Glad to See You! (Praying with Confience in God part 2)

My mother died from cancer eighteen years ago at the age of 51. I remember the last time I was with her alive. It was Mother’s Day 1992. We had driven from Kansas City back home to Pueblo, Colorado to see her and my dad. She was very sick; yellow from the jaundice because her liver and kidneys were shutting down; almost too weak to get out of bed. We sat with her, read scripture together, sang hymns, and read her Mother’s Day cards to her. She was suffering and on pain medication. But on that day she was vibrant. She was positive. She smiled and radiated the love of God to all of us in the room with her.

Thinking about her and Psalm 119:74 has me asking myself: Are other believers encouraged when they see me? Do I have a positive, vibrant testimony? Do I have the type of smile and countenance that reflects patient confidence in the Lord?

Psalm 119:73-80 reflects that kind of patient confidence in God in spite of afflictions. Yesterday I told the first reason to have confidence in God and His word:  1. My Creator a Plan for My Life (Psalm 119:73).

The second reason we can pray with confidence is:

2. My God Can Still Work Through Me (74).

74  Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, Because I have hoped in Your word.

The writer of Psalm 119 is not free from affliction, but he responds to struggles in life in such a way that the Lord is glorified, others are benefited, and he himself sees it turn out for good in his life.

A beautiful example of this truth is in Paul in Philippians 1:12-14, “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

That is one of God’s purposes in comforting us through our affliction, that we could then be used by Him to comfort others. Look at the truth found in 2 Corinthians 1:3-6, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.”

Part of that comfort that Paul received was the encouragement of a man named Titus, “Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,” (2 Cor. 7:6). It is good for our eyes to see someone whose life testifies that the Lord is true. The sight of a faithful person gladdens the God-fearing. Hopeful men bring gladness with them.

Are you spreading gladness where ever you go?

How Do You Pray with Confidence?

Long ago two boys on the bank of the Mississippi River watched a mighty paddle wheeler majestically move down the river. As it drew near, one boy laid down his fishing pole and began to wave frantically and yell. The other lad laughed at the effort of his friend to get the attention of the paddle wheeler, but suddenly the giant vessel began to slow down and then turned toward the bank.

In amazement, the second boy wondered aloud how his friend could possibly flag down a massive paddle wheeler. The excited boy simply told his bewildered friend: "My father is the pilot."

As children of God we, too, can have confidence that our Father will respond to our petitions. Psalm 119:73-80 is a prayer of confidence in a good God in whom we can trust. Verses 73-75 focus on the character and works of God. They form the basis for the psalmist’s confidence for making his petitions in verses 76-80. He prays trusting in God and in God’s word. So in this section of Psalm 119 we see three reasons for confidence in God and His Word and five requests based on that confidence in God and His Word.

Reasons for Confidence in God and His Word.

1. My Creator a Plan for My Life (73).

73 Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.

The word “hand” is the key word of this whole stanza.  In fact, each verse of the stanza begins with the Hebrew letter yod.  It corresponds to our letters “y” and “j”, but yad is also the Hebrew word for “hand.” 

“Your hands have made me and fashioned me.”  Those are very personal words that are rich, not only with the creative power of God, but also in expressing God’s involvement in creating each one of us individually. 

We don’t usually think of mass-producing things with our hands.  That’s what machines are for.  Hands mould pottery.  Hands craft wood.  Hands knit and stitch and embroider.  Hands create things that involve our personal attention.  God doesn’t have literal hands—God is spirit—but God has lovingly crafted each of us the same way the potter’s hands mould a pot, the carpenter’s hands shape a block of wood, or the seamstress’ hands stitch together a lovely garment.  God is involved, He cares, He loves his handiwork.  He doesn’t just make it—any machine can do that.  No, he fashions it.  That’s an expression of intent and thoughtfulness. 

Personalize this psalm by praying, “Lord, I know you will never forget me since I am the work of your hands. I am the vessel you made—and made with purpose.  Fill me up and use me.  Teach me, give me understanding so that I may learn to obey your commandments.”

Listen, if we can be sure of God’s continued interest in us simply because of our physical creation, how much more can we be sure of his interest in us now that He has caused us to be born again by His Spirit through faith in His Son?  He sent His only Son—the ultimate price—to die that God might create us anew. 

Doesn’t that assure you that God cares about you?  If you are in Christ, you have been washed by the blood of Jesus and renewed by His indwelling Spirit.  Pray that He will continue to work in you each day, giving you understanding and giving you strength to follow God’s way.

In my next post I will tell two more reasons for confidence in prayer.

What gives you confidence to petition God in prayer?

