Obey God's Word - Psalm 119:1-16

Last Sunday, Brother Bill Fowlkes brought to the attention of our class a survey that has recently been made in America that was shocking to those of us who discussed the results. The survey determined that the number of Bible believers is at the lowest ebb it has ever been in the USA. It indicated that only about one half of our citizens believe that the Word is truth and use it as their daily guide for Christian living.

I have been thinking about this report in connection with the study of our admonition to ‘OBEY GOD’S WORD in today’s study. First, let me let you know that I do not trust the liberal media or any of their sources of information. This is one time that I hope that I am right when I say that I do not really believe this is an accurate report. I believe that the liberals are using half-truths and out-right-lies trying to break the moral of Christian people. I can tell you that it is frightening for me to think about living in a nation where half of the citizens do not trust God and the Bible to represent absolute truth.

From past personal experience, I can attest to you that it is impossible for a Christian to witness to a lost person regarding their acceptance of Christ as their Savior if they do not believe the Bible is the True Word of God. In my opinion, absolutely nothing else is more important to us today. The lesson today calls upon us to OBEY GOD’S WORD. And the only way for that to happen is for us to believe His Word is truth and that it is the only road map available that shows the way to heaven.

No Bible teacher will ever teach a lesson more important than this one is. The beauty of it is that you do not have to take my word for this fact. If you will simply open your eyes and see God each and every day in all of his manifestations of his power and glory, He will prove himself to be the one and only God. And then you must also be willing to accept some things by faith. The Bible declares the absolute necessity of an individual faith in God.

Listen to me. We are talking about a book that is actually the living Word of God. Martin Luther expressed his feelings this way. “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.” If you are living the life that is recommended by God in his Word, then you will be able to relate to these words by Luther.

God’s Word is sufficient to handle every problem man will ever face. It is perfect. This does not mean that it contains every word spoken by God, Christ and the disciples. But it covers every problem or circumstance that will ever become a part of our lives. That means it has lift nothing out that was or will ever be necessary for us to know. The New Testament states emphatically that This Book does not contain every word ever written or stated, because if it did, there would not be room enough to store the book safely.

The 117th Psalm was the shortest Psalm. This, the 119th is the longest Psalm and also the longest chapter in the Bible. The writer is unknown, but thought by many to be Ezra. Many believe that it was written soon after the Temple was completed and had as a central theme the idea that God’s Word along with his house and the act of worship is the greatest act of tribute we can offer God. The author used a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet to start each stanza of this poem, and almost every verse mentions something about God’s Word. It plainly teaches that God’s Word, the Bible is the only sure guide we have for living a pure life. This is definitely to be considered a wisdom Psalm—may be the best of all that were written.

The Psalmist says that we are drowning in a sea of impurity and that everywhere we look we find temptation to lead impure lives. The author asks us a troubling question. How can a young man keep his way pure? We can not do it on our own. There is only one source that offers such wisdom and that is by our reading God’s Word. We are to hold his Word in our heart. They did not have personal Bibles and were forced to memorize and remember in heart as well as in mind. This writer as well as most in the Bible says that this book must be our guide for everything we do. We do not enjoy strict rules, but we learn here that without proper guidance from the right source, we perish.

It may sound like paradoxes for him to tell us that we will rejoice in keeping his laws. Let me give you an example that explains why we sometimes feel good. The next time this happens—think about it. [You are driving within the speed limit and realize that you have just gone through a speed check point—and you discover the police has his speed gun aimed at you—but he did not stop you!!!] How do you feel? Great! You sigh with relief and gratitude. Oh! How wonderful it is to find that you have just done the right thing at the right time and the consequence is in your favor.
The Psalmist admits that he is a stranger on earth…in a strange land and need a good road map to show him his way. The Bible is our road map through this life and all the way to Heaven. Have you ever thought about how this world is cluttered with billions of books, maps, instructions and recipes but the author never comes along with the recipes to show you how to bake the cake? Not so with this book—The Holly Spirit comes with the book and shows up between each line to show us how to apply it to our hearts and lives.

