Psalm 119 - 14 - Nun - Committed to Following

"(Nun) Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
I've promised it once, and I'll promise it again:
I will obey Your righteous regulations.
I have suffered much, O LORD;
restore my life again as You promised.
LORD, accept my offering of praise, 
and teach me Your regulations.
My life constantly hangs in the balance,
but I will not stop obeying Your instructions.
The wicked have set their traps for me,
but I will not turn from Your commandments.
Your laws are my treasure;
they are my heart's delight.
I am determined to keep Your decrees
to the very end." (Psalm 119: 105-112)  

Dear friend,

     What does commitment look like? How committed is "committed"? For the Psalmist, this commitment is an "all in" oath. 

• he has promised and promised again
• he vows to obey God's righteous regulations
• even through suffering and threat of death, he will follow God's instructions
• he guards the Word of God as a treasure in his heart
• he is determined to keep the Lord's decrees to the very end!

     As we've noted before, his is a very bold faith. He is "all in" with God and His Word, and he boldly makes requests of God:

• restore my life again as You promised
• accept my offering of praise
• teach me Your regulations

     This is the very essence of a relationship. Unfortunately, many never develop this type of relationship with anyone, and even fewer with God. We guard ourselves; we trust no one completely. Always we are holding something back, lest our hearts are wounded, or our secrets are revealed, or our trust is not reciprocated.

     God is completely trustworthy. He will heal, not wound, our hearts. He knows our secrets and loves us anyway. He bestows grace, favor, mercy, help, healing, hope, trust. We can be "all in" with God, because He is "all in" with us--so much so that He died to save us.

"I have loved you, even as the Father has loved me. Remain in My love. When you obey My commandments, you remain in My love, just as I obey the Father's commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is My commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." 

(John 15:9-13; note the context; it's several chapters long) 

• What is the most frightening aspect of an "all in" relationship with God? Why?
• What is the most appealing aspect? Why?
• What relationships in your life are the most important? 
• To what lengths would you go for them?

Heavenly Father, You are the LORD, and yet You desire a relationship with us, not a dictatorship. You are good, and all Your ways are good. Will You help us to be "all in" in our relationship with You? We thank You for offering the relationship, for dying to save us, for inviting us to begin again when we fail.

This song is based on the "Nun" passage of Psalm 119.

Genesis 1: 6-31 In the beginning God - 3

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day' and the darkness 'night'. And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.
" (Genesis 1:1-5)  

Dear friend,
     I didn't include the text for the passage (Genesis 1:6-31) we'll study today, because it would make the blog really long. The link is provided, though. I hope that you'll read through it a couple of times.

Some of the truths we have discussed before appear in our reading again today:

• God is omnipotent--all-powerful. He speaks, and it is so.
• God is sovereign. He has all authority over all of creation.
• God exists outside of time, yet He created time for us, and He works within and without time. We'll note the phrase "And evening passed and morning came" multiple times through chapter 1.
• God is orderly; He creates in an organized manner.
• God is deliberate; He is not capricious.

     As you read the passage again, I'd like you to note and consider a few things:

• God creates in an orderly fashion. Can you see the pattern? (You may want to make yourself a chart of the days.)
• God is speaking, He is creating, and He is naming. What does that tell us about Him?
• God observes His handiwork and calls it "good" ("very good" in verse 31). What can we learn about creation from this? What can we learn about God from this?

     When we get into chapter 2, we'll see more specific information about man's creation. I am excited about moving forward!

Heavenly Father, We praise and worship You, because You are Lord. You are the Creator and Sustainer, and You are also our Redeemer. We thank You for Your works!

If you have time to watch a second video, you might enjoy this from Louie Giglio.

