understanding

Promised Blessing

We are constantly challenged to be certain that our motives are correct, that our thoughts are in line with scripture, and that our actions bless those around us.

As we finish our study in Proverbs Chapter 2, let’s recap what we have learned. Beginning in verses 1-11 of Proverbs 2, we were reminded of the necessity of following God’s commands. True understanding and discernment comes from God, and as we seek His wisdom diligently, He will be found. One of my favorite sections of scripture is in Jeremiah and this encouragement from God to those whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. The Israeli captives were reminded to remain steadfast in their loyalty to follow God.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 ‘For I know the plans that I have for you’, declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. ‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ‘I will be found by you’, declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you’, declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile’.

God will guide us, and He will protect and keep us. We need protection from evil, from those whose words, actions, and intentions are to follow wickedness.

Moving forward in Proverbs 2:12-19, we read a more specific warning of protection needed from the adulteress who uses flattery as a lure and leads others to destruction. Then in Proverbs 2:20, we were given a charge to walk in the good examples of those before us and to continue on the path of righteousness. Now, in these last two verses of Proverbs 2, we learn that when we follow righteousness, we are promised blessing; yet if we follow evil, we are headed for ruin.

Let’s read our text.

Proverbs 2:21-22 For the upright will live in the land and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land and the treacherous will be uprooted from it.

Obviously, we have a contrast of opposites in these two verses, first a promise, and then a warning of judgement. We will take a look at the negative implication in verse 22 by gleaning some understanding of the description of those spoken of – the wicked and the treacherous. Then we’ll back up to verse 21 to end our study with God’s promise.

The wicked and treacherous in Proverbs 2:22 are not to be confused with those who make mistakes. Each of us struggle with sin. We are constantly challenged to be certain that our motives are correct, that our thoughts are in line with scripture, and that our actions bless those around us.

The wicked are those who are morally wrong. They are cemented in their desire of evil; they are actively seeking destruction and are eternally guilty, condemned for all time. The treacherous, or transgressors in the KJV, are those who act covertly, who are deceitful and unfaithful, and offensive. They cover up their true intentions in order to lead others astray. They are hypocrites. The Strong’s Hebrew definition includes the word pillage which means to steal or take valuables. When I think of pillaging, for some reason, my mind immediately goes to pirates. If you consider their intent, this is a fitting picture. They seek to take by force what is not theirs. Those who are wicked and treacherous have a mission to disrupt those pursuing Christ. Listen to the following scriptures which describe the wicked and treacherous –

Proverbs 5:23 He will die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.

Job 18:17-18 "Memory of him perishes from the earth, and he has no name abroad. "He is driven from light into darkness, and chased from the inhabited world.

Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:7-8 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties.

Jude 1:16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

Jeremiah 6:28 All of them are stubbornly rebellious, going about as a talebearer. They are bronze and iron; they, all of them, are corrupt.

In Jeremiah 24:8, wicked people are described as ‘bad figs which cannot be eaten due to rottenness’. We actually have a few fig trees in our yard, and this description seems fitting. At the beginning of each fruit-bearing season, small green knobs start to form off the branches. Yet, as they grow into fruit, many will turn dark, shrivel up, and fall off the tree. These are the figs that were unfertilized, or damaged by quick changes in the temperature, they are inedible and useless. We rake them up and throw them away.

Isaiah 1:30 likens the wicked to “an oak whose leaf fades away or as a garden that has no water”. Think! What happens to a garden with no water?

So we are warned, ‘the wicked will be destroyed’. Why do we need this warning? Because we are weak. Because God is faithful and merciful. Warnings help to guide us away from the dangers ahead. Think of the road signs we use as warnings to help ensure safety. What might happen if you chose not to heed the warning of a narrow, winding turn ahead on a mountain road during the freezing winter months?

Psalm 55:23 But You, O God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.

We can fully trust that God will guide us in our own pursuit of holiness and also protect us from leaving His path of righteousness, when we genuinely seek His truths with a desire to live in obedience to His commands.

Proverbs 2:21 For the upright will live in the land and the blameless will remain in it;

The upright are by no means perfect, for this is impossible. The transliteration of this word is straight, just, or righteous. God looks at a man’s heart; we are judged by the righteousness imparted through Jesus Christ, not our performance. But if we are genuinely His, our actions will speak of His grace and mercy; our testimony will honor Him.

Exodus 15:26 And He said, "If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer."

In this verse we read the Old Testament saints were to ‘do what is right in His sight’. The upright give earnest heed to the voice of God, they seek to do what is right, listen to His commands, and keep all His statutes. In the Old Testament, in order to be righteous, you were to keep the Law perfectly. Over and over again, sacrificial atonement was offered for sin. There was no rest or security in the Law because fulfillment was never complete. However, the Old Testament Saints had a promise that those who followed God would enjoy peace and prosperity in the land they inhabited. In contrast, the challenge today to be righteous, to be upright and blameless, is possible only through Jesus Christ. There is no list of laws to be fulfilled. Instead, we are given a heart of understanding and faith that enables us to trust in God’s grace through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we are deemed righteous. We have a permanent dwelling place with Christ. We have the peace of His power and protection now, and a sure reservation for our future in Heaven.

Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Psalm 112:4-6 Light arises in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and compassionate and righteous. It is well with the man who is gracious and lends; he will maintain his cause in judgment. For he will never be shaken; the righteous will be remembered forever.

So there we have it – Twenty-two verses centered on the importance of seeking wisdom from God’s word, gaining understanding and discretion as a defense against evil, being warned of the destruction of evildoers, and being encouraged by the promises of God.

Thank you, God, for your word. Thank you for the charge to remain steadfast, the warnings to avoid evil, and the promise of Your faithfulness now and forever.

Following Jesus’ Example of Humility and Love

My moral conscience is not the line I use to make decisions, it is what guides me in applying the knowledge of God’s teaching and commands.

Our study on 1Peter 2:19 must be built upon the previous truths in 1 Peter 2. Verse 18 reads, “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.

Why? Our answer follows in verse 19 –

1 Peter 2:19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.

Look carefully at the words above, “if for the sake of conscience toward God”. This means I am willing to seek righteousness, according to Jesus’ example of humility and love, because I want to be obedient to God. My ultimate loyalty is to follow His commands and act in a manner worthy of His calling. This is not “I am going to stand my ground to defend my beliefs”. It is, “I am determined to follow God’s teaching no matter what”. We are not submissive to authority because we agree, or we support their values. We are submissive to authority because it pleases God when we are obedient to those in positions of authority.

As a people group, we are quick to pursue a cause we believe in. We are free in this country to demonstrate that cause and give reason for our commitment. Sometimes these special interests are based on what we think is best and they have no moral right or wrong attached to them such as remaining on daylight savings time or where street signs should be placed. We have been given a conscience to help guide our thinking.

A believer has been given the Holy Spirit to guide them in understanding and truth based upon God’s word. Conscience means with knowledge. In this case it is with the knowledge of God’s truths upon which my speech, thoughts, and actions are based. My decisions, actions, and thoughts are not regulated by my conscience; rather, my conscience is regulated by God’s truths. In other words, I cannot form my opinion and then find support in God’s word. I am required to know God’s word and let that knowledge form my beliefs. Relying upon the Holy Spirit will affect our message and representation of God.

John 14:16-17 "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; [that is] the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, [but] you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.