Money represents power and we often crave wealth and success. However in verse thirty-six, we should learn to guide our prayers as instructed by the writer. We should fear the Lord and desire to live as he would have us live and not for financial gain. We should learn to rejoice in keeping His laws because of the freedom they bring and dread them because of the restrictions they apply. Think about the most important law He has ever made. You can have no other God before me! The restriction applied here simply denies us from worshipping some other God. That desire might lead to everlasting destruction. Look at what we get in exchange. We can love God all we want, any time and as much and find that he always repays us and finally saves us forever. It really does not cost us to gain everything—for he has already paid the price—our cost has been paid.

In verse ninety-seven and following we learn of the joy this man obtained when he realized that knowledge of and from God’s word was the thing that made him wiser than his enemies. Just stop a moment and remember your greatest Bible teacher and your most knowledgeable preacher. Did you learn from them? Sure you did and that is good, but this man reminds you that he has learned most of what he knows from studying God’s Word. He said that he had more insight than all of his teachers put together. It is his personal insight and meditation that makes the difference.

I often travel at night from my garage under the hill and behind my house up and around the house to my front door. When I turn out the light in the basement, the trip up the hill is the darkest place on the banks of the river. Since I do not have a two way switch at the front door, I have to turn the light out and travel up in total darkness. When I don’t forget I use a flash light that becomes a lamp unto my drive way. The drive is hazardous without the light.

This is a dark old world and sources of spiritual light seem to be growing dim. It is a great comfort to realize that a study of his word turns a bright light on my spiritual pathway. Think how dark this sinful world would be if we did not have his Word as a lamp to our feet.

Give Thanks - Psalm 116:1-19

On Monday morning of this week I opened my email to find a beautiful picture made in color at Arlington’s Cemetery that was made while the President and several others behind the podium were [supposedly] honoring our Veterans. The President was the only person in the line that was not either saluting or holding their hand over their heart. It just so happens that our lesson today directs Christians to GIVE THANKS.

When carefully studied we fine that the objectives of our thanks should be God our creator and redeemer, our parents and friends, our country and it’s service men who protects us in harm’s way. My prayer is that God will have his will in dealing with any man, especially the President, who does not show honor and praise where they are due.

We have no direct reference telling us who wrote Psalm ll6 or the date of the writing. We do know that he had faced some hard times and even in the face of death he was still able to praise the Lord and give him thanks for things that were right that outweighed those that went wrong. The theme of this writing is a direct praise for his being saved from what appeared to be certain death. The writers praise was not intended in any way to be a payment for his being delivered but it was a thankful response for God’s love and concern.

We should be reminded that this is a proper way for us to respond regarding something good that has come to us. We are fortunate to have good neighbors that do neighborly deeds because they want to; it makes them feel good. They do not to expect us to pay them for their help; they do desire that we let them know our appreciation. They enjoy our praise of them; but may even feel put-down if we indicate that we want to pay them in a financial way. I have friends today that will voluntarily do hard and expensive work for me in my time of need and do not expect—will not accept anything as reimbursement.

Look at verse three and you will see that the writer could easily have said something like “I had cancer that has already destroyed a major part of my liver. The doctor gave me less than three months to live. My family and I went through the process of preparing for my burial. Those were the darkest days of our lives.” By this time in a life of trouble, many have given up hope and they have no time or energy left with which they can praise God. This man had an attitude of praise and used it. He called on the name of the Lord—“Oh Lord save me.” We can afford to do nothing less.

Our God is gracious and righteous and full of compassion. And though there are times when we must pass through some of those low valleys with cancer or arthritis that are incurable we must maintain an upright spirit and thank him for never placing more on us than we can bear.

Our unknown witness that must have been somewhere close to what we have just described above, found that he is in a predicament much like you and I often go through. What did he proclaim? He said, “I love you Lord, for you heard my cry for mercy. God opened his ear to me…he heard me! He turned his face and looked at me…he saw me personally and did not look away without making response.

