Tag: Psalm 119:9-16

Helping Your Children’s Faith Grow this Summer; “I have treasured Your Word in my heart, So that I may not sin against You.” Psalm 119:9-16

Psalm 119:9-16 The Message

9-16 How can a young person live a clean life?
    By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I’m single-minded in pursuit of you;
    don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.
I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart
    so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.
Be blessed, God;
    train me in your ways of wise living.
I’ll transfer to my lips
    all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
I delight far more in what you tell me about living
    than in gathering a pile of riches.
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
    I attentively watch how you’ve done it.
I relish everything you’ve told me of life,
    I won’t forget a word of it.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

As parents, hopefully, we are all concerned for our children’s spiritual growth.

I’m assuming you’ve read this far into this article because you want tangible ways to nurture this growth. The great news is that caring is half the battle. 

You’ve cared enough to lay the foundation in their formidable years, but now, as your children enter their adolescence it’s time to pivot. Our children are now critical thinkers and questioning their worldviews.

They will have serious questions about faith, the world, culture, themselves.

It’s time to create a culture within our homes for conversation and even doubt.

In her book Saving Leonardo, Professor Nancy Pearcey references a Fuller Youth Institute study that backs the idea that when adolescents are given their space to wrestle with their doubts, it actually deepens and strengthens their faith.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Saving+Leonardo%2C&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Becoming a safe space to wrestle with doubts might sound scary to us as parents, but it turns out that our children really, desperately, need this.

So, how do we brave the waters of becoming a safe place for doubt without accidentally wading into deconstructionism?

What is the main idea of deconstructionism?

Deconstruction denotes the pursuing of the meaning of a text to the point of exposing the supposed contradictions and internal oppositions upon which it is founded, grounded—supposedly showing that those foundations are 100% irreducibly complex, unstable, or impossible.

What is the core concept of deconstruction?

It challenges the traditional notions of language, meaning, and truth by exposing the contradictions and inconsistencies within texts and ideas.

At its core, deconstruction argues that all texts and ideas are composed of a series of oppositions or binary pairs, such as good/evil, presence/absence, or male/female.

What do deconstructionists believe?

Essentially, deconstructionists think they can interpret the real meaning of Scripture using their finite, fleshly understanding. They deny the existence of absolute truth because they are filled with confusion, conflict, and doubt.

Deconstructionism argues that logical structures based on binaries, or binary pairs, are the bones of society and language.

What is an example of deconstructionism?

A binary consists of two concepts that are presented as being at odds with each other. Examples include life/death, mind/body, and masculine/feminine.

3 Ways to Help Your Children’s Faith Grow This Summer

Step One: Open Up Your Heart

 If you are a parent, which I assume you are because you’re still reading this article, you have an opportunity to meet your child on their terms. 

We’ve already discussed all the factors that adolescents are currently facing, but the reality is that we just don’t know what we don’t know. 

We don’t know what young people today are internalizing.

We likely don’t know what it’s like to be challenged with worldviews antithetical to a Christian worldview.

We don’t know what it’s like to have LGBTQ+ literature in our middle school libraries (if your child is in public school), we don’t know what it’s like to have gender-neutral bathrooms in our school or to have to compete against trans-athletes or forfeit, and we don’t know what it’s like to our gender challenged by our own peers at such a critical time of physical and cognitive development.

Sure, we had our own challenges in our upbringing, but the challenges our children face are almost incomprehensible to us. Given these factors and more, our hearts must be incredibly tender towards our children and their friends.

Keeping a tender heart opens us up in empathy to pray over the intricate aspects of our children’s lives. It helps us orient ourselves towards prayer, not just for our children but for their friends, the other children in their schools—and by extension—families in our communities. 

Step Two: Open Up Your Home

I’ll be completely transparent when I tell you that this part is hard for me. Opening up my home means that I’m inviting loud, messy, stinky and sometimes crude teenage boys into my home.

And when I say stinky, I really mean it. I love a clean house. I love order.

I really love quiet.

Becoming “the house” means that my house is going to get messy, disorderly, and very loud, but becoming “the house” also means that I get to walk out my Christian faith right in front of my children.

Through meals and conversation the gospel is shared.

My children observe that a life dedicated to Christ is a life lived in action. 

We do not close ourselves off from the rest of the world, instead we dig in, get messy and become as inclusive as possible.

This summer, consider starting a prayer journal in which you record your prayers over your children and all of their friends. 

Next, model this for your children.

Engage your children in prayer, praying with them, over them, and for their friends.

Modeling an active prayer life for your children may have a massive ripple effect.

Step Three: Open Up Your Head

Okay, so you’ve become “the house,” now what? 

Now, you listen, serve, and attend to the needs of your children and their friends. You feed them, stay engaged, invite them (youth group or Bible study), and create an environment where your children and their friends can ask the hard questions.

