Weekly Sermon
This sermon is a companion to six previous sermons: In the Way of This Life - Psalm 119:1
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 1) - Psalm 119:3
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 2) - Psalm 119:3
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 3) - Psalm 119:3
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 4) - Psalm 119:3
Away from the Way of Sins's Lies - Psalm 119:3
Psalm 119:1-5 reads, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!”
In Psalm 119 we encounter the words “way” and “ways” eighteen times and the word “path” two times, indicating that the pathway of our lives is an important subject of this psalm. In fact, through these twenty references this psalm presents four categories of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life. With the phrase “in the way,” verse 1 introduces us to the first category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life – the way of this life. With the phrase “in his way,” verse 3 introduces us to the second category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life – the way of our Lord. In direct contrast to our Lord’s way, verse 29 refers to “the way of lying” and thereby introduces us to the third category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life – the way of sin’s lies. Finally, with the phrase “my ways,” verse 5 introduces us to the fourth category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of this life – the way of our lives.
Already concerning the way of this life, we have learned that in this life we all must face challenges, make choices, and accept the consequences. Already concerning the way of our Lord, we have been exhorted to choose to walk after His ways. Already concerning the way of sin’s lies, we have been exhorted to choose to avoid sin’s ways. Yea, being exhorted to walk after our Lord’s ways, we have learned of our need for determination, conviction, passion, education, adoration, meditation, transformation, rejection, and continuation. Furthermore, being exhorted to avoid the way of sin’s lies, we have learned of our need for correction, separation, instruction, and abomination. Now concerning the way of our lives, we are brought to the place of personal application. It is not enough for us to be exhorted with our need. Now we must actually apply these principles to our personal walk day by day.
This sermon is a companion to six previous sermons: In the Way of This Life - Psalm 119:1
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 1) - Psalm 119:3
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 2) - Psalm 119:3
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 3) - Psalm 119:3
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 4) - Psalm 119:3
Away from the Way of Sins's Lies - Psalm 119:3
Psalm 119:1-5 reads, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!”
In Psalm 119 we encounter the words “way” and “ways” eighteen times and the word “path” two times, indicating that the pathway of our lives is an important subject of this psalm. In fact, through these twenty references this psalm presents four categories of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life. With the phrase “in the way,” verse 1 introduces us to the first category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life – the way of this life. With the phrase “in his way,” verse 3 introduces us to the second category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life – the way of our Lord. In direct contrast to our Lord’s way, verse 29 refers to “the way of lying” and thereby introduces us to the third category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life – the way of sin’s lies. Finally, with the phrase “my ways,” verse 5 introduces us to the fourth category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of this life – the way of our lives.
Already concerning the way of this life, we have learned that in this life we all must face challenges, make choices, and accept the consequences. Already concerning the way of our Lord, we have been exhorted to choose to walk after His ways. Already concerning the way of sin’s lies, we have been exhorted to choose to avoid sin’s ways. Yea, being exhorted to walk after our Lord’s ways, we have learned of our need for determination, conviction, passion, education, adoration, meditation, transformation, rejection, and continuation. Furthermore, being exhorted to avoid the way of sin’s lies, we have learned of our need for correction, separation, instruction, and abomination. Now concerning the way of our lives, we are brought to the place of personal application. It is not enough for us to be exhorted with our need. Now we must actually apply these principles to our personal walk day by day.
The Matter of Desire
The application of these principles to our personal walk day by day begins with the desire of our hearts. In Psalm 119:5 the psalmist expressed his desire, saying, “O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!” Indeed, the psalmist possessed a deep, driving desire to have his ways directed in obedience to the Lord’s Word and will. Do we have just such a deep, driving desire to walk in the way of our Lord? Without such a desire, our walk in our Lord’s ways will fail even before we have begun. Oh, how deep is our burden to walk in our Lord’s ways! Oh, how zealous is our desire to walk in our Lord’s ways! Oh, how fervent is our motivation to walk in our Lord’s ways!