Do you pray often? Is your prayer one of thankfulness and praise? Or does it reflect another need that you have encountered and do you continually request something new and different? If you will make a relevant inventory of your life’s wants and needs, you will find that the blessings you receive far outnumber the needs you seem to have. If we reflect on this fact it will soon occur that our prayer life is changing complexion. Ours prayer time will become overwhelmingly one of thanks and expressions of our love rather than a list of earthly needs.

Look at verse twelve and hear this man asking how he can repay the Lord for all of His goodness. Now hear his answers and a thought or two of mine. He said that he would lift up salvation—try to show others how to be saved. And that he would continually call on God—and that he would keep his vows…be truthful…do right. Now I help him answer by saying that God does not want to be repaid! Remember what I said about my good neighbor who does so much for me? He does not want to be paid. It hurts his feelings sometimes when I insist. He just wants me to appreciate him! Sometimes that is all God wants of us. Just praise him. Only thank him. Brag on him and what he has done for you so that others may learn who he is and that he wants to be a part of their life too.


TRIVIA sometimes is very important. We are studying chapter 116. The next two verses forms the shortest book in the bible. These verses say: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! And now…the 8th verse of 116 is the MIDDLE VERSE IN THE BIBLE; THE CENTER or HEART OF THE BIBLE. And it tells us to TRUST GOD…NOT…MAN!

Psalm 116, our lesson for today gives us an excellent picture of the ALL-SUFFICIENT GRACE of God. We have learned by studying the New Testament that Grace is stronger than any of our circumstances. For by Grace we are saved not of our works, to keep us from boasting that it was something that we had done on our own.

Is there a verse in the bible that says, “God helps those who help themselves?” I have heard this verse quoted several times and just assumed that it is really there. Be honest. How many of you think this is a verse in the bible? I think I have heard it a thousand times, and it sounds good to me. But there are two problems—unfortunately there are two issues at fault with this statement. First, it is not in the bible. Second, the theology of this supposed truism is also not in the bible. In fact, the bible teaches exactly the opposite. The truth is that God will always help those who can not help themselves. Another truth is that if we could help ourselves, we would not need God’s help. All of us are weak and in need of the grace of God. In John 15:5, Jesus told us that apart from him we can do nothing. The word nothing as he used it here means that we can not do anything of any eternal or spiritual value without the help of an eternal and spiritual leader.

Looking back we can see that this writer had some serious problems in his life. Knowing that we would have the same kind of problems he has let us know that his main response has been to always thank and continue to serve God. He emphasizes that God is not a deaf idol like the ones of stone that pagans serve. God bends low and listens to our needs…he hears and responds, therefore as long as we live we should continue to thank and praise him. Our love and appreciation should come first…but we may always feel free to go back to God for help in our next time of need.

The man in our lesson today had lived a life much like some of us who are getting older even today. He had faced some hard times that remind us of what happened to Paul as he attempted to serve. We are all in need of His sustaining grace. God bends low and hears us. He is ready to help us when we recognize our weakness and rely on his grace. This sounds like a contradiction and impossible; but when we are weak we are at our strongest place through the Grace of Christ. And through our weakness…His grace is made stronger as it is extended to us. Paul said in 2 Cor. that through our weakness his grace is made perfect.

Live Righteously - Psalm 112:1-10

This is so easily defined but so difficult to do. To live righteously simply means ‘do right’ but to always be right means that you must live as Christ lives and affords us the example. My granny Pankey who died about fifty years ago at age ninety, was, I believe, the most righteous person I’ve known, and my dad, born in 1887 was a close rival. I consider myself fortunate to have inherited genes that have a human tendency to be like Christ and only wish I could tell you that I have kept the faith and walked the walk that they did. To do so would show wisdom.

I say these things because the 112th Psalm is considered a ‘wisdom’ message from an unknown writer that God used to make his word complete. The purpose this writer had in mind was to teach people of all ages how to be truly successful in life, especially when evaluated from Christ’s standpoint. If you will read and study this Psalm you will learn and understand the benefits and blessings of living righteously. In the conclusion of the chapter he makes sure that you fully understand how to rightly discern the difference in right and wrong, he uses a comparison of a Godly person’s life with the life of a wicked man.

