Twin Peaks

The scripture for today is Psalms 119:16

 

Psalms 119:16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

 

Trying to follow the directives of scripture with a divided heart creates an unpleasant experience. The psalmist gives us a proper perspective. Rather than adhering to the word of God out of a sense of obligation, the psalmist makes the directives of scripture his delight. In other words, the joy of his life comes from knowing and following the word of God.

 

How wonderful it is to be in proper fellowship with our Creator, to know that He is always there for us every minute of every day. We are never alone or without access to divine intervention, regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in. Cherishing the word of God produces the faith that overcomes.  “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 Faith then takes the word which produced it and delights in it. As we by faith delight in the word of God, our desire is for more of the word which produces more faith and more joy. It is a process that increases both our faith and our delight. We come to a place where there is no higher pleasure, no higher desire, no higher aspiration than delighting in God’s word, receiving that which is not available from any other source. 

 

When we receive the word of God, we are receiving God Himself. He and His word are one. That is what makes the word of God so powerful; it is God Himself expressed in terms that even simple minds can receive and understand. The Almighty Creator, who is infinite wisdom and knowledge, looks upon His fallen and ignorant created beings, not with disdain but with love and a desire to restore them back to the regal beings that He created them to be. He outlined His plan and put it in a book; then He sent the Representative of the Godhead to live out what He had already put in place.

 

Jesus came and lived in the flesh, not distant from us, but with us, doing human things with all of the limitations that confinement to a body of flesh can bring. He showed us how to live a powerful and overcoming life. “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Psalms 40:8 The statutes, commandments, and will of God are not different from each other. They present a path for us to follow so that we can say as Jesus did, “And He that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone; for I always do those things that please Him.” John 8:29 Jesus said that He always did the things that please the Father. The key was in His consistency; He never wavered, never failed, not once.

 

While none of us are the sinless Christ, we have the wonderful invitation to come to Him, and when we come to Him with surrendered hearts, He, through the Holy Spirit, takes up residency in our hearts. It is through this connection with God that we have the ability to have the faith of Jesus and to follow in His steps. To be sure, it is a process, but we have a perfect example to follow.  

 

As we, with purposed and surrendered hearts, delight ourselves in God’s statutes and treasure His word in our hearts, we will be filled with the great joy that living His word brings. Faith is a powerful force, and it is through the force of faith that the children of God will stand in the last days. They will not be traveling the crowded highway, but will rather walk the narrow path that leads to life eternal. That path is not the road most traveled, but it is the road of the delighted, those who find their joy in keeping the statues of God and holding His word in their hearts as the treasure it is. They are the remnant; they are God’s saints.  “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12

 

God bless you as you continue in His service.

Timt