Psalm 119:70
“Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.” Those whose “heart is as fat as grease” have only the things of this world in their view. God hates a carnal heart and mind. Romans 8:5-8 “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” When we mind the things of the flesh… We allow ourselves to become insensitive to the Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:7-8 “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” We become ignorant to the sin in our lives. Ephesians 4:18-19 “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” Instead of allowing our hearts to be filled with the grease, we can choose the Word over the world. “…but I delight in thy law.” The Word within our hearts will create in us the desire to do what is pleasing to God. When He directs us, we cannot fail. Psalm 37:31 “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.” If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must choose the Word of God over the world. Bible Reading: Numbers 21-22 | Luke 21 | Psalm 39
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Psalm 119:69
“The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.” The best way to answer those who have something to say about us is by faithfully living our lives devoted to the Lord and His Word. Let our actions speak louder than their words. When the Children of Israel murmured to Moses after he led them out of Egypt and into the wilderness, he responded with the Lord’s advice to both them and us today. Exodus 14:13-14 “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” The Children of Israel saw no way for the Lord to intervene in their situation. The Lord then gave Moses the instructions for how He would fight for them, making a way where there was no way. He spoke the Answer to their problem. Exodus 14:15-16 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” The Rod that Moses lifted up and stretched out over the sea in front of them was the Instrument that God used for the people to see the Lord’s power to deliver them. Today, we also have a Rod that God uses to speak to us and show us the Answer. The Word of God divides our problems, just as the waters of the Red Sea were divided that day. Exodus 14:21 “And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.” If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must stand still and allow Him to fight for us. Bible Reading: Numbers 19-20 | Luke 20 | Psalm 38 Psalm 119:68
“Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.” Even in affliction, God is Good. We must realize that though we are afflicted, we can trust Him that it is for our good, because He is Good. It may seem simple, but through it all…God is Good. Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” God is Good, because He is Trustworthy. Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” God is Good, because He is Forgiving. Psalm 86:5 “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” God is Good, because He is Merciful. Psalm 106:1 “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” God is Good, because He is a Refuge. Nahum 1:7 “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must remember that through it all…God is Good. Bible Reading: Numbers 17-18 | Luke 19 | Psalm 37 Psalm 119:67
“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” The weakness of the flesh can cause us to go astray. We can go far down the wrong road before we even realize we have wandered from that which is right. Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” That day on the Cross, Jesus Christ bore the weight of the sins of every human being that had ever been or will be born. Though we may stray, because of our faith in what He did for us on Calvary, we are not forsaken. Matthew 18:12-13 “How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.” The Good Shepherd desires to find us and show us our need for correction. When we do not see our necessity on our own, He must intervene by chastisement. Through affliction, we can learn where we are spiritually, and repent…or begin to turn ourselves back toward the right direction. Proverbs 3:11-12 “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” He loves us. When we feel His chastening hand and turn, we too can say…”but now have I kept thy word.” If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must turn back when we go astray. Bible Reading: Numbers 15-16 | Luke 18 | Psalm 36 Psalm 119:66
“Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.” We can read the Word just to read; or we can pray before we read, asking God to teach us as we read. When we pray, the Lord will answer; and unlike other requests, when we ask the Lord to teach us from His Word, He always says, “Yes!” Psalm 34:10 “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.” As we pray before we read, we must believe that what we will read is true. It is impossible for God to lie, so therefore every single Word within the Word of God is the Truth. When we come to the Scriptures with our hearts believing the God of the Word, we will never be disappointed. He is always able to show us something new. 2 Timothy 2:12 “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” Jesus prayed to God the Father for us to be sanctified through His Word. As we read, God will answer both the Lord Jesus’ prayers and ours for us to learn the Truth. John 17:17-19 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must pray before we read. Bible Reading: Numbers 13-14 | Luke 17 | Psalm 35 Psalm 119:65
“Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.” Here we see the result to a prayer the Psalmist had prayed earlier in the chapter: “Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.” Psalm 119:17 He had seen the Lord answer his prayer, just like He said He would. When we see God’s hand in a situation that we have brought to His throne of grace, it should encourage us to pray more often. Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” God always answers every prayer that we pray. There are three types of answers that God gives to our prayers. Sometimes He says “yes”; sometimes He says, “no”, and sometimes His answer is “wait”. Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” The Word of God tells us that He will answer. Imagine what we could be given…imagine what we could find…imagine what could be opened unto us…if only we would ask, seek, and knock. Great and mighty things await those who call upon Him. Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must pray more often. Bible Reading: Numbers 11-12 | Luke 16 | Psalm 34 Psalm 119:64
“The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.” The more we encounter the Word of God, the more we will see the Truth of God’s Word all around us. This begins with a desire to be taught from the Scriptures. Psalm 27:11-14 “Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” In the midst of the darkness of this wicked world, God’s mercy abounds. With His mercy, comes His goodness and His grace. Those that experience the mercy of God only desire to know and obey Him more. We have the opportunity to rest in Him while He teaches us. Matthew 11:28-29 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” The more we learn of the Word of God the more we will be prepared to speak of His Word. Isaiah 50:4 “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.” If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must desire to learn the Truth from the Word. Bible Reading: Numbers 9-10 | Luke 15 | Psalm 33 Psalm 119:63
“I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.” The company we keep is important. The phrase, “you are who you hang around”, is very true. Who we choose to be our friends, mentors, and especially our spouse sets the course to who we will become. Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” As much as it is wise to fear the Lord, it is also wise to surround ourselves with people whose lives display a fear of the Lord. Proverbs 13:20 “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” When needing advice, we must seek out godly counsel in order to make our decision in light of what the Bible says. Sometimes a trustworthy godly friend can offer a new perspective that perhaps we did not see beforehand. Proverbs 27:9 “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.” The friend who has a close walk with the Lord will encourage us to walk closer with Him ourselves. Being able to share what the Lord has given in time spent with Him is a priceless gift from God. Thank the Lord today for the godly friends in your life, for they are blessings from Him. Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must choose our companions wisely. Bible Reading: Numbers 7-8 | Luke 14 | Psalm 32 Psalm 119:62
“At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.” God’s Word teaches us to give thanks unto the Lord even in the night hours. Psalm 63:6 “When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.” Paul and Silas showed us that even when we feel as if we are in a dark prison, we can pray to give thanks and praise unto God. Doing so will also be a witness to those around us. Acts 16:25 “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” The more we pray, the more we will have to be thankful for. Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” As we walk with the Lord, we can best show our faith in Him by being thankful in every circumstance, resting in the Truth that He does all things well. A thankful heart abounds with thanksgiving for Him and His Word. Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must thank Him even in the night hours of our lives. Bible Reading: Numbers 5-6 | Luke 13 | Psalm 31 Psalm 119:61
“The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.” It may seem as though many are against us, and they very well may be, but no matter who or what stands against us, we can rest in the Truth of God’s Word. It is in the times of trouble that we need to remember the Word the most, for His promises are true! Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” We are only saved because of the grace of God. From the air that we breathe, to the shoes on our feet, the roof over our head, the food on our table, the pillow we lay our head on at night, and on and on and on. The blessings that we have are not our doing. Every thing that we have is from the Lord. When we fail to remember that everything comes from Him, we are in dangerous territory. There is danger in forgetting the Word of God. Deuteronomy 8:11-20 “Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.” John 15:4-5 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” We must remember that we are nothing without Him. When was the last time you went to Him with a heart of thanksgiving? If we want the Lord to order our steps, we must beware of the danger of forgetting God’s Word. Bible Reading: Numbers 3-4 | Luke 12 | Psalm 30 |
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