The Psalm is anonymous and does not give any history or background situations about which it is written. To me this says that it applies to all regardless of whom they are or what their experience. There is no excuse for unrighteousness, we were born that way, for all have sinned and all require the cleansing blood of Christ in order to correct their position with Christ.

In the original language, the first word of the first verse of chapter 112 is Hallelujah! The King James Version and many others begin with “Praise the Lord.” However, this is not a change or different; because the meaning of the word “Hallelujah” is “Praise the Lord.” Hallelujah is a word of praise and a direct command. We walk up to a friend and usually say “Good morning how are you?” Most of the time I am somewhere on a scale that ranges from uncomfortable to outright pain, and just recently discussed in our men’s class that it is sometimes hard to know how to respond to the usual greeting. Now I have learned a new way to greet that will solve this problem. Do you see the main difference in the greeting? Our mind is on man; I am thinking about you, and there is nothing wrong with this…how are you? Our mind could better be on God and our greeting would let you know that we are thinking of Him and we would be asking you to join us as we ‘praise the Lord.’

We all have something or someone at the center of our lives; there are no exceptions we have a driving force even a consuming passion at the core of our being. This is neither good nor bad and always depends on the placement of our heart. Some of us are centered on good things like our parents, wife, husband, children, vocation, service or ministry. Some are centered on a lower level that may even be shallow like some specific sport, our avocation, beautiful home, luscious yard and or garden. And finally, and sadly more often, some of us center our thoughts on the shallowest of all things ourselves, our lusts, and sinful desires. For the righteous Christian our life and everything in it should revolve around one dominant force—our passion should be to Praise the Lord. God must be the center of our life and everything else [good or shallow] must be secondary. This is the central truth or theme of Psalm 112.

If you will study this Psalm line by line you can see what the writer thinks is the character of a God centered life [GCL] and he tells us what the consequences of living a GCE will be. The greeting is the first clue. The GCE will praise the Lord—Hallelujah. If you are living the GCE, you will be blessed—you will fear [be in awe] of the Lord and find great delight in the commands that God has placed on our lives. In addition to our personal blessings, our children will be blessed and will be mighty or important with honor and worth in the sight of other people [the land]. He does not stop here but claims that future generations [our children’s children] will reflect the upright living of their parents.

The televangelists of today have the tube burning with guarantees that if you will plant a seed [send them donations] you will defeat poverty and become rich. Some quote verse three as their source of God’s promise. The only problem with their interpretation is the false reason they give. TGC life will become wealthy and riches will be in their house. The blessing will come as a result of the Christians faith, commitment to God, keeping of his commandments, and love of God and what He has done for them through his Son Jesus Christ. And the wealth and riches may not necessarily be dollars but much more such as a godly family, honor, security, freedom from fear, and the promise of a home in heaven. Our wealth surely includes all the promises that God has made never to forsake and always sustain us meeting our needs and not necessarily our desires to be filthy rich.

Verse four tells us that there will be some dark days in our lives, but to the GCL light dawns ahead. He will never put more on us than we can bear. He will never ask us to do anything that he does not prepare us to do. He will never lead us to a task that he has not prepared us to accomplish. The writer says that the GCL is a gracious [free giver] compassionate and do right man.

Generosity will cure problems that money can cause or create. One who is rich and has no generosity may abuse others in order to create his gain and fulfill his desire to accumulate wealth. Generosity will eliminate that abuse.
With the rich there is a fear of loosing the wealth. One becomes fearful of giving to others because he does not trust God to replenish or repay him for his generosity. God wants us to trust him and not our money.

The man with a GCL has no fear because of his trust in God. If any man scatters some of his wealth around—to God’s church that it may prosper and grow—to the poor that they may eat and be clothed—and to widows and children that they know they are of concern, HIS RIGHTEOUSNES WILL ENDURE FOREVER and he will gain high honor.

And now in closing this chapter the writer makes the comparison so that we may not miss his point. He tells us that the wicked man will be vexed. He will grind his teeth in agony and become nothing in God’s sight as well as his fellow man. Then in the end the wicked will come to naught.

