GOD’S WORD WILL NOT, CANNOT EVER CHANGE!

THE WORD IS ESTABLISHED ON THE CHARACTER OF GOD

Psalm 119:89-96

Forever, O LORD, your word

is firmly fixed in the heavens.

Your faithfulness endures to all generations;

you have established the earth, and it stands fast.

By your appointment they stand this day,

for all things are your servants.

If your law had not been my delight,

I would have perished in my affliction.

I will never forget your precepts,

for by them you have given me life.

I am yours; save me,

for I have sought your precepts.

The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,

but I consider your testimonies.

I have seen a limit to all perfection,

but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

                                                               

There is great peace in knowing that the Word of God is firmly fixed in the heavens forever. Jesus confirmed this when He was on earth.

Luke 21:33

        Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

The reality of a Word that is fixed forever is based on who God is. The Word is established on the character of God. He is holy and will therefore never have anything corrupt in His Word. God cannot lie, so nothing He has ever said is untruthful.

Numbers 23:19

God is not man, that he should lie,

or a son of man, that he should change his mind.

Has he said, and will he not do it?

Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

The Word is trustworthy because of God’s faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 32:4

“The Rock, his work is perfect,

for all his ways are justice.

A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,

just and upright is he.

Lamentations 3:22-24

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

Although Israel was in great difficulty, Jeremiah knew that he could trust the character of God. God was, and will always be, faithful to His promises. Not only is God’s character trustworthy, but His power and dominion are unchallenged. By His word everything was established and by His power all continues to subsist.

Hebrews 11:1-3

        Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

1 Corinthians 8:5-6

        For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

There is so much peace in knowing that, although the world has many gods, there is only one true God that has absolute power over all.

Without the Word of God there is no real hope; without a relationship with the one and only true God there would be only desperation. The writer knew it well. Every day we are faced with decisions that cause us to choose whether we will trust God or not. Even Jesus asked the disciples if they were still going to follow Him.

John 6:66-69

        After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Peter had it right! There was no other place to go! He wavered at times, but he knew that only Jesus had the answers. The writer is saying the same thing; even though there are enemies, he knows Whom he has trusted and has resolved to follow God.

Dear friends, what a reminder this is for me, as I face my day, knowing that I will be faced with different trials, and thus will have to chose whether I will trust the eternal Word of God or not!

Isaiah 40:6-8

…All flesh is grass,

and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades

when the breath of the LORD blows on it;

surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever.

Will I set my feet on what is eternal and unchanging, or will I lend my ear to what is merely temporal and earthly?

YOU DON’T HAVE TO PRETEND!

LIFE IS HARD! TRUST GOD!

Psalm 119:81-88

My soul longs for your salvation;

I hope in your word.

My eyes long for your promise;

I ask, “When will you comfort me?”

For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,

yet I have not forgotten your statutes.

How long must your servant endure?

When will you judge those who persecute me?

The insolent have dug pitfalls for me;

they do not live according to your law.

All your commandments are sure;

they persecute me with falsehood; help me!

They have almost made an end of me on earth,

but I have not forsaken your precepts.

In your steadfast love give me life,

that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

Is the writer desperate? Is he without hope? He certainly is battling his feelings, and his situation is hard! I love the fact that, as believers, we do not have to pretend that life is easy or that there are not times when we long for reprieve.

It is during the hard times that our commitment to God is exposed. It is during the dark times that we find out where we look for light and direction.

The psalmist desires the salvation of the Lord and sets his hope on the Word. He is not deterred; he depends completely on the Word to inform him and help him understand what is right. He desires to be freed, but he will not hope in man or in man’s solutions, but only in what he knows is true and trustworthy.

Certainly, he wants theory to become practice. He wants to see with his eyes the fleshing out of God’s promises. He wants comfort, and he knows it will come from God but he is losing his strength. The wineskin was getting dried out by the smoke and therefore it was losing its elasticity, putting it in danger of breaking. The writer feels that he is arriving at the end of his ability to cope with his situations. Have we been there? Are you there now? The writer, inspired by God, is an example of resolve; he will not forget and forsake the instructions of God.

He is surrounded by the ungodly. They are attacking him with no concern for the law of God. Their actions are making his life hard. In fact, they are trying to make him stumble. He knows that God’s statutes are true, but he needs help!

