A Blessed Walk - Part 2 of 2

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise, The praise of my God and King, the triumphs of His grace. This is Lisei Bradley Jr. welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible Hour.

I'll appreciate it so much if you take time to write and let us know that you've listened, and if you can help us with the support, we'll be very grateful for it. Our address is Baptist Bible Hour, box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. So today we come to the second portion of our study on Psalm 119 verses 1 to 8 entitled, A Blessed Walk. In the book of Matthew chapter 28, Jesus said in verse 18, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Amen. After baptism, what are we to be teaching? Teaching that you may observe all the things whatsoever our Lord has commanded. How easy it is to say, well, I've made my profession of faith in Christ. I've been baptized and that's good.

That's the first step of discipleship. There's this public identification with the fact that I see myself as a sinner. I know that I could not merit salvation. I deserve nothing.

I deserve nothing but death and wrath. But I see that Jesus Christ, by his substitutionary death, has done that which is necessary to bring me into favor with God. By faith, I trust him. I embrace him.

I want to be identified with him. I'm going down into the liquid grave to show forth his death, his burial, and his resurrection. That's the beginning. That's the beginning. But that's not where it stops. That's where it starts. Now, we're to teach all the things that he has commanded.

And there should be vital interest in knowing what those things are and in doing them. Jesus said in John 14, 15, if you love me, keep my commandments. We can say all day long, oh, how I love Jesus. But if we don't keep his commandments, there's no evidence that we do. The evidence of our love is that we keep his commandments. And I believe we have adequate motivation for it.

The motivation is love. Seeing what he has done for us, why would we not be moved, stirred, excited about doing what he says do? Romans chapter 12, verse 1 says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, notice it, notice the motivation offered by the mercies of God. That ought to touch every heart that knows anything about divine mercy. If you really have a sight of yourself, you know that you deserve nothing but the wrath of God, because God is holy and you're not. The only reason that you're here today is by the mercy of God. The only way that you can have any hope whatsoever of living in heaven in the presence of Jesus Christ to enjoy the bliss of that glory world forever is by his mercy. If you believe then that you're the recipient of mercy, there should be no need for any other motivation.

I beseech you by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Don't be conformed to the world. Don't think like everybody else. Don't live like everybody else. And here's the motivation, the mercy of God that has been graciously bestowed upon you.

Let's look at one more. Let's look at one more, 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 14 says, For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead. What is it that constrains us? What is it that moves us? What is it that inspires us? It's the love of Christ. What love that Jesus Christ gave himself, went to the cross, laid down his life to secure his people.

Yes, love should be adequate motivation. And the verse says our obedience should be diligent. When the Lord spoke to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, his question in Acts 9, 6 was, what wilt thou have me to do?

Oh, what a transformation. Here's a man that was persecuting the church. Here's a man that hated the gospel of Jesus Christ. But the Lord called his name from heaven. He says, who art thou? I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. And now being humbled, he says, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

He's ready, whatever it is, whatever you command. And is that a question that's upon your heart today? Can you truly say that's what I want to know?

That's what I want to do. Whatever God has for me in my life, that's what I want. Wherever I should be working, wherever I should be living, wherever I should be ministering, whatever he has for me, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And you can see that that wasn't just an initial question.

That wasn't just an idle word. It became a way of life of the apostle. Because he says in Philippians chapter one of the 21st verse, that for to me to live is Christ. And you can see it displayed throughout the biblical account.

You see it over and over again. He was a man that suffered great loss, suffered many afflictions, much hardship, but he didn't complain, for his whole life was taken up with honoring Jesus Christ. For me to live is Christ. Why is it that we sometimes are not diligent? Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

Well, somebody says my circumstances are extremely difficult. Preacher, if you just knew what I have to put up with every day, if you just knew the burdens of my life, you'd understand why I can't really diligently seek God. And then it may well be not just an excuse, but some secret sin. Some sin deep in our hearts that we do not want to forsake. Psalm 66 18 said, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. There's no diligent seeking the Lord because there is that idol that you will not remove from its throne.

Concern with other interests, back to the divided heart issue, but we're told here that we are to keep his commandments diligently. In verse five, we have a sincere request. Oh, that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes.

I think this request is revealing several things. Indicates that there may well be regret for previous failures. Oh, that my ways were directed.

I realize that when I'm on my own, I stumble and falter, and I've failed many times. I've made my commitments to the Lord, but I've often come short of living up to what I said I was going to do. Oh, that my ways were directed. Maybe great frustration of one who has lost his way.

Maybe one that's recalling there were happier times. There were days of spiritual warmth. There were times I felt closer to the Lord, but right now I feel to be in the darkness. Oh, that my ways were directed. That I would have guidance to bring me back, bring me back. It's an expression of weakness. I need to be guided.

I can't make it by myself. While excuses are never valid, while frustration may sometimes discourage us, yet an expression of weakness is important, because that brings us to the place that we realize we need help, and only our Heavenly Father can give it to us. In the book of Romans chapter 6, we read in verse 21, What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now shamed?

