PSALMS 119
TETH
February 2, 2006
Psa 119:65 KJV Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.
Here is the verdict of my heart, Oh Lord
For the events that brought me peace, for those that caused me wrath.
For the people that I have known, or never crossed my path.
For the cups that I have drunk, for those that were denied,
For the loves that truly lived, and even for all of those that died.
For the words that I have heard, for when you spared the strife;
For the looks that made me hurt, yes for those that gave me life.
For my mother, for my father, or the siblings I never had.
For the meat, for the wine, for the good, for the bad.
For the refreshing waters, for the desert bleak;
For the songs that I’ve sang when I was strong or weak.
For the prayers that reigned, for those you ignored.
For the lessons that pained, the burden I bore.
For the steps with the multitude, for the times I stood alone,
Against the woe, the injustice that had to be borne.
For the tears, for the rainbow, for the sun for the shadow
For the strength, for the weakness, the once upon a time happiness.
For the life I’ve lived with no regrets,
To the day my soul will fly to rest:
Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.
Psa 119:65 KJV
1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
February 26, 2006
Psa 119:66 KJV Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.
Children (teenagers) nowadays think that they know more than their parents. It is a given fact tha t they probably know more about the communication programs of their computers and about the multiple functions of their mobile phone, than adults ever care to know about. The problem rises when because of their area of expertise, those same teenagers seem to think that they know more than their parents about most things in life and therefore become unteachable. A very dear teacher friend of mine often reminds those pupils of hers who through their immature pride forget the reality of their limited academic condition by asking them “Are you teachable?”
Because of his insecure and immature condition, it is normal for a child to act in that way towards the adults in his life. He feels insecure and he has to compensate by acting sure of himself. Not only it humbles him to realize that he just doesn’t know, but in his pride he doesn’t believe that others know either. It is a weak and immature person; unsure of themselves who feel that they have to act in pride and self-assurance in order to prove themselves to others, and even sometimes to themselves! The problem is when adults continue their lives in that same insecure behavior by exerting a show of self-assurance, not believing either the Words of the LORD. If anything, the more a person spiritually grows and matures, the more they should realize their need for utter dependency on the LORD and His Words.
This reality of the behavior of children and teenagers towards their parents and teachers should serve as a good reflection of our own attitude towards our great heavenly Teacher, King and Father. Don’t we sometimes run with our fingers in our ears saying to the Lord, “let me handle it Lord, I already know!” while the Holy Spirit asks us in our hearts, “are you teachable”?
“If we learn anything in this li fe, Lord, help us to learn, that the more we know, the more we should know that we don’t know. Help us to teach our children the meek spirit of being ‘teachable’ by our own sample and attitude with you, in beliving you Word”
Mat 5:5 KJV Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
February 27, 2006
Psa 119:67 KJV Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
Foolishness in a child has decreed that he will disobey, break yours and God’s Word until maybe someday realizes that his parents were right about certain things, and God was right about all things. This phenomenal metamorphosis in attitude rarely happens without sprained muscles, scratches, losses, broken bones as well as broken hearts. It is pathetic, but sometimes it is not until the crippling death-call of old age that one finally comes, not to his senses, but to Godly sense realizing that things could and should have been different. The only comfort at that time is the abundant mercy of God which proclaims that: “all things work together for good to them that love God.” (Rom 8:28)
How many burns, hurts, breaks, losses and afflictions have to happen before we finally grow, mature and learn to keep His Words? How many times does He have to lay us flat on our backs before we learn to say “Abba, Father” and agree to keep His Words? Having been promised a land under the conditions of obedience (Lev 26), the children of Israel offer before us an excellent sample of what happens when we walk in disobedience outside the tower of His protection: we loose the blessing of the presence of His protection, strength, supply and perfect peace in our hearts when in the midst of the onslaughts of the destroyer.
May God help us today to see the “handwriting on the wall” (Dan 5:5, 27) warning us, telling us that we are “wanting” in obedience and dedication to His word. May He help us to see in our affliction how we have gone astray in either deed or spirit, so that we learn to keep His word. May we learn not only from our affliction, but also, touched with empathy, learn from the afflictions of others.
A wise man learns by his experience, but a wiser man learns by the experiences of others.
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
February 27, 2006
Psa 119:68 KJV Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Goodness, as is also true in the case of love, has suffered an identity crisis. Today, both of these virtues are understood not according to the parameters of their Creator, but in relations to the feelings of humans.
It is not uncommon to hear confused people ask, “If God is so good and so loving, why did He let thus and thus happen to me?” or even “why does he let such and such happen in the world?” Having changed the meanings of goodness and love was a very clever trick fomented by the enemy of both, in order to get humans to doubt the goodness and love of God.
