PSALM 119 continued:
David had made a promise to himself and to God. He would serve
the word of the Lord, and keep His righteous judgments. He had taken
God's testimonies as an heritage for ever: for they rejoiced his
heart. He said he had inclined his heart to perform the Eternal's
statutes always, even unto the end (verses 106, 111-112).
I think back to my days in the Church of God in the 1960s;
all the people I knew, going from about 6 people in that town to
250 people by 1970. Where are most of them today? They did not do
as David did here in this part of this Psalm. They gave up, they
departed from God and His way of life. Many, if not most, went
back into the world, or back into the false Christianity of the
world. They lost their personal relationship with the Lord, if it was
ever there to begin with. They lost the following words of David:
"I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love ... Depart from me,
you evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God (verses
113, 115).
Do you notice the Bible definition of "evildoers" - it is
those who will not set their mind to live, practice as a way of
life, the commandments of God.
Do you sometimes cry out as David did: "It is time for you,
Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law. Therefore I love
thy commandments above gold; yes, above fine gold ... I opened my
mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments ... Order my
steps in thy word; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me
... Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy
law" (verses 126-136).
I do not think there has been an age, in the last 2,000
years, like the present one (the last 100 years especially) that
Christian theology, especially by most "fundamental" groups, that
has tried to "abolish" and "ridicule" and pulled every rabbit out
of the hat, to gainsay those who will observe the commandments of
God, and as before stated it is mainly because of the 4th
commandment. People just do not think in today's world that that
commandment belongs in the middle of the great TEN.
David was inspired to write: "Thy testimonies that you have
commanded are righteous and very faithful ... Thy word is very
pure: therefore thy servant loveth it ... Thy righteousness is an
everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth ... I cried
unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies ... My eyes
prevent the night watches (he sometimes stayed up into the night)
that I might meditate in thy word (some try to tell you the
morning is the very best time for communication with God - maybe
for some it is, but David often found it was the deep of night)
... You are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are truth ...
Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes
... I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they
kept not thy word ... Thy word is true from the beginning: and
every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever ... I
rejoice in thy word, as one that finds great spoil (treasures of
gold, diamonds, pearls etc.). I hate and abhor lying: but thy law
do I love (see what the apostle John calls lying in 1 John 2:4)
... Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall
offend them. Lord I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy
commandments (see how it is grace AND law).
Such is the true heart and mind of God's children. How can
it be anything else, it is the heart and mind that is His.
David ends this wonderful Psalm with these words:
"Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord, give me understanding
according to thy word. Let my supplication come before thee:
deliver me according to thy word. My lips shall utter praise,
when you have taught me thy statutes. My tongue shall speak of
thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness (there's the
Bible definition of "righteousness" = keeping God's
commandments). Let thine hand help me, for I have chosen thy
precepts. I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is
my delight. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let
thy judgments help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek
thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments" (verses 169-
176).
There it is again in these last verses! It is law AND grace,
or grace AND law. It is not grace OR law. Being saved by grace,
will only be given to those who will REPENT of sin, acknowledge
what sin is, learn from God what sin is through study of His word
(Genesis to Revelation), and set their minds to desire to serve
and practice the commandments, statutes, precepts, of God, and do as
Jesus taught in Matthew 4:4.
It is grace AND law. All fully explained in my study called
"Saved by Grace." Nothing is more important than for you to KNOW
what God says is the TRUTH of His word on the subject of YOUR
Salvation. Then you need to understand why you were born, and
what can be your destiny. That mind-blowing truth is explained in
my study called "A Christian's Destiny."
......................
To be continued
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