Day 21...

Special Note: Today’s meditations will be the final two remaining passages of Psalm 119

Morning Meditation:

ש Sin and Shin

161 Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word. 162 I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil. 163 I hate and detest falsehood but I love your law. 164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. 165 Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. 166 I wait for your salvation, LORD, and I follow your commands. 167 I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly. 168 I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you.

Evening Meditation:

ת Taw

169 May my cry come before you, LORD; give me understanding according to your word. 170 May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise. 171 May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. 172 May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. 173 May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. 174 I long for your salvation, LORD, and your law gives me delight. 175 Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me. 176 I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.

Day 20...

Morning Meditation:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

The word of God has been under attack since the day it was manifested to man. The moment God spoke the commandment of life to His new creation, His vile enemy, Satan, sprang in action. God’s word was meant to preserve life, but the enemy used it to lead a smear campaign against the Most High accusing Him of depriving man access to that which would make them like Him. Twisted indeed!

Every day since the garden attack, the enemy has tried to discredit God’s Holy Word. He has assaulted it from within (those supposedly believing it) and from those who hate it outright. Ridicule, persecution, and loss has been and is the lot of those who have embraced and defended the Holy Writ.

God’s word will stand through every onslaught levied against it and prevail. God will fulfill it down to the tiniest detail. He will vindicate Himself. Those who have and do oppose the word will be brought into judgment leading to condemnation by the very word they despise.

The Word’s final victory reads like this, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations...On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev. 19:11-16) Amen!

To Consider:

Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Are you living a sober life prepared for the trials, temptations, and afflictions your are or might suffer? (James 1:2-4; I Cor. 10:13; James 1:12-16; I Pet. 1:13)

Evening Reading:

Psalm 119:152-160

Resh

¹⁵³ Look on my suffering and deliver me,
for I have not forgotten your law.
¹⁵⁴ Defend my cause and redeem me;
preserve my life according to your promise.
¹⁵⁵ Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek out your decrees.
¹⁵⁶ Your compassion, LORD, is great;
preserve my life according to your laws.
¹⁵⁷ Many are the foes who persecute me,
but I have not turned from your statutes.
¹⁵⁸ I look on the faithless with loathing,
for they do not obey your word.
¹⁵⁹ See how I love your precepts;
preserve my life, LORD, in accordance with your love.
¹⁶⁰ All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal.

Day 19...

Morning Meditation:

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the on of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:13-15)

Since we have been privileged to know the benefits of living by God’s word, should we not be concerned to do all we can to see that everyone, near and far, has the opportunity to hear it too? We have embraced, up to this point, the word of God for ourselves, but we are called to herald it throughout the world too. In Philippians 2:15-16a, Paul encourages us, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life...”

We offer the bread of life to a dying world when we preach it to others.
Preaching God’s word may seem like an intimidating proposition to many of us. We may feel inadequate or unprepared. We probably lack experience and confidence. Our lives might not fully reflect Christ yet. I am sure we could come up with a great number of reasons as to why we are not the right ones. The one who shared the gospel with you probably felt like he or she wasn’t the right one for the job either, but, thank God, they went ahead anyway. PREACH THE WORD, BE INSTANT IN SEASON AND OUT!

To Consider:

Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Does your work ethic at home or in the job reflect the Christian spirit? (Eph. 6:5-9; Col. 3:22-4:1; I Pet. 2:18-23)

Evening Reading:

Psalm 119:145-152
ק Qoph
145 I call with all my heart; answer me, LORD, and I will obey your decrees. 146 I call out to you; save me and I will keep your statutes. 147 I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. 148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. 149 Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, LORD, according to your laws. 150 Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law. 151 Yet you are near, LORD, and all your commands are true. 152 Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.

Day 18...

Morning Meditation:

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand...Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the sword of God.” (Ephesians 6:13-17)

Without a growing, and eventually thorough knowledge of God’s word, we will be defenseless against the spiritual forces of evil that surround us, and seek to take us down at every turn.
It is more that gathering biblical data, God’s word must be the standard and breath our lives. We are called to live by it from the heart. It instructs us in all we do and keeps us on that path. It creates a shield about us, and becomes a spiritual sword when spoken out of our mouths.
When Jesus was driven into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, he responded in the same way each time. “It is written” secured Him the victory in each instance of His testing. Jesus was saying, in effect, “this is God’s standard and I will not budge from it.” When the enemy saw Jesus’ determination to adhere to God’s word, he knew that the battle was lost. “He left Him for a season.”
When the devil sees you embrace the word of God with every fiber of you being, he will run from you just as he did from Jesus. James exhorts us, “Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Let this serve as a blueprint for activating the sword in your life.

