on July 27, 2011
Psalm 119:25-32 – I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. I recounted my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees. Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders. My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.
I love the sport of basketball. The rules of the game reflect the nature of the game and I love the nature of this game. It is requires athleticism, skill sets, teamwork, discipline, fitness, and spirit. I love all those things – therefore I love basketball! I love basketball – therefore I love all those things! I love God. His laws reflect His nature and I love His nature! His nature is truth, love, freedom, goodness, holiness, purity, faithfulness, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and oh so much more – I love God! He’s my SUPER HERO! I love all those things about Him – therefore I love God! I love God – therefore I love all those things about Him! This is the poetic word of the Psalmist.
When he is suffering and persecuted, even then he looks to God’s Word for his self-preservation. He is fully persuaded that he will find the answers to every life situation in God’s Word – if God will be His instructor. His heart cries out for understanding of God’s precepts so that He may fully appreciate God’s nature. And when his very soul is burdened down with sorrows and grief, he is confident that he will find all the help he needs, not in any kind of doctor, but in the Word of God.
This poet has lived long enough to discover that there are many ways that sound good and seem right, but they are destructive. Many of those destructive ways are hard taskmasters. They will not give you any mercy, but the psalmist sees grace and mercy in written in the law of God, and he prays to receive such grace. This grace and mercy gives freedom to CHOOSE the way of truth over the way of deception, because he now knows the difference and he loves the God of truth and freedom. As a result, he then sets his heart on God’s laws. He holds fast to God’s statutes. He loves God and is trusting in God’s very nature to save him from shame. He loves God- therefore he runs in the path of God’s commands. His heart is free to love running in the path of God’s commands – therefore He loves God! May God give each of us just such an enlarged understanding of Himself through His laws, His commands, His precepts and His statutes. And may we freely run in their paths.
Thursday:
- Meet together with at least 1 or 2 other believers to enter the Throne Room of Grace.
- Join our 6:00pm Thursday night prayer team.
Friday:
- Give thanks for the gift of God’s Word and the revelation of His nature in His commandments.
- Pray for the Good News families of the week: Bob & Alison St.James (Matt, Kelly, Nate), Steve & Allison Worrall, Alberto & Kasandra Aneses (Alberto Jr.).
Saturday:
- Ask God to help you understand His nature in the light of His laws and commands.
Sunday:
- Ask God to help you understand His laws and commands in the light of His nature.
- Join in with our Sunday prayer services to pray for God’s presence and blessing.
Monday:
- Pray mercy and grace to keep you from deception and lead you in truth, whether you are going through tough times of sorrow and grief or are experiencing great blessings and joy.
- Attend “In Touch” Prayer meeting at GNCC at 10:30am or join in prayer at that time.
Tuesday:
- Give thanks for God’s mercy that freedom to choose God’s ways of truth over fine sounding deception and the stranglehold of sin.
Wednesday:
- Pray for courage to hold fast to the Word in every circumstance and situation of life. Pray for God’s affirmation and validation that keeps us from being ashamed and embarrassed by our faith.
Prayer Challenge: Pray that God will grant every believer: a passionate devotion to His Word, a humble recognition that we have much room for growth and improvement, His corrective discipline – that may be painful but produces good fruit, a steadfast courage and strength to endure the arrogance, hostility, ridicule and slander of those who disregard the beauty and authority of God’s Word.