January 31 -- "Promises for Lovers of God's Word"

 Today’s Reading: Psalm 119:113-176 

"Promises for Lovers of God's Word"

God has made promises to humankind. Over seven thousand of these promises are found in the Bible. The genius of the Bible is that anyone and everyone can share in these promises of God if they choose to.

Some of the promises of God are unconditional, which means that God will fulfill His promise with or without our cooperation or us meeting any conditions. An example of an unconditional promise is God’s promise to never again destroy the Earth with a flood. This requires no conditions to be met by humankind – it something that He will fulfill without prerequisites or stipulations being met. On the other hand, some of the promises of God are conditional – they carry an “if-then” type of structure. They require us to fulfill some stipulation in order to receive what God has promised. An example of this is His promise of eternal life, which He has promised to those who fulfill the condition of believing in His Son, Jesus Christ. IF you believe in Him – THEN you will receive eternal life.

Here in Psalm 119:165, we come upon one of the conditional promises of God. It is a dual promise of “great peace” and “not stumbling.” But notice the condition or stipulation found in this promise – it is only promised to those who satisfy the condition of loving God’s law. The Hebrew word for “law” here refers to the manner and principles which God has prescribed for humankind to follow. It encompasses the entire body of God’s instruction found in the Bible, including the Law, the Prophets, the Wisdom Books, the Gospels, and the New Testament writings.

Do you “love” God’s ways? The Hebrew word for “love” in this verse is a verb which means; to desire; to breath after; to long for; to delight in. As followers of Christ, our hearts should desire and delight in God’s word. It should be something we take delight in and pursue in our lives. Do you love God’s truth in this way? Do you love His commandments, His precepts, His statutes, His rules, His testimonies, and His instruction? If so, He promises you will have “great peace.” The word “great” means much, many, abounding in. If you love His law, He promises abounding peace in your life.

In addition to peace, He also promises that “nothing can make you stumble.” His word is sure and solid and is the only sure anchor that can keep you from drifting away. If you build your life on the ways of people, or pop theology, or the latest trend, you are sure to be led astray.  But if you build your life on a deep love for God’s law, you will be securely anchored and nothing will ever cause you to drift away. 

January 30 -- "God's Unmovable Word"

 Today’s Reading: Psalm 119:57-112

"God's Unmovable Word"

What, if anything, in this world is actually “permanent”? The building you’re in is not permanent at all. The sidewalks and the asphalt out there are not permanent at all. The great roads, bridges, buildings and skyscrapers are not permanent. In fact, this earth itself is not permanent. The sun is not permanent, someday it will probably go up into a supernova and burn out. Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall never pass away."  (Matthew 24:35) The reality is this: although there is nothing truly permanent in this universe, there is nothing more permanent than the word of God. 

God and his word are lasting and unchangeable. The meaning here is that the word - the law - the promise - of God was made firm, established, stable, in heaven; and would be so forever and ever. What God has affirmed to be true would always remain true; what He has promised is sure forever.

That is why it is so wrong for us to talk about the word of God as applying to a particular culture or time in history. As some would say, "Oh, they just wrote according to the understanding of their own culture of those times – it really isn’t relevant for us today." It is so wrong for us to challenge the word of God or seek to change the word of God because God has forever settled His word in heaven. God said it; that settles it. There's no disputing of it. There's no arguing of it. There's no challenging of it. It's the word of God. It's forever settled – firmly fixed in heaven.

Truth doesn't change with the values or morals of a society. God's commandments and laws don't change because the standards of our society are so changed. The truth of God is absolute. The law of God is absolute. It is not relative to a situation. It is not relative to the morés of a society. God has established His absolute law. His word is forever settled in heaven. If you find yourself arguing with the word, you're wrong. God's word is a settled issue.

The Hebrew word for “firmly fixed” (or “settled”) in this verse means to set up; to stand; to put into place. It carries the idea of being set up in an upright and stationary position – unable to be moved. The Bible you have in front of you has been set up by God to act as a permanent display of His truth. It never changes. It never needs revision. It is firmly fixed, not only on Earth – but in Heaven for all of eternity. You can believe it with confidence and rely on it with all your heart.

January 29 -- "Praising God Alphabetically"

Today’s Reading: Psalm 119:1-56

 

"Praising God Alphabetically"

Psalm 119 is one of the most unique and amazing Psalms in the entire Bible. In addition to being the longest book of the Bible (176 verses), this Psalm is an alphabetic acrostic poem in the original language. It is also the only Psalm that focuses exclusively on the value of God’s holy word in our lives.