This part may feel somewhat tedious, but creating a safe environment in which young people can ask questions about faith will be fundamental in their spiritual development. 

Now, this part might make you feel nervous.

“What if I don’t have all the answers?”

“What if my own child stumps me?”

My 11-year-old grandson stumps me all the time, but I’m willing to engage in a conversation with him. 

Sometimes the best response is, “I don’t know the answer, but I’d love to research and pursue that with you.” 

The reality is that we don’t have to know it all, but Christian responsibility means being open to learning and wrestling. 

Don’t be in a rush to answer questions; instead be humble and willing to grow alongside your children.

Who knows, their questions might actually drive you to a deeper faith.

Bonus Step: Open Up Your Wallet

In opening up my heart, home, and head, I quickly learned that a fourth step was necessary.

I had to open my wallet, because snacks and tacos are expensive.

Gas money for driving all the kids everywhere they want to go is expensive.

Engaging our children and facilitating spiritual growth will always come at a cost, and, more often than not, that cost is monetary. 

Additionally, the cost can be our time, or our preferences when we make choices that benefit our children and their friends more than ourselves. 

Scripture reminds us time and time again, walking in faith is costly, but  hopefully, when it comes to our children’s spiritual growth, we count that cost as gain.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit

Praying …

Psalm 19 New American Standard Bible
The Works and the Word of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their expanse declares the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [a]line has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person to run his course.
6 Its rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The Law of the Lord is [d]perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much pure gold;
Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, Your servant is warned by them;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep Your servant back from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be innocent,
And I will be blameless of great wrongdoing.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

Bound to the Book; ‘The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.’ Psalm 19:7

Psalm 19 New American Standard Bible

The Works and the Word of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their expanse declares the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [a]line has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person to run his course.
6 Its rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The Law of the Lord is [d]perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much pure gold;
Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, Your servant is warned by them;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep Your servant back from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be innocent,
And I will be blameless of great wrongdoing.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

What should motivate us to read the Bible? 

Reminding ourselves of the benefits of reading the Bible may help us to make it a priority in our lives. 

In this post, I discuss the beauty of God’s Word, based on Psalm 19:7-11. 

Today I’ll visit verses 7 and 8 to identify four important benefits we receive when we read the Scripture (based on the NIV Bible).

 1. God’s Word refreshes the soul (v7).

The idea here is “being brought back.” 

If we are not actively seeking God, we will drift away from Him, leading to a spiritual drought. 

As we become more focused on the world around us and less on spiritual things, God may feel far away. 

Our prayers may not seem effective. 

However, as we spend more time in God’s Word, our focus will return to God, and our souls will be fed. 

Our relationship with God will be renewed.

James 1:5-7 New International Version

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

2. God’s Word makes the simple wise (v7).

Who couldn’t use more wisdom? 

Sometimes we all have questions about marriage, parenting, or just life in general.  We may read self-help books, ask our friends for advice, or attend seminars or conferences, hoping to have our questions answered. 

However, the Bible seems to be the last place we go. 

There’s nothing wrong with books or our friend’s advice, as long as they point us to the Bible. 

God has given us the answers to all of life’s important questions in His Word (2 Peter 1:3). 

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

3. God’s Word gives joy to the heart (v8).

Sometimes, joy may be lacking in our lives, due to the pressures and demands of life. 

We may be in a particularly hard or sorrowful time. 

However, we are commanded to rejoice always (Philippians 4:4). 

We are to be joyful no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in. 

That is really hard to do when we are not spending enough time in God’s Word. 

As we read God’s promises in the Bible, we can find many reasons for joy. 

You can find a list of 10 Bible promises to bring you joy here.

4. God’s Word gives light to the eyes (v8).

Have you ever stumbled your way through a dark room, only to trip or bump into something? 

A light is extremely useful in the darkness. 

It lets us see clearly what is around us and it keeps us safe.

The Bible does this for us as we try to stumble our way through the dark world. 

Only in the light (John 8:12) of the truth of Scripture can we see the sinful world as it really is.  If we obey God’s commands, we will stay safe on the right path.

With benefits like these we can’t afford not to spend time in God’s Word. 

Reading our Bible regularly keeps us close to God. 

It also gives us wisdom, joy, and guidance. 

I know my days are far better when I’m consistently spending time with God. 

Whether you read it in a book or on your phone, an iPad, whether you listen to it on an app, whether you read a lot or a little—any time, every time you do spend in God’s Word will absolutely benefit you, and in turn, benefit those around us. 

2 Timothy 3:14-17 New International Version

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Will you covenant with God, making the reading and studying and praying and application of God’s Word an absolute priority in your day, every single day? 