For the end of those things is death, but being made free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have the fruit of holiness unto the end everlasting life. The apostle confessed himself to be weak. He says, O wretched man that I am in chapter 7, who shall deliver me from the body of this death, acknowledge I cannot win the battle in my own strength. I am weak, but the promises of God are to those who are weak and confess it. I need help. I need to be directed.

I need to be guided. 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 5 says, Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. Our sufficiency is of God. The passage we read in John 15 5, Jesus says, Without me ye can do nothing.

But Philippians chapter 4 verse 13 says, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Yes, we need to make such a request. Lord, I need to be guided. I need thy grace.

I need thy direction. I need thy blessing. Oh, that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes.

What's the end in view? As we turn to him, making this kind of a request, as we earnestly and sincerely approach our God, our prayer becomes more fervent. Our desire for holiness increases. Charles Bridges expressed it this way, We pray for what we want, we're thankful for what we have, and we trust for what is promised. God has promised to hear us, to sustain us, to direct us, and we need to be praying for that guidance. And then verse 6, Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments. Here's complete submission, a respect for all his commandments. Do you ever notice how there's a tendency to pick out those things that don't cause any particular upheaval in your life?

They're not all that challenging. And to ignore those things where there's some conviction brought about because you read what the word of God says and you see your shortcoming, your failure in the matter. To say, well, you know, if I can get a couple of things right, that ought to be adequate.

Why worry about the whole picture? In Matthew chapter 5 verse 19, Jesus said, Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach them so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoso shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus says that whosoever breaks one of the least of these commandments has displeased him. So it's not a matter of saying, I'm going to try to put these things in some order of priority. I like this one and I don't like another one.

This one is too difficult and this one is too challenging. All of the commandments of God are vital. If God tells us this is something we ought to do, then that's something we ought to be interested in doing, not ignoring it, not pushing it aside.

When the apostle wrote to the church of Colossae, he talked about his desire and this is something always so interesting to me in the writings of the apostle Paul. You know, you never find that he's satisfied with the status quo or just to say, let's just try for one little step in the right direction. No, he wants you not only to reach the goal, he wants you to go beyond that. He wants you to be overflowing. He doesn't just say love. Let's abound in love.

Let's overflow with love. And in Colossians chapter 1 verse 10, he says that he might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Fruitful in every good work. Talking about giving attention to all of his commandments. You remember that King Saul was told that he was to go out and fight the enemy.

He was not to take any of the spoil. He was to destroy them all. But he decided that if he got close, that ought to be good enough. He didn't have to do everything God said. He could set his judgment up against the commandment of God.

He could say, I feel this will work. And so he took of the spoil and he spared the king, King Agag. And so when the prophet Samuel comes to him and said, Saul, what about this mission you were on? Oh, glad to see you, brother prophet. Yes, sir, I've done exactly what God said. He said, then what's the noise out here?

The bleeding of the sheep, the lowering of the oxen. I hear that you've brought some things along. Well, the people, the people put pressure on me. They made me do it. And that's so much the inclination of human nature that if you do the wrong thing, it's somebody else's fault.

You know, if I had a better husband or if I had a more understanding wife or if I didn't have all these problems at work, I could do a lot better if it wasn't for other people. But God didn't accept that excuse from Saul. Samuel said in verse 22 of 1 Samuel chapter 15, half the Lord has great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken to the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry because thou has rejected the word of the Lord. He has also rejected thee from being king. Here's a man who says, I'll do part of what God says, but I don't really want to do all of it. And I think I've got good reasons.

I thought this out. This seems to be justifiable to me. And God said, you rejected my word and I reject you from being king. It's only on the path of obedience that we can have assurance. The book of 1 John speaks to this issue. 1 John chapter 2 verse 5, but whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know that we are in him. Chapter 3 verse 24, and he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he had given us.

The point is sometimes if we stray, if we neglected his commandments, if we've stopped short and then we wonder why we're so cold and empty and so full of doubt and fear, it's because the assurance we have comes as we walk in the light and as we give heed to his commandments. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments. Verse 7, I will praise thee with uprightness of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. Here's proper praise.

It says there's a need to learn. I will praise thee. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart when I have learned thy righteous judgments.

Oh, the need for constant growth, constant learning. The apostle Paul, a man with such a unique experience, such a special walk with God, yet was constantly talking about how he was pressing on and wanting to learn more. Philippians chapter 3 verse 10, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death.

Paul was pressing toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. Pride can be a detrimental factor here when somebody assumes, well, I've grown tremendously. I really believe I've come to some very deep understanding. I've got knowledge a lot of other people don't have. I Corinthians chapter 8 verse 2 says, And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. That brings us down to size. If it's just a little fault there, that maybe my understanding is superior, my understanding is superior, but I'm way up here on the top rung.

