"Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee....Thy testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors....I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Thine ordinances before me....Establish Thy word to Thy servant, as that which produces reverence for Thee....And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Thy precepts....I have remembered Thine ordinances from of old, O Lord, and comfort myself....Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Thy commandments. " (Psalm 119:11, 24, 30, 38, 45, 52, 66 NASB)
If you started today without the Bible, you have started wrongly. If you started today without hearing God, not just as in some "soaking" silence, but in, "I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Thine ordinances before me," you were saying to life, "I can handle you today." I have lived that way in the past, and I can tell you that, my friend, is a most dangerous way to live.
Just consider some of the very practical direction in some of today's most pressing issues we receive from today's text, e.g., sin, counsel (direction, decisions), keeping me in the faith, worship-reverence for our God, liberty (freedom), comfort, "I have remembered Thine ordinances from of old, O Lord, and (notice this) comfort myself." Every time of the month I come to Psalm 119, I am reinforced in the belief that there is no safe place, no safe person, no safe life-philosophy in which to place my absolute faith, trust, and confidence apart from Jesus Christ and the Words of God which reveal Him.
One has to admit that there are so many "objects" vying for our affection, our loyalty, our trust, and our "answers" for life's sojourn. Kingdom Alert: Everyone who ignores the Words of God will ultimately be deceived. Jesus told us that in the close of the age deception will be so subtle, so appealing, make so much "sense" that, "if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Please never consider yourself so spiritual that you can walk in that false sense of security in your own great "spirituality," worshiping, witnessing, and doing Church and Kingdom "work," yet go for long periods of time without, "I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Thine Ordinances before me." I confess that there was a time in my life when I would not have admitted that I was so living, but my life revealed otherwise.
I pray that we never ever, "lean...to your own understanding," which is and "understanding" worship, prayer, and all activity which is apart from the Word of God. That, "own understanding," has been and will be the downfall of many a professing believer. Life's sustaining power, joy and peace, however, is theirs who live, "Thy Word have I treasured," not just, "hid," but, "treasured in my heart...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, You are my Treasure. I pray my life so testifies. Am en.
********************
* Berlin/Bosnia Mission: May 1-20
* News, Commentary: jhs58.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
If you started today without the Bible, you have started wrongly. If you started today without hearing God, not just as in some "soaking" silence, but in, "I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Thine ordinances before me," you were saying to life, "I can handle you today." I have lived that way in the past, and I can tell you that, my friend, is a most dangerous way to live.
Just consider some of the very practical direction in some of today's most pressing issues we receive from today's text, e.g., sin, counsel (direction, decisions), keeping me in the faith, worship-reverence for our God, liberty (freedom), comfort, "I have remembered Thine ordinances from of old, O Lord, and (notice this) comfort myself." Every time of the month I come to Psalm 119, I am reinforced in the belief that there is no safe place, no safe person, no safe life-philosophy in which to place my absolute faith, trust, and confidence apart from Jesus Christ and the Words of God which reveal Him.
One has to admit that there are so many "objects" vying for our affection, our loyalty, our trust, and our "answers" for life's sojourn. Kingdom Alert: Everyone who ignores the Words of God will ultimately be deceived. Jesus told us that in the close of the age deception will be so subtle, so appealing, make so much "sense" that, "if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Please never consider yourself so spiritual that you can walk in that false sense of security in your own great "spirituality," worshiping, witnessing, and doing Church and Kingdom "work," yet go for long periods of time without, "I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Thine Ordinances before me." I confess that there was a time in my life when I would not have admitted that I was so living, but my life revealed otherwise.
I pray that we never ever, "lean...to your own understanding," which is and "understanding" worship, prayer, and all activity which is apart from the Word of God. That, "own understanding," has been and will be the downfall of many a professing believer. Life's sustaining power, joy and peace, however, is theirs who live, "Thy Word have I treasured," not just, "hid," but, "treasured in my heart...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, You are my Treasure. I pray my life so testifies. Am en.
********************
* Berlin/Bosnia Mission: May 1-20
* News, Commentary: jhs58.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
