Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
The account of the life of Noah is found in Genesis chapters 6 through 9.
Based upon the wickedness that had engulfed the earth, the Lord had chosen to bring judgment upon mankind through a world-wide flood. Up to this point in time in history, it had never even rained. God had sent water to feed the crops by sending dew upon the earth (Gen 2:6). How difficult it would be for anyone to understand what “rain” or a “flood” would be like!
However, God, solely by His grace (Gen 6:8), warned Noah of the upcoming flood and instructed him on the way to safety… the building of an arc. If Noah, through God's gracious intervention, believed God’s message and followed God’s instructions, he would be able to save his family, and himself. If, in a spirit of unbelief, Noah mocked God’s warnings and rejected God’s instructions; death would come upon him and his family, just as the other unbelievers of his day.
In our text, we are told that Noah responded in a spirit of reverence and respect (fear) for God and His Word, accepting it by faith. This reverence and respect motivated Him to believe the flood was coming and prepare for it just as God directed him. His faithfulness resulted in bringing salvation to himself, and his family. This salvation was not limited to salvation from the waters of the flood, but also salvation from their sins.
Noah’s acts of belief and preparation of the ark had three results. They condemned the unbelieving world, giving them a visual testimony of faith, and how to prepare for the coming judgment. It also was his God-given faith in the Lord and His Word that worked his salvation and righteousness. And it was also through his faithful actions, his family came to a trust in God as well.
When God graciously works in our life, calling us to trust in Him and His Word… let’s rely on Him for grace and take that step of faith. In doing so, we will be setting an example that will glorify God in the eyes of all who see us, encourage other believers, and set the example for lost loved ones to trust in Him as well.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
As we look into God’s Word, in Genesis chapter 1, we find the clear teaching that the Lord simply spoke the world into existence. “Let there be light” or “let there be a firmament…” the list goes on and on.
Were we there when He spoke the world into existence? Absolutely not! How do we understand that He verbally brought everything into existence? It is by our faith. It is our faith in our Lord, and in His Word, that gives us an understanding of those things that otherwise could not be understood.
Visible nature was created from nothing. When our Lord spoke the creative word… creation took place, not just a reforming of what already existed, but a bringing into existence that which previously was nothingness. From this, we can learn two basic principles:
The power of God and His Word is limitless. To create our world from nothing proves this.
It is through God’s gift of faith and the truths of His Word, that many graces are appropriated to our lives. Along with an understanding of divine truths, spiritual life and Godly decision making, are some of the graces received when we exercise faith in the Lord and the message of His Word.
(Please note: The converse is true as well. If we do not believe His Word it is of no benefit to us. It will only increase our responsibility at the last judgment. It will be one the standards used to determine the level of our punishment as we stand before Him.)
Let’s all determine in our hearts to approach God’s Word in a spirit of faith. It is His perfect, powerful, faithful Word. It does not contain errors, nor does it contain false promises. We can rest on the knowledge Christ and His Word can be relied upon to meet our every spiritual need.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
Prov 3:6 – “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
In this short 12 word verse, we find one of the most precious promises of the Bible… the promise for the Lord’s leadership and guidance in our lives. But in this same verse, we find one of the most difficult aspects of the Christians life… following the path the Lord desires for our life.
One of my most frequently asked questions is “How can I find God’s will for my life?” In the next 6 blog entries we will be seeing what God’s word teaches us about this important subject…
What is God’s will ?
Not my will, but thine be done.
Thus saith the Lord
Oh what a feeling
Open and shut doors
Summary of the study
In part number 6 of our study lets study… “… He shall direct thy paths”
THE SCRIPTURE:
Ps 25:9-10 (KJV)
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.All the paths of the LORD [are] mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Prov 3:5-6 (KJV)
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Prov 16:9 (KJV)
A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
Isa 48:17 (KJV)
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I [am] the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way [that] thou shouldest go.