John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

John 16:13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

Paul was careful to explain to the Corinthian church the importance of following truth given by the Spirit working in a believer’s life, rather than wisdom based on the thinking of man.

1Corinthians 2:12-13 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual [thoughts] with spiritual [words.] Continue reading through the end of the chapter.

Notice the words in the preceding verse, 1Peter 2:15, “he who is spiritual appraises all things”. This means to scrutinize, and implies that we investigate, ask questions, discern, examine, and search in order to seek to understand God’s ways. The only way this is possible is by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. There is diligence expected on our part to study to be certain we are following God’s truths and not our own desires. Think of having self-control. This is the act of restraining my behavior. I might want to respond harshly to those who have treated others or myself unfairly. I might be ‘right’ in my assessment of another’s bullying or unfair treatment, but this never justifies marring my witness of Christ.

We are not going to find a directive on what kind of flowers to plant or if we should raise chickens! However, we do need to be certain than in those things where our witness of God is affected and our obedience to Him is in question, we are careful to seek His guidance. This means we are not determined to find a way to follow our own thoughts but instead we are determined to understand God’s direction. According to 1 Peter 2:18, we are to be willing to submit to others, even if it is difficult or I do not agree or I am treated poorly, because it is what Jesus did and it honors God. I may be right in thinking something is unfair or could be done more effectively but I am still to submit because it is God’s command. This is a fitting example of ‘I might want to act one way, but God directs me to act another way’. Now, instead of being a question of understanding or agreement, it is a question of obedience and honor to God.

Our perfect example is to follow is Jesus. The words he spoke to His Father describe the heart attitude we should embrace. “Not my will, but Thine, be done”, (Luke 22:42). Let’s break some of the words down in 1 Peter 2:19. I think it will give us a clearer understanding.

The first phrase is “For this [finds] favor”. Favor is translated from the Greek word charis, meaning graciousness, of manner or act. Especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude.

Read again 1 Peter 2:18, Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable – (19) For this finds favor … Because this is grace. “This is graceful indeed” (Doddridge). Meaning it is acceptable to God. Because of God – and His work in our lives – because we have been given the Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s truths, we can choose what is right.

Our sole/soul purpose is to glorify God out of gratitude for who He is and what He has done. Think! Who or what do your thoughts and actions point towards? How can we know what glorifies God? The answer is simple to express with words, right? However, to fulfill this charge in our actions, it takes a determination to respond in humility. We seek truth from His word. God has graciously given us a manual for living, a testimony of His great love for us. Yet, however clear the answer may be to what glorifies God, putting His truths into practice, having them embedded in our soul, takes concerted desire and effort.

We glorify God by acknowledging who He is, His greatness, His power, all He has done and all He will do.

1 Chronicles 16:23-36

We glorify God by honoring Him with our life, in everything we do.

1 Corinthians 10:31-33; Psalm 37:31

We glorify God through submitting to His commands in humility of heart.

John 14:15

We glorify God with our thoughts.

Psalm 1; Psalm 119:11

In what other ways can you glorify God?

We certainly should not look to be persecuted or cause our own mishaps, yet if honoring God means being submissive to those who treat us unfairly, then we can choose to endure discomfort and grief.

Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Romans 13:5 Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake.

We hear the word conscience used frequently. Choosing to do or not to do something is often supported by the idea of following your moral conscience. In Romans 13:5 above, the word conscience, suneidesis, means co-perception or moral consciousness. It is a form of the word suneido, meaning to see completely, to understand or become aware, to be informed of, and to know.

This bears repeating, we need to be careful that our moral conscience is regulated and supported by the truths in God’s word. My conscience needs to be directed by the knowledge of God. I cannot and should not decide for someone else what their conscience or convictions should be. I do need to encourage and uplift others as they seek to determine what God would have them do in areas that may allow for different interpretation. However, this particular verse in 1 Peter 2:19 is clear –

I am to be in subjection to authority not only because there will be consequences from authority if I choose to disregard them, but most importantly because I have the freedom to obey God, and I am expected as God’s child, to act according to the knowledge God has given me in His word.

Choosing what is right because God says so always trumps feelings based on man’s knowledge and keeps us from misguided interpretation. My moral conscience is not the line I use to make decisions, it is what guides me in applying the knowledge of God’s teaching and commands. Understanding Biblical truth does not require formal scholastic education in Biblical studies. It does require a humble heart which seeks to know God, is filled with His Holy Spirit, and has a desire to apply His precepts.

You can immediately understand the need for each individual to seek guidance from the one true source – God – rather than follow what sounds right or what is thought or even what someone else may think. Even a highly respected person can be wrong in their personal conviction; God’s principles and commands, however, are always right. God has given man a conscience to help us determine right from wrong. As a follower of Christ, the basis for my convictions should be the Bible.

1Peter 3:14-16 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, [you are] blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always [being] ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Instead of choosing to ‘suffer’ the loss of our ‘rights’, we can choose to focus on the opportunities to represent Christ and share the Gospel in every situation. We are to be careful not to bring our own suffering upon ourselves because of unrighteous behavior. Read the above scripture again. Is it my responsibility to defend the church or to defend the Gospel? Defense means to give answers. Are you equipped to give answers for what you believe? Is it possible that we find ourselves in conflict with others because we are seeking to prove our thoughts more than God’s teaching?

The motivation for our action is to honor God. Self, other than the witness of God in my life, should never be in the picture.

1 Peter 4:14-16 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if [anyone suffers] as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God.

Read Adam Clarke’s Commentary on 1 Peter 2:19. “For this is thankworthy. If, in a conscientious discharge of your duty, you suffer evil, this is in the sight of God thankworthy, pleasing, and proper; it shows that you prefer his authority to your own ease, peace, and emolument; it shows also, as Dr. Macknight has well observed, that they considered their obligation to relative duties not to depend on the character of the person to whom they were to be performed, nor on their performing the duties they owed to their servants, but on the unalterable relations of things established by God.”

“To suffer meekly, and without blame, and to do this out of a sense of the resignation due to the will of God, is a virtue which He kindly accepts, and will not fail to reward”, Dean Stanhope 1800’s.

If for the sake of conscience toward God. Meaning, “consciousness of God”: from a conscientious regard to God, more than to men. (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary)

Our conscious toward God is led out of our respect for God and a sincere desire to please Him – it is based upon His commands and our knowledge of them. “But the conscience is not an infallible guide and acts according to the light that it has. The conscience can be contaminated”, Robertson’s NT Word Pictures.

2 Corinthians 1:12 For our proud confidence is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.

Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled [clean] from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

A man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.

Read how David responds to unjust treatment.

Psalm 119:86-87 All Thy commandments are faithful; they have persecuted me with a lie; help me! They almost destroyed me on earth, but as for me, I did not forsake Thy precepts.

Psalm 119:23 Even though princes sit and talk against me, Thy servant meditates on Thy statutes.

Psalm 119:78 May the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie; [but] I shall meditate on Thy precepts.

What is the example set before us when we feel we are treated unfairly?

2Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

I want God’s divine truth to regulate my conscience. I want His divine influence to control my heart. Then my actions will be guided by His will and be a reflection of His saving grace in my life.

Entrusted to Serve

What legacy will you leave? Will it be one of faithfulness? Do others know for certain that you love and follow Christ through your words and actions?

