Sustain Me According to Thy Word!

Sustain Me According to Thy Word – My Daily Bread!

Our call to remain pure in heart before the Lord is taken from Psalm 119: 9-12, NIV, which says:

“How can a young man keep his way pure?  By living according to Your Word.  I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands.  I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.  Praise be to You, O Lord; teach me Your decrees”. 

This wonderful petition of the Psalmist holds several keys to living a victorious spiritual life in Christ Jesus.  The safeguards mentioned in this passage are well worth our review given the state of our society with its moral and ethical decay all around.  Let us not be mistaken Saints, this is a high calling, – a call to purity, a call to sanctification before God!  Four suggestions are given in this scripture of how to maintain our purity.   The Psalmist alludes to the fact that if we attain to all four of the above we would safeguard our hearts and minds against the tendency to give into sinful living.  So it is no surprise that our Lord and Savior also had something to say regarding the Psalmist’s conclusions.   Below are the four important keys and Jesus’ wisdom shared with His followers.

By Striving to Live According to God’s Word

Jesus prayed to the Father requesting that God:  “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.  (John 17: 17, NIV)   This request showed Christ’s high regard for God’s word and its awesome power to be able to keep us pure before God.

By Seeking God with all our Heart

Regarding pursuing God with all our hearts Jesus said:  “Ask and it will be given you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened”.  (Matthew 7:  7-8, NIV)   This type of seeking God is not talking about half-hearted attempts; we must seek him with diligence and persistence; always asking God for more knowledge, His wisdom and understanding of how to apply His Word to our lives.

Hiding God’s Word in our Hearts

Having God’s Word hidden in our hearts implies knowing God’s Word enough to obey it; that it transforms our behavior in every aspect of our lives.  Jesus said:  “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it”.  (Luke 11: 28, NIV)

Letting God Lead, Guide, Direct and Teach Us

Jesus also spoke of His followers having a teachable spirit regarding the things of God that results in them following Him – their Good Shepherd.  “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me”.  (John 10: 27, NIV)  This passage reminds us that we should be completely dependent on Christ and that only by following Him will we experience the purity in our lives spoken of in the passage above.

So in answer to the Psalmist, yes there is a way to keep ourselves pure and sanctified in a world that does not “see” God with their hearts.   Treasuring God and His Word is our key!  And may your heart pray as the Psalmist did:  “Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me Your decrees”.  “Sustain me according to Your Word that I may live.  And do not let me be ashamed of my Hope.”  (Psalm 119: 116, NASB)

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