Psalm 119 - 13 - Mem - The Transformed Mind

"(Mem) Oh, how I love Your instructions!
I think about them all day long.
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are my constant guide.
Yes, I have more insight than my teachers,
for I am always thinking of Your laws.
I am even wiser than my elders,
for I have kept Your commandments.
I have refused to walk on any evil path,
so that I may remain obedient to Your Word.
I haven't turned away from Your regulations,
for You have taught me well.
How sweet Your words taste to me;
they are sweeter than honey.
Your commandments give me understanding; 
no wonder I hate every false way of life." (Psalm 119: 97-104)  

Dear friend,

Notes from "Mem": the transformed mind

     God's Word is a transforming power in our lives, particularly in our mind. Our mind--our thoughts, our attitudes, our choices, our will--does not naturally choose the holy or the good. We want our own way; we want our desires fulfilled; we want to claim highest importance.
     There are many times (even extended "seasons") in our lives when we do NOT want to follow God. We do NOT want to read His Word, or hear what He has to say. It is during these very times that we can, and must, cling to and meditate on His Word. Just as an athlete trains even when he/she doesn't "feel like it," we need to do the same.
     God's Word is not magical; nor is there a formula for extracting wisdom or holiness from it. But,

"For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

Now, let's look at how the Word of God transforms us:

• When we know His Word, it will be on our minds all day.
• We will be wiser than our enemies.
• His Word will guide our lives.
• It will give us insight that cannot be taught.
• We will have the wisdom of those far older and more experienced than we are.
• We will keep God's commands.
• We will not be distracted and led astray into evil.
• We will not turn away from God and His Word.
• We will love God's Word; it will taste wonderful!
• We will have understanding.
• We will love what is good and hate what is evil.

    God's Word will transform our minds, and by this, our lives. We will never on our own strength  or good intention change ourselves into someone "good". Don't wait for a rush of emotion or "good intention" to draw near to God. Create a discipline of reading and studying His Word, even when you don't feel like it. This is true love. This is true obedience. Hold on, despite the emotions, despite the attitudes, despite the doubts.

• What disciplines in your life do you maintain, even when you don't feel like it? 
• How does creating a discipline of reading/studying God's Word demonstrate great faith?
• Can a Christian struggle with doubt, with rebellion, with desires contrary to God's Word?

Heavenly Father, We  need Your transforming Word in our lives. Yet, we crave everything BUT Your Word at times. Will You help us to create a discipline of reading Your Word, and of praying, even when (and especially when) we don't feel like it? Without You, we cannot.

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2)

Psalm 119 - 12 - Lamedh - Rejoicing in God and His Word

"(Lamedh) Your eternal Word, O LORD,
stands firm in heaven.
Your faithfulness extends to every generation, 
as enduring as the earth You created.
Your regulations remain true to this day,
for everything serves Your plans.
If Your instructions hadn't sustained me with joy, 
I would have died in my misery.
I will never forget Your commandments,
for by them You give me life.
I am Yours; rescue me!
For I have worked hard at obeying Your commandments.
Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me,
I will quietly keep my mind on Your laws.
Even perfection has its limits, 
but Your commands have no limit." (Psalm 119: 89-96)  

Dear friend,

Notes from "Lamedh": rejoicing in God and His Word

• God's Word is eternal
• God is faithful--to every generation
• God's Word is true
• God is sovereign--everything comes under His authority
• God's Word sustains our lives with joy
• God gives life through His Word
• God's Word has no limit

     Again and again in this Psalm we find a passionate faith. The author faces difficult situations, yet he maintains his hope in the Lord. He has questions without answers, yet he trusts. He fears for his life, yet he waits. He does not know what will happen tomorrow, yet he hopes.
     This is the rock-solid, unwavering faith that can transform our lives: knowing and trusting God and His Word, whether in joy or in sorrow.
     It is not easy. It is not popular. It is not logical to our human, sin-tainted minds. It is a leap of faith. It is believing in and holding onto the truths we know, regardless of what we feel, see, hear, or fear. This is faith.     

• Do we have to be super-human to have faith like this Psalmist?
• How do you think his faith grew?
• In what ways can we grow our faith? 

Heavenly Father, Again in Your Word we are reminded that You are good. You are faithful. You are sovereign. You are with us. We get so bogged down by our own fears and doubts. We want to be able to trust You at all times and in all circumstances. We want a faith that is unshaken during trials. Will You work in us? Will You grow us? Will You help us to listen for Your voice?