1Peter 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things into which angels long to look.

In the previous verses we read that the prophets carefully and diligently searched to understand the message foretold of the coming Messiah. In verse 12, we read that the information disclosed to them was not only for their own benefit but for the benefit of others. They had been entrusted with information in order to serve others.

Read Paul’s words in Ephesians. To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly [places.] Ephesians 8-10.

Those things which had been revealed to the prophets in earlier times through the working of the Spirit were to be shared. It is probable they did not understand all the meaning and specifics of exactly what would take place, they had studied, and many were convinced of the truth of the coming Messiah. The New Testament Saints were encouraged by what had been written and foretold. They in turn were able to share information they had learned and were able to add what they had witnessed. There was an understanding that the value of what they had been given was not to be kept to themselves but a tool to be used in sharing the gospel.

Again, we have a picture painted of an intent interest in examining the Truths in God’s word. There is a phrase we use which says we ‘pour over something’ when we are seeking to learn, usually something we have great interest in. Each of us can relate to this search of information. As you gain more information, the desire to learn more usually grows. As you contemplate what you are learning, the light bulb of understanding clicks, and things become clearer.

The Spirit of Christ gave understanding to the Jewish prophets and that same Spirit continues to give understanding even today. We are saved only through the working of the Spirit in our lives testifying of God. The thought that jumps in my mind as I study this is the great privilege with which we have been entrusted.

Read Jesus’ words to the disciples in John 14:16-17; 26, "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; [that is] the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, [but] you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

We will never understand all things, in fact, I surmise that what I understand is about the size of the smallest dot placed in the center of the great universe. However, God has revealed to each of us exactly what we need in order to bring honor to His name. I will never be able to comprehend how I can be declared righteous even while I am a sinner, yet I know because of God’s great grace, He has pardoned me. Not only am I forgiven but I will live in heaven for eternity, not because of who I am, not because I deserve anything, but because of who God is and what He chose to do for me. This truth needs to be shared!

Read Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 1:20-22, For as many as may be the promises of God, in Him they are yes; wherefore also by Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave [us] the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

What legacy will you leave? Will it be one of faithfulness? Do others know for certain that you love and follow Christ through your words and actions?

Matthew Poole’s Commentary explains 1 Peter 1:12 this way, “The prophets under the Old Testament did, by the Spirit, foresee and foretell Christ's passion, resurrection, ascension, the effusion of the Spirit, the enlargement of the church by the calling of the Gentiles, &c.; but did not live to see their own prophecies, and God's promises, fulfilled,

Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

, as you now do. They did spread the table that you might feed at it; they had but a taste by faith, and at a distance, of those things you feast upon in their accomplishment; yet they did not grudge to declare these things, being instructed by the Spirit, that what they spake of should not be fulfilled in their time, but in the generations to come; that so ye, by comparing what they said should come to pass with what you have now been assured is come to pass, may be confirmed and established in the belief of the truth, being the same held forth by the prophets formerly, and gospel ministers at present.”

Read the words of Philip Doddridge in his N.T. commentary, “To the memorable testimony of these prophets it becomes us to pay a sincere and profound regard, to whom such extraordinary discoveries were made, as no attentive reader can view without conviction and astonishment; and it was revealed to them among other things, that {it was} not to themselves, but to us that they ministered these things; they knew that we, when the events arose, should have a more complete understanding of these oracles, than any who declared them had. Consider, then, how happy you are in that dispensation under which you now live, when those divine mysteries, which were only in a more obscure manner hinted at by the prophets, are most clearly and expressly declared to you, by those who have published the glad tidings of the gospel among you, by the evident authority and attestation, as well as by the assistances, of the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven with such visible glory, and testifying his continued residence amongst us by such wonderful effects. And indeed the doctrines which they preach are things of so great excellence and importance, as to be well worthy the regard of angels, as well as men; and, accordingly, (as the images of the cherubim on the mercy-seat seemed to bow down, to look upon the tables of the law laid upon in the ark,) so those celestial spirits do, from their heavenly abode, desire to bend down, to {contemplate} such glorious displays of divine wisdom and goodness, and attentively to survey those important scenes that are opening upon us here on earth; which is become so much more considerable than it would otherwise be, as it is honoured with being the theatre of such glorious events.”

The believers Peter spoke to had some advantages over the prophets before them. Things revealed had yet to be fulfilled. There was increased understanding as the promised Messiah fulfilled prophecies. Yet, the Christians Peter spoke to had less advantage than even we do. We have the written word of God from beginning to end. I pray each of us grows in our desire to look into the truths we have in God’s word, that we would be compelled to speak that truth, guided by the Holy Spirit, to the glory of God.

James 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the [law] of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.

I will end this study with Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 6:1-11 And working together [with Him,] we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain-- or He says, "AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU"; behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION"-- giving no cause for offense in anything, in order that the ministry be not discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, n beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, n the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; [regarded] as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.

We are His servants for His glory!

Obedience –> Holiness

As we seek to know God and follow Him, our actions on the outside will reflect the change God has wrought on the inside. The inside transformation of our soul will show in the outward actions of our life.

1Peter 1:14-15 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts [which were yours] in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all [your] behavior.

Obedience demands that we do not follow worldly ways. Instead, we are to live holy in all our behavior (v. 15-16).

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

What does it mean to be holy?

We are to be physically and morally blameless. We are to strive to be like Jesus. This is only possible through His redemption of our soul. God is holy, He is perfect and pure. He is the One who called your name as His child. He is the one who has called you into understanding and faith in Christ. As His child, receiving all the benefits of His salvation, you also receive the means to be like Him, to imitate His character.

Specifically, what is mentioned is behavior, or all manner of conversation (KJV). People aptly take on the persona of those they admire. Look around and notice that styles of dress, speech, and even food begin with following someone’s example that another thought highly of. If you profess to follow Jesus, it is imperative that your entire life points to His holiness. We need to learn about Him so that we can imitate Him. We have examples to follow throughout the word of God. Read what Paul tells the Corinthian church, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). It is impossible for us to be perfectly holy, yet we are to endeavor to follow the pattern set before us and practice holiness in every area of our life. We are holy because we belong to God; our actions should increasingly speak of our inward salvation. Our thoughts should be held captive by Truth, and our words should honor God. As we seek to know God and follow Him, our actions on the outside will reflect the change God has wrought on the inside. The inside transformation of our soul will show in the outward actions of our life.

2Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Notice the word all in 1 Peter 1:15. All means everything, it is inclusive to your whole behavior. Matthew Poole’s Commentary has this explanation of all, “with whomsoever ye converse, believers or infidels, friends or enemies, relations or stranger; and in whatsoever condition ye are in, peace or trouble, prosperity or adversity”.

How are you seeking holiness?

Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:12-16 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for [His] good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

Focus Heavenward.

Slay Anxiety

It is then no longer I who is scrambling to solve a problem, it is God who is sovereign over all things, knows all things, and can do all things.