Praying to the Good God in the Bad Times, Part 2

I don’t know what you are facing today—maybe the loss of a job, the loss of a loved one, or the loss of health yourself or from someone you love. Afflictions and trials hit all of us. No one is immune from trouble, it is part of life on this sinful world. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." For the child of God, afflictions can bring us closer to God. This often happens as we pray, as we talk with God during our trials. But how do we pray?
In my last post I saw from Psalm 119:65-67 two ways to pray to the good God in the bad times:

1. Lord, You are so good, though I’m so undeserving (v. 65).

2. Lord, give me wisdom to apply Your Word in this situation (v. 66-67)

Here are two more:

3. Lord, teach me in this trial how to glorify You (v. 68-69)

68  You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes.

69  The proud have forged a lie against me, But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.

Verse 68 says God is good and does good. His actions flow out of His attributes. This is a glory-driven, Godward, God-centered prayer. The focus of my prayer in my difficulty should not be first on me, and it must not be first on what others did to me (v. 69), the focus must be first on God’s goodness and God’s glory, that God would teach me (v. 68b) and help me to obey His principles (v. 69b).

God’s goodness is His very glorious nature; compassionate, loving, gracious. The very goodness of God and His dealings is seen in the very beginning of the Bible: As God creates the world and all its creatures, He repeatedly pronounces it good, and finally very good. It is God’s very nature to be good and do good, and it should be the very nature of someone saved by His good grace to pray thankfully, “Lord, teach me in this trial how to glorify You.”

David says in Psalm 50:15, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

We cannot always know why God gives certain afflictions, nor do we have to know before we can know Him to be good. But one thing we can know is that ultimately one purpose in my affliction is that God would be glorified, that His goodness should be magnified for all to see.

4. Lord, help me to delight in You and Your Word no matter what (v. 70-72)

70  Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law.

Do I find delight in God and His word or the world and its fat? Fat may taste good, but it’s bad for our health. Spiritual fat is a flabby fatty layer of spiritual cellulite due to spiritual inactivity and lack of exercise of the heart towards God. Often, prosperous sinners, because they live in luxury where every desire is gratified, have lost all feeling for God. Whatever God needs to do to wean us off loving this world is good. So affliction in this case is a blessing:

71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

Martin Luther confessed, “I never knew the meaning of God’s word, until I came into affliction. I have always found it one of the best schoolmasters.” Affliction is not good in itself and does not usually seem good to us when we are enduring it, but it has a good purpose when God sends it, as he frequently does in the case of his cherished children.

Some of God’s purposes in afflictions:

To show Himself good through His dealings (v. 65).

To give us discernment and knowledge (v. 66).

To restore us from straying (v. 67).

To teach us how good God is (68)

To bring about wholehearted obedience in us (v. 69).

To cause delight in God and His Word (v. 70).

To cause us to learn His Word and ways (v. 71).

To make us see the priceless nature of God’s Word (v. 72).

Verse 72 says, “The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.” This verse reminds me of one of my favorite hymns and the story behind it. In 1933 our nation was trying to recover from the Great Depression. Business curves were still heading downward and there was rumor of a salary cut at the New York insurance office where a twenty-two-year-old man was employed as a clerk. With his deep melodious voice, he was offered a radio contract with NBC and immediately saw opportunities for fame and possible riches in his regular appearance on the radio program.

He had been pondering the matter for several days when he sat down to the piano early one Sunday morning to rehearse a hymn he was to sing in church that morning. As he played and sang his eyes fell on a piece of paper. It was a poem by Mrs. Rhea Miller that had been placed there by his mom. As his eyes raced over the words, the lines struck his heart. His fingers unconsciously left the tune he was rehearsing and began to set this poem to music in a melody which is today known to millions. George Beverly Shea, instead of singing on the radio, devoted his life to Christian ministry travelling with Billy Graham. Maybe you’ve heard the song that was on the piano that day:

 I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;

I’d rather be His than have riches untold;

I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,

I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.

Than to be a king of a vast domain

Or be held in sin’s dread sway,

I’d rather have Jesus than anything

This world affords today.

Has this Psalm given you something to pray in your affliction?

Praying to the Good God in the Bad Times

Afflictions come in all shapes and sizes. An affliction can be as small as an aggravating head cold or as large as a major illness, the loss of a job, public persecution, or rumors spread by your enemies. Or an affliction could be the sort of cosmic suffering Job experienced. Some affliction is self-induced, sometimes others bring affliction to us, sometimes affliction is just the result of living in this fallen world. One writer said that we don’t need to seek affliction because sooner or later, it will seek us. I’m sure that’s true. David writes in Psalm 34:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.”

