we disregard worldly doctrines, we live by faith, not works as others do because Satan has blinded them to the true meaning of Christ’s word.

          In the second reference, it stated, “precepts gotten by the word is better than that gotten by long experience.” You can take the words “long experience” one of two ways. 1^st meaning

may be that experience gained through worldly ways is not sufficient for being saved. That type of experience relies on our own power and strength, which is fallible, unable to accomplish anything close to what our Savior can, and does, for us and all who truly believe. The 2^nd meaning may be, the experience we gain by living our lives by what we meditate on daily. Matthew 7:24 tells us, “So everyone who hears these words of mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock,” AB. James 3:17 says this, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace—loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

          In closing, we must daily do these 4 things: 1) love the word! Jeremiah 15:16 “When your words came. I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.” Allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with the power, grace, mercy and peace, as we daily live for Him. 2) meditate on and in, that word at the beginning and end of your day. Romans 6: 22 “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.” 3) Open your heart so that Christ can direct your steps, words and actions. Hosea 14:9 “Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” We must always keep in mind that we may well be the only way others see Jesus, if we truly radiate Christ’s love, mercy and grace through how we live and treat others, they will be drawn to us. And 4), When God opens a door for us to share, use the power and courage, we have gained through our meditation on His word. Psalm 39:3 “My heart grew hot within me. And as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:” As we have heard here, we need to just let the words He will give us, flow out of our mouths as we give our testimony for others to hear, Using the “fruits” that He has given us to be used, to further His Kingdom. Allowing His light, that radiates out of our hearts, touch others’ lives in order that our Savior may become their Savior. So that they can use the power of God in their hearts to add more light into this dark world.