How do you respond when your own personal concerns about friends, family and life circumstances begin to creep into your joy? My response when I notice my heart is beginning to feel heavy and overwhelmed, is to dig into a well-known section of scripture once again. It is incredible how a child of God can repeatedly visit the same verse through the years and be encouraged by new and different insight. It is not that the Word has changed, but our experiences of God’s faithfulness, and hopefully our own spiritual growth, causes us to see more. God has lovingly placed in our hands His inerrant Truths. His warnings and promises in the Bible are His historical guidebook on how He works, who He is, what He has done and what He will do. The Bible is our manual on how we are to live – who we are in Christ and without Christ, what we have because of Christ and what we forfeit when we reject Him. For the umpteenth time I have needed to reset my sights on what is genuinely important and valued, giving less regard to worldly concerns. I am so thankful to my Lord and Savior for His tender care for my soul. Grab a cup of coffee and let us unwrap the priceless package of God’s word together.

Focus Heavenward, Sharyn.

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Notice the action in Psalm 55 – cast your burden, meaning to throw out, down or away. Picture casting a fishing line into the water. However, in this case you would cut the line having no desire to retrieve it. We are to get rid of our burdens, placing them in the hands of God who is more than willing and capable to handle them. It is then no longer I who is scrambling to solve a problem, it is God who is sovereign over all things, knows all things, and can do all things. This truth creates a sigh of relief and peace in God’s children.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be established.

Again, we see action in Proverbs 16 – commit. We are to remove, literally roll, our burdens to the Lord. When all of our concerns are placed in Christ’s hands, we can take a deep sigh of relief. I will share part of my testimony here for sake of illustration. Years ago, I was unfamiliar with any specific scriptures in the Bible. However, when God determines it is time to open the eyes of one of His own, He orchestrates the circumstances. I was alone late one evening, my children were upstairs sleeping, and I was literally at the end of my rope. I had done everything I could possibly think of to change the direction of where we were headed. Nothing had worked. My life was in shambles, I had three children depending on me, I was scared, alone, felt hopeless, worthless, and ashamed by failure. As hot tears and silent sobs filled the dark night, I was led to take the blanket off the back of the sofa and lay it out on the floor. I then threw in my burdens, all of them, crying and telling God that I could not go on – it was all His. I was too weak to carry the load. I am sure if anyone had seen me talking to what looked like no one and pantomiming the placement of things in the middle of a blanket on the floor, I would have been carried off for evaluation. I rolled up the blanket and held it with both hands as high as possible and asked God to take all that was within and help me. In that moment of giving up of self and rolling my burdens to God, relief poured over me. A quietness I had never known settled in my soul and the peace of God’s care assured me that somehow, we would be okay.

Matthew 6:25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, [as to] what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, [as to] what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?

Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. [Each] day has enough trouble of its own.

Luke 12:22 And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for [your] life, [as to] what you shall eat; nor for your body, [as to] what you shall put on.

1Peter 5:7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.

Do not be anxious for your life, do not be anxious for tomorrow, do not be anxious for what you shall eat, do not be anxious for what you shall wear – Be anxious for nothing!

Be Anxious <merimnao> to be anxious about, take thought; through the idea of distraction.

When we are worried or bothered about something, it is what we think about most. In fact, just listen to others. Most often, they talk about what is bothering them. It does not take long to find out what is troubling to any of us as we are usually ready to share with those who will listen. Consider how you might mull over a situation again and again in your mind. When this happens, we find it difficult to concentrate on other things, even those things that are most important. We can become distracted; our attention can be drawn away from God rather than towards Him when our focus is diverted.

Is your soul distracted or troubled?

When Jesus sent the twelve disciples, He told them they would have difficulty, yet they were not to be anxious about all the details. Matthew 10:19 "But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you are to speak.

When Martha was complaining about the things that needed to get done, Jesus addressed her, Luke 10:41-42 But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but [only] a few things are necessary, really [only] one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Read an account of what the interaction between Martha and Jesus may have sounded like, written by Philip Doddridge in his New Testament notes, “But let me tell thee, my dear friend, that there is one thing absolutely necessary, and of infinitely greater importance than any of these domestic and secular cares; even the care to have the soul instructed in the saving knowledge of the way that leads to eternal life, and to secure a title to it: and Mary is wisely attending to that; therefore, instead of reproving her, I must rather declare that she has chosen what may eminently be called the good part, which as it shall not be finally taken away from her, I would not now hinder her from pursuing; but rather invite thee to join with her in her attention to it”.

For nothing <medeis> not even one, anything, none at all.

In nothing be anxious, in other words, stop being anxious. Not that we do not care spiritually for one another. We need to exercise what is right, being diligent in our responsibilities. This is not license for a carefree, slothful life.

Romans 12:11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

2Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone will not work, neither let him eat.

2Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.

We are to work hard, making the most of our time, using our resources for the encouragement and service of one another. We are not to be distracted and anxious for worldly cares. Picture a squirrel running to and fro, easily distracted by every noise, breeze, smell, and sound. This is the opposite of what our focus should look like. We often try to figure out that which is not ours to care for. For some reason, we quickly take the burden of fixing those things which are God’s to fix and direct. We constantly need to remember that we are not the ones in control. Then our focus can become what it should be – a life honoring to God, taking care in all things to give glory to His name. Sometimes quick action is required, certainly service to one another is necessary, but frequently prayer is the answer as we wait upon God and trust in His work.

Psalm 127:1-2 Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved [even in his] sleep.

But – instead of being anxious and distracted

In everything <pas> including all the forms of declension (downward slope, worsening, decline); all, any, every, all manner, whatsoever, whosoever.

Even when circumstances seem dire, like they will never be resolved, or it seems that things are getting worse and we begin to feel fear rise up in us. Even when we are certain we cannot go on – God can.

All the big things, all the little things, great and small – God cares! In necessity, in prosperity, in adversity, in everything, every time, every condition and every occasion. (cf. Matthew Poole’s Commentary)

Do you trust all things to God?

If someone were to ask, ‘Do you trust God’, many of us would quickly reply with an affirmation that indeed we do. But consider what is behind your most troublesome and heart-wrenching cares. We are to trust God with the impossible. I must admit, often it boils down to a lack of complete trust, I can lose hope and the word ‘quit’ enters my mind. I can readily forget where my sight needs to be centered. Oh Lord, give me a heart to immediately remember Your faithfulness in the past and build my trust in Your faithfulness for the future.

Matthew 17:20 And He *said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you.

Matthew 19:26 And looking upon [them] Jesus said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37; Luke 18:27Psalm 62:8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please [Him], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

By prayer <proseuche> prayer, worship, pray earnestly,

The answer to solicitous care or anxiousness, is fervent prayer. To pray earnestly means to take prayer seriously. This is more than the quick obligated words you may hear at times. It is understanding the value of prayer and the One to whom you are praying. Coming before the throne of God is not to be taken lightly. When I think of who I am, who God is and what He has done for me in spite of my sin, my heart is clothed in humility and gratitude. Then I am prepared to worship and bring my requests before our Almighty God.

When the Amalekites raided Palestine and David was distressed, he found solace in God, 1Samuel 30:6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

Luke 18:1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,

I have noticed a pattern in my life. Years ago, I spent time studying prayer as I was convicted of the need to develop a deeper, more complete time of praising God verbally, confessing my sins, thanking Him for countless blessings, and of bringing my own requests and the concerns of others before Him. I was intrigued by the stillness of the very early morning and the void of distraction and was challenged to ask God to help me seek Him through prayer when I awoke at these early times. Our God is faithful to answer the requests that cause us to rely on Him more deeply. I now often find myself wide awake in the wee hours of the morning and have come to treasure these sweet quiet times of prayer. I do not even question why I am awake any more, I just spend time in prayer. I am personally thankful for God’s faithfulness in developing a deeper time of prayer in my life.

