WHAT BEGETS WHAT
Righteous are you O Lord, and right are your rules. Psalm 119:137
God acts according to His nature. He is totally consistent. He is love and never acts cruel. He is just and never acts unjustly. He is faithful and never turns his back on me. He is truthful and never speaks forked words. He is pure and never voices concepts that are unreliable. Character begets behavior. Character begets strong and righteous language. Continue reading “What Begets What?”
THE BEST WAY TO SPEND FREEDOM
Redeem me from man’s oppression, that I may keep your precepts. Psalm 119:134
Each of us were created to be free in Christ. The leadership we were made to experience was designed to resemble the kingly rule of Jesus; respectful, righteous, and life-giving. When power is twisted in the hearts of men, oppression is the result. Under such leadership, we strain to be free. The yoke is not only heavy but it cuts into the fabric of our souls and leaves permanent scars. Like the Israelites enslaved in Egypt, we spend our days laying bricks for someone else’s kingdom. There is no regard for who we are, whether we might have dreams of our own, and what our physical and emotional limits might be. A slave is a slave. Continue reading “The Best Way To Spend Freedom”
PANTING
I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments. Psalm 119:131
When an animal is chasing something, he pants. The hunt is all-consuming. I have no trouble, when describing something in the animal kingdom, as one who pants. But in the distinguished world of human beings, to admit to panting seems extreme and inappropriate to talk about. David wasn’t so provincial. His spiritual hunger was edgy. Continue reading “Panting”
THE WORD AND MY RESPONSE
The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130
When the Word of God is spoken, the possibility for understanding and then transformation exists. Whether or not that occurs in the life of a person is dependent on their response to the hearing of the Word. Understanding what has been spoken depends on that person declaring themselves ‘simple’. Continue reading “The Word and My Response”
GOLD AND FINE GOLD
Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. Psalm 119:127
The value of a gold bullion depends on its fineness, or the percentage of it that is made up of small particles. David has learned to love God above the value of fine gold. God did for him what gold could never do. Gold could not protect him against Saul. Gold could not have purchased his anointing. Gold could not make his friends loyal. Gold could not enrich his soul and give him peace. Continue reading “Gold and Fine Gold”
WHEN THE SUBTLETY OF SIN SHIFTS
It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken. Psalm 119:126
God is longsuffering. He hears people profane His name, watches as they worship other gods, and bends under the grief of seeing them choose lifestyles that violate His precepts. All the while, He calls for repentance. He woos people to leave their life of sin and return to Him. While He is longsuffering, there are limits to His staying hand of judgment. When sin reaches a certain pitch, or is ‘comes to fullness’ (God’s wording), judgment comes. Continue reading “When the Subtlety of Sin Shifts”
HIS STEADFAST LOVE
Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes. Psalm 119:124
Consider how life would go if the following requests were made: “Dear Internal Revenue Service, please deal with our burdensome taxes according to your history of mercy.” Or, “Dear mortgage company, please disregard our six late payments and withhold any action of penalty based on your history of forgiveness.” One would never bother writing either letter because the idea of looking to either institution for understanding would be wasted. Continue reading “His Steadfast Love”
EYE STRAIN
My eyes long for your salvation and the fulfillment of your righteous promise. Psalm 119:123
Much of my life has been spent on the road. I’ve driven a lot of late nights, waiting for a hundred miles or so to disappear so that the exit for my hotel would bring me much needed rest. Mile markers go down slowly when you’re fighting sleep. Have you ever noticed that? The window is cracked a bit for fresh air, the music is blaring, and you pray you don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Your eyes are straining to see each sign approach, just hoping that when they focus, the exit will reveal that you’ve arrived safely. Continue reading “Eye Strain”
GOD’S MORTGAGE PAYMENT
Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me. Psalm 119:122
Those who have engaged in military battles can tell you that victory was never sure. In the middle of the war, no one could tell who the victor would be. The prospect of winning or losing changed with the day. Oftentimes, the war would turn just before the end and the underdog would win. Continue reading “God’s Mortgage Payment”
PUTTING ‘HOLY’ IN FRONT OF GOD
My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments. Psalm 119:120
In the missionary journal of Henry Martyn, this entry was found. “In prayer, in the evening I had such new and terrific views of God’s judgment upon sinners in Hell, that my flesh trembled for fear of them … I flew trembling to Jesus Christ as if the flames were taking hold of me! Oh! Christ will indeed save me or else I perish.” Not many writers, not many teachers, not many of God’s children speak this way today. There is a lazy respect for God’s holiness. As hymns have given way, almost entirely, to new worship songs (I love them as well), the heavy doctrines which have defined our Christian faith, even in song, have taken a back seat. Continue reading “Putting Holy In Front Of God”