Jer 10:23 (KJV)
O LORD, I know that the way of man [is] not in himself: [it is] not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
THE STUDY:
Please notice all the above verses… these are just a few, of many verses that affirm, and then reaffirm, to us the promise that the Lord will show His will to anyone who sincerely desires to follow Him.
Throughout our study we have seen the graciousness of our Lord brought into view. From His first promise to show us His will; to giving us the desire to put His will first; to giving us His Word, the foundation and authority for all our decision making; to giving us thoughts, desires, and a conscience to lead us to His desires for us; to personally intervening in our lives opening and closing opportunities for us; we have His grace clearly shown.
As in every area of our life… we should be always appreciative for His many acts of grace on our behalf.
Now let’s apply all of our previous studies on His will to a very simple example… (please see practical application)
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For those who are saved…
Keeping our previous studies in mind, lets consider a practical application to our study…
Let’s assume that I am a young man that has been called to preach God’s Word. I am currently seeking aBibleCollegeto begin my studies. I am not sure which college the Lord would have me to attend…. Now what?
Step 1: I can be assured that the Lord has a will for my life, and I can put my full trust in His promises to show it to me.
Step 2: I examine my heart to be sure that it is His will that I desire. In prayer, I lay out my desires, asking Him to bless my efforts. However, I ALWAYS seek His will above any desires I may harbor within.
Step 3: I begin to compile a list of Bible Colleges that would meet my academic needs. I take into account their curriculum, their doctrinal statement, the testimony of their instructors, and the mission statement of the school. Also, the location of the nearest Bible teaching church, the ministries that would be open to me at each school, the cost of the classes, etc etc etc.
I look into the Bible to find the requirements of the position to which I have been called, the major Bible doctrines that should be taught, the requirements of Godly teachers, and the mission of those who are called of the Lord, the Lord’s teachings on indebtedness, etc, etc, etc.
Through this process I should be able to weed out some of the schools due to unscriptural doctrine, ungodly teachers, a lack of opportunities to serve the Lord while in college, excessive, wasteful costs or in some other way, not meeting my needs to prepare me for the ministry to which I have been called.
Step 4:
With the remaining choices left, I am sure that some school choices would seem more appealing than others. Now I have to be honest with myself… since from a Scriptural standpoint, all my remaining choices seem to be basically “equal”; why do some appeal to me more than others?
Is it perhaps, the Holy Spirit, placing in my heart the desire to attend the school the Lord would have for me, or is it simply a fleshly desire that really should not have a part in my decision making process. I come to the conclusion that it is due to the location of the school. I like warmer weather and the school I am drawn to is in the South. For now I take it into account, but I cannot allow it to be the final decision. That desire has no real spiritual significance.
My prayer now should be “Dear Lord, you know my desire to follow your will. Also, you know my desire for warmer weather. To my knowledge, this southern school is no better, or worse, that any of the other schools based upon principles of your Word. Please allow the doors to remain open so that I may attend… but not my will but thine be done.
Step 5: I apply to all the remaining schools, including the southern school… again, through the Lord’s intervention some more of the schools will be eliminated. Of the remaining schools to which I have been accepted, I begin a review of all the Biblical research I had done in step number 3. If the Lord shows me nothing new in His Word and, therefore, all the schools are still on equal footing after a review, then I are free to go to any of the schools to which I have been accepted.
If the southern school is one of the schools to which I have been accepted, I can feel free to go. The Lord has graciously kept the door to this school open for me. I should step through the open door with a thankful heart, knowing He has blessed me with a sound school and given me the desire of my heart.
Please remember, the Lord will hold me responsible to follow the directions of His Word. By researching schools in the context of His Word and then doing a final review, I have done all I can do to follow His teachings. Since He has opened doors to several schools, I can assume these schools would all fit into “His will” for my life. I can go to any I would choose with confidence, I have put His will first and now have His blessings upon me.
