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 Psalm 119:9 "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word."
Introduction We are living in a vile and unpure culture that surrounds Christians with sexual images, lustful movies, wicked entertainment, immoral music, which all lead to sinful and unclean temptations. A Bible teacher once said, "Everywhere we look we find temptation to fill our minds with thoughts of sexual relationships that God wouldn't approve." The fundamental solution to living a pure and clean life in our thoughts and actions is found in God’s word. Jesus said in John 17:17, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." Moral purity is intentional and does not happen by accident. This passage presents three "I WILL" statements that we should reflect on to pay close attention to God's Word if we want to live pure lives. 1. I WILL MEDITATE Psalm 119:15 "I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways." Reading or listening to the Word of God is quite different from reflecting deeply on it. Reflecting on biblical principles helps us grasp the meaning, purpose, and solution for purity, and appreciate God's intent for holy living. Meditating on the Word of God helps us apply it daily and live in a way that pleases God. Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Memorising Scripture is good, but if the Word of God does not move from our heads to the heart, then all is vain. Scripture should affect our hearts toward obedience, leading to sanctification. Romans 12:1-2 “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. (2) 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.” 2. I WILL DELIGHT Psalm 119:16 "I will delight myself in thy statutes..." Finding joy in God's teachings encourages us to reject all kinds of wickedness. The pleasure we have in pleasing God demonstrates that we respect, both God and His Word. Psalm 19:9 “The fear of the LORD is clean…” Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil…” Joseph overcame temptation from Potiphar’s wife because he had a heart to please God. Genesis 39:9 “…how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God??” 3. I WILL NOT FORGET Psalm 119:16 "I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word." Remembering the principles we learn is essential for successfully applying scriptural teachings both now and in the future, particularly when facing moments of temptation. Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Conclusion There are two more key points in our passage to help us heed God's Word. 1. A sincere heart/faith. Psalms 119:10 “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.” The psalmist recognized his tendency to stray but trusted that sincere faith/heart in the Lord would help him resist temptation and remain steadfast. It is important to recognise that doubt can breed a double mind and a divided heart. Living a life of integrity requires sincere commitment to the principles found in God's Word, rather than indifference or lack of dedication. 2. A maintain a teachable spirit. Psalms 119:12 “Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.” As we grow in purity, we should continue to have a tender heart to the instruction from God’s Word. Proverbs 9:9 “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” When we allow God’s Word to cleanse our ways, then we can say with the Psalmist. Psalms 119:13 “With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.” TAKING HEED In Christ alone, and for God's Glory! Charlie - Galatians 2:20 God is always good and treats us far better than we ever deserve! Amen! www.gbbc.org.au I [email protected] I 0401 955 955
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 Galatians 5:5-6 "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."
Genuine faith is motivated by love. Faith is not a mere "intellectual" belief. Anyone can believe the facts, but not everyone is moved by the facts/truth they say they believe. They are not moved to action. Faith works/operates by love; it impacts our hearts to move us to love God, His Word, and others. 1 John 4:19-20 "We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" When professing Christians are not demonstrating love towards God and others, it is proof of 2 things: 1. They are not walking by faith, or 2. They are relying on the works of the law for their righteousness. True faith is alive, not dead; it is dependent on God and His Word. Faith is not idle but active to obey God out of love, not law. To obey God's Word without love distorts the truth and breeds self-righteousness. To obey God's Word out of love indicates one is resting in the love of Christ and His righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."o edit. We live in a sin cursed world with wickedness on the increase. Many are affected by the evil that we see around us, but one thing is for certain, God is not to be blamed.