Suffering, bad times, afflictions, and trials drive a true believer to his or her knees more than most other times. But when we face these tough times, how should we then pray? Psalm 119:65-72 reminds us that God is good even when times are bad.

The word “affliction” appears two times in this passage (v. 67, 71) but it’s not the theme of this section. The real focus is on the goodness of the Lord. The word “good” actually appears three times more than the word for “affliction,” a total of six times in eight verses. So both exegetically and experientially, both statistically and practically, affliction is over-powered by the Lord’s goodness.

This passage shows me at least 4 ways to pray to a good God in the bad times:

1. Lord, You are so good, though I’m so undeserving (v. 65).

65  You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.

It is always a great place to begin in prayer when we begin with the person and character of God. Notice this God-centered first line – the focus of this undeserving servant is clearly on the Lord: 4 references in 1 verse: 65 You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.

Here he begins by acknowledging what we do not always see when in difficulty, how good God is and has been to us. God has treated us so well even though we are so undeserving. We can become so focused on how we think things should be different in our life that we lose the focus of God’s goodness and we lose the perspective of who God is and who we are, undeserving servants.

God has been good to us, not because we deserve it but because He acts “according to His word.” We need to quit looking down at the dirt around us and look up and see the glorious goodness of God.

2. Lord, give me wisdom to apply Your Word in this situation (v. 66-67)

66  Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments.

67  Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.

This part reminded me of James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” In that first chapter of his letter James wrote about facing various trials with joy. James says we can have joy in trials because through them God is working to bring us to maturity in Christ. So James says to pray for wisdom.

How do you pray when you are facing trials? Our typical prayer request is for God to remove the trial, but James says we should pray for wisdom to apply God’s Word in the trial. God is teaching us.

Affliction may not be our preferred method for God to teach us, but it is often the one we need. I believe it was C.S. Lewis who said God whispers in our prosperity but shouts to us in out pain. Pain is often God’s megaphone to get our attention. He recognizes the fact that affliction taught him to keep God’s word. Before he was afflicted he went astray (v. 67).

How many of you have experienced that God uses affliction as an alarm clock to wake you up to your sinful condition when you stray?

In my next post I will give two more ways to pray in trials.

What To Do When You Can’t Sleep

I don’t sleep as soundly or as long as I used to. I am not really sure why. Maybe it’s just another one of those annoying things that happen as we grow older—like the hair that grows everywhere except the top of my head; or the furrows in my forehead that appear to have been pulled by a deep eight-bottom plow; or my inability to tolerate loud music anymore.

So when I wake up now—at midnight, at two, at four—and toss and turn for a while before finally drifting back to sleep, what do I do in those times? Here I learn another lesson from Psalm 119.

God is My Greatest Joy (Psalm 119:62-64)

62  At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, Because of Your righteous judgments.

63  I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.

64  The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes.

When something is greatly on my mind, I sometimes think of it when I wake up in the middle of the night. This week I have a funeral to preach on Saturday. Last night I found myself thinking about the man who had passed, his family, and what words I should bring to them.

Where does your mind go when you awake at night? For the writer of this psalm, his mind was so greatly fixed on God and His word, his heart was so full with gratefulness and thankfulness, that he just naturally prays and praises God in such times. He says, “I will rise.” Apparently he even makes plans to get up to praise at midnight!

Wow! Talk about a grateful heart! He rose up at midnight to talk to his merciful Father in Heaven—to tell the Lord how much he loved Him; how much he appreciated Him; how grateful he was for God’s love and for His leading his life. He talked over his day with the Lord, talked with Him about his burdens and friends.

As he reviews the previous day and the circumstances of his life, he sees God active there. Everywhere he looks he sees the signs of God’s commitment in mercy. “The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy.” He was seeing that which only redeemed eyes could see. Proofs of God’s goodness are everywhere. They are great to think about, and thank God for in those still, dark hours in the middle of the night.

Thou art my portion, Lord; Thy words I ever heed;

With all my heart, Thy grace I seek, Thy promises I plead.

I thought upon my ways, Thy testimonies learned;

With earnest haste, and waiting not,

To Thy commands I turned.

While snares beset my path, Thy law I keep in view;

At midnight I will give Thee praise For all Thy judgments true.

All those who fear Thy Name Shall my companions be;

Thy mercy fills the earth, O Lord; Thy statutes teach Thou me.

How do you spend those sleepless nights?

Say Okay and Do It Right Away

“Say okay and do it right away.” I have heard my wife say that little rhyme to our kids many times over the years. I was reminded of it again as I studied Psalm 119 this week.