Ps 32:7-11
Thou [art] my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.Be ye not as the horse, [or] as the mule, [which] have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.Many sorrows [shall be] to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all [ye that are] upright in heart.
In our search for God’s Will ….
Prayer Principle #6 - At the end of this process we need to thank Him for showing us His will (even if it is a “no” answer or a “you must wait” answer). Also, we must commit ourselves to continued submission as we begin down this new path of life He has opened to us.
For those who have never trusted in Christ…
Just as the Lord opens opportunities to serve Him for His followers, so too, the Lord has opened opportunities to become a follower of Christ. The Lord never promised how long the opportunity to trust in Him would last, but He did make it plain that the opportunity to trust in Him would end someday…
John 12:35 (KJV)
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
None of us know what tomorrow will hold. A car accident, sickness or other tragedy could bring an end to the opportunity we’ve been given to trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior. That’s why anyone who has not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ should seek His face NOW. We have no promise of a tomorrow. We need to be ready to face eternity while we can.
If you have questions about the gracious salvation that our Lord offers to us, please feel free to refer to my blog page entitled "How to have a relationship with God" . Or, you can find any Bible teaching church, I’m sure anyone there would be glad to answer your questions about having a relationship with Almighty God.
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
Prov 3:6 – “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
In this short 12 word verse, we find one of the most precious promises of the Bible… the promise for the Lord’s leadership and guidance in our lives. But in this same verse, we find one of the most difficult aspects of the Christians life… following the path the Lord desires for our life.
One of the most frequently asked questions is “How can I find God’s will for my life?” In the next 6 blog entries we will be seeing what God’s word teaches us about this important subject…
What is God’s will ?
Not my will, but thine be done.
Thus saith the Lord
Oh what a feeling
Open and shut doors
Summary of the study
In part number 4 of our study lets study… “Oh what a feeling…”
THE SCRIPTURE:
Acts 17:10-11 (KJV)
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Rom 12:1-3 (KJV)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Phil 1:9-11 (KJV)
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment;That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;Being filled with the fruits
of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Phil 2:12-13 (KJV)
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.
Eph 5:6-13 (KJV)
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.Be not ye therefore partakers with them.For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light:(For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
1Thess 5:16-22 (KJV)
Rejoice evermore.Pray without ceasing.In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.Quench not the Spirit.Despise not prophesyings.Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.Abstain from all appearance of evil.
THE STUDY:
In our search for God’s will, many times we find ourselves relying on our ”feelings” to help us determine His desires for our lives. For example, a lack of a guilty conscience can be interpreted as the Lord’s approval for a certain action. Likewise, a feeling of excitement, or certainty, can be interpreted as the Lord’s urging us forward in our plan of action. How about a depressed, or anxious, feeling? That can be interpreted as the Lord putting the brakes on our current life path, showing us a need to seek another. A fleeting thought that enters our mind, can be interpreted as the Spirit revealing to us the path the Lord would have us to take. Seeing the need in the life of other people, many times, is interpreted as the Lord’s call to a certain ministry.
I am not denying that the Holy Spirit, at times can use our thoughts, conscience, emotions and desires to aid us in the understanding of His will for our lives. However, we should never rely exclusively on these inward “impressions” to decide the life path for us to take. So how can we discern the Lord’s will in our life “impressions”?
1 Thess 5: 21 gives us a very straightforward answer to our question… “Prove all things, hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
The Lord gives us some basic principles of guidance to “prove” (put to the test) our feelings thoughts and emotions in Phil 1:9-11:
“… that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment” –
Our life should be centered upon showing love… love for our Lord and love for others around us.
How do we show our love for the Lord? One way, is to put His will for our lives ahead of our own. Another way, is to become familiar with His Word (knowledge) and then apply it to our life decision making (judgment).
“That ye may approve things that are excellent” –
Another way to show our love for our Lord is to take the time and effort to put to the test all our life experiences ,and feelings, so we can know which ones He approves. By using our knowledge of His Word and then exercising Godly judgment, we can discern which emotions, desires and feelings are coming from Him.