To Consider:

Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Are you constantly filled with the Spirit and joy in your relationship with God and in His service? (Acts 2:1-4; 4:31; Eph. 5:15-20; Phil. 4:4)

Evening Reading:

Psalm 119:137-144
צ Tsadhe
137 You are righteous, LORD, and your laws are right. 138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy. 139 My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words. 140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them. 141 Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts. 142 Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. 143 Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight. 144 Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.

Day 17...

Morning Meditation:

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)

We need something that can get to the heart of the matter, something that can clear away all of the clutter in our minds. We need a just, impartial, and merciful probe to have access to and free reign in our hearts, if we truly desire to walk with God in the light of life.

We need a laser-like force that can cut through the webs that entangle us. Proverbs 21:2 tells us, “All a man’s ways seem right to him...” We lack objectivity concerning the validity of our own thoughts; they need to be proven by something greater than our own smarts. The living word of God is sent down to us to provide the very thing we need to cut through the fat of our own bias and prejudice to bring true discernment. The initial incision may sting, but once the double-edged sword penetrates our outer layers it will bring wholeness to us.

There is no speck that the living, active word of God cannot uncover. Everything in all of creation is laid open and bare before the God whom we serve. Although God’s ever peering eye my be unnerving at first, it will eventually prove to be the greatest comfort you will ever know.

To Consider:

Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Are you diligently seeking to fulfill the known will of God for your life? (Matt. 26:36-46; Jn. 4:34; 5:30)

Evening Reading:

Psalm 119:129-136
פ Pe
129 Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. 130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. 131 I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. 132 Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. 133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. 134 Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts. 135 Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees. 136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.

Day 16...

Morning Meditation:

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:10-11)

God is confident that every word He speaks will come to pass. God’s reputation is on the line every time He speaks. God spoke to Jeremiah concerning His word saying, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled. “

What assurance we ought to have when we dare take up God’s word into our mouths! When we speak it out of the abundance of our hearts in faith, the mountains we confront do not have a chance. Jesus, in Mark 11:23, said that they would be thrown into the midst of the sea.

There are many examples of God fulfilling His word, but the life of Samuel provides a particularly encouraging example. The author commented, in I Samuel 3:19, The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground.” How would you like to be in a place where God honors your every word? You can, when you speak in line with God’s own word. Fill your heart and mouth with God’s word and watch Him fulfill it.

To Consider:

Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Are you using the resources God has given you faithfully? (I Tim. 6:17-19; Eph. 5:15-20)

Evening Reading:

Psalm 119:121-128
ע Ayin
121 I have done what is righteous and just; do not leave me to my oppressors. 122 Ensure your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me. 123 My eyes fail, looking for your salvation, looking for your righteous promise. 124 Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. 125 I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. 126 It is time for you to act, LORD; your law is being broken. 127 Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, 128 and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.

Day 15...

Morning Meditation

“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.” (I Thes. 2:13)

When we believe that God’s word is what it is, it becomes a powerful force in and through us. Paul stressed the fruit producing power of God’s word to the church at Colosse, where he said, “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” (Col. 1:6)
Luke, the author of the Book of Acts, wrote both his gospel (Luke) and Acts as an historical account to Theophilus of “all that Jesus began to do and to teach” (Act 1:1). The Book of Acts is a description of the activities of the new church empowered by the Holy Spirit, which resulted in the spread of the word of God to all nations.
Luke summarized the expansion as he observed the word of God taking root and bringing forth fruit as people believed it. He recognized phases of growth and set markers to indicate what had been done, and what was yet to come. To demonstrate the growth in Jerusalem he wrote in Acts 6:7, “So the word of God spread. The number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly....” In Acts 12:24 Luke recaps the spread of the gospel to include the gentiles under the ministry of Peter and Paul saying, “But the word of God continued to increase and spread.” As it increased among the believers, it naturally spread out to others. Finally, in Acts 19:20, Luke records the city-wide campaign that powerfully impacted the city of Ephesus noting, “In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” Luke left the rest of the book open ended for us to complete. Amen!

To Consider:

Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Are you lovingly fulfilling your responsibilities to your spouse, children, and extended family? (Eph. 5:22-6:4; I Tim. 5:3-8; James 1:27 I Pet. 3:1-7)

Evening Reading:

Psalm 119:113-120
ס Samekh
113 I hate double-minded people, but I love your law. 114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. 115 Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God! 116 Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. 117 Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees. 118 You reject all who stray from your decrees, for their delusions come to nothing. 119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes. 120 My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.