Fervent prayer, which always pulls my focus back where it belongs, is the key to overcoming frequent worry. Sincere prayer causes us to remember who God is. When we focus on God, we cannot help but be silenced in our worry. Think of some of His attributes: He is light in darkness, He is without sin, He is everlasting, His strength is beyond comparison, He knows all things, He defines wisdom, He is holy and perfectly just. He loves us, He is good, gracious, faithful, merciful, patient, and compassionate.

I believe it is impossible to encompass my thoughts with the worship of God and be worried at the same time!

And supplication <deesis> a petition, prayer, request, supplication (asking God’s help, a humble request for help, plea)

Think of the scenario of a child needing their parent for something. You can hear the desperate sound of their voice as they plea for help. At that moment, only Mom or Dad have the solution to their call. We are to call to God, our heavenly Father, with the understanding that He alone has answers. Our plea to Him is one of dependence and trust in His faithfulness and power to overcome our trouble or see us through it.

When the king of Assyria taunted the people of Jerusalem, Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed, 2Chronicles 32:20 But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven.

Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.

It is no surprise that we need God! His intervention in our lives is the only reason we have hope for our future and success in the present. There is a popular saying, ‘Know God – know peace’. How true this is. Right now, during this world-wide pandemic, in which 2020 will be noted for in history, circumstances seem downright confusing. However, there is no confusion on God’s part. He has the answers, He is guiding His people, and His glory will prevail. We are reminded to be on our knees as we seek His help in this desperate time. I pray you see this as a blessing! God is at work in the world.

Things may not turn out the way we think they should, but they will turn out the way God has intended. We may not get what we want but we will get what God has planned. We may not receive what we think we need but we will be blessed with what God knows we need in order to grow in His likeness and glorify Him.

With thanksgiving <eucharistia> gratitude; grateful language to God as an act of worship.

Bottom line – we do not deserve one ounce of any type of blessing God has bestowed on us. What we do deserve is death – instead, we have life eternal. What we do deserve is confusion – instead, we have the promise of His direction. We have peace instead of chaos, hope instead of fear, comfort in the midst of sorrow, joy in all circumstances, and forgiveness rather than condemnation.

Thanksgiving to God for His answers means you are resigned to your need of His care. It is trusting that God’s will is best; it is relinquishing your plan for His. He understands and knows all things. He is in complete control of all things and has allowed all things for your good and for His glory. We are to pray with grateful acknowledgement of mercies given, benefits bestowed, and God’s saving grace in all circumstances. We are to be thankful for the growth that results from affliction, for God’s strength to be sufficient when we are tempted, for His faithfulness when we fail and for our future and certain hope in Him.

Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with [an attitude of] thanksgiving;

Ephesians 5:20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

Let <gnorizo> to make known, give to understand

This is a small word with significant meaning. First, God wants to hear from us! He anticipates our dependence on Him and our desire to love Him. He wants us to voice our struggles and concerns to Him. He sent His only Son to suffer and die because of His great love for us. He wants us to have a relationship with Him. Second, we are to make known our concerns but then we are to give them to God for His understanding. We are unable to figure everything out, but God will allow us the information we need to honor Him. I like to know the beginning from the end, the expected result, the exact direction. But this is not my story, it is God’s. He will reveal to His children what is needed. The result is His to know.

Is your relationship with God hit and miss – there when you need Him but out of sight and mind when you believe you have things covered?
Do you lay your petitions and concerns at the feet of the cross – and leave them there, trusting in God’s direction and plan?

Earnestly seeking to know God day by day, moment by moment, and trusting in His knowledge and plan for all things, produces a heart of peace.

Your requests <aitema> a thing asked, petition

Does God care about my petitions, my thoughts, my cares, and concerns?

God tells us to bring our cares to Him. He desires our earnest need for Him. When we share prayer requests with others, we might struggle with what words to use or how it may sound. We may even hesitate to share certain things. God already knows our deepest thoughts, there is no surprise about our struggles, and He understands what we really need (which does not always match with our own thinking). Conversing with God in prayer, supplication and thanksgiving is the hallmark of our dependence on Him. It is the characteristic of an authentic relationship. Compare the idea of having the whole of your relationship at a facility where ‘church’ meets once or twice a week. God is not contained in a building. He resides in a believer’s heart and soul 24/7. Read the verses below. Notice the description of continually bringing your requests before the Lord.

1Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.

James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises.

Be made known to God. (with generous, filial, unreserved confidence; not keeping aught back, as too great, or else too small, to bring before God, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary)

“They who by a preposterous shame or distrustful modesty, cover, stifle, or keep in their desires, as if they were either too small or too great, must be racked with care; from which they are entirely delivered, who pour them out with a free and filial confidence.” John Wesley’s Notes on the Old and New Testaments

Do you present your concerns to God?

We sometimes readily and even eagerly share our prayer requests with others. God desires us to come to Him, to kneel before Him and pour out our concerns no matter how small. When we acknowledge our need for Him, seeking His counsel, His peace and comfort, trusting in His ways, He is glorified.

Picture the time you might spend with a close friend. You readily share even the smallest details of circumstances to explain your thoughts, whether they are funny, sad, encouraging or challenging. God cares about the details. This is not that we go to Him with a light-minded attitude, but with an understanding that He absolutely loves us, cares for us, has created us, and desires us to desire Him.

Does God really care about all my concerns?

Luke 12:7 "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows. - every hair on your head is numbered.

1Peter 5:7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. – all means everything.

Go back to the beginning of Philippians 4:6 which says, - in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Psalm 139:1-3 O LORD, Thou hast searched me and known [me.] Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, And art intimately acquainted with all my ways.

1John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us [in] whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

“Resigning yourselves to the disposal of God, be anxiously solicitous about nothing; but in every difficulty, by prayer for what is good, and deprecation of what is evil, with thanksgiving for mercies received, make known your desires to God, who, if He see it fit, will grant your requests. Or if not, these devout exercises will enable you to bear with patience whatever affliction God allots to you.” Macknight on the Epistles

What is the result of practicing Philippians 4:6?

Thanksgiving results in prayer which replaces anxious thoughts with resounding peace.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Only a child of God can understand this peace. It cannot be explained. But when it is realized, it trumps all anxious thoughts as our soul is guarded by Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be established.

“Both our bodily and spiritual interests will be safe when we place them in the Lord's hands, and, through the peace which will result from our faith, our thoughts will become steady, calm, resolute, and joyful”, Spurgeon Devotional Commentary.

The Word

Consider this. Without the gift of God’s grace in the believer’s life, there would be no chance of understanding God’s Word. Intellectual understanding is far different than heart understanding which is only enlightened by God. Remember what Solomon prayed for when asked by God what he most desired?

Psalm 119:169-171

We are nearing the end of our study in Psalm 119 as we begin the first verse of our last section of eight! As you scroll through this Psalm from the beginning, jot down some key descriptions of God’s Word and its power in our lives. For instance, in verse one and two, as we keep God’s Word (the law of the Lord, His testimonies) we will be blameless and blessed; verse three – we will be righteous. Your list may look something like this:

God’s Word - keeps His children blameless

causes His children to be blessed

the key to righteousness

In Psalm 119:4 we read God’s word is ordained meaning it is appointed, or set in order; it is purposed.

