Sermon Tone Analysis
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Psalm 119:33-40.
As we have moved through this, the longest chapter in the Bible, we have seen a lot of emphasis on God’s Word.
God has given everything we need in His Word.
As we go through this section we learn to Grow Competent By God’s Word.
Competent means - having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully.
We can grow competent in ...
I.
The Ways of God
v. 33
The psalmist asks God to teach him the ways of His statutes.
A statute is a law, an expectation or mandate prescribed by decree.
God has decreed some things for us in His Word.
Some are promises, some are commands.
His ways are joyful and full of help, but we will never be able to have what we need in this life, unless we seek His Word.
German pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who took a stand against Adolf Hilter, said, “No one can say yes to God's ways who has said no to his promises and commandments.
Acceptance of the will of God comes in the daily submission under his Word.”
So the Psalmist makes a commitment to God to Keep God’s statutes unto the end.
Are you committed to keeping what God says in your life?
If you do, you will grow competent, having the ability to be successful in God’s plan for your life!
Secondly, God’s Word will help us grow competent in...
II.
The Wisdom of God
v. 34
He asks God now to give him understanding.
To understand means to to know, or have an adequate idea of something.
But this word, speaks more than just mental knowledge.
It speaks further to an understanding that only God can give.
It means to perceive, to observe.
This kind of understanding is a gift from God.
The Psalmist asks God to give him understanding about the Word of God.
He commits to keep the law, if he will help him understand.
You can feel the fire in him, when He reiterates, “Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.”
This word translated whole, means all, every part
He is committing to not have a divided heart.
So often we are divided in our love.
Now understand that the Psalmist request is not a request to be taken lightly.
One of the ways God teaches us obedience is through suffering.
Now we will suffer, not matter what.
Sometimes God teaches us to obey through disciplining us when we disobey
But when we ask God to help us understand, we are requesting the Holy Spirit to guide us into a deeper understanding of spiritual truths.
The Psalmist is very serious: He does not want to learn Scripture just for the sake of learning Scripture.
The purpose of Scripture is not for us to learn it, but to live it.
He promised that he would not waste it.
He promised to apply it to His life and to walk in faithful obedience to it.
So through God’s Word, we grow competent in the Ways of God, but also the Wisdom of God.
Thirdly, we see that we grow competent in...
III.
Our Walk With God
vs. 35-40
Our walk involves more than just reading the Bible and praying, but rather it is how we live our life...
A. As A Soldier of Christ
vs. 35,36
We are called the Soldiers in God’s Word.
And as such we are called to endure hard things!
And although this passage here does not speak of a soldier, I do see two qualities of a good soldier that we will need to see in our life:
1.
We Need Discipline
v. 35
Discipline means to control our behavior.
Even back to the early church fathers, Christians have spoken of Spiritual Disciplines that every Christian ought to practice.
These spiritual disciplines were understood to aid us in our walk with God.
The disciplines of the Christian life were things such as:
Bible Study
Meditation
Prayer
Fasting
Singing
Service
Confession
Fellowship
These aide the Christian in following the path of God’s Commandments as the Psalmist says in vs. 35.
It is called disciplines, because it takes discipline!
So the Psalmist asks God to Make me go...
This word literally means to trample…but it is used to defeat an enemy and bend them to your will.
The Psalmist is asking God to defeat the enemy of our flesh and help us go in the Path of His commandments.
Why would he pray that?
Because He knows the Joy that comes from following God!
How are we going to be disciplined like this?
2. We Need Desire
v. 36
But not just any desire…Desire to love, and lean upon God’s testimonies.
The Psalmist asks God to incline or bend His heart toward His testimonies.
He is asking God to change his desires.
We can desire good or bad.
Ask God to change your desires to be inclined on God’s Word.
So we need to grow competent through God’s Word to be a good Soldier of Christ, but also...
B. As A Servant of Christ
vs. 37,38
Throughout scripture we are called to be a servant of Christ.
Paul says this is how people should see us - the Minister (servants) of Christ!
Just as there are some traits here in this Psalm of a good soldier, there are some traits of a good servant!
1.
We Need Discernment
v. 37
Vanity - emptiness, uselessness, worthless
If we are going to be the kind of servant for Christ that we need to be, we need to ask God to turn our eyes away from vain things.
Love of Money
Possessions
Pleasing ourselves
Fame
The list is probably different for you than it is for me.
We need to have discernment form the Lord to keep our eyes (our focus) where it needs to be.
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