The Matter of Deliberation
If we have a genuine desire to walk in the way of our Lord, then we must deliberately consider and take heed unto the pathway of our lives. In Psalm 119:9 the truth is revealed, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.” If we would have our way cleansed from that which is contrary to our Lord’s ways, and if we would continue forward after the cleanness of our Lord’s ways, we must take heed with deliberate attention unto the steps of our daily life. We cannot just walk through this life carelessly, for the uncleanness and filthiness of sin abounds all around us. Rather, we must walk through this life carefully, considering where we place our foot in each step, lest we step into the uncleanness and filthiness of sin. Even so, in Psalm 119:59 the psalmist declared, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.” Even so also, Proverbs 4:26 gives the instruction, “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.” Indeed, we must take heed that we “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).
The Matter of Dedication
With a definite desire to walk in the way of our Lord and with a deliberate consideration of the pathway of our lives, we must then dedicate our way to walk step by step according to God’s Word. Again in Psalm 119:9 the truth is revealed, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.” In order to have our way cleansed from that which is contrary to our Lord’s ways, and in order to walk faithfully after the cleanness of our Lord’s ways, we must dedicate and submit our way to be governed, guided, and guarded by God’s Word. Yea, we must take heed that every step of our daily walk is governed by the truth and teaching, standards and statutes, principles and precepts, counsels and commands, wisdom and warnings of God’s Word. We must dedicate our way to search the truth of God’s Word with diligence each day, to receive the truth of God’s Word with meekness into our hearts, and to continue in the truth of God’s Word with obedience as faithful doers. Even so, in Psalm 119:11 the psalmist declared, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Even so also, in Luke 9:23 our Lord Jesus Christ gave the instruction, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
The Matter of Dependence
Indeed, we must fervently desire to walk in our Lord’s ways; and we must deliberately take heed unto the way of our lives; and we must daily dedicate our way to walk according to God’s Word. Yet we cannot proceed with self-dependence in our own understanding or in our own strength. Rather, we must trust in our Lord with all of our heart and must acknowledge Him in all of our ways (Proverbs 3:5-6). Even so, in Psalm 119:26 the psalmist said, “I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.” In prayer the psalmist declared his ways unto the Lord, completely depending upon the Lord to direct him in wisdom and to empower him for victory. In like manner, we must depend upon our Lord completely in each step of our daily walk. We must depend upon His grace to direct us in righteousness and to empower us for righteousness.
The Matter of Decision
With fervent desire, deliberate consideration, daily dedication, and complete dependence, we must then make a specific decision for each of our daily steps to walk in the righteousness of God’s holy Word. In Psalm 119:59-60 the psalmist declared, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.” Indeed, we must actually make the decision step by step to walk in our Lord’s ways. We must actually decide to place the next step in obedience to the way of our Lord, and then to place the next step in obedience to the way of our Lord, and then to place the next step in obedience to the way of our Lord, and then to place the next step in obedience to the way of our Lord. This is the very manner in which we must walk in our Lord’s ways, step by step by step, decision by decision by decision. Furthermore, we must make such step-by-step decisions in obedience to the way of our Lord in haste without any delay; for delayed obedience will always lead to sinful disobedience.
The Matter of Direction
Now, as we make step-by-step decisions to walk in the way of our Lord through obedience to the truth of His Word, we will find that His Word will enlighten our pathway for future steps in righteousness. In Psalm 119:105 the truth is revealed, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Indeed, the truth of God’s holy Word is a spiritual lamp to enlighten our walk through this spiritually dark world. How shall we know the way in which we ought to walk? God’s Holy Word will enlighten the way. “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life” (Proverbs 6:23). Are we interested to know the right way in which we ought to walk from day to day? Are we interested to know the righteous course that the Lord our God has set before us? Let us take heed unto the spiritual light of God’s Holy Word, in order that we not be ensnared in the miry pit of sin and be destroyed thereby.
The Matter of Devotion
Finally, as we continue along this process of desire, deliberation, dedication, dependence, decision, and direction from day to day, we must develop a growing devotion for the Word and way of our Lord. In Psalm 119:167-168 the psalmist declared, “My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.” In declaring that all his ways were before the Lord, the psalmist was indicating that his entire heart and life was devoted unto the will of the Lord. Even so, we also must develop such a devotion to the will and ways of our Lord. Yea, we must be devoted in all our ways unto the truth of His Word and unto the righteousness of His way. Then as our devotion grows, so also will our daily walk after our Lord’s ways.
Posted in Weekly Sermon, Psalms, Word of God, Godly Attitude, Trust in God, Walk in Righteousness,
Spiritual Guidance, Spiritual Growth
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