Roman 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” A. Torrey knew the meaning of this verse, and he called it “a soft pillow for a tired heart.” Many of us have rested in Romans 8:28 when faced with an unknown trial. “We know” is used about five times in Romans, and it refers to common knowledge of the Christian – that which God reveals to us. Charles Spurgeon used to say, “I do not need anyone to tell me how honey tastes; I know.” And we know God is good and is for those that love Him and trust Him. Here are some things to consider: 1. God is not evil, nor the cause of evil. 1 John 1:5 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 2. God is not responsible for the bad decisions people make. James 1:13 “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:” 3. God is aware of the evil that takes place. Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” 4. Nothing takes God by surprise. God is ALL KNOWING, but man must still be responsible for his actions and decisions. John 6:64 “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.” 5. It is God’s choice whether He desires to intervene in certain circumstances of people’s lives. Proverbs 21:1 “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Philippians 2:27 “For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” 6. God, at times, disciplines His children in love when they stray. Proverbs 3:11-12 “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD love the correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” a. When Jonah rebelled, the Lord prepared for him a great fish. b. David was judged (lost his son) because of his sin. 7. People suffer from the bad decisions they make. Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” 8. People suffer from the bad decisions of others. Proverbs 29:2 “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” 9. God is fully aware of our circumstances, and God can use the evil that is done to us for good. a. Joseph Genesis 50:19-20 “And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” b. Job Job 1:12 “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.” 10. God knows what is best for us. The Lord may not always answer prayer according to what we would ask and hope for. Paul understood that God uses the trials in our life to help us stay humble and finish the course of God’s will. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient forthee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, thatthe power of Christ may rest upon me. The Psalms are a wonderful piece of poetry. They are full of truth and testimony that can be sung not only to challenge us, but to comfort our hearts, especially when we may feel overwhelmed. Psalm 61 is tremendous encouragement to those that are perhaps feeling weary in spirit, or have a heavy heart, being burdened down by certain things.
CH Spurgeon said, “This Psalm is a pearl. It is little, but precious. To many a mourner it has furnished utterance when the mind could not have devised speech for itself.” This Psalm would indicate to us that David was in exile (vs 2). David was driven into exile because of the rebellion of his son Absalom. David’s life was threatened and he was yet in danger. It would also denote that the Psalm would have been composed by David after he had returned to the throne. (vs 6) Delitzsch would have been correct in entitling it, “Prayer and thanksgiving of an expelled King on his way back to his throne.” David’s response when he was overwhelmed 1. His Prayer Psalm 61:1 “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.”
2. His Petition Psalm 61:2 “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
Psalm 61:3 “For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.” 3. His Passion Psalm 61:4 “I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.”
4. God’s Promise Psalm 61:5-7 “For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. vs 6 Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations. vs 7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.” 5. His Praise Psalm 61:8 “So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever…”
6. His Practice Psalm 61:8 “…that I may daily perform my vows.”
(Hebrews 4:16) “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Prayer is an important component in having a close walk with God. At times, we all struggle to make time to pray and seek the Lord. However, if we are too busy to talk to God, then we are too busy. Remembering that it is a privilege to pray – an honour to approach God and talk with Him – will help us to set aside time to pray. Oswald Chambers said, “Beware of placing the emphasis on what prayer costs us; it cost God everything to make it possible for us to pray.” Prayer brings us into the Presence of God in a special way. We can go into God’s presence at any time of the day or night to obtain mercy and grace. It is a place where we commune with God. We can have the privilege like Moses to speak with God in an intimate way. Exodus 33:11 “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend...” Dwight Lyman Moody, “The Christian on his knees sees more than the philosopher on his tiptoe.” As we set aside time to pray there are some things we must remember while praying: 1. Prayer calls down the power of God Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not!'” Prayer is seeking God to do the impossible in our lives. No prayer - no power. Hudson Taylor said, “The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God’s standing challenge,” 2. Remain passionate in our prayers We must guard against going through the motions. It is easy to pray without thinking. Remember, we are addressing the God that is in Heaven. John Bunyan said, “In prayer it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart.” Matthew 6:7 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Dwight Lyman Moody, “Some people’s prayers need to be cut off at both ends and set on fire in the middle.” 3. Unconfessed sin will hinder our prayers (Psalm 66:18) “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” (Proverbs 15:8) “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.” External acts of worship may be repulsive to God when the heart of the worshiper is not right with God. 4. We must pray according to God’s Will. (1John 5:14-15) “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: vs 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” To pray according to God's will is to pray seeking what God desires, not what we would desire or insist that He do for us. Oswald Chambers: “Never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer your prayer.” We should not pray just to get from God, we ought to pray for His direction. Corrie ten BOOM: “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” 5. Prayer must be mixed with Faith. 1 Timothy 2:8 “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” A life that is lived by faith will cause us to pray in faith. George Muller once said, "“I believe God has heard my prayers. He will make it manifest in His own good time that He has heard me. I have recorded my petitions that when God has answered them, His name will be glorified.” Matthew 21:22 “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” 2 Peter 1:5-7 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; vs 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; vs 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”