Note that he does not say the wicked will not be remembered. Because of their atrocities history may keep records on them but future generations of GCL will pass judgment upon them that will cause regrets forever and more important than that—in that last day—God will say “Depart from me I never knew you.”

Do you fear the Lord? Do you stand in awe in his presence? Charles H. Spurgeon once said, “The fear of God is the soul of godliness.” The GCL is one that fears the Lord.

Choose Wisely - Psalm 1:1-6

We have all heard it said that experience is a wonderful teacher. It has been my experience to find that many of the choices that I have made on my own have taught me lessons that were far too expensive. I recall that the Great Depression was especially hard on teen-agers. The automobile industry grew rapidly during the 1930s and 40s and I was hooked on cars but was unable to afford a new one. I did not realize that the price of clunkers plus the massive upkeep was even more costly than buying the new ones; therefore I surely could not afford to buy someone else’s problems.

In 1943 I finally accumulated enough money to make a down payment on a 1936 model Ford. It used oil to excess; the mechanical breaks were constantly in need of repair and the monthly payments plus the cost of upkeep soon proved that I had made a bad choice. I did not learn from my experience, and used car dealers kept me drained for years. My choices were usually poor ones, and even when I would seek advice from men who knew the industry, I was often misled.

The greatest financial mistake of my life continued on a regular monthly basis until I was in my mid-fifties. I chose to spend all that I made and save nothing for the rainy days ahead. I did not choose wisely and will always have to suffer the consequences. Looking back on my experiences and by studying God’s word, I know now that CHOOSING WISELY is one of the most profitable practices any man can choose to make while making this so journey through life.

According to Psalm 1 there are only two roads through life and there are only two destinations, Heaven and Hell. We can fail to choose wisely about all other decisions we make and still find that the results are bearable; surely some better than others but even the worst is not total disaster. When it comes to the two roads mentioned here in Psalm 1, it is imperative that the right choice is made and that it is made at the right time—while time and opportunity will afforded. No person can risk his own personal judgment in making the decision as to which road through this life he will take. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Walk with God, and you cannot mistake the road; you have infallible wisdom to direct you, permanent love to comfort you, and eternal power to defend you.” There is no doubt in my mind that this is the only choice in this life that you are capable of making on your own—and even in this case you must depend upon the Holly Spirit to guide you in making the choice.

The two roads are referred to by biblical scholars as the High Way and the Low. John Oxenham, is the noted British hymn writer who wrote the hymn, “In Christ, There Is No East Nor West.” He put to music a poem that he had written entitled “The Ways” that is quoted below.

‘ THE WAYS’
To every man there openeth But to every man there openeth
A Way, and Ways and a Way, A High way and a Low,
And the High Soul climbs the High Way, And every man decideth
And the Low Soul gropes the Low, The Way his soul shall go.
And in between, on the misty flats,
The rest drift to and fro.

Yes, every one of us must make this choice, and to error is tragic. The poem is penned with poignant language that most of us only wish we could write. It states that many different paths are lying before us that we can choose; but among these many roads that we can take, in reality there is only two paths—The High road to Heaven and the Low road to Hell. Our life here on earth and ultimately our eternal destiny will be determined by the choice we make regarding the Way our soul will go. We must remember that not only is it imperative that we make the right choice [WE MUST CHOOSE WISELY] but it is also imperative that we travel the road of choice.

Psalm 1 explains the differences found between these two Ways of life while we remain here on earth and even more important in eternity. Today the right choice leads to blessings unbelievable; while the wrong choice leads to sorrow and curses that are bred by sin. We are at the election polls voting for the High Way to salvation or the low path to eternal destruction. How will you mark your ballot?

While I have your doubting mind listening one more time, let me assure you upon the authority of Almighty God, you have a choice to believe in heaven and hell or to doubt that they are a reality. In order to escape Hell and eternal torment, you MUST make the right decision and believe that they are real—and you will spend eternity in one of these places. Answer now—which will it be. Psalms tells us that there are only two roads in this life—the way of the godly and the way of the ungodly and they definitely lead to two different destinies—LIFE and DEATH; life eternal and in the presence of Jesus Christ your Savior and death which means you will continue the dying process forever in a burning torment separated from all that is good especially the presence of Christ who loved you so much he died one the cross to save you from the torment you will suffer forever. It is a matter of your choice! You do not have the privilege of ignoring this decision; therefore it is imperative that you choose well.