This point cannot be underemphasized…. One of the greatest uses of His Word is to use it to prove what is pleasing to Him. This applies to any area of our life. The teachings we receive, the world’s influences on our lives, and His will for our lives (including the events we experience and the feelings we have) are to be put to the test using His Word and a mind that is renewed through a growing knowledge of His Word . See Acts 17:10-11 (the Scriptures), Eph 5:6-13 (the truth) , Roms 12:1-3 (a renewed mind).
“that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness” -
What is the result of putting the teachings we receive, the influences of the world, and our life experiences and feelings to the test?
It is two-fold righteousness both an inward righteousness (“sincerity”) and an outward righteousness (“without offence”). These two types of righteousness combine to bring about a life that is fulfilling His will and bearing an abundance of spiritual fruit.
“which are by Jesus Christ” –
Living a life that is fulfilling His will is a work of Christ in our hearts. Christ, through His Spirit enables us to serve Him in spite of our sinful, fallen nature.
“unto the glory and praise of God” –
Living lives that fulfill His will brings all the praise and glory to the Lord. Why? Because we are living our life according to His will due to His will because He is at work within us.
Phil 2:12-13
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For those who are saved…
We can prove what is His will for our lives, through an attitude of submission to His will and the renewal of our minds. This renewal comes through a consistent increase in knowledge and application of His Word.
The more we are familiar with His Word, the better we can discern His will for our lives. The greater our knowledge of His Word, the easier it is to discern if our thoughts, feelings and urgings are from the Lord or elsewhere.
Again, as in our prior study, we find that His Word takes preeminence in our life decisions. If our feelings, thoughts, or emotions run parallel to His Word we can follow them without hesitancy knowing that we are living within the instructions of His Word.
If however, our impressions, in any way, depart from the principles laid out in His Word, we can rest assured that the impression is not from the Lord, but is being produced from a sinful origin (our flesh, the world, or powers of darkness). In this case, we are to flee from the path these impressions would indicate we are to follow.
Rom 12:1-3 (KJV)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
In our search for God’s Will to be shown to us in our lives….
Prayer Principle #4 - We must pray for the Lord’s discernment of His leading in our lives.
For those who are not saved….
The Lord’s will for the life of those who have never trusted in Christ is clearly declared in 1Tim 2:3-6 …
For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
Prov 3:6 – “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
In this short 12 word verse, we find one of the most precious promises of the Bible… the promise for the Lord’s leadership and guidance in our lives. But in this same verse, we find one of the most difficult aspects of the Christians life… following the path the Lord desires for our life.
One of the my most frequently asked questions is “How can I find God’s will for my life?” In the next 6 blog entries we will be seeing what God’s word teaches us about this important subject…
What is God’s will ?
Not my will, but thine be done.
Thus saith the Lord
Oh what a feeling
Open and shut doors
Summary of the study
In part number 3 of our study lets look at… “Thus saith the Lord”
THE SCRIPTURE:
Ps 19:8 - The statutes of the LORD [are] right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD [is] pure, enlightening the eyes.
Ps 119:105 - NUN. Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Prov 6:23 - For the commandment [is] a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of instruction [are] the way of life:
2Tim 3:16-17 - All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
THE STUDY:
King David and his son, King Solomon, understood the important role of God’s Word in our decision making processes…
In Psalm 19:8, David makes it plain that the Word of the Lord “enlightens” the believer’s eyes. The word “enlightens” refers to “the break of day”. In other words, without the Bible, we are living our life in darkness (much like the darkness of a cloudy nighttime). But when we use the Bible in our day to day walk, it is like dawn (when the sun appears and enlightens everything around us) making it easy for us to see clearly and make wise decisions.
