Psalm 119

Psalm 119 has become something special to me. When I began to look deep into that Psalm it only catapulted my joy for the Bible.

Beth

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word.
¹⁰ With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments!
¹¹ I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
¹² Blessed are you, O Lord;
    teach me your statutes!
¹³ With my lips I declare
    all the rules of your mouth.
¹⁴ In the way of your testimonies I delight
    as much as in all riches.
¹⁵ I will meditate on your precepts
    and fix my eyes on your ways.
¹⁶ I will delight in your statutes;
    I will not forget your word.

2 things make this Psalm a joy to my heart. First is the fact that Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in all 66 books of the Bible. Second is the fact that it is all about the love of Gods word and it is stated in many different ways (statutes, precepts, ways, word, law). These 2 truths give me more confidence in Gods word and more love toward Gods word. It only makes me want to dive deeper into truth.

We can’t ignore the fact that the longest chapter in all of Scripture is all about loving Gods word. I believe that tells us something. Gods word is what we have while we are here. His word brings us into deeper union with Christ. His word sanctifies us and cleans our hearts. His word encourages us and guides us. His word is our assurance. This is all we need to take on our pilgrimage. The Bible is food for the Christian soul. It is the pure spiritual milk. What has always driven me to dive deeper into Scripture is the fact that the Creator of all thing’s has revealed himself to us. He is not hiding. He has made his plan for salvation in Christ available to all who attempt to seek him in his word.

Gimel

¹⁷ Deal bountifully with your servant,
    that I may live and keep your word.
¹⁸ Open my eyes, that I may behold
    wondrous things out of your law.
¹⁹ I am a sojourner on the earth;
    hide not your commandments from me!
²⁰ My soul is consumed with longing
    for your rules at all times.
²¹ You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,
    who wander from your commandments.
²² Take away from me scorn and contempt,
    for I have kept your testimonies.
²³ Even though princes sit plotting against me,
    your servant will meditate on your statutes.
²⁴ Your testimonies are my delight;
    they are my counselors.

Preparing For Eternity

The Apostle Paul tells us that our citizenship is in heaven. When I think about this verse it can be hard to comprehend that. We live in a fallen world where death is viewed as the biggest tragedy in the world. Yet if we stop to think about eternity we would soon find ourselves eagerly waiting for our departure. The challenge is to think about this often. Isn’t that the challenge with the entire Bible in general? There are so many of Gods promises that I fail to reflect on that I am certain would turn my negative attitude into gratitude and awe of a God who sovereign.

God promises to give so much to his children and none of which we deserve. Peter tells us that our inheritance is unfading. He later in the same chapter tells us to set our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. If I know all of this why do I still act, talk and live as if I will be here forever? In fact I find that this a common theme among Christians. We talk about life as if this is the only time we have to really live, and we treat eternity in heaven as an after thought.

When I bring my focus back to my citizenship being in heaven I am able to relax (most of the time). I am able to brush off much of the stress that the devil wants to pile on my shoulders. This truth allows me to ponder my real home where I will meet my real Father and my real Brother. It forces me to store up for myself treasure in heaven where there is a room that Christ prepared for me before the foundation of the world.

When I look at this verse it brings me back to my purpose on earth. I was called by Gods grace. There is nothing special in me that could possibly merit salvation. I am a sinner saved by the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. Nothing I do can impress God. I am here to bear fruit to bring glory to his name. I can only do that when I spend my time on this earth running home. Lord help us think this way.

“For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21 esv)

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Philippians 3:20 esv)

The Reformation Rescued Spiritual Discernment

If it is one thing that the reformation did it was allow every day people to see that they could know God through the Bible. That is what I am extremely grateful for because it is with our minds that we serve the law (Yes I know we are saved by grace through faith) of God.

^“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.” (Romans 7:24-25 esv emphasis mine)

Prior to the reformation people had to rely on the Catholic Church to receive the meaning of the Bible. The Bible was authoritative but know one was able to discern for themselves what the will of God was. The fact that the reformation along with the printing press put the Bible in the hands of the masses is amazing to me and I am truly grateful.

