"How can a young man cleanse his way?" By taking heed according to your word". Ps 119:9
The Psalmist answers the question.......
The emphasis of the answer, is not upon what the Lord has done for us, though we will never forget that a holy life is only made possible through the cleansing of the blood of Jesus Christ; the emphasis is upon what we must do, by God's grace, to maintain a holy life. Amen?
There is no magic formula, no short cut to holiness by which we can bring it about and then do nothing further. There is no once-for-all transaction which provides a holy life ready made. No. But there is a once-for-all transaction that has made it possible - Hallelujah, the work of Christ on the cross, "who bare our sins in His own body on the tree". This is the mainspring of holy living.
The Psalmist gives two divinely appointed means of maintaining a holy life. The first thing he says is by "taking heed according to your word"
There is no substitute for the daily quiet time alone with God, when we enter into fellowship and communion with him, and hear what he has to say to us in his word. Neglect that, and you lay yourself open to all the temptations of the evil one.
The second vital step indicated here v10 "With my whole heart have I sought you". We can read the bible with our eyes, and it may never become a living word to us. But when it does become a living word, the soul longs in thirst for God, for the living God.
Until we give our lives fully to God we will never know that full enjoyment of the spiritual inheritance that is ours by birthright as children of God. We must give ourselves entirely, utterly, wholly, withholding nothing from him -
"with my whole heart I have sought thee"
The Psalmist answers the question.......
The emphasis of the answer, is not upon what the Lord has done for us, though we will never forget that a holy life is only made possible through the cleansing of the blood of Jesus Christ; the emphasis is upon what we must do, by God's grace, to maintain a holy life. Amen?
There is no magic formula, no short cut to holiness by which we can bring it about and then do nothing further. There is no once-for-all transaction which provides a holy life ready made. No. But there is a once-for-all transaction that has made it possible - Hallelujah, the work of Christ on the cross, "who bare our sins in His own body on the tree". This is the mainspring of holy living.
The Psalmist gives two divinely appointed means of maintaining a holy life. The first thing he says is by "taking heed according to your word"
There is no substitute for the daily quiet time alone with God, when we enter into fellowship and communion with him, and hear what he has to say to us in his word. Neglect that, and you lay yourself open to all the temptations of the evil one.
The second vital step indicated here v10 "With my whole heart have I sought you". We can read the bible with our eyes, and it may never become a living word to us. But when it does become a living word, the soul longs in thirst for God, for the living God.
Until we give our lives fully to God we will never know that full enjoyment of the spiritual inheritance that is ours by birthright as children of God. We must give ourselves entirely, utterly, wholly, withholding nothing from him -
"with my whole heart I have sought thee"