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God, the Holy Spirit,

Praying …

Psalm 119:9-16 Complete Jewish Bible

ב (Bet)

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
don’t let me stray from your mitzvot.
11 I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I won’t sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, Adonai!
Teach me your laws.
13 I proclaim with my mouth
all the rulings you have spoken.
14 I rejoice in the way of your instruction
more than in any kind of wealth.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and keep my eyes on your ways.
16 I will find my delight in your regulations.
I will not forget your word.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

The Power of Our Proper Thinking. Philippians 4:4-9

Philippians 4:4-9 The Message

4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

The Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning; is now and ever shall be; world without end. Amen, Amen.

Many of us begin the day with anxious thoughts.

The “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) never seems to reach us in the middle of the night or when we first open our eyes.

Instead, as the morning comes we say to ourselves,

“There is so much to think about. So much is happening. So many things are dancing around in my mind and I never learned how to dance. I’ve got so many challenges.” 

Thoughts such as these so easily produce anxiety and stultify our commitment to prayer.

Apostle Paul helps us to overcome these draining, even crippling feelings by directing our gaze toward those virtues which will truly liberate our thinking.

A mind that is filled with the content described in Philippians 4:8 will have little space for anxiety-producing, peace-disrupting, joy-destroying notions.

What Paul was encouraging his readers to adopt is a distinctly Christian way of thinking.

A Christian mind, he taught, is not a mind that is trained to think only about “Christian topics” but one that has learned to think about everything from a Christian perspective.

Ultimately, we are what we think about.

It is in our minds that our affections are stirred, and it is through our minds that our wills are directed.

It is in the mind that we conceive of and produce every action.

It is therefore imperative that we learn to think about what is right and godly.

The Bible is not concerned with mere mental reflection for its own sake.

The Christian is not called to sit on a high hill and think blessed thoughts in abstraction, removed from the routines of everyday existence.

Rather, Paul provides us with a list that will establish us in our motives, our manners, and our morals.

Each of and every one of us is called to live in the realm of the real, not the phony; the serious, not the frivolous; the right, not the convenient; the clean, not the dirty; the loving, not the discordant; and the helpful, not the critical.

In short, we are called to think like Jesus.

Paul is not simply calling you to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, though.

This is not a rallying cry to try your best to perform the list.

Sanctification by self-effort is not God’s agenda.

The multifaceted virtue Paul speaks of is the fruit which grows on the tree of salvation.

This fruit is brought forth by those whose roots are embedded in grace.

So, let your heart be gripped by God’s grace, and train your mind to think on that which is truly praiseworthy.

When those influences converge, your life will be one that brings glory to God.

Practice aiming your thoughts towards the throne room of God to make His grace, this fruit, the first thing you think about when you wake up tomorrow.

Think about good things for personal victory in any situation

It’s easy to dwell on the negative when life is hard, disappointing, or painful.

That’s why it’s so important to follow this passage of instructions; it’s here to help us through the inevitable tough times and appreciate the great moments.

When Satan wants to get to you, he’ll often start with lies and condemnation whispered into your mind until you (maybe not even realizing Satan was doing so) start to believe them and then react with anxieties, despair, sadness, anger, fears or any other thing ultimately seeking to separate us from the love of God.

But with this passage of text, Paul gave a way to combat Satan’s efforts.

We are to feed our minds with blessings from God and the good things we can find in our lives or situations.

We are to think about what is true through the living word of God rather than the lies Satan would hardcore teach us, ram down our throats and have us believe.

We are to steadfastly and diligently dwell on what the word of God teaches us is noble and right and truthful so our words and actions will follow our thoughts.

We are to feed our minds with whatever God reveals and teaches us is pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy—all the things that help us stay centered upon, laser focused on God’s love for us and Christ’s sacrifice for us.

This thoroughly radical way of filling our minds with truth and all good things is an enormous spiritual challenge, especially during these most trying times.

But as we actively practice this, even in the most difficult moments, we can fight painful situations, trials, and all the difficult things we face.

It’s a way to rebuild, rebound, reclaim, restore and live out our lives with love, hope, faith, and gratefulness in the full blessings and love of God our Father.

As Christians, by our baptism we have a been brought into a family relationship with God through our union with Christ – by faith.

But we are also expected to take full responsibility for walking in spirit and truth, living as unto the Lord, fully trusting in the truth of the Word of God, depending on our Heavenly Father, submitting to the Holy Spirit, abiding in Christ, and appropriating all that is ours in Him – by faith.

This can only be done as we diligently practice to focus the eyes of our heart upon our Savior Christ alone and so throughout Scripture, we are directed to pray, seek God’s face and take control of our thoughts and our imaginations.

We are told to take every thought captive to the Lord, to let the mind of Christ dwell in us richly, and not to allow the thoughts of our heart to control us.

