today's meditation (Ps.119:33-40) Being Revived by God's Righteousness

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 119:33-176) 

33 Teach me, the way of Your statutes, Lord,
     And I shall comply with it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, so that I may comply with Your Law 
     And keep it with all my heart.
35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
     For I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
     And not to dishonest gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from looking at what is worthless,
     And revive me in Your ways.
38 Establish Your word to Your servant 
     As that which produces reverence for You.
39 Take away my disgrace which I dread,
     For Your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;
     Revive me through Your righteousness.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

We cannot save ourselves, and God does not expect us to be good first before He will save us.  He just wants a sincere, humble and willing heart to seek after Him.  When we become believers, Jesus enters our heart, and we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.  So when David asks of God in verse 34 to "keep" His Law in his heart", God does exactly that!  We cannot lose our salvation.  When we stumble, God revives us through His righteousness.  And continually, God is working on our hearts to change us for the better, from the inside out.

today's meditation (Ps.119:25-32) Putting God Before Us

 (Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 119:25-176) 

25 My soul clings to the dust;

     Revive me according to Your word.
26 I have told of my ways, and You have answered me;
     Teach me Your statutes.
27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts,
     And I will meditate on Your wonders.
28 My soul weeps because of grief;
     Strengthen me according to Your word.
29 Remove the false way from me,
     And graciously grant me Your Law.
30 I have chosen the faithful way;
     I have placed Your judgments before me.
31 I cling to Your testimonies;
     Lord, do not put me to shame!
32 I shall run the way of Your commandments,
     For You will enlarge my heart.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Taking a closer look at verse 30, David placed God's judgment and His way before him.  One can see this in two different ways.  First, if we put God's will as the priority in our lives, we will value His way as more important than our own way.  Then, when there is a choice to be made, we will obviously want to choose God's advice.

Since following God is a personal decision that we must make, God's way never pushes us;   therefore we can also think about having God's will before us - as - setting God's will in front of us.  In this way, God's words will guide and lead us forward.  And since our heart is a muscle which requires exercise, if we run after God's commandments found in His word, we will only become stronger in Him.  

today's meditation (Ps.119:17-24) Complying With God's Word

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 119:17-176) 

17 Deal generously with Your servant,

     That I may live and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold 
     Wonderful things from Your Law.
19 I am a stranger on the earth;
     Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 My soul is crushed with longing 
     For Your ordinances at all times.
21 You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, 
     Who wander from Your commandments.
22 Take disgrace and contempt away from me,
     For I comply with Your testimonies.
23 Even though rulers sit and speak against me,
     Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
24 Your testimonies also are my delight;
     They are my advisers.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Because all of mankind is lost, God gave us His word to show us the way and explain our purpose in life.  Because as believers, we can feel like a stranger here on earth, God gave us the Bible so we can gain deeper understanding.  Because we are fallible and God is infallible, truth and all-knowing, the Bible is our best adviser.  Because God created us and knows us better than we know ourselves, He gave us the most complete owner's manual ever written!  We operate best when we are in compliance with His directions!

today's meditation (Ps.119:9-16) Keeping God's Word

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 119:9-16)  

9   How can a young man keep his way pure?

     By keeping it according to Your word.

10 With all my heart I have sought You;
     Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
11 I have treasured Your word in my heart,
     So that I may not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, Lord;
     Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have told of 
     All the ordinances of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
     As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts 
     And regard Your ways.
16 I shall delight in Your statutes;
     I will not forget Your word.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Keeping God's word will keep us pure - in other words - keep us out of trouble!  But it is impossible for us to keep it perfectly, so just as David did, we can ask God to teach us His word, as well as to help us keep His word!  This starts with us sincerely wanting to know God and His word, and then delighting in God and His word!  This all begins with our willing hearts, as well as realizing that God not only can and will help us, but He wants to help us!

today's meditation (Ps.119:1-8) Not Being Ashamed

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 119:1-8) 

1   Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
     Who walk in the Law of the Lord.
2   Blessed are those who comply with His testimonies,
     And seek Him with all their heart.
3   They also do no injustice;
     They walk in His ways.
4   You have ordained Your precepts,
     That we are to keep them diligently.
5   Oh that my ways may be established 
     To keep Your statutes!
6   Then I will not be ashamed 
     When I look at all Your commandments.
7   I will give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,
     When I learn Your righteous judgments.
8   I will keep Your statutes;
     Do not utterly abandon me!

