My Whole Heart

2a 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.

            In the “last post,” the word “Wherewithal,” and the phrase, how “shall a young man cleanse his way” were defined.  In “this post,” we will consider “where all that we do” comes from.  

Hebrews 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

                       

(v 10) tells us that “With my whole heart have I sought thee.”  Our verse in Hebrews 10:22 tells us that our “heart” must be “true.”  This faith must not only be “true,” but also with “full assurance of faith.”  This “full assurance” is a faith without doubt, a faith that says I believe, regardless of the discourse thrown before us.

            Within our “heart,” we must also purge out all evil thoughts.  “How can we go to God with hatred and bitterness in our heart, and ask Him to bless us?”  If you want (and) desire to get closer to God, your character must change.  (In our salvation, we became new creatures.)

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Let God teach you, and in that teaching allow these precepts to be hidden within your heart.  You will be less likely to follow the world, consequently not allowing yourselves to fall into sin.  (You are the one that accepts the temptation placed before you.  The devil does not make you do it.)

            With our “assurance of faith,” note we are to speak to others about God. 

           

Mark 16:15  And he [Jesus] said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

            I know most apply this verse only to the Preacher, the Pastor, and/or the Missionary.  However, Jesus is speaking to Christians.  As members of a local New Testament Church, you are “The Missionary” to your locality.  (“Well Bro John, I live twelve miles from our Church.”  “Then the path from your house to the Church is your Mission field.”)

            For us to fail in our study of His Word, (failure to do our work as a Missionary) is a sin against God and it puts us at enmity [being an enemy] with God.  Seek Him, and follow Him as He guides through The Holy Spirit.

John 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

            Some of us claim Jesus, only because “He loves us.”  We know God loves us, however, in that love we are to follow as He guides.  Seek God with “my whole heart.”

Bro John R. E Chastain

Retired Pastor

Wylie, Texas

fundamentalthoughts-preacher.blogspot.com   Fundamental Thoughts

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

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