In the Hebrew language, there are 22 letters. Accordingly, there are 22 sections (or stanzas) in Psalm 119. Each of these 22 sections begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Verses 1-8 all start with the first Hebrew letter, aleph (א). Verses 9-16 start with the 2nd letter, beth (ב).This pattern continues down to the last 8 verses, 169-176, which all start with the last Hebrew letter, tav (ת). The resulting Psalm is a compilation of the entire Hebrew alphabet. What an amazing way to praise God through the alphabet!

By way of example, here’s a paraphrase of verses 1-4 which all start with the English letter “a”:
A blameless one is blessed, who walks according to the law of the Lord.
A person who keeps His statutes and seeks Him with all his heart is blessed.
Also, he does nothing wrong; he walks in His ways.
And You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.* 

One of the reasons this Psalm was designed as an alphabetic acrostic was to help Jewish children learn their A-B-C’s. Every Jewish boy was required to memorize Psalm 119 as part of their early childhood education. By doing so, they would not only learn the “Aleph-Beit” (Hebrew for alphabet), but they would learn 176 Bible verses rich with meaning for their lives.

The writer of this Psalm uses at least ten different words all referring to the word of God (“ways” “testimonies” “word” “truth” “statutes” “commands” “precepts” “promises” “rules” “law”). The theme of these verses is the praising God by one who delights in and lives by God’s sacred truth. It describes the greatness and glory and power of God's word. Knowing and reciting these truths was a means of planting God’s word in the hearts of His little ones. As they grew up, having these truths embedded in their hearts would help them to experience God’s promises, comfort, guidance, strength, and protection throughout their lifetime.

How about you? Have you taken time to memorize God’s sacred truth? To hide it in your heart? To make it the firm foundation of your life? If not, it is time for YOU to commit God’s word to memory. Plant it deep in your heart. It will bring comfort in your affliction and His promises will give you life.

(*Source: June 25, 2021 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Alphabet Psalms, Psalm 119)

January 28 -- "A Poof of Air"

Today’s Reading: Psalm 94 

"A Poof of Air"

Many men and women (most of whom we would consider “geniuses”) have introduced amazing concepts to mankind. We call them “great” men and women, “heroes” even. Throughout history, humanity has been blessed by many great thinkers: Aristotle, Plato, Confucius, Tesla, Einstein, Marie Curie, and the like. Even today, many famous people are looked upon as possessing “superior intellects.” On the website wonderlist.com, you can find a list of ten modern day geniuses with IQ’s ranging from 190 to 230. Compared to the rest of mankind (with average IQ of 100), their thoughts are magnificent and impressive. But what about compared to God? How impressive are the greatest minds when compared with the mind of God?

How do you compare the thoughts of the omniscient God with the thoughts of man? According to verse 11, the greatest scholastic and scientific minds from the history of mankind are “but a breath” compared to our God. The mind of the most genius musical composers in history are “like a vapor.” The thoughts of the greatest inventors of all time are empty and hollow compared to the infinitely matchless thoughts of God. In fact, God views all of the so-called wisdom and knowledge of man to be but a vapor that has no substance and quickly vanishes. “Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, they are altogether lighter than vapor.” (Psalm 62:9)

The Hebrew word translated “breath” in verse 11 is “hebel.” This word literally means vapor or mist – a “poof of air” which has no substance. The root meaning of this word is seeking to convey emptiness, futility, and hollowness. It is found 73 times in the Scriptures where it is translated as: vapor, breath, vanity, vain. Figuratively, this word means something transitory and unsatisfactory. Various Bible versions have translated this word as “breath” (ESV); “futile” (NIV); “vanity” (KJV); or “shallowness” (MSG). You get the idea. It simply means that, compared to God, the thoughts of man are transitory and lack substance.

In reality, all human knowledge is known to God in eternity before it is known by men. All we have been able to do is discover His knowledge. We have discovered many of the natural laws and scientific principles which He has infused into His creation. Over time, we may discover more and deeper truths, but God is the One who placed it all here for us to discover. And, one day, all human knowledge will dissolve and vanish into thin air, giving way to the one true Genius, Hero, and Great Thinker: The Lord God. He knows our thoughts, that they are just a poof of air.

January 27 -- "The Perspective of Eternity"

 Today’s Reading: Psalm 71

"The Perspective of Eternity"

In Psalm 71, the believer is pictured looking back on a long life and recalling how the wicked always have opposed him. But just as God has protected him since childhood, the Psalmist is confident that He will continue to do so now that he is old.  From his youth he has proclaimed the great saving acts of God. He prays that God will not disappoint him now, and that he will continue to proclaim the message of divine salvation until the end of his life on earth.

You can sense in the Psalmist’s words that he has lived a life filled with purpose and passion. He has served the Lord and done so with diligence. Now, he is dreading the idea of being “put out to pasture.” He longs to see God’s purposes continually be fulfilled even into his final days. His heartfelt prayer is, “Forsake me not when my strength is spent.” He still has a mission to accomplish in this life – and that mission is to pass the truth of God to the next generation.