Paul puts it this way: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

Righteous living depends on right teaching and right thinking, and God has promised to keep in perfect peace the one whose MIND is stayed on Him.

What about Parents Raising the Coming Generations?

Psalm 119:9-16 The Message

9-16 How can a young person live a clean life?
    By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I’m single-minded in pursuit of you;
    don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.
I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart
    so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.
Be blessed, God;
    train me in your ways of wise living.
I’ll transfer to my lips
    all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
I delight far more in what you tell me about living
    than in gathering a pile of riches.
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
    I attentively watch how you’ve done it.
I relish everything you’ve told me of life,
    I won’t forget a word of it.

This is very important to teach our children as we raise them, as we model Christ for them as they grow and mature in their thinking: He promised to garrison our heart, our minds, our emotions, our innermost thoughts, as we practice centering our prayers, praises upon Him alone – with thanksgiving!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 19:11-14 The Message

11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
    and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
    Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
    Keep me from stupid sins,
    from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
    scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
    these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
    on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
    God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

Heavenly Father, keep me, I pray, from anxious thoughts. Help me to garrison my thought life on all that is commendable and good, and help me to keep the eyes of my heart fixed on Jesus. May I make a conscious choice to dwell on those things that are worthy of praise, knowing that the light of Christ and the darkness of all that is evil, cannot abide together. This I ask in Jesus’ name, Alleluia, Alleluia, AMEN.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning; is now and ever shall be; world without end. Amen, Amen.

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Staying Faithful Unto the Gospel in a World Which Has Long Lost Its Way. Isaiah 5:18-24

“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.”
― George Orwell

Isaiah 5:18-24 The Message

18-19 Doom to you who use lies to sell evil,
    who haul sin to market by the truckload,
Who say, “What’s God waiting for?
    Let him get a move on so we can see it.
Whatever The Holy of Israel has cooked up,
    we’d like to check it out.”

20 Doom to you who call evil good
    and good evil,
Who put darkness in place of light
    and light in place of darkness,
Who substitute bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter!

21-23 Doom to you who think you’re so smart,
    who hold such a high opinion of yourselves!
All you’re good at is drinking—champion boozers
    who collect trophies from drinking bouts
And then line your pockets with bribes from the guilty
    while you violate the rights of the innocent.

24 But they won’t get by with it. As fire eats stubble
    and dry grass goes up in smoke,
Their souls will atrophy,
    their achievements crumble into dust,
Because they said no to the revelation
    of God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
Would have nothing to do
    with The Holy of Israel.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

The Wizard of Oz has remained popular for years.

It has always been one of my “go to” favorite movies.

Just “follow the yellow brick road and be good, you will always get home.”

People of all ages have also learned much valued moral lessons from each of the characters Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion as they traveled down the long and winding concourse of the fabled ‘yellow brick road.’

Of course, weaved right into the plot line the great enemy to be overcome is the Wicked Witch of the West and her dark kingdom with everything to be feared.

Evil is clearly depicted as being highly dangerous and then is overcome by good.

A recent Broadway musical, however, turns the high moral sense of the original story upside down on its head.

In this rewriting of the story, the wicked witch is presented as a sympathetic character.

Born with green skin, she feels like an outsider.

Major characters, plot lines, roles, and other details are altered so that the wicked witch is really just a misunderstood person, evil is misunderstood.

The audience might come away with the idea the evil is good and good is evil.

From today’s biblical text, during the ministry of the prophet Isaiah, a reversal of moral values took place in Israel. 

Some actually lifted up the evils of stealing, murder, idolatry, adultery as good. 

In response Isaiah gave a stern warning:

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil!” (Isaiah 5:20). 

In our relativistic world, studying, memorizing, and meditating on God’s Word can ensure our discernment between good and evil. 

If we know the truth, the truth will free us, we can discern what’s false.

Isaiah 5:20 Amplified Bible

20 
Woe (judgment is coming) to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

One of the tell-tale signs of being at the very end of the Church age is people gradually moving away from the ethical things of God and embracing wildly distorted ideas regarding morality, what are the very basics of right vs. wrong.

Biblically, such a society can no longer successfully function, navigate through the vast diversities of challenges brought out by technological advancements, economic cycles, social cultural and political upheavals and vast global crises.

We are all seeing the truth of this Word from Isaiah unfold before our eyes in what has become a clash between a secular worldview and a Biblical worldview.

Today’s secular worldview is developed through highly divisive, “hot button” cultural preferences and social norms that are promoted through progressive educational institutions, social media of all sorts, and even so called “science.”

And since these factors shift from generation to generation, and one political, politically correct or else!” body their “expression of truth” is always changing.

Jeremiah 23:28-29 Amplified Bible

28 The prophet who has a dream may tell his dream; but he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat [for nourishment]?” says the Lord. 29 “Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the [most stubborn] rock [in pieces]?

