Date: Monday July 02, 2012
Today's Chapters: Psalm 119
Message Title: God's Precepts

Hello My Friend,

Precepts are commandments from God intended as an authoritative rule of action; but applied particularly to commands respecting moral conduct. God has given us commands intended to keep us morally fit, the first ten commandments given to Israel were the basics of living a corrupt free life with God as their authority. God could not and still does not force a person to live by His commands, and let me tell you, He already knows we cannot follow all of them, and while we are no longer subjected to the over 600 precepts, they are a good reminder that everything we do, mind, body, and soul, is eternal. “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” - Revelation 22:11-15.

Psalm 119, which is the largest chapter in the entire Bible, was written by Ezra, who was a scribe and priest God sent from Babylon to Jerusalem to bring a revival to the city of God. When he got there it was worse than he thought, no one, including the priests, were living by the Word of God. This entire Psalm was written to remind us that it is important to read, study, and follow His Word, not because it is required, but that we should live a blessed, prosperous life with less affliction. “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.” - Psalm 119:1-3.

God never gives us laws to keep us from enjoying life, He gives them so that we can enjoy life to the fullest without all the corruption of the world. Some of the best times I have is when our church gets together for activities, it's good, clean fun, and laughter. We do everything the world does without all the lust of the flesh gleaming at us. Christians can enjoy a bountiful life without giving up their morality. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” - Galatians 5:19-25.

Interestingly, each section of the Psalm is eight verses, in Hebrew alphabetical order, and contains every letter of the alphabet. There is nothing more satisfying than reading the Word of God, it literally gives life to a dead soul. Life is hard and at times even harder and it can weaken the soul to the point that it feels as though it is dead, but the Spirit of God moves through those pages and livens us like nothing else can, especially when we are reminded of all the other things that God has gotten us through. “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.” - Psalm 119:10-14.

I have this big sign in front of me that says, “Ask God!!!” Yet I still seldom ask God to guide me in everything that I do. Then when I am have having one of those days that I seem to be doing something over and over again I look up and see that sign and am reminded that if I asked God first I would be done by now. Whenever we try to do things on our own we really have to keep doing it over and over again until we actually learn how to do it the right way. When we let God be our guide in all that we do we save ourselves a lot of precious time and are more profitable too. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” - Psalm 1:1-3.

Everyone has something of the world that they hold on to that keeps them from prospering, but if we truly want God's blessings beyond what He is already giving us we have to let them go. As we read God's Word we learn His precepts and gradually desire to follow all of them. The more we read, the bigger our heart gets in living in obedience to it. It strengthens us, convicts us, and grows us into strong, obedient, faithful Christians. “I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works. My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.” - Psalm 119:26-29.

As we grow as a Christian God blesses us beyond measure, we learn we have amazing talents that we never imagined we had. The mercy alone that God has upon us is incredible, we are saved by His mercy and that alone should be cause for anyone to make some kind of effort to follow His precepts. We need to rejoice in God's mercy and never cease to seek His truth, if you have trouble understanding, ask God, He will show you. “Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.” - Psalm 119:33-37.

While living by God's commands has nothing to do with our salvation it is good practice if we want the best life we can live without all the pain of trying to measure up to the world. Good people are stuck in bad situations every day because they live by their flesh instead of God's Word. Jesus came here to not only save us He also came here to show us how to live by God's Word. Jesus said, “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” - John 13:13-15,34,35.

As Christians, we need to stand firm in our faith and walk in God's precepts consistently. Of course, we are all going to have days where we want to give up, of course, we are going to have to rinse and repeat a few times too, but that us proof that God is on your side. You can join the psalmist and say to God, “Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God. Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.” - Psalm 119:114-117.

Today's Prayer: God, Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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