In Psalms 119:105 – David makes the same point about God’s Word using the example of a lamp and light that enlightens the paths of life that we are to take. Again, we see how the Word enlightens us as we make our daily decisions, helping us to understand clearly the will of the Lord.
In Proverbs 6:23 – David’s son, Solomon, also exhibited the importance of God’s Word as a guide for his life. He said that “the commandment is a lamp and the law is light” basically restating what his father has stated previously. But then he went on to say “reproofs of instruction are the way of life”, again, referring to the Word of God (reproofs of instruction), he said that they are the path that we are to follow in life.
In all of these Old Testament passages the importance of God’s Word in our decision making processes is clearly on display…. However, one of the most important verses on this subject is found in the New Testament, written by the Apostle Paul….
In 2 Tim 3:16-17, we find Paul declaring that the Scriptures are of utmost importance in our decision making, because they are the very word of God handed down to man…
“All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God” – here “inspiration” is made up of two Greek root words, one is the word for “God”, the other is a word for “blow” or “breathe”. This teaches us that the Bible was given to man by God breathing or blowing it to them. Just like when we speak, we gently blow out, in the same way the Lord literally spoke the words which are recorded in the Bible. The Scriptures are, literally, the perfect, complete, reliable, words spoken by God to man.
Paul goes further explaining that these words can benefit man in the following ways
For doctrine – teaching, to impart knowledge or facts
for reproof – evidence, to convince the knowledge is true
for correction – to straighten, to restore to proper position
for instruction in righteousness: - tutor, to learn to be aligned with commands of God The result of endoctrination, conviction, restoration and education in the truth…
i. perfect – spiritually mature
ii. throughly furnished unto all good works – completely equipped to perform any work that is pleasing to God.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For those who are saved…
Please, especially take note of what Paul said at the end of 2 Timothy 3:16-17. In this section of Scripture…. “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” Paul made the statement that God spoke His Word to man, was so that His followers may be spiritually mature, and entirely equipped to perform all works that are pleasing to God.
In other words, His Word was given to those who are saved so that we can, through the Spirit, recognize and then take the paths that He has chosen for us to take in life… by following these paths we perform the ministries (good works) that He has desired for our lives.
Paul, through the inspiration of Almighty God, says that the Word is all that is needed for the Christian to follow God’s will, and live a life that is pleasing to Him. Paul did not say “the Scriptures plus good feelings”, nor did he say “the Scriptures plus a miraculous sign from heaven (like a lightning bolt striking a fore ordained object)”, nor did he say “the Scriptures plus other men’s approval”. Absolutely not, Paul made it plain that the Scriptures alone would mature and completely equip a Christian to lead a life that was pleasing to God.
Not only are we to be sure that our desires are in submission to the Lord’s will for our lives (part #2). But also, we are to give our full attention to His Word as the road map guiding us in the many choices of our lives.
In our search for God’s Will to be shown to us in our lives….
Prayer Principle #3 - We must pray for understanding and application of His Word, through the Spirit, concerning the Lord’s leadership in our lives.
For those who are not saved….
The Lord’s will for the life of those who have never trusted in Christ is clearly declared in 1Tim 2:3-6 …
For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
Back in the 60s and 70s a TV show called “Hee Haw” hit the airwaves. It was one of the funniest series I have ever seen. One of the funniest re-occurring features involved a group of “good old country boys” that were feeling sorry for themselves. They recounted their misfortunes in a song entitled…”Gloom Despair and Agony On Me”.
If you would like to relive the good ole Hee Haw days, you can watch it on the RFD-TV network, or you can see the skit on youtube… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ5ob9B9yD4
Many times, as Christians, we start to feel sorry for ourselves as we face the trials and difficulties this life has to offer. The Psalmist in Psalm 119: put a different type of “twist” on the trials he faced in during his lifetime… he looked beyond the pain he felt during the trying times and he concentrated on the end results of those trials. His conclusion about those trials can be found in Psa 119:65-72…
THE SCRIPTURE:
Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. (Psa 119:65-72)
THE STUDY:
Why does the Lord allow bad things to happen to good people? As pastor, this is one of the most common questions that hurting, faithful, Christians have asked me. Only the Lord will be able to give us a complete answer as to why we face trials in life, but one thing is certain… TRIALS BRING A CHRISTIAN CLOSER TO THE LORD. In every case, after the trial is over, a true Christian will readily admit, they are closer to the Lord after the trial than when the trial first began.
