December 7, 2015

The Psalm of the Word (Part 21): Reverence

The Psalm of the Word

Princes persecute me without cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your words.

I rejoice at Your word,
As one who finds great spoil.

I hate and despise falsehood,
But I love Your law.

Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous ordinances.

Those who love Your law have great peace,
And nothing causes them to stumble.

I hope for Your salvation, O Lord,
And do Your commandments.

My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.

I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You.

(Psalm 119:161-168)

In this lesson, we will focus on the idea of reverence. If we fear God, we should hold His word in the highest regard. This will necessarily lead us to respond in a certain way toward His word.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: The Psalm of the Word Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
November 2, 2015

The Psalm of the Word (Part 16): Riches

The Psalm of the Word

I have done justice and righteousness;
Do not leave me to my oppressors.

Be surety for Your servant for good;
Do not let the arrogant oppress me.

My eyes fail with 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 the Lord to act,
For they have broken Your law.

Therefore I love Your commandments
Above gold, yes, above fine gold.

Therefore I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything,
I hate every false way.

(Psalm 119:121-128)

The psalmist made a contrast between the commandments of God and gold. As we consider these verses, we can see why the riches of God’s word are so much more valuable than gold.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: The Psalm of the Word Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
September 28, 2015

The Psalm of the Word (Part 11): Persecution

The Psalm of the Word

My soul languishes for Your salvation;
I wait for Your word.

My eyes fail with longing for Your word,
While I say, “When will You comfort me?”

Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget Your statutes.

How many are the days of Your servant?
When will you execute judgment on those who persecute me?

The arrogant have dug pits for me,
Men who are not in accord with Your law.

All Your commandments are faithful;
They have persecuted me with a lie; help me!

They almost destroyed me on earth,
But as for me, I did not forsake Your precepts.

Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

(Psalm 119:81-88)

This lesson is about the persecution that comes from following God’s word. This is important for us to remember as we will face persecution as well (2 Timothy 3:12). These verses not only speak of the reality of persecution, but the hope we have despite of it.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: The Psalm of the Word Tagged With: , , , , ,
August 24, 2015

The Psalm of the Word (Part 6): Liberty

The Psalm of the Word

May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O Lord,
Your salvation according to Your word;

So 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 out of my mouth,
For I wait for Your ordinances.

So I will keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.

And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.

I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings
And shall not be ashamed.

I shall delight in Your commandments,
Which I love.

And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love;
And I will meditate on Your statutes.

(Psalm 119:41-48)

How can it be said that we have liberty when we are also bound to follow God’s law? Many people are confused by this concept. But let us consider David’s words about following God’s law and walking at liberty.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: The Psalm of the Word Tagged With: , , , , ,
May 13, 2015

Not Ashamed of the Gospel

Romans 1:16

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:16-17).

When Paul wrote to the saints in Rome, he said he was “not ashamed of the gospel” (Romans 1:16). Because of the confidence he had in Christ’s message, he was “eager to preach the gospel” (Romans 1:15) and do many other things in the cause of Christ.

We need to have the same confidence as Paul so that we can also say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel” (Romans 1:16). Can we say this? To answer that question, we need to consider what we would be willing to do with and for the gospel.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
January 13, 2015

Psalm 23 and the Christian

The Lord is My Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.

“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:1-6).

The twenty-third psalm is one of the most well-known and well-loved passages in the Bible. Though it was written during the time of the Old Law, there are certainly lessons contained in it that apply to us as Christians. Let us briefly consider these lessons.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
May 15, 2014

Pardee Butler: “You Can Not Teach an Old Dog New Tricks”

Pardee Butler: You Can Not Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

Pardee Butler (1816-1888) was an evangelist who spent much of his time preaching in Kansas. He first came to Kansas in 1855 prior to it entering the union. During this time, there was an intense – often violent – debate over whether Kansas would be a free state or a slave state. Butler, with his abolitionist views, suffered physical attacks from pro-slavery settlers. Below is his reaction to a warning about the threat of such violence for refusing to support the sinful practice of slavery that was common in those days.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Restoration History Tagged With: , , , ,