He needs help not to forget and to persevere. Oh, how we need to remember what is true about God while we endure difficulties that seem to push us beyond our abilities.

Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

Hebrews 4:14-16

        Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Way too often, we have decided what the outcome of the situation should be and we measure God’s performance based on what we expect, instead of trusting Him for the solution. God wants us to trust Him for both the outcome and the strength.

The writer knows that there is something that will not change, that can be trusted: that is God’s unending and unchanging love. It was not given to us based on our performance and it will continue only on the basis of God’s faithfulness.

As long as he has life, he will he will keep and trust the ways of God. May God help us to have that kind of resolve, no matter how hard things get.

DO NOT OVERLOOK THIS TRUTH!

DIFFICULTIES ARE A GIFT FROM GOD!

Psalm 119:65-72

You have dealt well with your servant,

O LORD, according to your word.

Teach me good judgment and knowledge,

for I believe in your commandments.

Before I was afflicted I went astray,

but now I keep your word.

You are good and do good;

teach me your statutes.

The insolent smear me with lies,

but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;

their heart is unfeeling like fat,

but I delight in your law.

It is good for me that I was afflicted,

that I might learn your statutes.

The law of your mouth is better to me

than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

In this portion of our psalm, the writer shows us the value of difficulties and that all of the difficulties in our life come ultimately from the hand of God. He acknowledges that before the work of God he had gone astray. The actions of the Lord were not surprising, because God had always dealt with him according to His word.

The psalmist knows that he needs God to teach him good judgment, which he will learn through God’s providential dealing in his life. He has learned to believe in God’s word, and has decided to keep it. I tend to complain when difficulties come into my life, when things do not align with what I want, and I totally miss the loving hand of God guiding, redirecting, and correcting my ways. Affliction is good and useful! We should welcome it in our lives, as its goals should be the same ones that drive our lives.

What a simple and true statement, when the writer says that God is good and does good. We completely miss this truth when we think that other people have power over our circumstances, that has not been ordained by God’s goodness. We have said it before, but I need to be reminded every day, as I tend to forget: God’s hand is behind every event, every circumstance in my life. There is no action that touches my life apart from what God, in His goodness, has allowed me to endure. His goal is to cause me to love Him more and more, and to love His Word.

Yes, there will always be people who behave sinfully around me. They seem insensitive to what is right, but their actions should not drive me to bitterness and rebellion. Rather, they should catapult me into the arms of God.

John 15:4-5

        Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

How foolish I am, when I resist the work of God in my life that drives me into His arms!   How easily I forget that, apart from God, that I cannot do anything of any value. I get frustrated when things seem to deter my plans, instead of embracing my redirection by the sovereign and loving hand of my good God and Savior.

The psalmist has arrived at the conclusion that affliction not only is acceptable, but it is also good. Difficulties are not to be avoided, but they should be embraced. God’s redirection and correction should be expected and invited, as they prod us toward our goal to be like Christ and to produce fruit that is eternal.  

I am so unwise in my decisions, that I should be grateful for God’s intervention in my life. Naturally, I tend to gravitate towards the things of this world. But as the psalmist concludes this section, God’s law is more attractive than riches.

May we be driven by a sincere desire for godliness, rather than personal comfort. I know that I would have avoided much pain and sin, if I had not rebelled against the distress that God was placing in my life. God has always dealt well with me, even though I have not been quick to recognize this and be thankful.

Are there things that did not go according to your plans lately? Rest assured that they were exactly what our good God intended, and that they are good for you!

PROGRESS MUST BE OUR GOAL

GOD IS ALL I NEED!

Psalm 119:57-64

The LORD is my portion;

I promise to keep your words.

I entreat your favor with all my heart;

be gracious to me according to your promise.

When I think on my ways,

I turn my feet to your testimonies;

I hasten and do not delay

to keep your commandments.

Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,

I do not forget your law.

At midnight I rise to praise you,

because of your righteous rules.

I am a companion of all who fear you,

of those who keep your precepts.

The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love;

teach me your statutes!

The LORD is whom I have chosen. He is all I want, He is all I need, and He is the One I will follow! My portion is complete commitment to God.

In Psalm 16:5, David recognizes his total dependence on God:

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

        you hold my lot.

David knows that as he has given himself completely to God. He has intentionally aligned his ways to the One who holds everything in His hands, including every aspect of his life.

