Thursday, August 11, 2011

August 11, 2011

"I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against God" Psalm 119:11

Americans like the “bottom line” so let’s get to the bottom line for this verse. How does that sound?

This little verse with a big message is, in fact, the answer to an important question posed in verse nine, “How can a young man keep his way pure?”

So, the bottom line is that everything we have studied so far only matters if you are interested in living a pure and holy life. Others need not apply.

David, the Psalmist declares that the reason he hides the Word of God in his heart is because he doesn’t want to sin against God. If sin doesn’t bother you the Word won’t matter that much.

Logically, if staying pure and holy in all your thoughts and actions is important to you then you will meditate and memorize the Word of God. Therefore, if you are not meditating or memorizing the Word of God it would indicate a lack of interest in holy living.

If you have filed your Bible in the “inspiration reading” section of your mind or if you keep it on hand as a reference book you are not that concerned about sin. Very, very dangerous!

Here in this last half of the verse, are contained two very important truths about sin. Before we wrap our consideration of this verse allow me to point them out.

First, he says that sin is a choice – “that I might not sin”

One of the main blessings of salvation in Christ is it can free you from the power of sin. You no longer have to live as a slave to it. The main message of the Cross is Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for your sins that you can be free!

Every sin is preceded by a thought. If you entertain that thought it becomes a temptation and when you dwell on that temptation it usually leads to sin. So, before you sin you have to run a couple of red lights. You sin because you choose to. For someone who claims to be a Christian, that is exceedingly dangerous.

Think about it. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness He had to rely on quoting the Scriptures He had hidden in His heart. If Jesus Who WAS the Word had to rely on the Word to resist sin, what makes you think you can ignore your meditation and memorization?

Second, he says that sin has a consequence – “against God”

When you sin it is against God. When you choose to sin you choose against God. When you refuse to humble yourself to the Word to meditate on it and memorize it you are choosing against God’s wisdom and truth.

I am not sure you want to do that. You probably don’t want to do that. You certainly shouldn’t do that!

You also sin against yourself in that your sin breaks your fellowship with God AND you are the one who will have to live with the consequences of your sin.

Sin complicates your life. Sin alienates you from God. Sin has consequences that you can choose to avoid. Why wouldn’t you? You can choose purity from sin or you can suffer the penalty of sin. It is all dependent on what you do with God’s Word.

That’s the bottom line.





















August 10, 2011

"I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against God" Psalm 119:11

“ In My Heart”

God’s Word is light and life to those who believe. But it is only effective for those who know how to read it, study, it and apply it to daily living. The Psalmist knew how and it enabled Him to overcome sinfulness.

To hide the Word in your heart you need to know how to get it there. You don’t hide the Word by accident nor do you wake up one morning to find yourself Biblically literate. You can’t use your Bible for a pillow and hope it sinks in by osmosis.

How do I get it into my heart?

Meditate

Now what does this meditation involve? The word "meditation" in Hebrew means basically to speak or to mutter. When this is done in the heart it is called musing or meditation. So meditating on the Word of God day and night means to speak to yourself the Word of God day and night and to speak to yourself about it.

Max Lucado says that meditation is essentially the same process as worrying and if you can worry you have the ability to meditate!

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer” Psalms 19:14

"O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day." Psalm 119:97

"Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all". 1 Timothy 4:15

To meditate on God’s Word you must get alone in a quiet setting where you can read it and think about and pray and listen to the Holy Spirit. The goal of meditation is threefold:

1) To communicate with God

2) To convicted or inspired by it’s truth.

3) To conform your life to God’s truth.

Will you meditate on God’s Word so it can be hidden in your heart and revealed in your habits?

Memorize

Another important aspect of hiding His Word in your heart goes beyond meditating and on to memorizing it – storing it in your mind. Don’t say you have a bad memory or that you can’t memorize! The biggest barrier to memorization is that “stinkin’ thinkin’”. Memorizing requires more time and effort than some want to invest in it, but everyone CAN memorize.

Here is the process you can commit to:

1) Read it

2) Repeat it – say it over and over and outloud.

3) Record it – write in on a flash card or record it on a CD so you can listen while traveling to work and back.

4) Recite it

5) Remember it – if you can recite it verbatim you have memorized it.

The word hidden in your heart and in your mind will enrich your life and elevate it beyond your wildest dream!

Something is written on your heart. Something will affect your thoughts and influence your behavior. If that “something” is not the Word of God you evidently have not been meditating on it or memorizing it.

If you find yourself worrying you probably are not memorizing and if you are not memorizing you have good reason to worry!