Hebrews 4:12-13 Amplified Bible

12 For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged [a]sword, penetrating as far as the division of the [b]soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And not a creature exists that is ever concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.

This is the exact opposite of a Biblical worldview which is based on the never changing, immutable, divinely-breathed, divinely-inspired Word of God!

Like its author, the Way and the Truth and the Life of the ever living Word of God never changes, but is and remains the same yesterday, today and forever!

This raging, even openly violent conflict between two worldviews, secular vs. biblical, has never been more evident than it has been recently.

Secular society now grapples with a host of aggressively divisive issues.

However, people who are raised and educated to make moral decisions based on these temporary feelings and peer pressures are easily deceived and led astray.

As a result, we, the Body of Christ, God’s Church in the World, have entered into a time when Christianity is regarded by many as inferior and narrow-minded.

In truth, criticism of Christianity has often been justified.

John 8:1-11 Amplified Bible

The Adulterous Woman

8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning He came back into the temple [court], and all the people were coming to Him. He sat down and began teaching them. 3 Now the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the center of the court, 4 and they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women [to death]. So what do You say [to do with her—what is Your sentence]?” 6 They said this to test Him, hoping that they would have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground with His finger.  7  However, when they persisted in questioning Him, He straightened up and said, “He who is without [any] sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Then He stooped down again and started writing on the ground. 9 They listened [to His reply], and they began to go out one by one, starting with the oldest ones, until He was left alone, with the woman [standing there before Him] in the center of the court. 10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She answered, “No one, Lord!” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more.”]

Representatives of Christ can and do use the Word of God as a battering weapon to attack and shame people, keeping them bound in shame and condemnation, rather than, like Jesus, subtly using it to transform, help set them free from sin.

We must always keep ourselves steadfast and vigilant, to guard our hearts so to prevent becoming haters, shamer’s of those vulnerable people whom God loves.

Even if they hold a distorted secular worldview, let’s remember the following admonition from Paul:

2 Corinthians 4:1-2 Amplified Bible

Paul’s Apostolic Ministry

4 Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as we received mercy [from God, granting us salvation, opportunities, and blessings], we do not get discouraged nor lose our motivation. 2 But we have renounced the disgraceful things hidden because of shame; not walking in trickery or adulterating the word of God, but by stating the truth [openly and plainly], we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

Nonbelieving people judge how they feel about the Scripture and the Savior based on the way in which we, the saints of God, behave.

Therefore even in the face of the very harshest criticism, we have a far higher accountability, responsibility, as God’s separated and anointed handlers of the Word of God and carriers of His Spirit to demonstrate Christ for the betterment and salvation of the lost, not as a hammer to further enslave deceived people.

So handle with care and concern, rather than condemnation or carelessness.

Let God and the Word of God alone do work of conviction and transformation.

Isaiah 55:8-11 Amplified Bible

8 
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.
10 
“For as the rain and snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth,
Making it bear and sprout,
And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 
So will My word be which goes out of My mouth;
It will not return to Me void (useless, without result),
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Time-Tested, True Ways to Stay Faithful

During times of social and cultural upheaval, it’s especially good to remember the foundations of our faith.

God has not left us to fend for ourselves on the shifting sand of moral relativity, but provided time tested, true keys to enable us to overcome every challenge.

These time tested biblical keys are not new, but are things every believer should be reminded and disciplined to practice regularly, in order to mature spiritually and maintain a solid biblical worldview. 

We may be in the world, but we are not of it!

Here are five quick keys to help you stay faithful in a world that has lost its way.

1. Start Your Day in Prayer

Mark 1:35-38 Amplified Bible

35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36 Simon [Peter] and his companions searched [everywhere, looking anxiously] for Him, 37 and they found Him and said, “Everybody is looking for You!” 38 He replied, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so I may preach there also; that is why I came [from the Father].”

Prayer anchors your soul to God even while living in a society that is drifting far from Him.

It opens our hearts to receive His peace, hope and reassurance, and sweeps clean the debris of sin that we’ve picked up in our daily lives.

In short,

prayer helps us to hold onto our faith when everything around us is nuts.

2. Study the Bible Daily

Psalm 119:9-16 Amplified Bible

Beth.

9 
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping watch [on himself] according to Your word [conforming his life to Your precepts].
10 
With all my heart I have sought You, [inquiring of You and longing for You];
Do not let me wander from Your commandments [neither through ignorance nor by willful disobedience].
11 
Your word I have treasured and stored in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
12 
Blessed and reverently praised are You, O Lord;
Teach me Your statutes.
13 
With my lips I have told of
All the ordinances of Your mouth.
14 
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
15 
I will meditate on Your precepts
And [thoughtfully] regard Your ways [the path of life established by Your precepts].
16 
I will delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

After we’ve established a disciplined practice of daily prayer, successful rhythm of daily devotions, we need to go further, to do more than simply read the Bible.