What a profound perspective on life! This is the perspective of eternity. It is so easy and commonplace for aging people to focus on themselves – after all, their body is breaking down, their health is deteriorating, and their mind just isn’t what it used to be. As a person gets older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain. Certain parts of the brain shrink, especially those important to learning and other complex mental activities. It is so tempting get your eyes on yourself and your situation rather than looking upward and keeping your eyes on eternity.

But God isn’t finished with you yet!  He saved you to bring you into an abundant life of purpose and passion. And His purposes do not fail just because your hair is turning gray. His calling on your life is to continue to proclaim His message to future generations. Psalm 92 tells us that the person who trusts God, “Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.” (Psalm 92:14). His calling is for you to flourish as His obedient servant all the way to the end.

So, don’t give up. Don’t get your eyes on yourself. Keep your eyes on eternity. After all, “The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.” (Proverbs 20:29) He is not about to forsake you now!

January 26 -- "Be A Man"

 Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 2

"Be A Man"

It seems that our culture is losing the notion of what it means to be “a man.” For some, a “real man” is a logger who wears plaid and doesn't shower for 10 days. For others, he is a college professor who talks about Shakespeare. On the WikiHow page called, “How to be a Man,” we are told that men must know and follow the “man-code” which includes such things as never using smiley faces or emoticons and never initiating conversation with your neighbor at the adjacent urinal station. But are these really the signs of a man?

When king David’s time came to pass from this life, he took his son Solomon aside and said, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and SHOW YOURSELF A MAN.” With those words, David was commanding his son to step up to the challenge of being a “real man” as he took on the new chapter in his life as Israel’s king. But David’s definition of a real man differs dramatically from our modern-day understanding. David goes on in this verse to explain to Solomon what a “real man” looks like from God’s point of view.

A real man keeps the charge of the Lord. The word “charge” simply means the “assignment” or “calling” God has placed upon his life. For Solomon to show himself a man, he must follow through with the entirety of God’s plan for his life. So must you! God has given you an assignment that He expects you to complete during this life – so step up to the challenge and keep the charge of the Lord your God.

A real man walks in God’s ways. To walk in His ways means to know what God expects of you in thought, word, and action. He has given you His word as a flawless guide to the behavior He desires to see from your life. Proverbs 20:7 says, “The godly walk with integrity.” So act like it! Don’t just “know” His ways, but walk in them.  

A real man keeps God’s statutes, commands, rules, and testimonies. David uses four key words here to describe the law of the Lord. Each word refers to essentially the same thing – God’s revealed truth as found in the Scriptures. A real man will know his Bible, love his Bible, and live out his Bible.

You want to show yourself a man? Then discard the world’s mistaken definition of manhood and begin right now to keep the charge of God, walk in His ways, and keep His holy word to the best of your ability. This may not impress the world around you, but it impresses your Heavenly Father enormously.

January 25 -- "The Power of Spoken Blessings"

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 1 

"The Power of Spoken Blessings"

David called for Zadok the priest to conduct his son Solomon's inauguration ceremony.  As he was anointing Solomon as the new king, Zadok pronounced a powerful blessing: “May the Lord be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon’s reign even greater than yours!” With these words, Zadok was invoking God’s blessing upon Solomon and his term in office. 

It was common practice in Solomon’s day for the priest to raise his arms upward and forward with the palm of his hands bent slightly downward and facing the person receiving the blessing. This priestly blessing was known in rabbinic literature as “raising of the hands.” With it, God was seen to be passing His blessing to the priest who, in turn, passed it on to the recipient. Solomon was about to embark upon his new calling in life and, as such, he required the indispensable work of God upon and through him.

In Luke 24, we see Jesus performing this “raising of the hands” as His final act upon Earth.  “And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.” (Luke 24:50). He blessed them with joy, peace, power and authority to take His Gospel message into all the world. And right in the middle of His priestly blessing, Jesus parted from them and was carried up into Heaven.  Jesus, like David and Zadok, knew the power of spoken blessings.

There is power in a spoken blessing. A spoken blessing is a positive, Biblical statement that invokes the blessing of God in the life of another person. Spoken blessings can bring hope, encouragement, and direction to our families, friends, and others.  The power of spoken blessings does not come from the speaker, but comes from God. When we speak God’s promises into the life of another, we are acting as a conduit to transfer the blessings of God to them. This is why many pastors make it their practice to conclude their worship services with a “benediction” – a spoken word of blessing upon the congregation.

Who do you know today that is in need of God’s power upon his/her life? Since all believers are a “kingdom of priests” (Revelation 5:1), you have the opportunity and God-given authority to raise priestly hands and invoke a spoken blessing upon them. Who could you bless today?