Too bad all the rest of these folks down here are not quite where I am. If any man think that he knoweth anything, remember, he doesn't know anything as he ought to know it. So whatever you do know, you need to know it better. Whatever you do know, there's more to know.

There's more to know. And the psalmist says, what I have learned, then I'm going to be able to praise thee effectively. In other words, what we know has a lot to do with how we praise God. If a person doesn't know that God is omnipotent, that doesn't know that God is sovereign, they're not going to be praising him in the same way as if they read the word and find out that the Lord is on the throne of the universe, working his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stand his hand or say to him, what doest thou? If you see that God is the sovereign creator, that he rules and reigns today, you say, there's a reason to praise him. He's a great God.

He's a God of power and glory. And I want to praise him. If you have the idea that your salvation was based in some part on your action, you're going to be taking some credit to yourself. But if you understand it's all by free and sovereign grace from start to finish, you're going to praise him.

You're going to say, Lord, it wasn't me. It was what you did for me. I praise you for your love. I praise you for redemption that there is in Christ. I praise you for calling me because I never would have come myself. It's by your grace that I've been humbled to see myself a sinner.

It's by grace that by faith I embrace Jesus Christ because faith itself is the gift of God. I want to praise you. You see, the more you know, the more you understand about the truth of God's word, the better you'll be able to praise him and praise him right. First Peter chapter two, verse nine says, but you're a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

He's called you out of darkness. And in being called out of it, you're now to praise him, to praise him. Speak then according to the truth that you have learned, according to the things that God has blessed you to see and understand in his word. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. And finally, an urgent plea. I will keep thy statutes, oh forsake me not utterly.

Here's a commitment and a commitment should be made. I will keep thy statutes. Lord, I will follow thee. I will serve thee. I will become identified with thee. I will go into the waters of baptism and publicly confess my faith in Christ in this fashion. I will become a member of this church and try to serve him here. I will follow thee.

But this is not a matter of self-confidence. This is a commitment that ought to be made. But notice what immediately follows, a prayer, an urgent plea, oh forsake me not utterly.

Sometimes the Lord hides his face from us because of our sin. If we be elevated in pride and say, Lord, watch me. I'm going to run this race for you. I'm going to fight this battle for you. Look what I'm going to do for you.

We'll fall flat on our face. But if we say, Lord, yes, I'm committed to want to follow thee and serve thee, but I need thee. I need thee every hour. I need thy grace. I need thy strength.

I need thy guidance. If we fail in that, if we're walking in pride, the Lord may leave us temporarily to our own devices. Jeremiah chapter two, verse 19 says, thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy backsliding shall reprove thee. Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou has forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord of hosts. He says, thy wickedness shall correct thee. In other words, I'll leave you to your own devices and you will suffer the consequences of your own actions when you're elevated in pride.

Oh, but the rich promises that we have. Sometimes, let me add that the Lord does hide his face simply to teach us a lesson. Isaiah chapter 50, verse 10 talks about those who are walking in darkness and have no light, but they're also individuals that obey the voice of the servant, so the Lord will sometimes withdraw his comforts and hide his face simply to humble us and teach us and make us aware that we do desperately need him. Here's a wonderful promise, Psalm 89, verse 33. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. What's our verse say? Verse eight of Psalm 119, oh forsake me not utterly and here is God saying, I will not utterly suffer my faithfulness to fail. I may withdraw the peace and comfort for a little bit, but I'm not going to forsake you because you're my own. I love you.

I've bought you with a price. Psalm 138, verse eight, the Lord will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy mercy, oh Lord, endureth forever. Forsake not the works of thine own hands. Do you see the reasoning of the Psalmist? He said, Lord, what you've been doing in my life is the work of your hands.

It wasn't me. It wasn't something I did to come and offer my life as a great presentation. What you've been doing in humbling me and convicting me of my sin and training me and teaching me and drawing me closer to thee. Lord, it's the work of your hands and I know you're not going to forsake what you've started. You're not going to forsake the works of your own hands and that's what Paul says in Philippians 1, 6 that he who hath begun a good work and you will perform it under the day of Jesus Christ.

Isn't that good to know? The Lord's not going to give up on you. You sometimes maybe have felt like giving up when you see your own faults and your own failures, but the Lord says, I will not forsake. One final word from Isaiah chapter 8. May this be our response.

May it be our commitment and our determination. Verse 17 of Isaiah 8, and I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him. If the Lord has hidden his face from you, may this be your response. I will wait upon the Lord. I will look for him. Are you waiting before him? Are you looking to him?

Are you seeking him? What practical instruction we find in these eight verses, the first of the 22 sections of Psalm 119. May we say today, I will praise thee with uprightness of heart when I shall have learned by righteous judgments. Thank you for listening today. If you'd like to help with the support of the program, you can go to our website at baptistbiblehour.org and make a donation there. Till we greet you next time, this is LaSara Bradley Jr. bidding you goodbye and may God bless you. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. Praising my Savior, Praising my Savior, Praising my Savior all the day long.