We need to study it and make it a part of our thinking and our speech.

We need to check our “political correctness at the door” to decide that knowing the truth of the Word of God is more important than knowing the daily news.

We must realize the Word of God is where we find our guide to right and wrong (not political correctness), our guide to life, purpose (not New Age affirmations), our guide to health, wholeness (not man’s suppositions), to be lights of the Lord.

It is imperative that the Word of God be implanted deeply in us, so it can be our guiding light which leads us all down every path and in every decision we make.

3. Repent of Sin Quickly

James 1:14-17 Amplified Bible

14 But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion). 15 Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death. 16 Do not be misled, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17  Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow [a]cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].

Translation: sin has “babies,” and those babies grow up and take on a destructive life of their own.

Sin is not something to sugar coat or to not play hardcore with.

It will always take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you are willing to pay.

It also desensitizes you to what is right and wrong, and makes you vulnerable to the seducing spirits at work in the world.

Sin is sneaky.

Its goal is to trip you, trap you, and take you out.

If you ignore it or try to hide it, you’ll lose every time.

So be proactive! Confess it to God, receive His forgiveness, and forsake it.

Proverbs 28:13 Amplified Bible

13 
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and [a]turns away from his sins will find compassion and mercy.

Jesus was faithful on the cross to pay the price for our sin 2,000 years ago, and He remains faithful to forgive us of our sin today and we still need forgiveness ourselves, and since we receive it from God, we must also pass it on to others.

4. Get Spiritually Dressed

Ephesians 6:10-12 Amplified Bible

The Armor of God

10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. 11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.

Wiles of the devil are simply mind games or delusions.

Sometimes it’s difficult to remember in the moment, but people are not our problem – principalities and seducing spirits are.

Stop hating on people and start praying for them instead.

Suit up in your spiritual armor and take a stand against the real enemy. 

Get covered with the armor of God from head to toe! 

The belt of truth – the truth that comes from the Word of God, not society or politics.

The breastplate of righteousness – knowing we are right with God, not because of our goodness, but because of God’s grace

The gospel of peace – knowing we are at peace with God, and have an eternal home in the heavens not built with the hands of man. Knowing we can walk in a quiet rest that passes all understanding

The shield of faith – an absolute assurance that God’s word is true and will come to pass in our lives

The helmet of salvation – we have soundness of mind because of a secure faith in the principles of the Word of God and so great a salvation bought for us by our Savior

The sword of the Spirit – an unwavering revelation of God’s word that empowers us to respond to every attack of the enemy and causes him to flee

And of course, our battle position is in prayer – always.

It’s not just what we do when we don’t know what to do, it is what we must do at all times, for this is how we fight our battles in a world that has lost its way.

5. Go to Church!

Hebrews 10:23-25 Amplified Bible

23 Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word]; 24 and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, 25 not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.

Sometimes we forget, but we really need to be in God’s house, where we are fed the Word of God in fellowship with others of like faith.

It’s where our errant theology and politics gets challenged and changed to line up with the God’s truth.

It’s where we experience the power and healing of worshipping in God’s presence.

It’s where iron sharpens iron, and we experience the love of the brethren.

Thank God for church online when gathering together is truly impossible.

And at all other times, we must not forsake this valuable key to remaining steadfast, strong and immovable in the faith.

Finally, it’s important to remember that much of the chaos today has been blamed on politics, power plays, social injustice, etc.

But the truth is the world’s gone crazy wild because of sin.

And the devastation caused by sin cannot be controlled by any president, agenda, or master plan.

No matter how hard we try, we just can’t hope to even minimally control sin.

It’s why more than absolutely anything or anyone else, we absolutely need our Lord, Savior, King Christ Jesus, weaving, working in a world that’s lost its way.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

God of all truth, sometimes I not sure if I’m actually hearing your voice, or if it’s just my own thoughts or even another spirit. Sharpen my spiritual hearing, Lord, so I can recognize your words when you are speaking to me. Help me know it’s really you, with no doubt or second-guessing. When I’m asking for your guidance in important decisions, give me your peace that surpasses understanding with your answer. Help me remember, to preach, to teach, that your words to us will never go against your written word in the Bible. Give me a clear mind and push out all my confusion. Amen.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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A Teachable Heart. A Teachable Soul. A Teachable Life. On Psalm 119:15-16.