Psalm 119:57-64 is really a prayer to the all sufficient God. God is sufficient as my portion—He is what I really need and want. In these next verses I see God is sufficient as my Lord and Master.

(Psalm 119:59-61)

59  I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies.

60  I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.

61  The cords of the wicked have bound me, But I have not forgotten Your law.

2. God Is My Master.

Obedience is the expression of our love for God. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments,” (John 14:15). Loving obedience was the condition for God’s blessing for the nation of Israel. If the people kept God’s covenant with them God would bless them and their land. If they turned from Him to idols He would chasten them in the land. John Philips points out Four Aspects of Obedience in Ps 119:59 (John Philips, Exploring Psalms, 2:315-16):

·        Deliberation: “I considered . . .” — Stop and think.

·        Destination: “I considered my ways” — Where am I headed?

·        Determination: “And turned my feet . . .” — Deciding to obey God.

·        Discrimination: “And turned my feet to Your testimonies.” — I am going to follow God’s ways rather than mine or another person’s.

I am learning more and more what it means to say that God is my Lord and Master. In ancient days, no servant could say, “No,” or postpone doing the master’s will, or say, “I forgot.” The psalmist is not complacent in his walk; he hastens to God’s Word. He knows there is danger in delay. There almost seems to be the mindset of a soldier here:

v. 59a “I considered” – i.e., ATTENTION. STOP!

v. 59b “and turned my feet” - ABOUT FACE!

v. 60 “I hastened and did not delay” – FORWARD MARCH, DOUBLE TIME!

When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, it was “drop everything and follow me now. Leave your boats and nets – today you become fishers of men.” And immediately they responded to the Lord’s call. I am learning not to hesitate or equivocate when God calls. I am not to pause to look back on my old life with longing like Lot’s wife.

Delayed obedience is a form of disobedience. Telling God I will obey Him tomorrow often means I am disobeying Him today. “Today if you hear God’s voice, do not harden your heart,” (Heb. 3:15).

How about you? Are you quick to respond to the Lord and His word?

What Is Your Portion?

"Jesus … He is all we need and all we want. We are shipwrecked on God and stranded on omnipotence!" — Vance Havner

Psalm 119:57-64 is really a prayer to the all sufficient God. The writer of Psalm 119 has already said that he loves God’s Word, longs for the Word, aches for a deeper desire, and he desperately prays for more eye-opening, treasure-discovering, soul-satisfying delight in the Word of God, and ultimately in the God of the Word.

What has the psalmist experienced from God and His word that has satisfied him completely? He has experienced that:

1. God Is Our Portion (Psalm 119:57-58).

In verse 57, when he writes “The LORD is my portion,” he not only means he is content with what God has provided, he says it is in God Himself that he finds all contentment and satisfaction.

The word, “portion” is an important word. Originally, portion referred to that part of the Promised Land that was given to each Israelite tribe. This portion was their inheritance. It was passed from generation to generation. The inherited land actually belonged to the Lord (Lev. 25:23) and He cared for it (Deut. 11:8-17).

The priests and Levites were given no inheritance or portion of the land. There was a good reason for that. See if you can spot the reason why the tribe of Levi had no portion or inheritance of land:

Deut. 10:8,9 – “At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister to Him and to bless in His name, to this day. Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, just as the LORD your God promised him.)”

I’m sure you caught it. Instead of land, the Lord himself was to be their portion and their inheritance. Portion refers to something that someone lays claim to. The Psalmist is thrilled to call the Lord his own. Think of it! To be able to lay claim to the Creator of the universe as my own, that is something! This meant that the Levites (priests) were to look directly to God for present sustenance and future security. Having the Lord as my portion is not only greater than the best this life can offer, it is far greater. It is not only of superior value, but of surpassing value, matchless worth. To possess a relationship with God is truly to have everything.

As believers in Jesus Christ today we have a rich spiritual inheritance because we are in the Lord. If we have Jesus, we have everything. See if these scriptures don’t just WOW you:

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,    (Eph 1:11 NKJV)

…giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.    (Col 1:12 NKJV)

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.    (Col 3:23,24 NKJV)

And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.    (Heb 9:15 NKJV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,    (1 Pet 1:3,4 NKJV)

Wow! All our portion, our inheritance is wrapped-up in Jesus Christ. He is our portion; He is our life (Col. 3:4); He is our all-in-all (Col. 3:11). Because we are in Christ we have everything we need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3).

Those who believe the truth of verse 57 will pray like verse 58. “I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word.”

