We desire in our lives to live to the fullest. We want what is best, and whatever provides the greatest blessings to our lives. In general we want the best in education for our children and grandchildren. We want to live where it is safe and provide relative assurance that we or our children will not meet an unexpected and early end. We want our children to have promising careers to meet and provide for their and their family’s material needs. In all of that the desire is to live and experience a full life, but do we seek the full life that Christ promised? Do we make the time to prepare our souls for the life that Christ has called us?
In Psalm 19 we see a description of God’s Word and the power it possesses to affect spiritual change within us. This evening we will look specifically at verses 7-9.
In verse 7 we see that the Law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul. The Word of God perfects us because as we read it, study it and meditating on it the Word is bringing out the impurities. The perfect Word convicts us of our imperfections. Do you desire to be more like Christ? Then read His Word and let Him perfect you! Do we desire spiritual purity? Then read His Word and let Him purify you! Do you desire that Christ be supreme in your life? Then let Him through the reading of His Word! Our souls are destroyed and corrupt, but God’s Word restores the soul. It not only convicts us of sin but restores us to the purity that God desires of us. Adam and Eve were in a perfected state before the fall. They were complete as God desired, but when they chose to sin they corrupted themselves and all who would follow after. Now we are struggling in this corruption and God has provided the means through the Gospel to be restored to perfection. Most people enjoy antiques of one kind or another whether you collect them or not but we enjoy them. One of my dad’s friends would collect old bikes. He would find them cheap at garage sales or antique dealers. He would take them home and sandblast the old paint and rust off and then repaint the bike. He would make a nice finish and chrome the fenders and find seats that resembled the original. Then he would repair the wheels as needed and finally, he would find some white-wall tires for the old bikes. I remember one old tricycle he restored. It looked just like the original as I had seen the pictures in magazines. Through the Spirit’s work and the Word of God we are the old bikes. God is carefully working and crafting us to be restored to original perfection. He is sandblasting away the impurities and sin. He is fitting us with original parts so that we might one day match the original picture.
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Who do we trust? Why did you believe that the Word of God was real? What about God made you desire his word and salvation? What made you trust him? In a trial testimony is needed and must be sure. If a witness contradicts themselves then the testimony is considered inaccurate and untrustworthy. The Lord’s testimony is sure. His word does not contradict itself. The Word of the Lord leads unto salvation as no other word or message can. But it says that it makes wise the simple. This is a point of salvation. The Lord provides wisdom as no other can. A part of salvation is coming to the wisdom of the Lord. Those who possess salvation posses the wisdom of the author of salvation. Our minds are opened and we can now appreciate and take in the wisdom of God. The Word of the Lord works to restore our minds as well as our spirits. One commentator is quoted as saying, “The beginning of conversion, and so all along, the increase of all grace to the end, is expressed by wisdom entering into a man’s heart.”
More quickly, the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. They are correct and true and because of that they bring joy and satisfaction. Have you ever had someone tell you something but it just did not settle right? You knew there was something inaccurate about their statement, but you had no proof at that point. Have you ever had someone tell you the truth in a serious situation but you had no proof yet you knew they were telling you the truth and it provided a sense of satisfaction and assurance? The truth rejoices our spirits and hearts. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. We are opened through the Word of God to true purity. Purity enlightens and opens us to the truth. Do we desire truth? Do we desire to be more like Christ? I know we often say that we do, but is that what we truly desire or is there something else out there that is more important to us?
Finally verse 9, the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. To fear the Lord is to live in purity and cleanliness. To live in true reverent fear of the Lord is to live in true purity desired by the Lord. Because if we truly fear him then we will obey him, but when we do not fear him then we are not obeying him because we do not sense the reality of danger in living in disobedience. The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. The words of God individually are true and accurate but together they are a description of perfect unity leading to righteousness.
What place should the Word of God have in the church?
Should we seek fun and fellowship or the Word of God first?
What should be the foundation of all that we do?
What should be the foundation of our lives as believers?
What should we look to for the source of transformation in the lives of the lost?
May we be united in prayer that the Word of God would be proclaimed to the lost and dying?
No comments:
Post a Comment