We are now able to peak into the deep things of God through Scripture at our convenience. We don’t need to worry about getting burned at the stake (at least in America) for reading Scripture. Because of this privilege we should be hungry for what Peter called the pure spiritual milk, the Word of God. The reformation rescued Spiritual discernment. We no longer have to rely on the preacher or pope for special revelation. We can check it out for ourselves, and this is what we as Christians are called to do as often as we can, because it is with our minds that we serve the law of God. It is with our minds that we read and come to know the truth that Jesus said would set us free. As Jesus tells the Woman of Samaria:

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23 esv emphasis mine)

Because of the reformation we are able to seek God, know his will and bring glory to his name.

We Must Get Off The Fence

All across Churches today we are dealing with teachers who are afraid to take a stand for what they believe Scripture is saying. We live in world where feelings are easily hurt so we lean toward catering to emotions even if the Gospel gets watered down. This is a huge mistake and not only does harm to the people in the pews but it dishonors God who is going to judge the living and the dead.

R.C Sproul once said that all of us could be wrong about our theological stance but we still need to take a stand for what we believe the Bible is proclaiming (paraphrase). The books that we read are simply books written by people who take stands whether people disagree with them or not.

I think that Bible teachers do a disservice by teaching Scripture in a way that honors both sides of the theological coin equally without letting the congregation know where they stand. How can we leave the flock on their own to discern what the will of God is if we ourselves won’t get off the fence?

The reformation launched when Martin Luther took a stand. The English Bible that we read came by William Tyndale taking a stand and it cost Tyndale his life. Imagine where we would be if these men just sat on the fence? Jesus said that he didn’t come to bring peace but division.

“Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” (Luke 12:51 esv)

Our Lord Jesus came to bring a sword. He came to call sinners to repentance. He came to die and fulfill his mission. Where would we be if Jesus sat on the fence?

Why “The Renewed (REFORMED) Mind?

When God calls you follow. When Jesus called his disciples they asked no questions. They left whatever it was that they were doing and they followed him. We don’t know why. It isn’t like they knew that he was the Messiah. For someone to leave their career and life for a man that they didn’t know is something we will never understand unless we truly and deeply and openly look at our own stories of salvation.

In 2014 I was battling a lawsuit with my former employer as I was trying to establish my own business. It was mentally and emotionally destroying me on the inside. The ambition I had in my younger years along with the certainty to succeed was gone. For the first time in my life I realized that I didn’t have the control over my life like I assumed I did. At one point during the lawsuit I believe I truly lost all hope but little did I know that that was part of Gods sovereign plan.

I was drawn to the Bible and when I opened the Bible and began to read, something inside of me, over time, began to change. I felt different. My outlook on life was different. Things were different that I couldn’t exactly pin point. I was drawn into Gods Word along with other books to help me understand what I was dealing with. As I was skimming through the Gospel According to Matthew and I came across chapter 7 verse 21 I got scared. I knew that if what the Bible was saying was true then I had to know more. I couldn’t just know about God but I had to know Him.

I was drawn in by Gods grace and through the process he removed the scales from my blind eyes and my desires began to change. I wish I could say I was perfect after conversion but that would be a lie, but I felt different. I no longer desired the things that once motivated me. I began to recognize my sin and it overwhelmed me. I began to feel the guilt piling up on my heart but at the same time I began to seek my God with passion and zeal. I felt free. I was hooked on God when prior to conversion I had spent my life rebelling against God by living life my way.

So how do I explain all of this? Do I take credit? The Bible says salvation is a gift. Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be born again and if we had nothing to do with our 1st birth then I believe we can have nothing to do with our 2nd birth. As I began to further read and study Scripture I was drawn to authors and preachers like John MacArthur, R.C Sproul and many others who were able to shed light on my belief. I realized that what happened to me I never could have done on my own. The Bible tells us that we are dead in our sin. Can a dead man bring himself back to life? Not at all. I was dead in my sins and by Gods grace I was made alive in Christ.

Reformed Theology is what I believe and this blog is just a sinners attempt to shed the same light onto others for the glory of God. Romans 12:2 is what this blog is about.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (esv emphasis mine)

Through this blog I will be posting mainly about what I am reading in Scripture as well as other books on reformed theology. I love reading so I might lean to doing book reviews/summaries in the future. I don’t claim to be an expert in truth but I am convicted in what I believe. I hope that you find value as you read each post and possibly engage in healthy conversation through comments.