Though God is All-sufficient, I am not. “Our sufficiency is from God” (2 Cor. 3:5). So I pray wholeheartedly for God’s favor, not half-heartedly with one hand behind my back clutching my sin. The prayer “be gracious to me” is the prayer of an empty-handed spiritually-bankrupt, sinner. It’s the prayer of the repentant tax collector Jesus spoke of who would not even lift up his head but in lowliness simply beat his chest while pleading for God’s favor and graciousness, praying very much like this verse: “Lord be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).

Say it with me, “My God is all-sufficient. I am not. He is my portion. I need nothing else.”

All I Need Is ____________

Psalm 119

57  You are my portion, O LORD; I have said that I would keep Your words.

58  I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word.

59  I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies.

60  I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.

61  The cords of the wicked have bound me, But I have not forgotten Your law.

62  At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, Because of Your righteous judgments.

63  I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.

64  The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes.

This section of Psalm 119 got me to thinking about what I really need in life and what I really want. It caused me ask myself questions like:

-          From where am I seeking my satisfaction?

-          Am I a content person, satisfied with the portion in life God has given me?

-          Would those around me describe me as a content person, a thankful and joyful man?

The first verse of this passage really sets the tone of the whole with the opening line: “The LORD is my portion,” or some translations make it a direct address: “You are my portion, O LORD.” The TEV paraphrase says “You are all I want O LORD.”

The statement of this psalm is that God is all I need. When “the LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). I will need nothing outside of God and His provision. My God supplies all my needs. God is all-sufficient and all-satisfying. John Piper puts it this way, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

What has the psalmist experienced from God and His word that has satisfied him completely and has shown him that God is all-sufficient? As I studied this section of Psalm 119 I see that he has experienced these truths:

1. God Is My Portion (Psalm 119:57-58).

2. God is My Master (Psalm 119:59-61).

3. God is My Greatest Joy (Psalm 119:62-64).

In the next three posts I will expand on those thoughts. Would you consider asking yourself those same questions I am asking myself this week?

Six Ways the Bible Comforts Us in Affliction

Psalm 119:49-56

Request from the Afflicted: Remember (Psalm 119:49-50) “Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope.” When we pray, especially when we are afflicted, it is always good to pray for God to remember (or to act upon) His promises in His word. When Nehemiah prayed he said, "Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses,” (Neh. 1:8).  When Peter and John had just been released from jail and they gathered the church to pray for boldness, he began his prayer by reminding God of His promises and His power (Acts 4:24-29). And several times in the Psalms David prays that God would remember His covenant and His promises.

When we take God’s promises and pray them back to Him, we make them our own.  So our hope, our faith, and our prayer is not grounded in anything but on God’s promise. So he says, “Upon which You have caused me to hope.” Our hope is only in the Lord and His promises to us. God has a perfect memory – He will not forget His promises. God does not raise false hopes and expectations that He will not fulfill. That’s a great prayer. Remember.

“This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life,” (v. 50). Not only does he have hope, but God’s life-giving reviving word has comforted him through his affliction. It’s God, and His word alone that give true comfort, lasting comfort, grief-conquering comfort, peace-surpassing-understanding kind of comfort.

How God’s Word Brings Comfort in Affliction: (Psalm 119:51-56).

1. It Keeps Us From Being Distracted (119:51) “The proud have me in great derision, Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.” The psalmist found himself being ridiculed for his faith. When people treat you that way, and mock your trust in God it may be easy to get distracted, to focus on the mockers or on how they make you feel. Here is where God’s word brings comfort in affliction. It keeps us on track. He says, “Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.” Unrestrained opposition is met by unwavering loyalty. The next time you find yourself troubled by what others say about you, reach out and pick up your Bible. Say to yourself, “Listen my soul and hear what God has to say about this.” Begin to read God’s word and take it to heart. And God will surely give you a promise from His word that will keep you from being distracted by what others say about you.

2. It Reminds Us of The Big Picture (119:52). “I remembered Your judgments of old, O LORD, And have comforted myself.”  God remembers (v. 49), but we must remember as well. He remembers His word, and so must we. Isn’t that one reason that God gives us His word in the Bible? To remind us of who He is and how He has worked down through history? God’s words and ways are unchanging. He remains the same in His dealings with men. Remembering the ways that God has worked in history gives us comfort in affliction. It’s not a coincidence that this verse is sandwiched between 2 verses describing the actions and attitudes of the arrogant and wicked. The psalmist comforts himself when he remembers God’s judgments and dealings with sin and sinners in the past. God will deal with the wicked.

