Behind the set and unbelieving mask of amusement nothing solid lived.”
–Ernest Haycox (Guns of Fury)
“Get out of my life, you evil-minded people, for I intend to obey the commands of my God.”
“Get out of my life, you evil-minded people, for I intend to obey the commands of my God.”
–Psalm 119:115 (NLT)
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As we come back to Psalm 119 after some time off, I want to share a story I came across from William Petersen’s book, “One Year of Psalms.” The story come from the life of the great early church leader who lived 150 years after the apostles–Tertullian. He was trained in a career in politics and was a competent orator. His mind was said to be razor-sharp. At the age of thirty-five he became a Christian and chose to follow Christ leaving a lucrative career in politics. In relation to this Psalm (cf 113) he couldn’t understand half-hearted Christians. One day he was talking with another Christian, who was involved in some questionable business practices. Defending his actions, the man said, “But I must live.” Tertullian sharply retorted, “Why?” Petersen then states, “When you think about it, how important is living compared with pleasing the Lord? Like Tertullian’s friend, we make many compromises because we consider them necessary to maintain a certain way of life. But how necessary is that way of life? What kind of life does God call us to lead?”
.113 — I hate those who are undecided about you, but my choice is clear–I love your law. (NLT)
I hate the double-minded, but I love your law. (ESV)
I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. (KJV)
As Tertullian, our hearts should be stirred when we see those who are against God and those who call themselves Christians that live a life of compromise. Being double-minded is to be unstable, to be doubting. James Boice says, “Double-minded people are people who know about God but also not fully determined to worship and serve Him only.” We must understand that vain thoughts are the natural product of an unrenewed heart and mind. Know that we are responsible for our thoughts and we are to control them, and then we are to obey God’s word. As George Kell said, “Thoughts lead to words and words lead to action.”
.119 — All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, therefore I love your testimonies. (ESV)
All the wicked of the earth are the scum you skim off; no wonder I love to obey your decrees! (NLT)
Dross is like scum; it is useless. God’s word is pure; there can be no dross. Those who compromise should remember this and tremble. God removes the dross, the scum–He is the refiner and He will act in complete righteousness. Know that God is not a buddy! He at the least is our heavenly Father and at the most the Most High God–the I AM! Charles Lamb wrote, “If Shakespeare was to come into this room, we should all rise up to meet him; but if that person [Jesis] was to come into it, we should fall down and try to kiss the hem of His garment.”
.133 — Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me. (NKJV)
Make my steps steady through your promise; don’t let sin dominate me. (HCSB)
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. (KJV)
Our steps are to have purpose! As a soldier, we are to march in the cadence of the Holy Spirit. We are to have our focus, our purpose, our affections united in one central principle–under the direction of the Word of God. The Word not only cheers our path, but orders our steps. Our responsibility is to fill our minds with the Word, and they obey. It is important to know that omissions lead to commissions; only an ordered life can save us from the disorder of wickedness. Charles Spurgeon puts it this way, “He enables us to put our feet step-by-step in the very place that His Word ordains.”
“O let me feel thee near me; the world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me, around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin.”
–John Bode
———————————–
As we come back to Psalm 119 after some time off, I want to share a story I came across from William Petersen’s book, “One Year of Psalms.” The story come from the life of the great early church leader who lived 150 years after the apostles–Tertullian. He was trained in a career in politics and was a competent orator. His mind was said to be razor-sharp. At the age of thirty-five he became a Christian and chose to follow Christ leaving a lucrative career in politics. In relation to this Psalm (cf 113) he couldn’t understand half-hearted Christians. One day he was talking with another Christian, who was involved in some questionable business practices. Defending his actions, the man said, “But I must live.” Tertullian sharply retorted, “Why?” Petersen then states, “When you think about it, how important is living compared with pleasing the Lord? Like Tertullian’s friend, we make many compromises because we consider them necessary to maintain a certain way of life. But how necessary is that way of life? What kind of life does God call us to lead?”
.113 — I hate those who are undecided about you, but my choice is clear–I love your law. (NLT)
I hate the double-minded, but I love your law. (ESV)
I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. (KJV)
As Tertullian, our hearts should be stirred when we see those who are against God and those who call themselves Christians that live a life of compromise. Being double-minded is to be unstable, to be doubting. James Boice says, “Double-minded people are people who know about God but also not fully determined to worship and serve Him only.” We must understand that vain thoughts are the natural product of an unrenewed heart and mind. Know that we are responsible for our thoughts and we are to control them, and then we are to obey God’s word. As George Kell said, “Thoughts lead to words and words lead to action.”
.119 — All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, therefore I love your testimonies. (ESV)
All the wicked of the earth are the scum you skim off; no wonder I love to obey your decrees! (NLT)
Dross is like scum; it is useless. God’s word is pure; there can be no dross. Those who compromise should remember this and tremble. God removes the dross, the scum–He is the refiner and He will act in complete righteousness. Know that God is not a buddy! He at the least is our heavenly Father and at the most the Most High God–the I AM! Charles Lamb wrote, “If Shakespeare was to come into this room, we should all rise up to meet him; but if that person [Jesis] was to come into it, we should fall down and try to kiss the hem of His garment.”
.133 — Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me. (NKJV)
Make my steps steady through your promise; don’t let sin dominate me. (HCSB)
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. (KJV)
Our steps are to have purpose! As a soldier, we are to march in the cadence of the Holy Spirit. We are to have our focus, our purpose, our affections united in one central principle–under the direction of the Word of God. The Word not only cheers our path, but orders our steps. Our responsibility is to fill our minds with the Word, and they obey. It is important to know that omissions lead to commissions; only an ordered life can save us from the disorder of wickedness. Charles Spurgeon puts it this way, “He enables us to put our feet step-by-step in the very place that His Word ordains.”
“O let me feel thee near me; the world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me, around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin.”
–John Bode