Psalm 119 - 11 - Kaph - Faith in the Silence

"(Kaph) I am worn out waiting for Your rescue,
but I have put my hope in Your Word.
My eyes are straining to see Your promises come true.
When will You comfort me?
I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke,
but I have not forgotten to obey Your decrees.
How long must I wait?
When will You punish those who persecute me?
These arrogant people who hate Your instructions
have dug deep pits to trap me.
All Your commands are trustworthy.
Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause.
They almost finished me off,
but I refused to abandon Your commandments.
In Your unfailing love, spare my life;
then I can continue to obey Your laws." (Psalm 119: 81-88)  

Dear friend, Notes from "Kaph": unlikely pairings

• suffering and perseverance
• despair and hope
• impatience and patience
• unanswered prayer and unwavering faith

     Living a life of faith in God does not preclude us from suffering. Nor does praying guarantee that we will always get what we ask. Sometimes we see answers to prayer. Sometimes we face only silence. Yet, even in silence we can know that God is good. His love is unfailing. We can ask. We can even ask the difficult questions of God, "Why...?".
     God is not obliged to answer. He does not serve us. Often we forget that He is the Creator and we are His creation, and we make demands. We want WHAT we want WHEN we want it. He wants us to place our faith in Him. He wants us to want Him, not want what He can do for us. We often have to rearrange our perspective: Who is serving whom? Or, who is serving Whom?
     Sadly, some people begin to follow God and pray to Him, but abandon Him when He is silent, or when He answers contrary to their desires. In the end, we see that if God is not going to meet all their "needs," they will not serve Him.
     Again in Psalm 119 we are faced with uncomfortable truths, and with choices.   

• Why do you believe?
• Will you believe at all times and in all circumstances?
• Have you a proper Creator/creation mindset?

Heavenly Father, We admit that we are so often self-focused that we want You to work in our way, on our timetable. Yet, that makes You our servant, and not our Lord. These are difficult truths to handle. Will You enable us to live by faith, even in the silence? 

"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.  Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn't have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty and even a hundred times as much as had been planted.! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand...

"Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: the seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's Word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's Word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's Word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!" (Matthew 13: 3-9, 18-23)

Psalm 119 - 10 - Yodh - Bold Requests

"(Yodh) You made me; You created me.
Now give me the sense to follow Your commands.
May all who fear You find in me a cause for joy,
for I have put my hope in Your Word.
I know, O LORD, that Your regulations are fair;
You disciplined me because I needed it.
Now let Your unfailing love comfort me,
just as You promised me, Your servant.
Surround me with Your tender mercies so I may live,
for Your instructions are my delight.
Bring disgrace upon the arrogant people who lied about me; 
meanwhile, I will concentrate on Your commandments.
Let me be united with all who fear You,
with those who know Your laws.
May I be blameless in keeping Your decrees; 
then I will never be ashamed." (Psalm 119: 73-80)  

Dear friend,

Notes from "Yodh": The Psalmist is making some bold requests of God!

• He wants a transformed mind so that he can obey ("Give me the sense").
• He wants to bring joy to others because of how he lives. 
• He asks for God's unfailing love to comfort him after being disciplined.
• He asks for God's tender mercies to surround him so that he can live.
• He wants God to act with justice toward the wicked who have injured him.
• He wants to be able to be with others who live righteously.
• He asks God for help to live blamelessly, to follow God's decrees, so that he will never be ashamed.

     Sometimes my prayers are bold. Often they are "meek and mild". When the Psalmist talks with God in prayer, he makes big requests, and we see his heart. Do you think that God would approve of the Psalmist's prayer here?
     Other people may pray "boldly" (call on God to do big/great things), but what are their motives? How would God value their prayers? At times I am ashamed of my prayers: not what I am praying for, but rather what I am NOT praying for (but should).

     Genuine prayer to God 

reveals the genuine desires 

of our heart. 

• What are "bold" prayer requests?
• How do our prayers reveal our heart?
• In what ways might we use this prayer to guide our own? 
• Can we pray for God to change/transform our heart, so that these are our desires?

Heavenly Father, We are humbled by the Psalmist's desire for knowing You and walking in Your ways. We are ashamed that this isn't the cry of our hearts. Will You work in us? Will You give us hearts that desire You? 