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

As we diligently strive to live in God's will according to His word, we will not be ashamed.  As we are living in such a way to please Him, He blesses and establishes us!  Therefore, we will be at a point in our spiritual walk with the Lord that it will not matter to us if anyone does make fun or look down on us.  No matter what we are feeling or no matter what happens around us or to us - we will know that God is always with us - because God's word is truth and God's word tells us so!!!  

today's meditation (Ps.118) Exalting the Lord

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 118:1-29) 

1   Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
     For His mercy is everlasting.
2   Let Israel say,
     “His mercy is everlasting.”
3   Oh let the house of Aaron say,
     “His mercy is everlasting.”
4   Let those who fear the Lord say,
     “His mercy is everlasting.”

5   From my distress I called upon the Lord;
     The Lord answered me and put me in an open space.
6   The Lord is for me; I will not fear;
     What can man do to me?
7   The Lord is for me among those who help me;
     Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me.
8   It is better to take refuge in the Lord 
     Than to trust in people.
9   It is better to take refuge in the Lord 
     Than to trust in noblemen.

10 All nations surrounded me;
     In the name of the Lord I will certainly fend them off.
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me;
     In the name of the Lord I will certainly fend them off.
12 They surrounded me like bees;
     They were extinguished like a fire of thorn bushes;
     In the name of the Lord I will certainly fend them off.
13 You pushed me violently so that I was falling,
     But the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and song,
     And He has become my salvation.

15 The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous;
     The right hand of the Lord performs valiantly.
16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
     The right hand of the Lord performs valiantly.
17 I will not die, but live,
     And tell of the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord has disciplined me severely,
     But He has not turned me over to death.

19 Open the gates of righteousness to me;
     I will enter through them, I will give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord;
     The righteous will enter through it.
21 I will give thanks to You, for You have answered me,
     And You have become my salvation.

22 A stone which the builders rejected 
     Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This came about from the Lord;
     It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the Lord has made;
     Let’s rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please, O Lord, do save us;
     Please, O Lord, do send prosperity!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;
     We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God, and He has given us light;
     Bind the festival sacrifice to the horns of the altar with cords.
28 You are my God, and I give thanks to You;
     You are my God, I exalt You.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
     For His mercy is everlasting.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Even though there are people who can and will help us, it is still far better to rely on the Lord as our help!  As for help which benefits us for all eternity, this is only possible through Jesus, who is the gate to righteousness and heaven.  And this is only because of Jesus' work on the cross.  As verse 22 prophesied, by being rejected and put to death, Jesus could pay the price for all sin.  And because He rose again, He became the chief cornerstone.  He is the firm foundation that we need to build upon.

Jesus is the Lord, the Son of God!  And as verse 27 says, "The Lord is God!" and He is our light!  and He is good!  So as we rely completely on Jesus and give Him the thanks, praise and the glory, it is in this way that we exalt Him!

today's meditation (Ps.117) Praising the Lord

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 117:1-2) 

1   Praise the Lord, all nations;  sing His praises, all peoples!

2   For His mercy toward us is great,
     And the truth of the Lord is everlasting.
     Praise the Lord!

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Short, sweet and very simple!  We should want to praise and sing to the Lord!

We do not deserve it, but God extends His mercy to those who seek Him.  Our debt is so massive, we could never repay what we owe to Him!  THAT is how great His mercy is!!!

And because the Lord's truth is unchanging and eternal, we can place our faith and trust in Him!  Therefore, we can be confident in His grace and what He says, that when He saves us, it is eternal, and it cannot be undone!!!