God's Presence and God's Wisdom

Psalm 119:169 Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.

There is nothing inherent within us that would cause God to listen to our prayers. Although we do not deserve to be heard, God hears and answers when we call out to Him. When we come before the Lord we need to remember that we do not deserve this privilege, and we need to come with thanksgiving in our hearts.

Hebrews 4:15-16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Esther would not even venture into the presence of the King without first spending three days in fasting. When she did finally go to see the King I am sure she it was with fear and trembling. Despite the fact that we would also be fearful to walk into the presence of a King, I am afraid that many times we take the Grace of God, which makes it possible for us to come into His presence, for granted.

Many times we wonder why it seems that God is not listening to our prayers. If we would truly examine our requests we would see that they are not based on God’s Word, but instead they are requests based on the things of this world. More important than any knowledge of this earth is to obtain the understanding of the Word of God. Why not ask God for this wisdom? We have the opportunity to be enlightened by heavenly light and to be conformed to divine truth, which is found in the Grace of the Lord.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally... and it shall be given him.

Walking with the Lord

Psalm 119:168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.

When we realize that God is watching we can lean on Him to help us through trials and temptations. Through the Grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit we are delivered from the influence of sin and are able to live by the precepts and testimonies of the Lord.

Psalm 139:7-10 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Proverbs 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

The Holy Spirit uses His Word to bring conviction of our sin and guidance to overcome them. All our secrets are laid bare in the Bible, which is why Satan provides numerous excuses not to read it. Spending time in God’s Word helps us see the unconfessed sin in our lives. It is by His Word we are able to see sin as God sees it and by looking at our sin through His Word we are unable to justify it, but it is through His Word we are able to tap into God’s grace and power which helps us not to walk in sin.

Keeping and Loving God's Word

Psalm 119:167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.

When the salvation of the Lord changes our inward lives by making us into new creatures then our outward lives will show it by keeping the testimonies of the Lord. When our lives are no longer the same we cannot help but love God’s sacred truths, and hold fast to them as we would hold fast to life itself. The Christian who has truly felt the Grace of God will store up the Truth of God within his heart as a treasure exceedingly dear and precious.

As a Christian we will desire to store up the Truth of God because of our love for His Word, and the more understanding we glean from these truths the greater our love will become. It is like a snow ball which grows larger and larger as it rolls faster and faster down the hill.

We will not merely store up revealed truth by way of duty, but because of a deep and intense affection for it. We will eventually grow in our love for the Word of God until we realize we cannot live without it. The more we fill our minds with heavenly truth, the more deeply we will be in love with it, and the more we see the exceeding riches of the Bible the more our love for it will be above measure.

This precious Book I’d rather own than all the golden gems

That e’er in monarchs’ coffers shone, or on their diadems.

And were the seas one chrysolite, this earth a golden ball,

And gems were all the stars of night, this Book were worth them all.

Ah, no, the soul ne’er found relief in glittering hoards of wealth;

Gems dazzle not the eye of grief; God cannot purchase health.

But here a blessed balm appears for every human woe,

And they that seek that Book in tears, their tears shall cease to flow.

Trust and Obey

Psalm 119:166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.

As a Christian we can be thankful that our hope is in God’s mercy and in His Word. Without God we have no hope. Our salvation is found in God’s grace which is obtained through faith, and this salvation makes us new creatures in Christ. Since we are new creatures it will be crystal-clear to everyone because the Fruit of the Spirit will be living in us.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Our trust and confidence needs to be completely and totally directed steadily and unwaveringly toward God. We need to understand that it is God alone who saves and if we should add anything to the Grace of God there is no hope. We also need to comprehend that the same divine teaching which delivers us from confidence in our own works will also lead us to abound in every good work to the glory of God.

To be able to have a fulfilling walk with the Lord there are two things that need to be done. First, we need to place our hope in God. Second, we need to do that which is right. The first without the second would be mere presumption, but the second without the first would be a works salvation.

What a blessing it is to be able to look back on life and to be able to proclaim that we have acted in the way which is commanded by the Lord. Of course, the ability to Trust and Obey can only be done by the power of God living through us.

Peace in Our Hearts

Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

While the world and many Christians are searching for peace it is available to anyone who is willing to love God’s law. The world will never find this peace because the world hates God’s law, but many Christians fail to find peace because they fail to love God’s law.

Philippians 4:6-9 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Our lives don’t have to be full of care, anxiety, or worry. God tells us that there is nothing that should cause us to worry. 

I would like to point out that God desires that we make our requests with thanksgiving. When we are faithful to thank Him for His blessings we are reminded that God has never failed us and we have no reason for concern.

If we focus our minds on those things that are true, and honest, and pure, and lovely, and virtuous, and of good report we cannot help but have peace in our minds. These things remind us of God’s mercy, forgiveness, and grace. When the Grace of God moves in, God’s Peace moves in with it.