Trials in life will always bring the true Christian closer to the Lord. This is the point that King David, the author of Psalm 119: clearly proclaims. If you remember, David had faced many trials during his lifetime. His life had been threatened by King Saul following his defeat of Goliath (1 Sam 18:8-9); He had miserably failed the Lord in the incident with Bathsheba, which resulted in the loss of his child (2 Sam 11: and 12:); and later in his life His own son, Absalom, rebelled against his reign seeking to overthrow his kingdom by force. This led to Absalom’s early death. (2 Sam 17: and 18:). In spite of all these problems, and others, David was able to thank the Lord for the trials because they had brought him closer to the Lord.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
For those of us who are saved….
In Psalm 119:65-72, David clearly reveals to us how to deal with the trials we face in our lives…..
Principle #1 Count the blessings that the Lord gives to us…
“Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.”
“Thou art good, and doest good”
David starts by saying that the Lord had treated him well during his lifetime. In spite of the trials, David recognized the presence of God’s grace throughout his lifetime, and the forgiveness God had given to him.
Principle #2 – Recognize the value of His Word, especially during times of trials
“The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.”
“Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
David compares the value of the Word to the value of precious metals. His conclusion? The Word is of far greater eternal, spiritual value than all the riches this world has to offer. David also compared the wealth and excess of his enemies with his possession of God’s Word. His conclusion? God’s Word brought him much greater joy than his enemies’ enjoyment of great excess and wealth.
Principle #3 – Always desire to grow in knowledge of Him and His Word; while retaining faith in His Word…
“Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.”
“teach me thy statutes.”
“The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.”
David knew the value of His Word and, therefore, craved to receive more knowledge of His Word. As David trusted in God’s Word, he realized great blessings and peace even in the midst of the trials he faced. Think about what our life would be like without God’s Word… no comfort, no peace, no direction for our life, no counsel, no wisdom…. No wonder David was craving a greater understanding of His Word as he faced the trials of his life!
Principle #4 – Concentrate on the end result of the trials we are facing….
“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.;”
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”
This is the hardest principle indeed… to look beyond the pain and sorrow and to see the end result of the trials we are facing… a closer walk with Him based on a greater knowledge of His Word! What a privilege it is to face trials… Let’s thank Him for the trials we face, knowing they will result in a closer walk with Him.
For those of us who have never trusted in Christ as their Savior….
Please keep in mind, the many precious promises the Lord gives in His Word apply only to those who are saved. Until an individual places his trust in Christ, he cannot claim to be a recipient of God’s gracious intervention in His life during times of trials and heartaches.
Are you tired of facing your trials alone? Do you desire to know without a doubt, that the trials you face are for your good and your ultimate gain? (Roms 8:28) Do you need a friend that sticks closer to you than a brother, someone who will NEVER leave you nor forsake you? (Pro 18:24, Hebs 13:5)
If this is your greatest desire then look to The Lord Jesus Christ and submit your life, and your eternity to Him. Be willing to turn from your sin and begin to serve Jesus as Your Lord. (Ezek 33:14, Acts 17:29-32) He will abundantly pardon you. (Isa 55:7) He will save you form your sin and adopt you into His family. (Gals 4:4-6) You will never be alone again.