Should you ask me today what I pray for the most—my answer would be WISDOM. It requires the wisdom of God to make right choices or decisions. The first Psalm is considered a wisdom Psalm—one that provides guidance for godly living and that is why it is so important for us to study it today and follow the instructions we find in this writing. It provides a clearly marked entrance to the path of righteousness, and it serves as an introduction to the entire Book of Psalms.

The main idea that I get from this first Psalm is that Christians are a blest people. We are insulated from the evil deceptions and defilements of this wicked world. This is not a special gift unavailable to others, but is afforded to all of us who study and internalize God’s Word. To the contrary, the unbeliever, wicked, and unstable, will perish because they have refused to believe on the Only Begotten Son of God. I found another way of stating this same belief that supports what I have just told you. I think the godly are blessed because they do not live according to the sinful philosophies, practices, or associations of fallen man but are deeply rooted in God’s Word.

The only road map that clearly shows both the High way and the Low way is the word of God. Nothing else written, stated, drawn or devised by any one else is accurate information. Each denomination, or different church, has some of their MAN-MADE MAPS DRAWN FOR YOU TO FOLLOW. My warning is that much of it is trash and untruth. There are many good commentaries that may help you to understand the Bible…but they are not the whole TRUITH. This commentary that I write is the best I can do to explain Psalm 1, but if you really want to know what THE BIBLE says and means then you must personally read Psalm 1 and ask God to explain the absolute truth found there. If you are uneducated, a weak reader, or even have a mental deficiency, you may need to go to others who can help you understand. I am sorry, but I can not tell you for sure who that person should be. I can tell you that when you make your choice…you must choose wisely. I can assure you that if you choose wisely, that person will never tell you to go anywhere else for your information…other than GOD’S WORD. And God’s word starts with a book called Genesis and ends with the Revelation. It has a book called Psalm near the middle and the very first chapter begins with an emphatic declaration that God’s abundant favor will rest upon the person who lives a truly God-centered life.

In the original Hebrew, the first sentence, the word blessed is repeated to emphasize it to be plural…blessed, blessed, most blest, which may also mean happy, or very happy, is the man….who does not stand in the way of sinners—and does not allow a wicked man to be his counselor…We need to listen to Redeemed, God believing counselors. This means that we must make the right choice of counselors to believe. I can not help you hear…but I can tell you that you need to seek the help of the Holly Spirit to teach you how to make good choices. How can you know that you are not living in error? Here are a few simple answers. You are doing great if:

You trust Christ and believe his word. You delight in his Word. You live a God centered life. You actually meditate upon His Word day and night. You do not stand in the way of sinners. You are living a separated life that is distinct from the beliefs and behavior of ungodly people. You are still in the world but not of it.

Fruit is the test of salvation. What fruit are you bearing? What choice have you made—the HIGH ROAD or THE LOW? Your life depends upon the CHOICE YOU MAKE.

When I Am Afflicted - Psalm 102:1-14,24-28

The author of this psalm is unknown. The central theme of this psalm is considered to be a prayer of the afflicted. In order to grow his confidence the writer is assured that even though heaven and earth perish, the Lord who created them shall endure forever. His afflictions may be a hindrance along life’s pathway; however because of the enduring power of God there is always hope for the future.

In our inflictions of this day we have found from our experience and from the teachings of this writer that there is only one source of dependable relief and that source is located and enlisted through our prayers. Any person with afflictions must believe in prayer and know that God hears and answers prayers offered according to His plan. We must understand that a profitable prayer is not an assortment of words arranged as a request made to God. Rather, the prayer of the afflicted is an attitude of mind and soul that is totally dependent upon the will of Almighty God. It is an interment conversation with a higher power that has the ability to answer legitimate request.

