The Word of GOD is My Everything
Notes
Transcript
Already in this series, I’ve preached two sermons from the book of Psalms. We should know a few facts about the book of Psalm and then specifically Psalm 119 with respect to today’s message and this theme of revival. Psalm is the third longest book of the entire collection of scripture by word count, containing 30,147 Hebrew words. It has the most chapters, 150, in which each is focused on the worship and praise of GOD. It is amazing that the Holy Spirit gave that much focus on worshipping and praising GOD. Well another most interesting fact, is that Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in this collection of praise, longest chapter in the bible, 2445 words, 176 verses dedicated to the praise, glory, and preeminence of the Word of GOD. With the exception of verse 122, every verse mentions one of 10 words to describe the Word of GOD. Once again, it is amazing that the Holy Spirit gave that much focus on the preeminence of God’s word. The poetic structure is what’s called an acrostic, meaning the sentences begin with a letter of the alphabet. Interestingly, when the Psalmist through the Holy Spirit considered how great the Word of GOD is, there are 8 sentences or verses per letter. As if to say The Word of GOD is the beginning and end, every issue and place. In our pursuit of revival, it is absolutely necessary that our hearts should be panting to genuinely say “The Word of GOD is My Everything!” The intent of this message is to teach us that true revival is an renewed aspiration that “The Word of GOD is My Everything!”
Highest Yearning for My Life
During the worse affliction
As a part of worship
Highly Secured in My Heart
No matter the danger
From myself - won’t lose sight
From others - won’t wander off
Highest Significance of My Life
The greatest possession I’ve received
Nothing gives me greater joy
I’ve made up my mind to keep it
Highest Yearning for My Life
If I am to regard the Word of GOD as My Everything, it has to be the highest yearning for my life. That means just like the Psalmist, I must pant and thirst for the Word of GOD recognizing that it is the source of my existence and survival. Remember Jesus countered the temptation from satan to make bread for himself, in Matt 4 and Luke 4, with Deut 4 which says “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds forth from the mouth of GOD”. Therefore my survival, the continuation of my life is solely dependent on the word of GOD. Even-
During the worse affliction
In verse 107-108, he give 3 dire prayer requests to GOD, which reveal how much he yearns for God’s word. In the first request, he first tells GOD what his status of life is. He says GOD, O Lord!! My pain in this affliction is at the highest level on the scale. So bad that it feels like he’s one heartbeat away from dying. But he recognizes his only hope for life, his only hope to survive, is by the word of GOD. So he prays for revival corresponding to when GOD speaks and creates life.
Application: Do we really recognize the power of when GOD speaks? Listen to what GOD says through Isaiah 55:10-11, “Just as the rain and the snow fall from heaven, and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, to provide seed to sower and bread to the eater. Likewise my word, which proceeds from my mouth, will not return to me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Therefore, in my darkest hour, I need for GOD to speak for my survival. In my greatest pain, I need him to speak for relief. When I need revival, in my need to survive this pandemic, I am completely reliant on and yearning for what GOD speaks for life!!
As a part of my worship
But not only that, the Psalmist then gives two additional prayer requests to GOD, and they are in regard to my worship and praise to Him. He says Lord I really want you to like the praise from my mouth. I praise you voluntarily, whenever and wherever, please delight in my praise. But not only that GOD, please instruct me what you decide is best and most important.
Application: We should want to give GOD praise, and we should want GOD to say “Now I like that”. But equally, we should desire to learn more and more from GOD what he has decided regarding what’s right, how I should live, what I need to stop doing, what do I need to improve, and what I need to highly regard. What’s interesting is that in verses 98-100, he says he has understanding. But no level of understanding is complete for us, and if we ever cease to want to know more from GOD, his ways and his judgments, then we will cease to truly worship him. No matter the subject matter, if it’s creation, praise, morality, prophecy, history, GOD I want you to teach me more. My worship is not complete if I don’t learn and yearn to learn more and more about the mind of GOD. For that would be a zeal without knowledge!!
Highly Secured in My Life
In addition to yearning for God’s Word, if the Word of GOD is gone be my everything, it must be highly secured in my life. That means his word must be inscribed on our hearts. It needs to be fastened to my soul.