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
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May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
“Is it live or is it Memorex?” For those of us old enough to remember, these are very familiar words from a series of Memorex commercials shown in the 70s and 80s. (To refresh your memory, you can watch one on youtube…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkt8Dwzl6Sg) In these commercials, famous singers from the day would shatter crystal wine glasses with their voice alone. The question would then be asked “was it live or was it Memorex?”. Memorex claimed that you couldn’t tell the difference between a live voice and one recorded on their audio tape. They said that the recordings stored on their tapes would be more accurate and they would last for a longer period of time than their competitors.
Memorex isn’t the only one that is in the business of recording words…. Our Lord recorded His Words and then went far beyond what Memorex attempted to do. What Memorex claimed, Our God perfected… The Lord recorded His Word that will exist unchanged for an eternity! He did this for us, that we might know His mind and see Him more clearly…
THE SCRIPTURE:
For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.
(Psalms 119:89-91 kjv)
THE STUDY:
Why should we take time to read, study and meditate on God’s Word? We have this question answered for us in the preceding verses.
Please notice in vs 89 we have a clear declaration of the permanence of God’s Word. This truth is brought out to us in two phrases… “for ever” and “settled”.
Let’s look at the last phrase first. To be “settled” means “to have a firm foundation placed under something so that it cannot be moved, shaken, or altered”. In other words, the Lord has completed His Word and it will not change. He has settled on it.
For example, if we have a big decision to make we may take some time to decide the best course to take. Once we have made our decision, we say, we have”settled the issue.” In other words, we have decided on it, and have put it to rest in our minds. Our conclusion will not change.
Likewise, the Lord, who dwells in heaven, has “settled on” His Word. He has proclaimed it through the Godly men of old… He has decided on it…. it is now settled and it will not change.
Praise God, we can trust in His never changing Word! When times get tough and we feel like there is no hope left for us, turn to God’s Word knowing that He, and His Word, never fails.
Now let’s look at our first phrase. “Forever” simply means “without end”. Have you ever spent anytime at the ocean side? When you look out over the ocean you can see no end to it. It seems to continue on forever. Scientists, as they look into the heavens, tell us that they cannot see the limits to the vast area we call outer space. These examples of “seeing no end”, show us the definition of the Hebrew word for “forever”. This word is defined as “seeing the vanishing point”.
The Lord has established His Word and we cannot see an end to it… we can be assured that no matter how long time exists, the Word will exist and be relevant to our lives… there is no limit to His Word or the keeping of it. Yes dear friend, because of these truths even our eternal existence can be entrusted to our Lord and His Word.
Vs 90-91 give us an earthly example of the permanence of His Word… the physical creation we see all around us. The Lord created the earth… it continues to exist. All of His living and nonliving creation continues on. This pictures for us the continuity of His Word. Because God decrees that His creation will proceed… it does. No if, ands, or buts about it.
Every morning, as we awaken from our sleep, and see nature all around us, it should remind us that, just as His creation exists for another day… so to does His faithful Word. He is so good to us supplying us with a wonderful world to live on, with a never-failing revelation from Him to live by! .
Finally, please notice the reason why the earth continues to exist….it’s because the Lord has ordained (decreed or said) that it would. How powerful is God’s Word! He simply speaks and it is done. He spoke the world into existence (Genesis 1:), likewise He calmed the sea during a massive windstorm, simply using His Word (Mark 4:39-41), His Word even raised a dead man to life (John 11:43-44). This same powerful word is the Bible…. it is one in the same.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
We have the gracious privilege of being able to hold, read and most importantly, rely upon this Word for our eternal salvation and instructions for our day to day walk of life.
Have you received the salvation from your sins that the Lord so graciously gives? If not, please begin to read more about His salvation in His Word. Great places to start would be Romans 3:19-31 and John 3:10-21, in both these passages our Lord makes the necessity of salvation very clear to us, as well as the way of salvation which is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And for those of us who are saved, let’s not take His Word for granted. Everyday, let’s appreciate His Word, read, study, and meditate on it, so that we can be “equipped fully unto all good works” ( 2 Tim 3:14-17)
May the Lord bless your study of His Word.
Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