Lamentations 3:21-24

But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

Jeremiah had learned to trust the LORD. He knew that God’s love is eternal and that He is merciful and faithful. Therefore he was confident in entrusting his life to the LORD.

The writer of this psalm knows that God will act according to His promises, and he has full trust in them. We humans can certainly be unfaithful, but God will always be faithful.

What an example he is for us, as he considers his ways and immediately follows the instructions found in the Word. I know that as I mature in Christ, my quickness to implement and follow the Scriptures should improve. As believers, our progress should be desired and visible. So many verses remind us that we should be growing spiritually.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-2

        Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 

As long as we are on earth, progress will be our goal. The writer is aware of all the obstacles; he knows that he lives in a world that is bent in a totally different direction. He has chosen carefully the people with whom he spends his time.

Psalm 119:63

I am a companion of all who fear you,

        of those who keep your precepts.

I have said it before, and I will repeat myself: every healthy believer is a member of a healthy local church. I am always stunned when some Christians say that their best friends are the unsaved. Every believer needs a healthy local church where the Word of God is taught, and where his gifts are developed and put into practice. Those believers, who desire to be faithful, realize that they cannot be, apart from the teaching of the Word and their involvement with other believers.

What a blessing it is to be involved in other believers’ lives, as we prepare to go out and live as lights in a godless world.

As we study the Word, we become more and more aware of God’s unending and caring love for us. Our hunger for the Word of God should grow continually.

May the progress in your spiritual life be visible, as you love and live around those whom God has placed in your life today!

ARE YOU READY FOR THE COMING TRIALS?

PREPARE FOR DIFFICULTIES THROUGH THE WORD!

Psalm 119:49-56

Remember your word to your servant,

in which you have made me hope.

This is my comfort in my affliction,

that your promise gives me life.

The insolent utterly deride me,

but I do not turn away from your law.

When I think of your rules from of old,

I take comfort, O LORD.

Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,

who forsake your law.

Your statutes have been my songs

in the house of my sojourning.

I remember your name in the night, O LORD,

and keep your law.

This blessing has fallen to me,

that I have kept your precepts.

At this point, the writer is addressing his relationship to the Word while he is going through difficult times. He has placed his hope, his trust, upon the LORD in the midst of trials. He knows that there are times when he tends to forget the very Word that is his point of reference.

I love it, that he uses the word “remember”, for it is impossible to remember something that we have not known or seen before. We have seen it before, but again this psalm is reminding us that preparation comes before the trial.

Before the trial we need to have meditated upon the Word of God. We need to have learned the character of God, we need to have been exposed to the power of God, we need to have learned to trust the wisdom of God, and learned to understand and know the love of God.

Trials are always around the corner, so we need to know what God has promised to His children. We receive life through the Scriptures and we enjoy life because of the truths of the Bible.

The world lives according to totally different standards, and with earthly goals. All men without God live according to their own wisdom. Men will always look with contempt at the life of the believer who submits to the teaching of the Scriptures. The writer is resolved not to allow the mocking of those who live by other standards to drive him away from the Word. He knows that in the Word he will find comfort. It is interesting that the word comfort is the same one we find in the 23^rd Psalm.

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

The Word of God should bring peace to the believer; it should bring certainty that there is nothing to fear because the LORD of the Word is in total control, both of the circumstances and of the people around us.

There is indignation that rises up toward the enemies of God in this section, but there is no desperation. The Scriptures have been the theme of this writer’s songs. A life of worship prepared him for times of distress. During sleepless nights, the Scriptures had been his comfort.

The reality of remembering and keeping the Law of the Lord has been a blessing. In fact, it is an ongoing blessing and source of peace for him.

The psalmist knows the importance of remembering and keeping the Word of God and that he is totally dependent on God to remind him daily, especially in times of great distress.

When I deal with difficulties, being able to remember God’s Word is a wonderful blessing, but God has also used fellow believers to remind me about the words of God during dark times. Meditating on and knowing the Scriptures prepares us to be an encouragement, a light to our brothers and sisters when they are going through trials. We have nothing more precious and more helpful than the Word of God, to give to those who are in need of comfort.

Maybe there is someone you know who needs to be comforted through the Word right now. God wants to use you to be a light for someone today!

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

        Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Are you wondering why you are going through difficulties? God wants you to be encouraged by His care, and thus prepared to comfort others through their trials!