Join us on the International Gospel Hour as we delve deep into the wisdom found in Psalm 119, verse 59, urging us to reflect on our paths and turn towards God’s testimonies. With guest insights from Jeff Archie, we explore the division of this Psalm into themes of authority, instruction, and application. Discover how applying God’s word can guide us through the challenges we face today and enrich our spiritual journey.
I thought about my ways and turned my feet to your testimonies. Psalm 119.59 Well friends, today let’s think, let’s turn and study of his testimonies. That’s just ahead from the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.
SPEAKER 01 :
It’s time for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jay Webb, and welcome to our study today as we embrace God’s Word to help us meet the challenges of today. Let’s open our Bibles and open our heart for this time of Bible study with our speaker Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. Here’s Jeff.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, thank you always to our J-Web and greetings and hello everyone. It’s great having you with us for our broadcast today here from the International Gospel Hour. Can I ask a quick favor of you if you don’t do it right now or do it at the end of our broadcast or whatever the case might be, our toll-free number is 855-444-6988. That’s 855-444-6988. Give us a call and just say, Hi, I’m listening to your broadcast on. Tell us the station or the avenue of which you’re listening to our broadcast. We’d love to hear from our listeners. It won’t cost you a thing, and we won’t call you back or anything of that nature. We’d just love to hear where you are listening to our broadcast from. And thank you always for tuning in to the International Gospel Hour. Now, we began with Psalm 119.59. We’re going to come right back to it. Let’s drive in that lane one more time. I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. That’s an awesome direction, is it not? And you know, when one studies Psalm 119, it appears that there are three definitions that divide up the psalm. Authority, instruction, and application. You know, friends, when you think about it, that’s God’s word adequately applied, wouldn’t you say? I mean, we understand the Bible, and the Bible alone is all authority from God. So we’ve got the authority, nowhere else to go. Second, we gain our instruction from the Bible. And then we apply to our lives what we’ve learned from instruction by the authority of God. You know, building from our text of Psalm 119.59, well, today, let’s think and let’s turn upon the testimonies of God. We’ll come back with that study in a moment. We’re going to take about a 30-second break as our J-Web has a few good words from our friends or about our friends at the World Video Bible School.
SPEAKER 01 :
World Video Bible School is at wvbs.org. That’s wvbs.org. You can check out over 2,400 videos on a number of biblical subjects, and you can also enroll in their online school and work at your pace. And friends, it’s absolutely free. That’s wvbs.org. Again, that’s wvbs.org.
SPEAKER 02 :
Friends, let’s talk about, and what we’re going to do, we’re going to go to the end of the verse, and let’s back up. I thought about my ways and turned my feet to your testimonies. First, let’s talk about the testimonies of God. Or, holding dear to God’s word indeed will keep our lives fresh. In 2 Timothy 2 and verse 15, we’re taught to give diligence or study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. And God gives us his word that we may rightly divide or measure and cut accurately and to see his will for our lives. For after all, 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17 affirms that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. God’s Word is able to provide. When you and I think about how God’s Word is described in a number of ways, I came across this list, what’s called the metaphors of God’s Word. In other words, we see God’s Word described a certain way to help us see how God’s Word can be strong in our lives. How about Psalm 119, 105? Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. It’s a lamp to give us light. When we build off of Jeremiah 23, verse 29, it is a hammer that will break shackles. And also in Jeremiah 23, verse 29, it is a fire that warms us and warns us. According to Ephesians 6, verse 17, it is a sword that will cut away the wrongs. In 2 Peter 2 and verse 2, it is milk to help us grow. And in Hebrews 5, 12 through 14, it is meat to keep us growing. Let’s pause and think about these texts for a moment. When I think about 2 Peter 2 and verse 2, Desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. He’s referring to young Christians who are babes, who need to be brought along carefully. But yet we must grow so we can bear the meat and mature and grow as we should. You know, if you have a child or a babe that moves away or keeps staying with milk and not solid food, we want to know what’s wrong. Well, the child of God must grow the same way. The Bible is a mirror that reflects what one sees. James 1, 23-25, who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not one forgetful of the work, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in