As we move forward through our last section of verses, David’s need for God and his trust in Him continues to be the focus.

Ps 119:169 Let my cry come before Thee, O LORD; Give me understanding according to Thy word.

David cries – a shout of joy or grief, a proclamation, rejoicing and triumph;

Before the Lord – to approach for whatever purpose, to draw near.

The Psalmist cries before God. The intensity of his supplication speaks of his humility before God. He pleads for almighty God to hear his humble request. David would not be able to do this effectively without having a relationship with God. This cannot go unnoticed because it is so imperative to our own relationship with God. First, is it apparent – do we know God as our Father who appropriated His only Son to die for our sin and rise from the dead so that we can have a relationship with God? Second, is this relationship manifest in our life? We must begin here, at the cross in order to relate the truths of God’s word to our life. Without this relationship, we cannot have understanding.

Because of David’s relationship with God, he cries to Him for understanding. This understanding is different from the intellect in the world. It enables a believer to distinguish what is right and wrong – according to God’s Word. This understanding comes directly from God’s written Word. When we read the Bible and pray, God teaches us His ways. The Word provides discernment and instruction, direction and wisdom.

Do we take full advantage of the teaching available to us? Spending time in the Word regularly, attending classes of instruction such as Sunday school, taking part in fellowship opportunities and going to church to hear preaching of God’s Word are available to most of us.

Ps 119:27 Make me understand the way of Thy precepts, so I will meditate on Thy wonders.

It is interesting to note that in all the difficulties David is experiencing, he cries for understanding before he requests God to deliver him from his troubles. This sends a message to us of what is most important – that we know and understand God. I love Paul’s prayer for understanding for the Ephesian believers:

Eph 1:17-19a that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 [I pray that] the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary says, “Do our hearts, cleansed in Christ's blood, make these prayers, resolutions and confessions our own? Is God's word the standard of our faith, and the law of our practice? Do we use it as pleas with Christ for what we need? Happy those who live in such delightful exercises”. (Emphasis mine)

True understanding of something takes thoughtful consideration and effort.

Pr 2:3-5 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD, and discover the knowledge of God.

Jas 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

1Ki 3:5, 9 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, "Ask what [you wish] me to give you." 9 "So give Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Thine?"

Solomon’s prayer for understanding and wisdom was not for the benefit of himself but so that he might fulfill the plans God desired of him in a manner that would honor his Lord.

What is our example of prayer according to Psalm 119:169?

In the next verse, we continue to see the humility of our Psalmist as he requests God’s attentive reply. In verse 169 we read, ‘let my cry come before Thee’. In addition to asking God to hear him, the Psalmist requests God’s favor to hear him.

Ps 119:170 Let my supplication come before Thee; Deliver me according to Thy word.

Consider approaching the mightiest of men and knowing you are unworthy of being in the presence of such a man. You not only find yourself in his presence but also have the opportunity to speak. Most of us would assume a position and character of humility if given this appointment.

David has a relationship with God but fully understands it is only because God has reached out to him, he does not merit the attention of Jehovah because of his own accord. We can imagine David saying, ‘please hear me, please regard my prayer’. Previously, the Psalmist asked for understanding, now he asks for God to defend and even rescue him – according to His word.

David does not have a cleverly devised scheme in being delivered from the onslaught of his enemies, he trusts in God’s plan. He desires to be helped according to God’s will.

In Genesis chapter 32, we have recorded for us a similar request to God from Jacob (Ge 32:9-12).

The word supplication, used in verse 170, speaks of making an appeal to God, an earnest request. This is asked as a favor of God’s grace. When we go before someone with an appeal for something, we are asking for acceptance. As our understanding of God grows, the realization that we can even be in His presence is astounding!

Perhaps David is thinking ‘please deliver me and protect me from my adversaries, but not according to my way because I know it is flawed, but according to your righteousness’.

How do we approach God? Is it with a heart that knows we are undeserving of his mercy? Do we request His plan for our lives? Do we praise God for His instruction and answers?

Ps 119:171 Let my lips utter praise, For Thou dost teach me Thy statutes.

It is only because of God that we know Him. Because He has chosen to reach down and touch us with His grace, and bestow His mercy upon us, we can approach His word with a heart of gaining understanding. For this we are to praise Him!

Consider the numerous scholars of the bible. Many years of analyzing words may go into attaining a degree of biblical study, yet without the Holy Spirit of God, there is no real understanding. Intellectual knowledge does not change a soul.

David, our Psalmist, is a shepherd boy turned giant slayer who became king. However, his most treasured identity lies in the fact that he is God’s anointed (1 Sam 16:12-13).

We have the certainty that God will teach us His statutes. David says in Psalm 119:171, “Let my lips utter praise”. How do we use our lips? Do we pay attention to our language, our speech, our talk and our words? Do words of praise come forth from our mouth?

Ps 119:7 I shall give thanks to Thee with uprightness of heart, when I learn Thy righteous judgments.

The 1599 Geneva Bible Notes says the phrase ‘my lips shall utter praise’ means to pour forth continually. One commentary says this phrase means ‘praises streaming forth as from a bubbling, overflowing fountain’ (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary).

David expects that God will teach him His statutes. We can be confident that God will teach us about Himself through His word. Because of Him we have understanding and knowledge of who He is and what He desires for those who earnestly follow Him. We can have confidence in the direction He shows us. This should lead us to praise Him!

Read Paul’s words as he writes to the church in Ephesus.

Eph 1:9-12 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, [that is], the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

If the truth above does not lead us to praise, we need to seriously reconsider if we are God’s child.

Ps 71:17, 23 O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth; and I still declare Thy wondrous deeds. 23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to Thee; and my soul, which Thou hast redeemed.

“The heart taught of God, cannot contain itself, but breaks out in praise and singing. This would be the effect of divine illumination, and this would be felt to be a privilege, yea, and a high duty. Have you not found so, believers, specially on common occasions? Be assured, such utterances are the sign of a renewed heart; yea, of a heart filled with all gratitude of right feeling.” --John Stephen, in the Treasury of David

Ps 44:8 In God we have boasted all day long, and we will give thanks to Thy name forever. Selah.

Jer 9:23-24 Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, "declares the LORD.

God teaches us His commands. His instruction gives us understanding on how we are to live in a manner pleasing to Him. God’s word instructs us to praise Him continuously. Are the words grumble and complain and accusation and blame descriptive of our speech? Do we often hear ourselves speaking of what others have done wrong or what they should be doing, instead of how we ourselves should be living? Do we offer a heart of discontent or a hymn of praise to God?

God will give us the understanding we need if we ask. He will hear our prayers and protect us. He will teach us His commands. Praise Him for His great grace!

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

What comes to mind is that often we need to go through a circumstance knowing that God’s promises are true and He will protect us. God always remains faithful to His character of perfect righteousness, and we can count on His guidance even in our most difficult times.

The eighteenth division of Psalm 119, beginning with verse 137 has been dealing with the perfect righteousness of God and His word. Even in the worst difficulties, we can have confidence in God’s faithfulness. The last two verses contained in this section continue on with the steadfast soul of David clinging to what he knows is true and seeking to find his preservation in God’s testimonies.

Ps 119:143-144 Trouble and anguish have come upon me; [Yet] Thy commandments are my delight. 144 Thy testimonies are righteous forever; Give me understanding that I may live.