In verse 1 the Apostle Peter writes to all who have obtained this precious faith, and in this passage we see a call to…
Note: God has given us all things necessary to fulfill His Will in our life regarding our Character and Spiritual Growth. A man of God once said“we must be diligent in cultivating it. God does not make us holy against our will or without our involvement. There must be desire, determination, and discipline on our part.” The Apostle Peter assumes that they already have faith in Christ. So he instructs them to add to their faith, to build-up their faith, to build on their faith. Let us take the time to look at these 7 Graces very briefly. (2 Peter 1:5-7) “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue…” Virtue = Moral Excellence, It is to have Spiritual courage. It is to have the strength to stand for what is right in an ungodly world. We do this by putting on the Armor of God. (Ephesians 6:13) “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Note: This Virtue is to be accompanied by Knowledge. (2 Peter 1:5) "… and to virtue knowledge;" Knowledge = It not just any kind of knowledge, it is knowledge that is from above, it is divine instruction in Righteousness, it is knowledge of spiritual truth. CH Spurgeon once said “Scripture is a never-failing treasury filled with boundless stores of grace. It is the bank of heaven; you may draw from it as much as you please, without let or hindrance. Come in faith and you are welcome to all covenant blessings. There is not a promise in the Word which shall be withheld. In the depths of tribulations let this freedom comfort you; amidst waves of distress let it cheer you; when sorrows surround thee let it be thy solace.” Remember the Hymn Eliza E. Hewitt wrote “More about Jesus” “More about Jesus in His Word, Holding communion with my Lord. Hearing His voice in every line, Making each faithful saying mine.” Note: With Virtue, and Knowledge, God wants us to add Temperance. Temperance = This is to have Self-Control… to be biblically proper, it is to have godly discipline, Someone has defined this as “the controlling power of the will under the operation of the Spirit of God.” Note: The next thing to add it “Patience” Patience = endurance, perseverance, and constancy Remember that the Hebrews writer states running the race with “Patience” The Christian life is not a sprint; it is a Marathon. We must always remember that the Christian life is a challenge to endure hardness by the Grace of God. Paul said “I finished my course” It is good to start in the faith with a great thunder of glory; we must finish the race with much trials and testing. Someone said “Perseverance is the art of bearing up and pressing on in the face of all that seems to be against us.” (Acts 14:22) “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Godliness = to live godly, to be like God. To be Holy as God is Holy. Vernon Mcgee once said “There is a time in every boy's life when his dad is his hero and sometimes his idol.” We are to have a strong passion to be like our God. Not to be a God, but to be like God in His character. To be like God or to be godly, addresses our way of life or our way of living … We always see in Scripture that to be godly, there must be a rejection of worldliness. (Titus 2:11) “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (Titus 2:12) “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” As you know the world is always fighting against God’s ways. The World wants to redefine the constitutions of God in Marriage, Church, and in moral ethics. Notice what Peter writes in this first epistle setting up the platform for his second letter. (1 Peter 1:14-15) “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: vs 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Brotherly kindness = Love for God’s people Areas of:
(John 13:35) “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Brotherly kindness is the salt that helps make salty Christians. It is a sad thing when you see siblings in the home and Christian’s in the church purposely dodge each other when they see each other. Brotherly Kindness is an area in which God wants us to increase. God wants us to have a growing love one toward another. Not one that is stagnate or stale. (1 Thessalonians 4:9) “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. Vs 9 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;” Last but not least Charity = Unconditional Love, a Super-natural Love, Divine Love, Christ-kind of Love, the laying down of one’s life kind of love. Without this “love” we are nothing and we will mount-up to nothing. 1 Peter 4:8 God’s amazing love shed abroad in our hearts through Christ is the rudder on a ship that controls the large vessel It is the engine on the plane that gives it power to fly It is the wick in the oil that keeps the flame alight It is the greatest among faith and hope It is never character that ever fails Once again the Apostles Peter states this character trait in his first letter. 1 Peter 4:8 “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” Fervent Love = undying, without ceasing, Love In Closing:
and to the courage of David the knowledge of Solomon; and to the knowledge of Solomon the patience of Job; and to the patience of Job the godliness of Daniel; and to the godliness of Daniel the brotherly kindness of Jonathan; and to the brotherly kindness of Jonathan the love of John.” 1 Peter 4:12-13 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: vs 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
