1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD! 2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart.  3 They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.

The undefiled – <ym!T* ‎tamiym (taw-meem’); integrity, truth, without blemish, complete.  Paul tells us that we are complete in Him (Jesus) according to Colossians 2:10a.  The way speaks about our walk in life which is marked out by God’s law.  Zacharias and Elizabeth were great examples of this type of walk, for the Bible tells us, they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (Lk 1:6).  Luke was not saying that they were perfect, but found in a right standing with God.  The only way for us to accomplish this today is through faith in Jesus Christ.

Keep and seek.  This is an interesting balance because one can attempt to keep God’s testimonies without truly seeking Him with a whole heart.  The Pharisees of the New Testament are a great example of this, of whom Jesus said, “All their works they do to be seen by men” (Mt 23:5).  They had the works, but not with the right heart attitude.  When we strive to keep God’s testimonies while seeking Him with our whole heart we will discover that the Holy Spirit will aid us in our quest.

Ezek 36:27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

No iniquity?  The psalmist isn’t speaking about sinless perfection, for he understood that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).  It is through faith Jesus that our iniquities are forgiven.

Isa 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

4 You have commanded us to keep Your precepts diligently. 5 Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes!  6 Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all Your commandments.

The psalmist reveals an enigma that we all face, our struggle in keeping the commands of God.  God had commanded us to keep His precepts diligently, a word that speaks about might or force.  Like the psalmist, we understand God’s command, but when we look into His commandments we are faced with shame as God’s Word confronts our sins.  The psalmist realized that he needed help, as he sought direction that would help him keep God’s statutes.  We can have our ways directed through a number of different ways: through studying God’s Word, hearing God’s Word being expounded, finding a mature believer to help us in our walk, but most importantly, by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Jn 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth;

7 I will praise You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments. 8 I will keep Your statutes; oh, do not forsake me utterly!  

Learning God’s righteous judgments helps us to praise God with upright hearts.  The psalmist strived to walk in the ways of the LORD, in His laws and statutes, but seeing his inability to keep the whole law, he cries out to God to not utterly forsake him.  We also have this same struggle and must continually allow God to help us in our walk, knowing that He will never utterly forsake those whom He has redeemed.

Heb 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Pastor John

Psalm 119 is an acrostic psalm, which consists of twenty-two sections, with each section beginning with one of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, in order from Aleph to Tau.  Each section contains eight verses each, with each line beginning with the corresponding letter in the Hebrew alphabet.  So, in verses one through eight, each line begins with the Hebrew letter, Aleph; in verses nine through sixteen, each line begins with the Hebrew letter, Beth; etc, etc.

This psalm is dedicated to expounding upon God’s law, testimonies, precepts, statues, judgments, word (translated from two different Hebrew words) and commandments.  171 of the 176 verses of Psalm 119 contain at least one of the aforementioned eight Hebrew words.  The verses speak of God’s way – 3 & 37, faithfulness – 90, surety – 122 and custom – 132.  The below definitions are in the order of their appearance and the Scripture below each definition is where these words were first used in the Bible.

God’s Law: v 1- torah – direction, teaching or instruction, God’s revelation or instructions for life.

Gen 26:5 “because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

God’s Testimonies: v 2 – `edah (ay-daw’) – always plural, human or divine testimony or witness.

Gen 21:30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.”

God’s Precepts: v 4 – piqquwd (pik-kood’) –always plural, found 24 times, translated as statutes (Ps 19:8), commandments (Ps103:18, 111:7), the remaining 21 are in Psalm 119 translated as precepts.

Ps 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

God’s Statues: v 5 - choq (khoke) – a degree, ordinance or regulation of God.

Ex 15:26a and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes,”….

God’s Judgments: v 7 – mishpat (mish-pawt’) – to judge, sit in judgment; rights belonging to someone.  Translated as ordinances in Psalm 119: 43 & 91.

Gen 18:19a “For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice,”….

God’s Word: v 9 – dabar (daw-baw’) – speech, discourse, divine revelation; commandment.

Gen 11:1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.

God’s Commandments: v 10 – mitswah – a command, ether human or divine; a code of wisdom.

Gen 26:5 “because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments,….

God’s Word: v 11 – imrah (im-raw’) – anything spoken, commanded or promised – human or divine.

Gen 4:23 Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for hurting me.

O yes, this is not only the longest psalm in the Book of Psalms, but the longest chapter in the Bible!

Praise the Lord for his wonderful works and faithfulness!

We would love to have you join us at a special 10 a.m. service followed by a mega-potluck fellowship time, and again at 6-8 p.m. for a praise night/rededication, featuring speakers and worship teams from CC Elk Grove, CC Milwaukee, and CC Lake Villa.

We are located at 38451 N. Fairlfield Road, Lake Villa, Illinois.  This is about 1/2 mile north of Rt 132 (Grand Avenue), about half way between Grand Avenue and Petite Lake Road.    Phone: 847-265-0646.

     Looking through the eyes of a child there is a world beyond imagination. Piercing and perceiving, whether joy or trials, they live for a moment in time. Questioning, why and why not, searching, stretching wondering what is this life before them.

    Their emotions are wide from one event to another, pouring into everything they have. Joy is full: laughter, a wide smile, complete with the physical, running, squirming, jumping for the joy of it. Just ask a new parent with a new one in their care. As complete as their joy, so goes the trials. Tears full with hurt, the whimpering sniffles, the saddest face the world knows. A child looks to life for all it has to give not knowing exactly what to expect, reacting as they experience. The steps are taken, leading to the next, moving them forward in time to another moment. They are shaped by the experience and influences that they go through.

     Maybe you have been there in the middle of the joy, in the middle of the trials or both. You have wanted to question the why and why not, stretching, wondering what is this life before you. One, alone in a sea of stars on a clear night, imagining how it makes a difference with all the others shining. It has been said that the goal in life is to leave a legacy. A legacy, something that made a difference, an idea, an inspiration, something tangible for those who follow. Can that happen in a sea of stars?

       Jesus said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” There is a loving God who calls out to us. He sees us as we look at children. His heart leaps as ours does in joy, He hurts as trials consume us, and most of all, He yearns for us to come to Him as little children running to a Father who has a deep love, that included a plan involving letting His own Son, Jesus, to live and die with one purpose. Jesus came to provide a way for us to have a personal relationship with God, through His death on the cross, He made a way to the Father.

      The next time you look up at a starry night, know that the God of the universe has you in the palm of His hand and He is calling out “Come.” The invitation is there. A legacy is within reach, a legacy of eternity.

Pastor Kevin

Recorded:  October 14, 2012

Scripture Reference:  Philippians 1:12-30

Recorded:  October 10, 2012

Scripture Reference:  Matthew 6:9-13 and others

Recorded:  October 7, 2012

Scripture Reference:  Philippians 1:1-11

Recorded:  September 30, 2012

Scripture Reference:  Acts 16:16-40

Recorded:  September 26, 2012

Scripture Reference:  Psalms 125-127

Recorded:  September 23, 2012

Scripture Reference:  Acts 16:11-40, 20:16