According To Thy Word

2 of 22 from Psalm 119

Psalms 119:9-16  BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.  (10)  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.  (11)  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.  (12)  Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.  (13)  With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.  (14)  I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.  (15)  I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.  (16)  I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

            The first question (v 1) begins with “Wherewithal.”  My “^©The DEFINED  King James Bible” defines “Wherewithal” as to mean “with what.”  So, how or with what shall a person cleanse himself?  We know it is not good works or by any effort on our part because:

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  (9)  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The cleansing of our mind, (the washing away of our sins) can only be done through the “blood of Jesus Christ.” Anything else is for naught (nothing.)

1 John 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

We must walk in His light, and in order to walk in His light, we must “be born again.”

John 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus asked in  John 3:4  “How can a man be born when he is old?  can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?”  (Nicodemus was a spiritual leader.  He was a spiritually educated man, and a Pharisee.)  In (v 5) Jesus tells us, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit.”  To “be born again” God tells us we must believe.  The next question is “What must we believe?”

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

God tells us, we must believe God raised His Son Jesus from the grave.  In sincere belief we must tell others about Jesus and what we now believe.  With that convicted belief, God will save us from our sins and give us The Gift of Eternal Life.

            We must know that God has never asked anyone to be fully educated, (from a religious perspective.)  However, in order for us to know Jesus, and be willing to allow the conviction of the Holy Spirit to move us to accept Christ, we must have some knowledge.

Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

In order for us to “meditate in thy precepts,” there needs to be time under the Word of God.  We “learn and grow” in the Lord Jesus by attending Church.  The best place to learn is at a Bible preaching, teaching Church.  Hear the Word, read the Word, and respond to the urging of the Holy Spirit.  Accept Him with the knowledge and belief you have gained.  (Salvation is granted and a place for you in Heaven is created.)

Bro John R. E Chastain

Retired Pastor

Wylie, Texas

fundamentalthoughts-preacher.blogspot.com   Fundamental Thoughts

fundamentalthoughts-sermons.blogspot.com     Fundamental Thoughts-Sermons