The Devotional - 1516 - Applying the Word of God

The Devotional – 1515 – Applying the Word of God

Psalm 119:113-120 – I hate the double-minded, but I love Your law. You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word. Depart from me, you evildoers, for I will keep the commandments of my God! Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope. Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and I shall observe Your statutes continually. You reject all those who stray from Your statutes, for their deceit is falsehood. You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross; therefore I love Your testimonies. My flesh trembles for fear of You, And I am afraid of Your judgments. 

Comments and Challenges: SAMECH

1.       113 – I hate the double minded, but I love Your LAW.

2.       114 – You are my hiding place and my shield, I hope in Your WORD.

3.       115 – Depart from me you evil-doers, that I may keep the COMMANDMENTS of my God.

4.       116 – Uphold me according to Your WORD that I may live. Let me not be ashamed of my hope.

5.       117 – Hold me up and I will be safe, and will have respect for Your STATUTES continually.

6.       118 – You reject all those who stray from Your STATUTES, for their deceit is in vain.

7.       119 – You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross, therefore I love Your TESTIMONIES.

8.       120 – My flesh trembles for fear of You, I am afraid of Your JUDGMENTS.

The mindset of the average person is to reject the LAW of God so for me to think about this is to identify rejection of the LAW of God as to one who is “double-minded” or someone whom the apostle James identifies as “unstable” people who lack the wisdom to know that God’s LAW is actually lovable and good. Also these people do not lack “faith” but who fail to ask God for this wisdom. Can you think about this for just a moment? God’s desire is not to withhold wisdom and understanding; His desire is to lavishly pour it out on anyone who will ask Him to. James 1:2-8.

Yet we are much like someone who does not know how to “come in and get out of the rain” God’s LAW provides a hiding place, a shield and a further hope in His WORD. Are you not aware of this? I remember as you do the number of times when standing in the way of double mindedness was the result of those people around me. For example Psalm 1:4-6 that the ungodly person has a different approach to living, we need then to depart from those evil-minded people and in some cases even ask them to leave in order that we might keep the COMMANDMENTS of our God.

There is no shame or fear in the life of God’s children who seek to conform to the image and likeness of God, Psalm 1:1-3 is the way of “righteousness” and God will uphold you according to His WORD, we will not be ashamed and our hope will flourish. Safety! What is the psalmist looking at when he fears for his safety? No doubt, he is concerned for his physical life, but there is more on the plate here. He is asking for safety from becoming “double-minded”. When we are under the pressure of suffering or persecution we must think through and not stray from the STATUTES of God. These are the rejoicing elements of living in Christ.

Depending on God the Holy Spirit will allow for you and me to love God’s TESTIMONIES and we will not fear His JUDGMENTS. It is the mandate of the Holy Spirit to guide us into ALL TRUTH. John 6:63 and John 16:13-15. So this now in departing; speaking to those of us who are saved by the grace of God; if you do not place the WORD of God in your soul before a critical moment in time, the Holy Spirit will still help you, and however He may first have to give you a “CRASH COURSE” in the WORD. So beforehand do this: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, right dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.