by Pastor Lee Hemen
April 7, 2008
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. (Psalms 119:9-11)
Take a close look at this verse that many over the centuries have memorized. What does it actually mean for the believer? The writer first asks the question: “How can a young man keep his way pure?” He immediately answers his question by relating, “By living according to Your Word.” How is this possible? For the unregenerate it is impossible. For those who are trying to be “good enough” through self-effort it is impossible. For those who are trying to follow the law of God, it is completely impossible! Paul tells us why: “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:3-4)
There is the key! There is the answer that even the Psalmist knew because we find him writing his answer: “I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from You commands.” He seeks after God and asks for God’s help, but more than that he continues by relating: “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I may not sin against You!” This is more than just memorizing Scripture passages. The writer was not reflecting on the Bible but on the very words of God being spoken to him as he walked in fellowship with the Lord! Never forget that the Psalm writer depended totally upon his own law keeping in order to keep himself “blameless” before God. (v. 119:1)
Dear child of Christ we do not depend upon the Old Testament law to keep us! The law is completed in the New Testament Christ, His death, and His resurrection. We fulfill all of the law’s requirements when we trust Him. It is loving God with our whole heart by giving Him all that we are to His Son Jesus! The believer “hides” the Word of God not simply through memorization, but by believing it, living it, and trusting it daily. The “heart” is all that you intrinsically are.
The Word for the believer is not just Scripture, but the Word become flesh. We hide Him, we trust Him, we give Him our lives! All that we are is given over to the Word and we “hide” Him in us as we trust Him with ourselves.
Here it is: You want to sin less dear child of faith? Then hide Jesus in your life more. In other words let Him rule and reign and walk in Him daily, moment by moment. Hide Jesus by trusting Him, walking in Him, and allowing Him to live in and through you. Jesus promised, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4) “Remain,” means abiding or walking in Jesus. We walk in the Word, Jesus, when we abide in Him by trusting Him with our lives daily. Are you today trusting Jesus? Have you hidden the Word in your life that you may not sin against God? Oh, I pray so!
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NOTE: This article is copyrighted by Pastor Lee Hemen © 2008 and the property of Pastor Lee Hemen. You are welcome to copy it, email it, or use it but please if you copy it, email it, or use it you must do so in its entirety.
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