Today, I am asking you to take more than a few moments to look at anything and everything around you and surrounding you. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised to know that you got to know its name or its purpose simply because someone, somewhere, somehow taught this to you at some early stage in your life. Interestingly, most of the basics we learnt as children, and then as we grew into adulthood, we may have taken it further, studied or researched further, to excitedly increase our knowledge. So also, our understanding of God, His word and prayer are contributions made by many people right from our childhood. This list of contributors includes our Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Siblings, Teachers, Sunday School Teachers, Pastors, Friends, many others.

Meditate upon these things! Meditate on the God who brought all of this into existence. Meditate on the Word of God which brings these truths unto life, who gives these truths new and sustained life, completely, unimaginable vibrancy. Such a renewed and refreshing perception of life is so desperately necessary. Ponder and Reflect upon the significance of the Psalmists word “MEDITATE!”

In this devotional effort we are prayerfully going to explore the ways in which we as children of God, through meditation can grow more in the knowledge of God. For this to happen it is vital we have a teachable heart. Hope this teaching will help us understand the various aspects of being a godly teachable person.

Psalm 119:9-16 Complete Jewish Bible

ב (Bet)

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
don’t let me stray from your mitzvot.
11 I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I won’t sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, Adonai!
Teach me your laws.
13 I proclaim with my mouth
all the rulings you have spoken.
14 I rejoice in the way of your instruction
more than in any kind of wealth.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and keep my eyes on your ways.
16 I will find my delight in your regulations.
I will not forget your word.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Christian meditation is a spiritual virtue that every believer should cultivate. The Holy Spirit through David has taught us the discipline of meditation when we read, “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word” (Psalm 119:15-16).

Christian meditation is not merely Scriptural memorization, though such an exercise will certainly yield that virtue. Christian meditation is a most sublime division of private prayer. The teaching on Christian meditation is dealt with in the larger context of the most careful planning and execution of the Psalmists poetic reflection. Thus, the Prince of Preachers, the Reverend Charles Spurgeon wrote of Psalm 119, “The manner it is composed in is very elegant; full of art, rule, method theological matter in a logical manner, a spiritual alphabet framed and formed according to the Hebrew alphabet.”

Thus, the long methodical approach of the Psalmist to creating this longest contribution to the Psalter gives an example of the effect of such spiritual exercise in his own life. Ponder for a long while upon all of the time and effort and prayer and study and personal reflection and personal introspection it took for the Psalmist to bring such an empowering writing as Psalm 119 into being

To meditate is to gaze upon a divine object of incalculable worth with the spirit of humble devotion. It is to locate the precious jewels of truth in the Word. It is to mark the truths carefully and to recite those Biblical truths to your own soul. It is to listen quietly as the Holy Spirit applies His truth to your heart and mind.

It is to collect and gather those truths as an offering of thanksgiving to the Lord. Christian meditation, humbly practiced in devout prayer, will inaugurate a deep and genuinely delightful journey of intimate time, turning into a lifetime of closeness, with your Creator. It is to enter the holy of holies “praying in the Spirit” and thus rendering your sacrifice of praise as a priest of the Almighty.

“I will meditate . . .” This is the resolute soliloquy of the author, most likely an aged King David, near the end of his life, as he reflects upon, charges his own soul in response to all of the blessings and curses he walked and lived through.

Is it any different for us today as we sometimes consider all our blessings and curses, our ups and our downs, our left turns and our right turns, and all of the square pegs of our choices we have tried to hammer through round holes we drilled out to make them work, have had to contend with, as we ourselves make a deliberate effort to “carve out” some very much needed quality time with God away from the unseemly ruinous efforts of chaos as it threatens to run amok.

I encourage all you readers to try a wholly different tactic. Pick up your Bibles and invite God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit to sit with you. God is the One who commands and speaks order from chaos. We cannot know God’s ways of doing this, but we can know and be inspired and empowered by the truth that He did in fact, in the beginning of all things brought chaos under his full command. We freely ponder on the ever-present trouble chaos brings to our very doorsteps. I do not know how much time we spend meditating on God bringing even more trouble to chaos’s doorstep. Meditate upon God commanding chaos to leave.

To receive change in our lives away from the sovereignty of chaos into the light of the divine order of the absolute sovereignty of God, we must make this our firm resolution and immovable conviction. From this, we will come to learn that our alone moments with God passes quite effortlessly into hours as you meditate upon God’s precepts according to Scripture. Eventually, miraculously, the incomparable spiritual experience transforms your life of prayer, you will discover what it means to “pray without ceasing.” The benefits of Christian meditation are many—peace, perspective, power, perseverance—yet none so glorious as the blessing that becomes affirmation: “I have been with God.”

A teachable person is…

• Humble – Psalm 25:9 – He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble his way. (ESV) Someone said, true humility is being truly teachable, regardless of how much you know.

• Wise – Proverbs 9:9 – Instruct the wise and they will be even wiser.