You’ve heard the saying “caught between a rock and a hard place”. This is an idiom that basically means you are facing two equally unpleasant, dangerous, or risky alternatives, where the avoidance of one ensures encountering the harm of the other (idioms, thefreedictionary). Wiktionary explains this saying as “having the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandary”.

When our Psalmist speaks of trouble, this is the picture he is painting for us. The Hebrew word is tsar meaning narrow, a tight place, an opponent, adversary, affliction, or distress. Isn’t it true that sometimes we may feel there is no place to turn that will accommodate a pleasant outcome? What comes to mind is that often we need to go through a circumstance knowing that God’s promises are true and He will protect us. God always remains faithful to His character of perfect righteousness, and we can count on His guidance even in our most difficult times. David gives us an additional word for his plight: anguish. When I looked this word up in Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary, I read a similar definition that was given for ‘trouble’ above: a narrow place, confinement. The idea of being disabled by anguish or distress in his trouble is added. I think we are given insight into how pained our Psalmist is in his circumstances. The KJV says, ‘trouble and anguish have taken hold on me’. These are strong words and feelings that describe his suffering.

How do you react when adversity hits you like a ton of bricks, threatening to crush you? What are your options? In what ways are you tempted to react? What is our example?

Ps 119:143 Trouble and anguish have come upon me; [Yet] Thy commandments are my delight.

Incredible! Even in David’s suffering, we see his resolve to claim God’s righteousness and find joy in His truths! God’s commands are the Psalmist’s delight. He finds pleasure in them. If we back up a bit in this same Psalm, we read a similar verse.

Ps 119:77 May Thy compassion come to me that I may live, for Thy law is my delight.

We go through various trials, either from those trying to derail us or from our own foolish or sinful choices. Regardless, we will be tried. Sometimes, our troubles may not even be noticeable to others, they may come from within. We can be distracted in our soul. Do we cling to God’s truths and find delight in His commands in every circumstance? What specific truths can we hold onto that cause us to find joy?

The Gospel. Lu 2:10-11 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
God called you. Jer 15:16 Thy words were found and I ate them, and Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
God is faithful, even when we are not. 2Ti 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.
God knows all things and sees all things correctly. Psalm 139:1-5
We can trust in His promises. Pr 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

We could go on and on with the above list. As we look upon the truths in God’s word, no matter what troubles we are experiencing, we can find delight. There is repetition of David constantly being drawn to focus on God even in the midst of difficult circumstances. I love the reminder we see in this repetition – We have a need to continuously look to God and His truths and promises even when things seem to overwhelm us. All throughout Psalm 119, the importance of clinging to God’s faithfulness and righteousness is proclaimed.

Ps 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, As much as in all riches.

Ps 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is truth.

Read what Matthew Henry’s Commentary says, “All this trouble and anguish did not put his mouth out of taste for the comforts of the word of God, but he could still relish them and find that peace and pleasure in them which all the calamities of this present time could not deprive him of. There are delights, variety of delights, in the word of God, which the saints have often the sweetest enjoyment of when they are in trouble and anguish”.

2Co 1:5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

What do we find ourselves thinking about – the riches we have in Christ or our worldly problems? Are we meditating on the word of God and His eternal promise to us?

It is not easy to avoid the vices that cause us to lose hope in this world, yet, hope placed in God is never lost, instead it is certain, absolute. When we feel as if there is no hope, our thinking needs to change. How can our thoughts be redirected? We’ve been given the answer in the next verse of this section in Psalm 119.

Ps 119:144 Thy testimonies are righteous forever; Give me understanding that I may live.

Here is our request to God – “give me understanding that I may live”. God is the one who gives us the mindset to focus on His truths. God is the one who gives us understanding of His promises. God restores our hope, He preserves and protects us, He is our salvation.

We can pray to God for more understanding, more peace, more hope, more strength and anything and everything else needed to continue to live according to His commands, with a heart of joy. We have a promise that we will live forever in heaven! In the meantime, we can count on God’s grace for comfort as we go through trials.

We can spend more time in God’s word for more understanding. What better thing is there to do when you are discouraged or feel like giving up than to go to the source of eternal joy?

Consider. What does forever mean? The Hebrew word owlam means the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind, eternity, everlasting. The word forever in our English language is used in a blasé manner for many things. We use phrases like, “I will love you forever or this or that forever” but what we really mean is, “until a better substitute is found”. We are a finicky people and have good intentions much of the time, but often, we are unable to follow through. God’s forever is vastly different. When we read that His word is righteous forever there is no underlying possibility of change. Therein is our hope. Therein is our joy. God’s children have a promise of life eternal. It is certain and affords us the ability to continue on through any difficult circumstance with a heart centered on Truth.

What is the alternative to having certain hope? Death. Life without God leads to death, eternal separation from Him and all that is true. We are either saved by God’s grace or condemned by our sin.

Review the eighteenth section of Psalm 119.

God is righteous (Ps 119:137); God’s judgments are righteous (Ps 119:138); God’s word is righteous and leads us to a zeal that pines for those who do not follow Him (Ps 119:139); God’s word is pure and leads us to a love for it (Ps 119:140); Even when we feel small and despised, we are upheld by God’s word (Ps 119:141); God’s righteousness is everlasting and true (Ps 119:142); and we can take delight in God’s word no matter the trouble that surrounds us (Ps 119:143).

The above is true joy, joy that is only found in Him, joy that understands that without the precious gift of Jesus Christ, my sin will lead to the certainty of death and separation from God rather than eternal life. The Psalmist understood this. Do you? The Psalmist embraced these truths. Do you?

Patrick/Lowth/Whitby/Lowman Commentary makes this statement, “all the declarations Thou hast made of Thy will to us are so just and true that they will never fail our expectation: O give me wisdom to order my life according to them! And then it shall not be in the power of my enemies to make me miserable”.

Ps 119:34 Give me understanding, that I may observe Thy law, and keep it with all [my] heart.

Ps 119:66 Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Thy commandments.

2Co 4:6 For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

1Jo 5:20-21 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Joh 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.

Isa 43:11 "I, even I, am the LORD; and there is no savior besides Me.

“God's testimonies to man cannot be assailed, they are righteous from beginning to end; and though ungodly men have opposed the divine justice, especially in the plan of salvation, they have always failed to establish any charge against the Most High. Long as the earth shall stand, long as there shall be a single intelligent creature in the universe, it will be confessed that God's plans of mercy are in all respects marvellous proofs of his love of justice: even that he may be gracious Jehovah will not be unjust.” Treasury of David

Join with me in praying all the more for understanding of God’s word, for increased love for His truths, that by it we can live in the joy of God’s promises through all circumstances. “Give me understanding that I may live” – this is the gospel. Grasp it, Claim it, Trust in it, and Share it.

One Year Later

God continues to intervene in my plans on a daily basis, the opportunities to serve have increased, I have been stretched to the ‘breaking point’ several times, and I’ve messed up even more times. But in all things God has shown His grace and mercy. I am still walking on two legs, have breath in me, and an increasingly strong desire to remain focused on the One who provides all I have and who has made me in His image and called me His child.