A child does not understand what benefit there is to his parents’ punishment and deprivation of certain privileges due to his disobedience, but it teaches him an important lesson that may save him in adult life. As we grow into teenage and adulthood, the difficulties that we encounter become more traumatic. They resemble things like the breaking of families, the on start of a chronic sickness, or the loosing of friends and loved ones through sickness, accidents or war. Only when we have matured in faith, in the knowledge and understanding of His Word, and in spiritual experiences can we see, even through these events that God is “good and doest good”.
What is therefore goodness and love?
God, our great Maker, knows that the only thing that can ever keep our hearts, bodies and souls safe, happy, provided and free is to be and remain close to Him. He created us in that way. It is therefore safe to say that whatever He does or allows to happen that brings us close to Him, helps us to remember Him as well as our ultimate dependency on Him is to be considered love and goodness.
May God help us not to judge God by our own standards, thus establishing our own righteousness.
Rom 10:3 KJV For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Luk 18:18-19 KJV And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (19) And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
February 28, 2006
Psa 119:69 KJV The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.
When the enemy of God’s work loses on the battlefield, he resorts to spewing slanderous lies. Like a nail on the road, these cannot stop the work, but they have for purpose to annoy, disrupt and cause delay through a flat tire, or wounding your foot. If he cannot destroy God’s project, he slanders the builder; if he cannot stop the builder, he slanders the God of the builder. He will do all these through lying inventions born out of his own proud reprobate spirit. The proud is the bitterest of all enemies of God and slander is his cheap weapon.
When the king sent Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, the enemy came to Nehemiah in seven different ways to try to get him to give up. Every time, he came with forged lies designed to make the people doubt, despair, and fear in hopes that they would eventually give up the mighty work of God. But Nehemiah said to them when they wanted to counsel a “ceasefire” with him, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? “(Neh 6:3).
When the enemy comes with lies, don’t listen to him;
When he provokes you with slander, pay no attention
When he projects his evil vibes, please ignore them;
When he spread venomous lies, just don’t mind them.
Our God is the God of strength
None can make Him weak; none can make Him fear
Take refuge in His name and find
What courage you need is near.
Joh 8:44 KJV Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
March 01, 2006
Psa 119:70 KJV Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
The “proud” challenge dependence on the Lord, and so doing, they establish their own means of sustenance and health. Not wanting to keep God in control of their “supply lines”; they prostitute themselves to the world, commit whoredom with Babylon. Babylon is turn is happy to indulge in “liberating” people from the controlling “avaricious” clutches of God, to provide them with everything they need and even want, especially with what God in his great wisdom has restrained. After all, wasn’t it the devil who offered the forbidden fruit? (Gen 3:1-6) And wasn’t it the same devil who offered the glories of the kingdoms of the world to Jesus, but without the price of the crucifixion? (Mat 4:8-9)
The way of God is usually straight and narrow (Mat 7:14), even the land of milk and honey was not obtained without a fight. The Word of God was given on a mountain. To get it, Moses had to climb out of his comfort zone; leave behind the comfort of home. A seventy year old Nepali Sharpah can carry up the Himalayas Mountains a load that would make our valley young people faint, and they do not have health problems due to fat around their heart.
Indulgence and easy life makes the heart grow fat, weak and corrupt. It greases it with excuses, covers it with fatness so that it becomes insensitive to God and to others. It becomes an island isolated from the world, everything and everybody else, and where everything is done out of concern for self-preservation.
May God help me to yield when the way is hard.
May He help me to trust when the bend blinds the way.
My comfort is His Word oh so secure
Who hath promised me rest at the end of the day.
Luk 4:6-7 KJV And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. (7) If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
March 02 2006
Psa 119:71-72 KJV It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. (72) The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
It is easy to figure what is important for people. All you have to do is look at what they would readily invest their hard-earned cash on. Would they invest it on more refined food, richer personal belongings, more valuable jewelry, a surplus of entertainment? Or maybe it could it be on satisfying the wimps of a girl from whom you desire favors? Or do they invest it on their children’s education, the needs of their of communities, or on whatever would allow them to take a part in the preaching of the Gospel.
Jesus tells us,” Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”(Luke 12:34). It is a strength and a virtue to be able to see greater value in the trials that afflict us and sometimes make us poor just because they make us learn God’s statutes. It shows that for that person, learning God’s law is more important than their own enrichment, pleasure and comfort.
David certainly lived that. In his many conquests, he amassed a great wealth. Also, people willingly gave to him out of thankfulness. But most of this wealth was set aside towards the expenses and enrichment of the Temple that his son would someday build as the Jewish religious center (1 Chron 28:11-19). Also, because Solomon did not value personal wealth and comfort first, but rather his responsibilities as king, God gave him all the other also (2 Chron 1:6-12).
Let us praise an thank God for everything He brings our way that helps us get closer to Him. Let us value the lessons that we learn through affliction more that the greatest treasures of gold and silver the world has to offer.
Phi 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Phi 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
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