Psalms 119:121-128

16. Ayin

I have performed justice and righteousness; do not leave me to my oppressors.
Guarantee Your servant's well-being; do not let the proud oppress me.
My eyes faint while longing for Your salvation and for Your righteous word.
Deal with Your servant according to Your lovingkindness, and teach me Your statutes.
I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies.
It is time for Jehovah to act, for they have broken Your law.
Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, indeed, more than fine gold;
Therefore I esteem all Your precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way.

Psalms 119:113-120

15. Samekh

I hate those who are double-minded, but I love Your law.
You are my hiding place and my shield; in Your word do I hope.
Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may 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 that I may be safe, and I will regard Your statutes continually.
You spurn all those who stray from Your statutes, for their deceitfulness is vain.
You do away with all the wicked ones of the earth like dross; therefore I love Your testimonies.
My flesh trembles for fear of You, and I am afraid of Your judgments.

Psalms 119:105-112

14. Nun

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
I have sworn and will confirm it, that I will keep Your righteous ordinances.
I have been greatly afflicted; O Jehovah, enliven me according to Your word.
Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Jehovah; and teach me Your ordinances.
My soul is continually in my hand, but I do not forget Your law.
The wicked have laid a trap for me, but I do not stray from Your precepts.
Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the gladness of my heart.
I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, to the end.

Psalms 119:97-104

13. Mem

Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my musing.
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my musing.
I understand more than the aged, for I have kept Your precepts.
I have withheld my feet from every evil way, that I might keep Your word.
I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You have taught me.
How sweet are Your words to my taste! Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through Your precepts I gain understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

Psalms 119:89-96

12. Lamedh

Forever, O Jehovah, does Your word stand firm in heaven.
Your faithfulness is from generation to generation; You established the earth, and it abides.
They abide to this day according to Your ordinances, for all things are Your servants.
Unless Your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have enlivened me.
I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts.
The wicked have waited for me in order to destroy me, but I consider Your testimonies.
I have seen an end to all perfection, but Your commandment is all-expansive.

Psalms 119:81-88

11. Kaph

My soul faints while longing for Your salvation; I hope in Your word.
My eyes faint while longing for Your word, as I say, when will You comfort me?
For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke; but I do not forget Your statutes.
How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute justice upon my persecutors?
The proud have dug pits for me, those who are not according to Your law.
All Your commandments are faithful; they persecute me falsely; help me.
They have almost consumed me upon the earth; but I have not forsaken Your precepts.
Enliven me according to Your lovingkindness, and I will keep the testimony of Your mouth.

Psalms 119:73-80

10. Yodh

Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn Your commandments.
Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, for I have hoped in Your word.
I know, O Jehovah, that Your judgments are righteous and that in faithfulness You afflicted me.
Let Your lovingkindness, I beseech You, be my comfort, according to Your word to Your servant.
Let Your compassions come to me, and I will live; for Your law is my delight.
Let the proud be put to shame, for they have subverted my cause with a lie; but I will muse upon Your precepts.
Let those who fear You turn to me, and they will know Your testimonies.
May my heart be perfect in Your statutes, that I may not be put to shame.

Psalms 119:65-72

9. Teth

You have dealt well with Your servant, O Jehovah, according to Your word.
Teach me proper discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I keep Your word.
You are good and One who does good; teach me Your statutes.
The proud have plastered lies against me; with my whole heart I will keep Your precepts.
Their heart is heavy as with fat; but I delight in Your law.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.
The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

Psalms 119:57-64

8. Heth

Jehovah is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.
I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; be gracious to me according to Your word.
I considered my ways and turned my feet toward Your testimonies.
I hurried and did not delay to keep Your commandments.
The cords of the wicked surround me, but I have not forgotten Your law.
At midnight I rise up to give thanks to You because of Your righteous ordinances.
I am a companion to all who fear You and to those who keep Your precepts.
Your lovingkindness, O Jehovah, fills the earth; teach me Your statutes.

Psalms 119:49-56

7. Zayin

Remember the word to Your servant in which You had made me hope.
This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has enlivened me.
The proud have derided me greatly; I have not swerved from Your law.
I have remembered Your ordinances from long ago, O Jehovah, and have comforted myself.
Raging indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
Your statutes have become my songs of praise in the house of my pilgrimage.
I have remembered Your name in the night, O Jehovah, and have kept Your law.
This has been mine, that I have kept Your precepts.

Psalms 119:41-48

6. Vav

May Your lovingkindness also come to me, O Jehovah, Your salvation according to Your word.
Thus I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word.
And do not take the word of truth utterly from my mouth, for I have hoped in Your ordinances.
Thus I will keep Your law continually, forever and ever.
And I will walk at liberty, for I have sought Your precepts.
I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings and not be ashamed.
And I will take delight in Your commandments, which I love.
And I will lift up my hand to Your commandments, which I love; and I will muse upon Your statutes.