It has been just over one year since I began this blog. As I reread my first entry, (to see this click here) I am so very thankful that God lead me to share His truths in a forum that is accessible to more than those I am blessed to be in personal contact with. I am still not computer savvy, yet God has allowed my patience to be tested on numerous occasions as I’ve learned new IT terms, programs and what it means to be floating around in ‘the’ cloud!

I love my Lord and Savior more with each passing day and can absolutely attest that my desire to know Him and study His word has greatly increased. The opportunity to write, to be encouraged, challenged, reminded and comforted by digging in to Scripture is a blessing to cherish. To be able to share what God shows me with others, is one of the greatest excitements in my life!

I have heard from you stories of how God is working in your lives, and the encouragement from those stories is part of what drives me to continue to move forward in sharing my pursuit in knowing Jesus more.

So here we are, 92 posts and Bible studies published; being read in China, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Israel, Sweden, the Russian Federation and Netherlands, as well as the United States; over 46,000 visits and a truly humbled heart that perhaps one individual has been encouraged to seek God’s truths. I am a bit overwhelmed that God can use a person such as myself, the only title to claim being His child, for His glory. Gratitude fills my heart as I continue this lifelong pursuit of growing in my understanding and knowledge of my Lord and Savior.

Thank you for hanging in there with me, even when technical issues were discouraging and things didn’t load correctly. Forgive me for spelling and grammar errors. Prayerfully, I will continue to Focus Heavenward and sing towards the heavens in my soul to Thee – The One True God! May He bless you with the riches of Eternal Life in His presence!

Please continue to pray for me! My prayer for you is contained in one of my favorite sections of Scripture, in the words of Paul, written to the Ephesian church:

Eph 1:17-19 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him 18 [I pray that] the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

Out of Control…

Things happen! Difficult things happen! Unfair things happen! Tragic things happen! Where do you go for understanding, for comfort? How do you respond to those unexpected tragedies?

OUT OF CONTROL…

In 2008, Natalie Grant released the song In Christ Alone. Read the words to the first line below.

In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song.

Things happen! Difficult things happen! Unfair things happen! Tragic things happen! Where do you go for understanding, for comfort? How do you respond to those unexpected tragedies? Is there truth to be considered in the lyrics written above?

Consider. Hope placed in any resource, except that of the promises of God, is at best fleeting. Temporary comfort, brief periods of peace, momentary relief, and abbreviated times without stress, can be found. Religion or religious entities offer some answers. But, following a religious beliefs and customs, adhering to standards written by men, practicing rituals in order to attain peace are all things WE do. Consider. If we had the power within ourselves to bring about true lasting peace in all circumstances, why did God send His Son to die on the cross? In Christ Alone…

1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

2Co 1:3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort;

A living hope. Living. Something that endures. Something active. Something in existence. Not dead. Not extinct.

In Christ alone my hope is found. Truth – when we take ourselves out of the equation. Dependence on me, on myself, in doing anything other than relying upon God’s promises, offers only temporary hope. Devastation and unforeseen tragedy will kill all hope found in anything but Christ.

Ex 15:2 "The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will extol Him.

He is my light, my strength, my song.

God created light. Ge 1:3-5 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

God gives light. He gives us understanding. Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. Ps 119:130 The unfolding of Thy words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.

Christ is our strength. 1Ch 16:11 Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.

How is Christ our strength? He is our force, our security, our majesty, our praise, our boldness, our power. Ps 29:11 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace. Ps 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble.

The Lord is my song. My reason for praise.

Ps 103:1-5 (A Psalm of David.) Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Ps 34:1-6 (A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him) (away and he departed.) I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

“This Cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease. My Comforter, my All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand.” 2008, Natalie Grant

Always out of our control… NEVER OUT OF GOD’S CONTROL

Hope found in Christ gives us light in the darkness, strength when we’re weak and reason to praise at all times!

Rollercoasters and Socks

God doesn’t just play a game with us, moving us like pawns on a chessboard hoping everything will turn out as planned. He has specifically established His perfect plan for our lives.

Crazy – madness or insanity, possessed by inordinate excitement.

I had a crazy weekend with many unexpected turns, rearranged schedules and blown expectations of what was planned. My plans changed and re-changed as God gave His direction, not in a complete picture of understanding, but in small glimpses of how we could help by being flexible.

A few things come to mind looking back at the last few days. The saying “go with the flow” and scripture in Proverbs 16.

Go With the Flow. This idiom has several interpretations of meaning. One dictionary says it means to cope with adversity; to accept one’s lot. Another explains it as moving along with the prevailing forces, accepting the prevailing trend. This would be much like the familiar picture of a school of fish all swimming in one direction. As I looked at several other explanations of the saying, ‘go with the flow’, I realized that my use of these words didn’t really match up with all the definitions given. Rather, my mind considers that going with the flow means to accept whatever direction God points. It’s more than just coping with adversity, it’s looking at changes with a mindset that God’s plans will prevail and His plans are always better than the schedule I set for myself. It is in that sense, to accept and move forward in His lead, that ‘go with the flow’ is a good description of this last weekend. The adjective crazy does still apply however! Maybe insanity is a coping mechanism?!

The Bible always has the best interpretation of how I should be thinking, and it is always on point. Proverbs 16:9 says “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps”. This verse sounds like my life! The meaning of mind, or heart in the KJV, includes the feelings, will and intellect; basically everything about him. Man plans his way. I make plans, you probably make plans also. We certainly make choices, we consider what direction to take, and we write our schedules in a calendar to keep track of them. This is all good – as long as we’re ready to release our goals to be rearranged, flipped upside down or even thrown out by God’s better plans. When I looked up the Hebrew word for ‘directs’, I found it contains the words faithfulness, perfect, preparation, provide, stable and establish. God doesn’t just play a game with us, moving us like pawns on a chessboard hoping everything will turn out as planned. He has specifically established His perfect plan for our lives. He is in control of all things and He is faithful! This seems to go along with the verse in Romans 8:28.

Ro 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose.

Yes, the events of this last weekend were not at all what we had planned! We were going to celebrate our son-in-law’s birthday – He was called to take a last minute flight to family that was ill. My oldest granddaughter and I had plans to work on a sewing project, we even purchased the fabric, then it became evident that just a time of snuggling and talk and encouragement was a much higher priority. Our oldest son and his wife received news of complications of health in a family member. Again, our plans were redirected to help with their children so they could attend to encouraging others. Tired? Yes! Actually, kind of exhausted. But, God is faithful! We even had the energy to keep one of our grandsons overnight last evening so his Mommy could go to work. Blessings? Yes! From God – a calm, gentle spirit through all; thankfulness that He kept us available; encouragement by the responses in our grown children to immediately help others and the blessing to see their reliance upon God; opportunities to discuss with my oldest granddaughter how topsy-turvy events can still be a blessing; sweet early morning hugs from a grandson and many more blessings I’m sure we don’t even recognize. One more blessing of thankfulness to point out – I’m really thankful for the energy God gave me when I was younger to raise my kids! Children take an enormous amount of time. I am reminded to always keep our young families in prayer for steadfastness each day in God’s strength.

I don’t necessarily enjoy roller coasters, but this crazy, eventful life God has given me is definitely a reminder that I need to stay grounded in him through all the unexpected turns and somersaults He faithfully allows in my plans. For His good. Because I love Him and am called by Him!

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I pray your direction is clear, your plans remain flexible and your Savior blesses the socks off your feet as you follow Him in all things! 

Tag: understanding

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