No matter the danger
Here’s where we really need to look deep within ourselves and ask the question, is there any danger, any threat, or any pandemic that can cause us to be moved away from GOD.
From myself - Won’t lose sight
The Psalmist describes the first danger as his own life continually in his hand. Examples of this are in Judges 12:3, 1 Sam 19:5, 28:21. All of these describe when someone or a group took a risk to do something without the aid or assistance of another, and put their lives in danger. This is where the idea of sacrificing ones life comes from. Thus he constantly made himself vulnerable, placed himself in unsafe conditions, but then says he does not lose sight of God’s instructions.
Application: Listen, following Jesus steps puts us at risk, it makes us vulnerable. Tell the hood about Jesus, help me on the side of the road at night, somebody needs food in this COVID, bring those folk from the street into the building or your home. And because we see danger, we can easily displace parts of God’s instructions, and we show partiality, become selfish, lack compassion and forgiveness. Because certain parts of life make us vulnerable, we lose sight and create our own safety. But when his word is my everything, his word is secured in my heart, and his word makes me secure!!
From others - Won’t wander away
Not only that, but the Psalmist gets more specific with danger and talks about wickedness of people trying to destroy, ruin, plot on, lie on, and scheme his failure, placing harm in his normal path. But the Psalmist says he will not carelessly walk outside the boundaries that GOD has given.
Application: We deal with ignorant and wicked people a lot. And it can be an extreme struggle to stay within the bounds of behavior GOD has set by his word. Y’all saw the recent video “Try Jesus, but don’t try me, because I fight… and I throw hands”. It is hard!! When you know folk are backstabbin you, but you gotta pray for them. When you know folk got yo name in their mouth, but you gotta bless them. When you know somebody has put you a snake in a gift bag, but you gotta say father forgive them. The Psalmist is emphasizing that no matter what people do, he will not loosely or carelessly depart from the word of GOD. Because the Word is his everything in peace and in danger!!!
Highest Significance of My Life
Lastly, if in my revival, I’m going to make the Word of GOD My Everything, it must be the highest significance of my life. If something is significant, it has the quality of being worthy of our attention.
They are the best possession I’ve received
On this earth, there are a plethora of things that we can allow to grasp our attention and to become of great importance. To convey how significant God’s word is to the Psalmist, he speaks of an inheritance. It is typically property or possessions that one receives from a person upon their death or an authorized living source. And an inheritance was seen as something of great value and special. So he says all that GOD has revealed through his word he has inherited forever. In other words, the testimonies of GOD are the best possession he’s ever received, and he views it as an eternal gift from GOD. See, one can own a bible, but they might not view it as an inheritance!
Because nothing gives me joy like them
Well how is it, or why is it that the Psalmist views the word of GOD this way, it is because they give him joy beyond any earthly possession. In fact, in verse 72, he says God’s testimonies more precious than a thousand pieces of gold, fine gold. And thus, they are his most prized possession.
Application: Do we really delight and take joy in God’s word this way? Lord we need to be revived in our hearts!! Wait wait wait. You received a bonus. Your wages/salary have increased. Your mortgage is paid off. Here’s your new car. Free trip to your favorite destination. You’re being recognized. You made the news. You’ve got 1000 likes… What about For GOD so loved the world. I go to prepare a place. I will remember your sins no more. You are a new creation. You have been washed. You’ve received the gift of salvation. God’s saints will be glorified. He will wipe away every tear. Stand strong in the Lord… How much do these words grasp our attention versus the plethora of things this world gives?? Are they the joy of our lives?? Really?
My mind is made up to always follow them
It is so significant to the Psalmist that he says, I have made up my mind to follow and to carry out your word to the extent of my life!!!
Application: We must have the same resolve. Because to really know GOD and Christ, is to fall in love with his word.
Conclusion: In this pursuit of revival, we must see the deep need for more of God’s word in my life. We must pursue the state of mind that says the Word of GOD is my Everything!!! And for it to be that, It must be The Highest Yearning for My Life, Highly Secured in My Heart, and The Highest Significance of My Life!!!