Charles H Spurgeon once said,”If our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire, but gold is not: the paste gem dreads to be touched by the diamond, but the true jewel fears no test. It is a poor faith which can only trust God when friends are true, the body full of health, and the business profitable; but that is true faith which holds by the Lord’s faithfulness when friends are gone, when the body is sick, when spirits are depressed, and the light of our Father’s countenance is hidden. A faith which can say, in the direst trouble, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him,” is heaven-born faith.” Do not pray away trials that God allows in your life. The wilderness is a good place when God leads you there. Many lessons are learnt in the desert. However, we must remember that when God leads us to a place He will supply His sufficient Grace. God will supply water in the desert, and He will lead us out in His good timing. George Mueller once said, "God delights to increase the faith of His children. We ought, instead of wanting no trials before victory, no exercise for patience, to be willing to take them from God’s hand as a means. I say—and say it deliberately—trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats, are the very food of faith…We should take them out of His hands as evidences of His love and care for us in developing more and more that faith which He is seeking to strengthen in us.” Paul cried out three times to the Lord to take away the thorn in his flesh, but he soon realized that God "works all things together for good to them that love God" and then Paul gloried in his trials. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9) "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. vs 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 1 Peter 4:13 “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
This verse (John 3:16) is a famous Bible verse amongst the believers and non-believers. It is a rich verse that proves God’s love through one of the greatest promises ever given to man – the promise of “everlasting life”. DL Moody once said, “God never made a promise that was too good to be true.” God planned, prepared, and promised eternal life with Him in Heaven before the world even began. Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” Unfortunately, in the beginning of creation the devil effectively deceived people into rebelling against God and living life without Him, causing them to miss out on God’s greatest promise. To rebel against God and live without the Creator is sinful and has brought about an eternal death, which has been passed on to all of humanity. Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Notice what Jesus said prior to John 3:16…John 3:14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:” In John 3 Jesus is speaking to a Pharisee named Nicodemus, and Jesus points him back to the time when the children of Israel fell into sin as Moses was leading them to the Promised and Land (which is a picture of eternal life). Jesus was reminding Nicodemus of God’s Great Salvation that he offered them. John 3:16 reminds us about a few things regarding Salvation: 1. The Source of Salvation John 3:16 “For God so loved the world…” 2. The Sacrifice of Salvation John 3:16 “…that he gave his only begotten Son…” 3. The Scope of Salvation John 3:16 “…that whosoever believeth in him..." 4. The Seriousness of Salvation John 3:16 “…should not perish..." 5. The Security of Salvation John 3:16 “…but have everlasting life.” Jesus said in John 10:10 “...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” What a blessing it is that our annual calendar has a time to remind us how precious our mums are. There is a generation coming that will not acknowledge their mothers at all. God’s Word mentions in Proverbs 30:11, “There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.”
Like everyone else, mothers are not perfect, but they are special… Mothers fulfil God’s desire in bringing us into the world, now that is special. We must remember and be thankful for the sacrifice and pain our mums endured to raise us up from the start. What a blessing to have a mother, but what a double blessing to have a godly one. Emerson once said, “Men are what their mothers make them.” Abraham Lincoln stated, “No one is poor who had a godly mother.” Evangelist Billy Sunday declared, “I don’t think there are enough devils in Hell to search and take a young person from the arms of a godly mother.” The right kind of a mother can make a big difference in a home, in a church, and in our nation! Notice what the Psalmist states in Psalm 16:6, “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.” Thank God for Mothers who are firm in their faith, their convictions, their prayers, and their love for their children and for the Lord. Mothers ought to be thanked every waking moment. Notice what Proverbs 31:28a says, “Her children arise up, and call her blessed.” If you are one of those people who have the special privilege of being called “Mum”, I hope you will understand the impression and influence you can have in your family, church and this nation. There is an old Spanish proverb that reads: “An ounce of mother is worth more than a pound of clergy.” May God give us mothers that will keep fighting the fight of faith and not give up or give in by the grace of God. We need mothers who will pray for their children; give a good, clear, godly and unquestionable pattern to follow; and encourage them on to honour God in all they do. We need mothers that will inspire their children to shine and do great things for God’s glory! Charles Wesley said “I learned more about God from my mother than from all the theologians in England” Charles Spurgeon said “I cannot tell how much I owe to the prayers of my good mother.” 2 Timothy 1:5 “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” A little boy forgot his lines in a Sunday school presentation. His mother was in the front row to prompt him. She gestured and formed the words silently with her lips, but it did not help. Her son’s memory was blank. Finally, she leaned forward and whispered the cue, “I am the light of the world.” the child beamed and with great feeling and a loud clear voice said, “My mother is the light of the world.” Mothers, we will not notice everything that you do for us, and sometimes we will forget to thank you, but “God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Hebrews 6:10). As you continue to love and fear God, you will receive your true reward—a reward for every prayer, every sleepless night, every tear, every encouraging word, and every expression of love that you demonstrate by the Grace of God. We love you Mum, and we thank God for you! |
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