3. It Sensitizes Us to Evil (119:53). “Indignation has taken hold of me Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.” Literally he says “raging heat grasps me.” He is indignant at the evil in the world. As our culture goes deeper in its abandonment of God’s Word, there should be times we feel this way–like Jesus when He cleared the temple. Rather than being desensitized (which happens the more you watch wickedness as entertainment) - we should be appalled at the bold sins not only of the pagans, but of even professing believers. The world shouldn’t mould us to its shape, we should be revolted and fearful of its sinful shaping influence of our hearts. God’s word makes us sensitive to the evil in us and around us.

4. It Keeps Us Singing Along the Journey (119:54). “Your statutes have been my songs In the house of my pilgrimage.” A pilgrimage is a journey from one place to another. Earlier in the psalm he said in verse 19, “I am a stranger on the earth.” Believers are traveling through a world that is out of tune with God’s truth. Jesus said to His disciples “You are not of this world.” Affliction is not unique to Christians – what is unique to Christians is the joyful hope within us. What sets us apart is that we can say to anyone at any time the reason for the hope that is within us (v. 49). If a coworker or friend or someone asks us how we can hold up in our difficulty, our answer should be the answer of this passage (v. 50): This is my comfort in my difficulty, God’s Word gives me life.And it gives us the ability to sing and give thanks and declare our witness for Christ in any affliction and difficulty.

5. It Reminds Us of God’s Name (119:55). “I remember Your name in the night, O LORD, And I keep Your law.” Even in dark times, in the night we can remember the Name of the Lord. His name communicates His being, His character, His power, and His presence. Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.”

6. It Becomes Ours As We Obey It (119:56). “This has become mine, Because I kept Your precepts.” The word “this” probably refers to the practices of this whole section (i.e., “this comfort, remembrance, your laws” etc.). What’s clear is the blessings spoken of in our passage have direct relationship with obeying, following the Word. When obedience becomes second nature, that is the assurance of our new nature!

That’s the transforming power of the Word of God that Psalm 119 celebrates. In any affliction or difficulty, even persecution or prison or the point of a gun, believers can obey God’s word and give thanks and sing.

Are you singing through your affliction?

A Prayer to Witness Without Fear

This week I met some of the parents whose kids are in marching band with my son at the local high school. As I was talking with one man I sensed the urging of the Holy Spirit to share with him about my relationship with Jesus Christ. At the same instance I also felt a great fear well up in the pit of my stomach. I knew God wanted me to say something, but at the same time I felt like I couldn’t do it.

Has that ever happened to you? Many Christians are afraid to tell others about their faith in Jesus. For most of us, even those who have a lot of experience at it, just the thought of witnessing or telling the good news to someone gives us at least butterflies in our gut or at most paralyzes us into keeping quiet.

How can we cultivate an unwavering faith to speak unashamedly for God and of His word?

I learned some lessons in this area from Psalm 119:41-49. This section of Psalm 119, like some of the others, is not just a song but also a prayer. This prayer makes two requests of God (vs. 41,43) and six promises to God (42, 44-48).

41  Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD; Your salvation according to Your word.
42  So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.
43  And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
44  So shall I keep Your law continually, Forever and ever.
45  And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts.
46  I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, And will not be ashamed.
47  And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love.
48  My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, Which I love, And I will meditate on Your statutes.

We need great grace to speak God’s Word with great boldness and power, so this prayer begins by praying for grace-enablement. He expresses his confidence in verse 42, “So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,” and his prayer for boldness in verse 43, “And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth.” 

What got the psalmist to this point of confidence and boldness? Can it also enable us to have that confidence and boldness?

One thing that will help me witness without fear is when I:

Appreciate God’s Mercy in Saving Me. (vs. 41-43).

The Psalmist’s experience in v.41 & 42 parallels our own salvation:

1. Salvation Is From the Lord’s mercy. .41, ”Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD;”

“Mercies” in v. 41 (NKJV) is the rich Hebrew word hesed. In the ESV it is translated “steadfast love” or in other translations “unfailing love” (NIV) or “lovingkindness” (NASB) or “faithful love” (HCSB) or “loyal love” (NET). This is the Lord’s faithful, covenant love and mercy.

Our salvation is also a result of God’s mercy on us:

Eph. 2:4-5,  “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).”

Titus 3:5, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”

2. Salvation Is By God’s Word .41, “Your salvation according to Your word.”

His experience was that God delievered him according to His word. We can depend on God to keep His word. Our salvation comes through hearing and believing God’s word:

Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

1 Peter 1:23, “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.”

3. Salvation Is Through Faith (Trust). 42, “For I trust in Your word.”

The psalmist trusted God and His word. Another word for trust is faith. We are saved through faith.

Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”

If we understand what God has mercifully done for us in salvation through Jesus Christ it emboldens us to speak without fear of men. One reason is that we reverence or fear God all the more. Paul says, “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;” (2 Cor. 5:11).

 Another reason is that we know the love of God all the more. A few verses later Paul says, “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again,” (2 Cor. 5:14,15).

Because we know what a great peril God has saved us from because of His love for us, we seek to persuade men to believe in Jesus.

The more we appreciate God’s mercy in saving us, the more we will want to tell others about it.

Finishing Well

I was watching the NASCAR race last Sunday at New Hampshire (No, unfortunately I wasn’t at the race. I watched it from my living room). Tony Stewart was leading the race with one lap to go when his car ran out of gas. Rather than win the race he finished 24^th. The guy who won the race, Clint Bowyer, later had problems of his own. Even though he won the race on Sunday, the car failed a post race inspection so on Wednesday, the team was docked 150 points and fined $150,000. The crew chief was suspended for 6 races. Instead of being launched forward toward the championship the team is now in last place, 185 points behind the leader.

Both these teams raced hard. Neither finished well. In Psalm 119 the psalmist prays in verse 33, “Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end.” His prayer and desire is that he would keep God’s statutes to the end; all the way; that he would end well.

You know, the Christian life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Having been a Christian now for 28 years, coming to the Lord as a college sophomore, I have now lived longer as a believer than as an unbeliever. Sometimes I have done well as a Christian, but not always. But the older I get, the more I think about how I am finishing. I want to end well.

One of the hardest and most difficult challenges in life is to stay consistent. It seems like all of life is designed to force us onto a rollercoaster. On that roller coaster, we are always challenged with decisions and struggles which are perfectly and intentionally focused on “derailing” us. How many people do we know who have failed to finish well?

Psalm 119 has much help for us. This is a psalm all about God’s Word, with each verse referring to the Bible by one of many synonyms or titles (commandments, statutes, precepts, ways, ordinances, law, etc.). This is a psalm of loving and longing God and His word.

How did this writer have such a delight and longing for Scripture? How did he maintain this over a lifetime of trouble and pain? How did he finish well? How can we?

The person that would end well prays:

1. Teach Me (vs. 33-34).

Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end.

This prayer is the theme of the entire psalm. God Himself must be our teacher and His Word must be our textbook.

Kneel down in your private room and with sincere humility and earnestness pray to God, through His dear Son, graciously to grant you His Holy Spirit to enlighten and guide you and give you understanding.

2. Make Me Able. (Psalm 119:35-37)

True faith and prayer mobilizes action. We trust and obey. It’s not enough to be readers of the Word, or as James says, hearers of the Word only, we must be doers of the Word. Praying is essential and recognizes God’s sovereignty, but our responsibility is equally balanced in this passage.

This prayer is for obeying or heeding God’s Word with the whole person. I say “the whole person” because verses 34-37 unfold that way:

MIND - 34 Give me understanding
FEET - 35 Make me walk in the path
HEART - 36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies
EYES - 37 Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity

3. Revive My Life (Psalm 119:37b-40)

“Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness,” (Ps. 119:40).

v. 33-34 RENEW MY MIND
v. 35 REDIRECT MY STEPS
v. 36 REINVIGORATE MY HEART
v. 37 REFOCUS MY EYES
rest of text REVIVE MY LIFE

Revived hearts do not see Bible reading as a bore or something they have to do. It’s a gracious gift they long for and get to read. Look at his longing in verse 29 “graciously grant me thy law”

Is this how we think of God’s law, as a gracious gift given by our Loving Father?

“Teach me Your ways, make me able to follow them, revive my life so that my great longing is for You, Oh Lord.” This is the prayer of the one who would finish well.

Are you running the race to finish well?

Revival: Dedication to Holiness

Psalm 119:25-32

Last week I began to write about personal revival from Psalm 119:25-32. Many Christians would love to see a true revival in our nation and world. I would too. But revival begins with the individual. Personal spiritual revival must precede any corporate revival. As we saw in Psalm 119:25, the real prayer we need to pray is, “Revive me!” 

What does revival according to God’s Word look like? Four things are included in a personal spiritual revival. The first is Declaration of Sin and Our Need for God, (Psalm 119:25-26). The second is Devotion to God’s Word (119:26-27). The third is Dependence on God in Prayer.

