Teach Me Thy Ways

Psalm 119:57-64 KJV; 8th Sunday after Pentecost; We confess that we don't always keep the promises we make to God and we ask the Lord to teach us the way he would have us go.

The Lord Reigns Above All Things

I Love Thy Law

PSALM 119:97-104 KJV

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

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The law indeed accuses and failure to obey the commands of the Lord can end up pretty disastrous. 

For example: what are the possible consequences of stealing. Well for starters you could end up in jail and when found out you could make a lot of enemies that you don't need.  Enemies can make life pretty miserable. If you are caught stealing while breaking into someone's home; again, you could end up dead.

And what about adultery?  Both men and women can get pretty jealous over this one and again you could end up dead or at least seriously hurt. If that doesn't happen the one who has been cheated on might end up so depressed that they do harm to themselves.

It is a wise person who can understand the consequences of breaking the law. Be wise like David thought he was. Although, he did make a few mistakes and suffered the consequences. Maybe, the consequences that occurred because of the part he played in the death of Uriah, whose wife he had committed adultery with, gave him a little more insight into why it would be good thing to listen to the Lord.

Open our eyes, Lord, that we may behold wondrous things out of thy law. (see Psalm 119:18)
 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Desire To Do What Is Right

Psalm 119:1-8 KJV

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

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Oh, if only I could keep his statues. But, I have learned from experience that I cannot.  If it were not for the grace of God through the giving of our Lord Jesus Christ I would be; we would all be lost.

St. Paul wrote to the Romans:

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

                                                                                        (Rom 7:14-26)

We desire to do the will of the Lord with all of our hearts and minds; yet, our flesh rebels against it. Thanks be to God for through the sacrifice of Christ for us we have not been forsaken because of what we do or do not do. We have been saved by faith alone in Christ alone!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

His Way

Show Us The Way

 

Psalm 119:9-16

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.

With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

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Lord, let us not wander from your way!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Thy Word

Psalm 119:9-16 KJV

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.

With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

I started another round of reading through the Bible last night. It has been a few years since the last time I read it through. Actually, I am not reading it. I am listening to it. My eyes don't function real well when I am reading up close any more.

I decided it was past time to spend more time meditating on his word as lately I have noticed that I don't feel quite as connected to God as I usually am. I am thinking that it is because I am not as involved in the life of any congregation as I once was. Bible studies have been cancelled. So other than my personal times in prayer with God throughout the day, I am not being fed much of the word except on Sunday mornings.

The world has a tendency to sneak into places in our lives and will interfere in our relationships with God if we are not careful. We must stay in the word. We need to meditate on it. We need to be reminded of what God has to say to us through the word so we do not forget it. There is life and hope found in the word and I prefer to live life than to merely exist in the world.

Let us with our whole hearts seek to hear His word and to declare it to the world around us instead of the world preaching to us.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Mighty Waters Will Not Reach Them

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
    will not reach them.
                                            (Psalm 32:6 NIV)

In time of trouble we pray. Well, not always. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the turmoil that we forget that we can go to God in prayer for comfort; for deliverance. With Hurricane Irma bearing down on the Caribbean and heading ever closer to Florida, we prepare for what might come to us. But, whether Irma decides to visit us in Flagler County or not; she will surely visit someone and so we pray for all people who will be affected by the strength of her power. We pray that God would diminish her power.

I received a prayer request from Chaplain Edward M. Reistetter of the Flagler County Sheriff's Office last night. He asked us to do what we Christians do best:  Pray. He asks that we keep in our prayers today and in the coming days the follow petitions and whatever else God places on our hearts:

"1. That Hurricane Irma weakens and causes little or no damage, flooding, etc
  2. The safety of our Sheriff Staly and his Deputies, and Bunnell and Flagler Police Departments as
  they maintain safety and order during the storm,
  3. For the safety of all First Time Responders who may intervene in perilous situations,
  4. For the safety, health, and welfare of all Flagler County Residents, and Florida State residents,
  especially the disabled and the aged,
  5. The safety for everyone's pets.
  6. Assistance to all those affected by Hurricane Irma who live in the Caribbean area,
  7. Anything else the Lord places on your heart

Let's agree in faith, knowing and believing that God does exceeding beyond what we can imagine or think!  Let's anticipate wonderful testimonies of answered prayers.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we ask that you guide us so that we might be filled with courage and with love so that we will think of and help all of our neighbors through and after this storm that threatens us.

God's Peace - Pr. J