1 Thessalonians Life Study Message 4

SOME BASIC MATTERS (1 Thes 1:1-10)

I enjoyed the summaries of all the basic matters we needed to know in order to see the burden in Paul’s spirit when he composed the epistles to the Thessalonians. I was especially touched by the matter of the word of the Lord becoming our faith.

“In your experience, is the word of the Lord simply the word, or is it also faith? If the word is faith to you, this means it has brought you a view, and you have seen this view. This seeing of the view results in your believing. In this way the word becomes your faith. Now when the word of the Lord is sounded out, it is not merely an objective word; it is also your subjective faith. Therefore, when such a word is sounded out, your faith goes out.”

We must ask ourselves, “is the word of the Lord simply the word, or is it also faith?” May our faith go out along with our sounding out of the word! 

Not only that, faith is the “foundation of the structure of a holy life for the church life, and upon such a foundation a building is taking place”. We must take time to get into the word, let the Lord reveal the spiritual scene to us, and let His word become our faith for the building up of the church. 

Here are some verses I enjoyed today: 

 "So that you became a pattern to all those who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded out; not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place, your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need of saying anything." (1 Thes 1:7, 8)

Psalms 119:33-40

5. He

Teach me, O Jehovah, the way of Your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, and I will observe Your law; indeed I will keep it with all my heart.
Cause me to go on the path of Your commandments, for it it I delight.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to unjust gain.
Turn my eyes from beholding vanity, and enliven me in Your ways.
Confirm to Your servant Your word, which is for fearing You.
Turn away my reproach, which I fear; for Your ordinances are good.
Behold, I have longed after Your precepts; enliven me in Your righteousness.

Psalms 119:25-32

4. Daleth

My soul clings to the dust; enliven me according to Your word.
I have recounted my ways, and You have answered me; teach me Your statutes.
Cause me to understand the way of Your precepts, and I will muse upon Your wondrous deeds.
My soul melts because of grief; strengthen me according to Your word.
Remove from me the way of falsehood, and graciously grant me Your law.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness; Your ordinances I have set before me.
I cling to Your testimonies; O Jehovah, do not put me to shame.
I run the way of Your commandments, for You enlarge my heart.

1 Thessalonians Life Study Message 2

CHARACTERISTICS OF A HOLY LIFE FOR THE CHURCH LIFE (1 Thes 1:4-10)

The thing that touched me the most in this message was the word LIVING.

First of all, we need to have a proper LIVING in order to preach the gospel in power, in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance. We need to live the gospel and have a manner of life that matches it. “We must first live Christ and have a manner of life to match the power, the Holy Spirit, and the assurance.”

Second, we have a LIVING God. “God must be living to us and in us in our daily life. He should be living in our speech, in our behavior, and in every aspect of our daily life. He is living in us, and He controls us, directs us, and deals with us… in many matters He corrects us and adjusts us. We must live a life which bears the testimony that the God we worship and serve is living in the details of our daily life.”

One other thing I really enjoyed was our SELECTION which was done by God before the foundation of the world. Praise the Lord!

Psalms 119:17-24

3. Gimel

Deal bountifully with Your servant that I may live and keep Your word.

Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law.

I am a sojourner in the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me.

My soul is crushed with longing for Your ordinances at all times.

You have rebuked the proud, the cursed, who wander from Your commandments.

Roll away from me reproach and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies.

Princes as well have sat and spoken against me, but Your servant mused upon Your statutes.

Also Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.

1 Thessalonians Life Study Message 1

INTRODUCTION TO A HOLY LIFE FOR THE CHURCH LIFE (1 Thes 1:1-3)

So I decided I would join many others in the studying of 1 Thessalonians. It is worthwhile for us to study 1 and 2 Thessalonians because they render us particular help concerning the young Christian life and church life. Today’s portion covers just three verses, so I decided I would include them here:

“Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We thank God always concerning all of you, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering unceasingly your work of faith and labor of love and endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father” (1 Thes 1:1-3)

This introductory message covered two basic points: “first, that the church is composed of human beings in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ, those who have the life of God and who are in the organic union with Christ; second, that the church life is the Christian life constructed of the work of faith, the labor of love, and the endurance of hope in the coming Lord.”

Read on if you want to hear more detailed points.

Psalms 119:9-16

2. Beth

With what should a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.
With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from your commandments.
In my heart I have treasured up Your word that I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O Jehovah; Teach me Your statutes.
With my lips I have declared all the ordinances of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies as much as in all riches.
I will muse upon Your precepts and regard Your ways.
I will take delight in Your statues; I will not forget Your word.

Psalms 119:1-8

1. Aleph

Blessed are those whose way is perfect, who walk in the law of Jehovah.
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart.
Surely they do no wrong; they walk in His ways.
You have commanded that Your precepts be diligently kept.
Oh that my ways may be established so as to keep Your statutes!
Then I will not be put to shame, when I regard all Your commandments.
I will give thanks to You with uprightness of heart when I learn Your righteous ordinances.
I will keep Your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.