his deed. And as we look into the mirror, God’s word, it reflects exactly what it sees. And God’s word reflects what it sees in our lives. To enhance it, to make it better, or to correct it. When we read of something that’s not right and we need to work on in our lives, then we need to address those things. I’ve known of a number of individuals that they would begin digging into the word of God and they would say, wait a minute, the church where I attend is not teaching this or not teaching that. And sometimes they begin to seek and want to know, and all we can do is look into the Scripture and allow it to guide us. Friends, we indeed would challenge anyone to look upon, what does your church teach on matters of salvation, or the oneness of the church, or do they have a human head rather than the spiritual head, which is Christ? You see, friends, when we can take the testimonies of God or the Word of God, and we can dig, we find our answers and know. That brings us to number two. Let’s keep backing up in the verse, or let’s go to the very front now, the thinking of man. You see, as the testimonies of God are presented before man, then man needs to do some thinking. Proverbs 23, verse 7, As he thinks in his heart… So is he. You know, man knows himself better than anyone. In 1 Corinthians 2.11, Paul says, For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of man which is in him? Later in 2 Corinthians 13 and verse 5, he would challenge those Christians to examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith. Prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves? How that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates. To examine yourselves means to test yourselves, to put self to the test, to take a long look at ourselves and what we need to change. For we may be as reprobates, or meaning those not standing the test, and we know whether our lives pass God’s word or not. In Galatians 6 and verse 3, Paul says, For as a man, or rather for if a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. And we must think on our ways and carefully look at our lives, friends. And when we think about the word consider or examining or looking at ourselves, it means we see and understand. You take the testimonies of God and the thinking of man, you’re going to get the turning of the heart. Turn my feet unto your testimonies. When our hearts are touched and we know we need to change, sometimes, friends, it is hard. Yes, it is hard to admit wrong, and it is never easy, but it’s necessary. When you and I look at the Bible, what about when David was approached by Nathan because of his sin with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 12? It wasn’t easy, but he admitted wrong. Simon, when he was confronted by Peter in Acts 8, verses 22 and following, Simon had obeyed the gospel of Christ. Well, he was baptized, and he wanted to buy the power of the Holy Spirit. But Peter told him that he had no part, no lot in that matter. He had sinned, and he asked for prayers. The crowd on Pentecost, they were pricked in their hearts, Acts 2, verse 37. Men and brethren, what shall we do? And then Peter told them in verse 38, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. All three acknowledged wrong in order to make it right, which is always better. Again, friends, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. It allows us to correct the things and to be instructed by the right things. Friends, the testimonies of God, our thinking, should prompt us to turn, and we want to live lives according to God and His will. Nobody wants to rebel against God. There are many that do choose to rebel against God, however. But when one is convicted and one sees what one needs to do, they cannot change fast enough. That’s why here through our studies, friends, we know we probably share some things that maybe you hadn’t thought about before. But we like to encourage good Bible study to seek those things and to help with those things. And now, here is our J-Web with our free study called God and Man, How to Be Saved from Sin. We’d love to send it to you, and Jay’s going to tell you how you can receive it.
SPEAKER 01 :
An additional Bible study by mail is now available from International Gospel Hour. It’s titled, God and Man, How to be Saved from Sin. This study booklet addresses a number of questions about the salvation from God to man. And friends, like all materials, it’s free. Call us toll free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say, God and Man. Or you can go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type God and man in the message box. Another Bible study that is free from IGH. And our friends at godandman.com. That’s god-and-man.com. And, you know, since you can’t see it, let me just spell that out for you. We’d love to hear from you.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, friends, we hope this study today will help you and let us think and turn toward the testimonies of God. Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you for listening today to God Be the Glory and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. Feel free to listen to our other programs at our website at internationalgospelhour.com and join us next time.
