Discipleship Essentials*
Thursday, November 11, 2004
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Today’s Scripture verse is so simple, but I make it my prayer: may I hide your word in my heart that I will not sin against you! I pray that by the power of Your Holy Spirit in my life today that my thoughts, words and actions will glorify and honor You. May I be a light to those who are in darkness. May I be salt to those whose lives are tasteless and wounded. Use me to bring others to You. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Word Today
Psalm 119:1-16
1 Happy are people of integrity, who follow the law of the LORD.
2 Happy are those who obey his decrees and search for him with all their hearts.
3 They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths.
4 You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully.
5 Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your principles!
6 Then I will not be disgraced when I compare my life with your commands.
7 When I learn your righteous laws, I will thank you by living as I should!
8 I will obey your principles. Please don’t give up on me!
9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules.
10 I have tried my best to find you—don’t let me wander from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your principles.
13 I have recited aloud all the laws you have given us.
14 I have rejoiced in your decrees as much as in riches.
15 I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.
16 I will delight in your principles and not forget your word.
Background on the Text – Who Wrote It? Why Was It Written? Who Was the Audience?
One of the amazing things about Psalm 119 is its length—176 verses. That it was divided into stanzas with each verse starting with a successive stanza of the Hebrew alphabet tells us that it was written to be MEMORIZED. Since there were not books—let alone computers—in those days, a local community was fortunate to have even one copy of the Scriptures among them. Thus, large portions of the Bible were memorized and passed on from one generation to the next in that manner!
Observation – What Does the Text Say?
(Specifically look at the bold verses, if any, to answer these questions.)
Interpretation – What Does the Text Mean?
Application – How Can I Respond to the Text’s Insights and Teachings?
Each Week’s Check List
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
Growth Point |
How |
Encouraged and strengthened me by |
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Fallen short areas |
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What will I do with these insights? |
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What did God say to me today? |
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Share insights and growth points |
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Changed/transformed how? |
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Thoughts...Hiding God's Word in Our Hearts!
What does it mean to “hide” God’s word in our hearts, so we won’t sin against Him? Undoubtedly, it may mean many things, but one thing it meant for certain in the day it was written was to memorize it, to meditate on it and then to seek to live it. As I mentioned in the background material, Bibles were not available to the average person in that day (and few could read, even if they were), so hiding God’s word literally meant to memorize it, and to have it so well learned that one didn’t even have to think about it. Mark Geppert often says the question is not how many times have you been through the Bible, but how many times has the Bible been through You? His meaning is clear. When we read God’s word, that is good, but when we let God’s word get into our lives and come out in our thoughts, words and actions, then the Bible is “through” us. Only then could we say that we have “hidden” God’s word in our hearts. Life throws many challenges at us every, single day. Only when we meditate on God’s word, letting it sink into us deeply does it transform us. I have been focusing on just a few or in this case ONE verse each day recently. That’s because it allows for the opportunity to hide that portion of God’s word in our hearts and live it that day. Much of Psalm 119:1-16 is extremely practical when it comes to knowing and obeying God’s commands, so lets hide it in our hearts today!