• Righteous – Proverbs 9:9 – Teach the righteous and they will learn even more (NLT)

I am sure there may many other qualities that mark a person who is teachable, but I would just like to highlight the above three.

The basic characteristic of a teachable person is humility. Someone said it this way, “True humility is being truly teachable, regardless of how much you know.” In other words, a person who is not humble, will not be willing to take any kind of teaching from anyone. So also Proverbs 9:9 explains that a wise and righteous person will certainly be teachable, because they understand the value of receiving instructions and gaining knowledge.

As children of God, who teaches us?

1. The Word of God – 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (NLT)

Someone said this aptly, the word of God is useful for teaching (teaches us what is right), for reproof (teaches us what is not right), for correction (teaches us how to get right) and training (teaches us how to stay right). David understood the significance of God’s word when he said in Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (NLT). God’s word is of 100% paramount importance, as all of our guidance and teaching to live a holy life comes from the individual’s knowledge and deep experience with word of God.

2. The Holy Spirit – 1 Corinthians 2:13-14 “When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them, and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.” (NLT)

John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (ESV)

The Holy Spirit of God is absolutely our best teacher, counsellor and guide. You may have heard someone say that they could not understand the bible as they read it. The reason is that only the Holy Spirit of God can reveal to us the truths about God. Ergo, only a spiritual person, who has the Holy Spirit indwelling them, can receive these spiritual insights. Also, we may have experienced times when we are struggling mightily with and against sin, temptation or a badly complicated situation, that the Holy Spirit of God will bring to remembrance the Word of God and give us strength to overcome these trials and temptations.

The Holy Spirit of God is that still small voice of God inside us that is constantly prompting us to walk in the ways of God and live a life that is pleasing to God.

3. People of God – Philippians 3:17, “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” (ESV)

The church of God is the gathering place of believers, where with the Word of God for the Children of God, we are covenanted, called upon to both bless, edify and encourage one another. Paul could boldly tell his fellow-believers that they should strive to imitate him and also keep their eyes on other people who are role models whom they could follow.

Acts 2:42-47 English Standard Version

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe[a] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Take the time to look around and you will notice many men and women of God who are working and praying hard at living exemplary lives, from whom we can learn. It is important that we should mentor those who are younger to us, but it is also crucial that we have in our lives those older to us who can mentor us as well, if we want to continue to grow in our faith and our knowledge of God.

4. Experiences (our own and others as well)

Romans 5:3-5, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (ESV)

2 Corinthians 1:4, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (NLT)

Each of us go through our own singularly unique and various experiences, good and bad. The experiences we go through are also very great teachers, if we are willing to learn. Each experience can make us bitter or better, depending on how teachable our hearts are. Paul explains this in great detail these sufferings are what produce character, teach us patience and give us hope for the future. This hope is based on God’s love and the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Every time we come out victorious, we allow God to fulfill His purposes in our lives. These experiences are God’s way to refine us to be more like Jesus.

It is important to learn from our own experiences it is equally beneficial to learn from other’s experiences too. Someone said, ‘Smart people learn from their mistakes, wise people learn from others’ mistakes. Someone else said it this way, ‘Learn from other people’s mistakes, and then go and make new ones.” It is also a fact that God comforts us and teaches us through all the hard times, so that we can, in return, comfort those who are going through a similar path.

What should we be taught?

The way we should go…. Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;” (ESV)

• To walk in God’s truth Psalm 86:11, “Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth;” (ESV)

• To do God’s will Psalm 143:13, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God!” (ESV)

Every day we are faced with numerous challenges and have to make so many decisions. God is willing to instruct and teach us the way we should go if we are willing to let Him do so. We also need to walk in the truth.

These are days where it is so easy to compromise, when challenged with conflict between the word of God and the world.

It is only when we talk and walk in the truth, (and we know that Jesus is the Truth), can we live a life of no compromise. The other important aspect we need to be taught, is the will of God. If we choose anything other than the will of God, revealed through Scripture, we will lose out on the peace and joy that should be ours. Staying within the will of God is the safest place for us as God’s children.

Psalm 119:9-16 The Message

9-16 How can a young person live a clean life?
    By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I’m single-minded in pursuit of you;
    don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.
I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart
    so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.
Be blessed, God;
    train me in your ways of wise living.
I’ll transfer to my lips
    all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
I delight far more in what you tell me about living
    than in gathering a pile of riches.
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
    I attentively watch how you’ve done it.
I relish everything you’ve told me of life,
    I won’t forget a word of it.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us pray,

Holy God, make me a partaker of your Holy Spirit. Enlighten me, oh, God. May I taste this heavenly gift that you reserve for your righteous people. Cleanse me of any barriers in my heart and mind that may stop me from feeling your whole presence in me. Flood any dark spots in my heart with your light. Help me to walk in your light and shine your beauty and grace on everyone I meet. Amen.

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