Today we see the fourth indication of personal revival:

4. Dedication to Holiness: Obeying God’s Truth (119:30-32)

Lasting revival is not marked by numbers or emotions or feelings in the moment of a special church meeting, but by changed lives that now pursue obedience to Scripture and are dedicated to holiness, being set apart, sanctified by grace, different.

Verse 30 says “I have chosen the way of truth;” - way is a key word in this part of Psalm 119. It stands for the path and pattern of life: “my ways” (v. 26), “the way of Your precepts” (v. 27), “the way of lying” (v. 29), “the way of truth” (v. 30), “the way of Your commandments” (v. 32).

If we are going to choose to live the way of truth, we need to daily put God’s truth before us: “Your judgments I have laid before me,” (v. 30b). We must read God’s word. And not only read it; v. 31 goes beyond reading to clinging to Scripture, “I cling to Your testimonies.”

What a change from the beginning of this passage when he said his “soul clings to the dust,” (v. 25). The presence and power of God has revived him and now instead of clinging to the dust of this world he is clinging to the Divine Word of God. The Bible is his story and he’s sticking to it.

Verse 32 moves from walking in God’s ways to running in them. The psalmist began this prayer being down and out, now he’s up and running. He is determined to run the course … “I shall run” … His determination, however, is dependent on God’s strength: “For You shall enlarge my heart. “

The movement of personal revival in Psalm 119:25-32 is from death to life:

v. 25 laying in the dust, praying for life by the Word

v. 28 he prays, “raise me up by the Word”

v. 30 I have chosen the way of the Word – now he’s walking

v. 32 Now he’s running the way of God’s Word, with a full heart pumping with life

When my heart is set free from the cramping constraint of sin, trouble, and anxiety, then I am set free to run the course of God’s commandments. “The feet will follow the heart.” The key to personal revival is the person of Jesus Christ. It is His Holy Spirit enlarging our heart.

“Revival is ultimately Christ Himself, seen, felt, heard, living, active, moving in and through His body on earth.” - Stephen Olford

Have I allowed God to graciously enlarge my heart?

Revival: Dependence on God in Prayer

Psalm 119:25-32

“An awakening is ready to burst on the dismal scene when Christians have a deep, profound Spirit of prayer for an awakening.” - Lewis Drummond.

Last week I began to write about personal revival from Psalm 119:25-32. Many Christians would love to see a true revival in our nation and world. I would too. But revival begins with the individual. Personal spiritual revival must precede any corporate revival. As we saw in Psalm 119:25, the real prayer we need to pray is, “Revive me!” 

What does revival according to God’s Word look like? Four things are included in a personal spiritual revival. The first was Declaration of Sin and Our Need for God, (Psalm 119:25-26). The second was Devotion to God’s Word (119:26-27).

Today we see the third indication of personal revival:

3. Dependence on God in Prayer (119:28-29)

“My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.”

Temptations to despair and spiritual depression are not often talked about in Christian circles, but they have been the struggles of some great Christians in church history, and even the author of this great psalm. What is the cure? Stop listening to the despair in our hearts and start listening instead to the truth of God’s word. It’s when we go to God in prayer that we find strength.

The one antidote for a weak and collapsing soul is hope in a strengthening God, which is what the 2nd half of verse 28 models. Jesus said “Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” This is the type of comforting strength the writer of Psalm 119 wanted and received.

When we are powerless, when our heart is melted, God’s power will strengthen all who humbly call out to Him. God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. We can endure all things through Christ who strengthens us. Christians may get discouraged and even depressed and downcast at times, but we do not despair completely if God is within us.

Prayer along with God’s word is the key. I don’t just pray “strengthen me” and leave God’s Word closed – this verse prays “strengthen me according to Your Word.” It’s a prayer with open an Bible that God blesses. We take God’s precious promises and enduring truths to Him in prayer.

Jonathan Edwards was greatly used by God in the greatest revival in North America, the Great Awakening in the 1700s. He experienced revival firsthand and saw as clear as anyone the connection with revival and prayer. He wrote: “When God has something very great for His church, it is His will that there should precede it the extraordinary prayers of His people.”

“Remove from me the way of lying, And grant me Your law graciously.” (Psalm 119:29).

True prayer, real conversation and communion with God, makes the revived want to be free from all that is false. He prays for God to remove the way of lying or the “false way”. He wants to be free from anything false, whether false statements or even false motives, false religion, a false heart himself (hypocrisy), false notions of his own spiritual condition before God, false assessments of himself or others, false teaching –any falsification, delusion, deception, manipulation of the truth.

Have you prayed that kind of prayer lately?

(In the next post I will discuss the third indicator of personal revival: Dedication to Holiness).