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2)

Genesis 1:1-5 In the beginning God - 2

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day' and the darkness 'night'. And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day." (Genesis 1:1-5)  

Dear friend,
     We noted that the first verse of the Bible establishes some foundational truths that should guide and influence our study of everything else in the Bible:

• There was a beginning;
• God existed BEFORE the beginning;
• God is responsible for the beginning;
• The Bible is first and foremost HIS story!

     Now, after three verses, let's note the attributes of God. What can we learn about Him?

• God is eternal. He existed before the beginning, and He will exist after the ending. (No, I don't fully understand--but if He were completely comprehensible, would He truly be God?)
• God is omnipotent--all-powerful. He speaks, and it is so.
• God is sovereign. He has all authority over all of creation.
• God is a creative Creator. He begins with darkness and adds light. It is good. Then He separates them. Both are good.
• God exists outside of time, yet He created time for us, and He works within and without time. We'll note the phrase "And evening passed and morning came" multiple times through chapter 1.
• God, from the very beginning, revealed Himself. He wants to be known. 
• God is orderly; He creates in an organized manner.
• God is deliberate; He is not capricious.

In the beginning the Word already existed.

The Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He existed in the beginning with God.

God created everything through Him,

and nothing was created except through Him.

The Word gave life to everything that was created,

and His life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness cannot extinguish it.

(John 1:1-5)

• What additional information does John provide about the Creation narrative found in Genesis 1?
• What similarities do you see between Genesis 1 and John 1?
• Who is "the Word"?  (It would be a good idea to finish reading all of John chapter 1.)
• What conclusions can we draw from these passages?

Heavenly Father, You are before all and over all, yet You choose to work within our context. We praise You for You are not only eternal and omnipotent, but You are also good.

Psalm 119 - 9 - Teth - Hard Truths

"(Teth) You have done many good things for me, LORD,
just as You promised.
I believe in Your commands; 
now teach me good judgment and knowledge.
I used to wander off until You disciplined me;
but now I closely follow Your Word.
You are good and do only good;
teach me Your decrees.
Arrogant people smear me with lies,
but in truth I obey Your commandments with all my heart.
Their hearts are dull and stupid,
but I delight in Your instructions.
My suffering was good for me,
for it taught me to pay attention to Your decrees.
Your instructions are more valuable to me
than millions in gold and silver." (Psalm 119: 65-72)  

Dear friend,

Notes from "Teth": Sometimes the truths contained in God's Word make us very uncomfortable (and perhaps, unhappy?).

• God is good and He does only good things. 
• God disciplines His children.
• Therefore, discipline is good (even though it may be painful or uncomfortable).

• We can follow God, but wander away at times.
• God will bring us back.

• People may cause us trouble; their lies can cause our suffering.
• Suffering is good, if it draws us nearer to God and to His Word.

• When we have a proper perspective, God's Word is more valuable than all the wealth we can imagine.

     We have touched on these issues in our conversations, and they make us squirm a bit. God does not promise all good, peaceful, happy moments. In fact, He works in many ways to help us to draw nearer to Him.
     In our normal, fallen human mindset, we would never equate suffering/discipline with good results. The words have negative connotations, and our inward selves rebel against the very thought of these. (These are common comments in the world: "How can a good God allow suffering?" "God is a God of love and doesn't judge." "I can worship God any way I want; He doesn't care.")
     Even though we may not like the message of these verses, they are established as part of God's Word. Whether we "accept" them or not; they are true. We don't have to throw a party when/if we suffer, but we can trust the Lord in it.

• Which part of this section makes you the most uncomfortable? 
• Why?
• Is it possible to accept something as true without "liking" it?
• What is of greatest value to you? 

Heavenly Father, Your Word sometimes makes us squirm and worry. We love our comfortable, happy lives, and we do not want You to "interfere". We see all discipline and suffering as "bad," and we do not want any part in it. Yet Your Word tells us that You discipline us for good. We pray that You will indeed work in us, even disciplining us, in order to draw us nearer to You.

"And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as His children? He said, 'My child, don't make light of the LORD's discipline, and don't give up when He corrects you. For the LORD disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child'. 

"As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by his father? If God doesn't discipline you as He does all of His children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disicplined us, shouldn't we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? 

"For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in His way." (Hebrews 12:5-11)