Completely Praising God

Psalm 119:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

Seven is the number of completion in the Bible. God finished His perfect and complete work of creation in seven days, which established seven as the number of days in a week. 

Before Aaron and his sons entered their priestly work they were consecrated seven days. On the day of atonement the high priest sprinkled the blood upon the mercy seat seven times.

When Israel took the city of Jericho, God told them to march around the city seven times.

There were seven feast days of our Lord - Passover, Unleavened, First-fruits, Pentecost, Atonement, Trumpets, and Tabernacle. 

There were seven branches on the candlestick in the Holy Place in the Tabernacle. Solomon took seven years to build the Temple. Job had seven sons and when his friends came to visit him they sat seven days and seven nights in silence. Naaman washed seven times in the Jordan. There were seven years of plenty and seven years of famine in Egypt during the days of Joseph.

When we learn to praise God seven times a day we have learned to completely praise Him. Praising God needs to become a part of our daily, ongoing conversation with God. We need to be careful not to relegate God into a corner. He deserves our complete and undying devotion and praise.

When was the last time we have praised God for His Word? Have we have focused on our problems to the exclusion of God? When we fail to completely praise God we are failing ourselves. We will never have a complete and fulfilling relationship with Him unless He is number one.

Hate Lying and Love God

Psalm 119:163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.

It is just as important to hate lying as it is to love the law of God. Christians face a powerful and deceptive spiritual enemy who has somehow convinced us that lying is really not that big of a deal. We are even fooled into following the philosophies and listen to the opinions of the world.

Most Christians want to remain comfortable in their life-styles. By becoming immersed in the teachings of Christian books, magazines, videos, conferences, and seminars which are prevalent today we become isolated from what the Bible teaches.

By being completely committed to God’s Word we are able to develop the discernment to spot and hate falsehood. When we stand against the foolishness and fraud that goes on in the name of Christ we will be labeled as a narrow-minded bigot and a part of the unenlightened.

Tolerance of anything calling itself Christian is what prompted Christ’s message to the church of Laodicea.

Revelation 3:14-16 ...unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou are neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hat, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Christians are not intolerant to the vices of the world because they are bitter or prejudiced, but because they love God and His Word. The person who loves God’s Word will not be swayed by the mocking and scoffing of this world. The pressure of persecution will have no effect on the person with perfect love.

Finding Great Spoil

Psalm 119:162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.

A great description of finding great spoil is found in II Chronicles 20. The word, “spoil” refers to goods taken from a person or a place by force, but in this verse it is referring to spoils that are found instead of taken.

II Chronicles 20:20-26 ...Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD. ...when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir. ...when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

The Word of God is hidden treasure with joy and rejoicing found in its pages, yet we fail to benefit because we fail to look. Even pastors are not immune to taking the Bible for granted. I love to read and good books are an important part of my life, but I need to be careful that they don’t take precedent over THE BOOK.

When writing about the Word of God Paul wrote in I Corinthians...

I Corinthians 2:9 ...Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Without a Cause

Psalm 119:161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

“Princes have persecuted me without a cause,” is a prophecy of the sufferings and unmerited persecution endured by our Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, the phrase “without a cause,” throughout Scripture points to the One who suffered “without a cause” for us. 

Psalm 35:7, 19 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul... Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

There may be some who would claim that this is a fanciful interpretation of Scripture, but consider what Christ said in John 15.

John 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

Believers will also be persecuted “without a cause.” It is a fact which must be dealt with if we live by the Word of God. Persecution cannot be avoided, but we do have a choice about our response.

I Peter 4:12-13a Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings...

Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Truth is Truth

Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

God’s truth is always true, no matter how situations change. God’s Word is never old-fashioned, outdated, or obsolete. It will never go out of style. It is never insensitive, unconcerned, or uncaring. What has been true from the beginning will be true forever.

This removes the possibility of situational ethics. There is not even the slightest chance of bending the standards of God, or accommodating them according to the times. Although we may acclimate ourselves to the world, God’s Word will not go with us. If something is true once, it will be true every time.

Do we occasionally try to vindicate our sin? Do we think that maybe in our case it is OK to not live according to God’s Word? Remember, what is true is completely true, and it will be true forever.

We need to make sure we are on solid footing with the Word of God. We need to be uncompromising in our commitment to His Word. The one crucial difference between the statutes of God and the laws of men is that God’s statutes do not change. There has never been, nor will there ever be, a time when His statutes will be amended. God’s truth will stand for eternity.

The Holy Bible must have been,

Inspired of God and not of men.

I cannot at all believe, that good men wrote it to deceive,

Bad men could not if they would,

And surely would not if they could,

Certainly, no crazy man, could ever write God’s wondrous plan.

Are there any other kinds of men?

Maybe God this Book did pen!