This prayer requires ultimate faith and belief that God hears and will answer the prayer of an afflicted person. Note the intimate, direct approach this writer uses to address God. He said, “Lord, hear me.” You “hear my prayer.” “Let my plea come before you.” This writer was related to the Lord on a personal basis.

The personal and individual use of the name of God—Yahweh—was not ordinarily or commonly used on a daily basis with the common Jewish people. However you can see that this writer was related to the Lord on a personal basis. He prayed believing that mercy and help came directly from Yahweh to the distressed. The distressed and God were related on a personal basis.

The Jewish people depended upon the priest to go to God for them. They were usually not on a first-name-basis with God individually. However, we see here a new direct connection between the distressed and God. The devout could go directly to Yahweh through prayer. Oh, how important this is to the modern day Christian. We do not have to depend upon another person…a member of the priesthood…to intercede for us. We can call upon God to look at our problem, see our condition, and know our needs from first hand communication with us.

The problems faced by the author were heart afflicted, painful problems that were classified as physical, mental, and emotional and gave the example of the broad scope of needs that Christians have even in our world today.

It helps us to know more about this situation when we understand that this psalm was written during a low ebb tide in Jewish history. It was the period while they were under Babylonian captivity. The writer’s hope shines through that day’s darkest clouds and the psalmist depends upon God to intervene and deliver him during these dark and difficult times. We can relate to this because it appears that God was ignoring the writer’s call for help. God’s silence caused him to cry louder in his cries out to God for help in his days of affliction.

The writing of this lesson by your teacher comes during some of the most difficult days of my Christian walk and for this reason the lesson is more relevant to me than many that I try to teach. My greatest difficulties come as health problems that are interfering with a normal daily life. I am becoming more unable to do the things that I wanted to do in my declining years. I have been fortunate to receive help from the medical profession because it has been available to me; however I have been unfortunate in that I have found their ability to help has continued to fail in my declining years and time of physical trouble.

I have been able to see through this study an unwavering hope. Thomas Brooks said that “Hope can see heaven through the thickest clouds.” Believing this, my only hope remains for God to hear my prayers when I pray for God to look in my face, see my condition, and bless me according to my deeds only if I am willing to use improved conditions for the benefit of God’s kingdom work.

Even in the midst of my darkest hours, I still have a steadfast hope in God. I think that one of the main ideas of this lesson was to teach us that the psalmist depends upon God to intervene and deliver him in the midst of dark and difficult days. When I personalize this lesson it makes me realize that I have reached the place in my troubled life that I must now depend upon God to intervene in any improvements that are to be realized. My hope no longer lies in neither the ability of surgeons to remove obstructions; nor neurosurgeons to block the pain pathways through my body, nor the ability of any medical knowledge available through specialized training. The only hope I have left is that God will see fit to use his supernatural power to make life worth living. The least that I can do is to promise Him that I will use any new or extended ability afforded to grow his kingdom and praise and honor Him. Thank God I can relate with this writer of old.

In 102-3, we it is easy for us to see that this crises had brought a heavy physical toll upon the writer’s body. He was loosing the years of his life under this stress. His physical life was wasting away. His days left on earth were vanishing like smoke before him. His bones were burning like glowing embers, as if fire were burning his body.

Please, I do not wish to make you feel sorry for me, but at my age and in my physical condition, I have some of the same feelings described by this writer. I do want you to understand that a time like this may be your experience soon and you need to know the importance of prayer in your personal life. The day may soon come when prayer is the only source left that can provide any relief.

Am I the only one that feels that I am living in a day much like that of the ancient psalmist? If you will be honest, I doubt that I am the only one, and you may also agree. God’s glory is being obscured, his Word is surely neglected, and far too often and in too many places his house is abandoned and religious work is stalled. Go to the church and see that exposition is being replaced with entertainment—Theology is giving way to theatrics and the Word is caving into the world. The rich hymns of doctrine that once focused on the cross have give way to crossover contemporary music that barely mentions Christ and the cross.

We are not sure what all of the psalmist problems were, but he had not been well. Have you ever been sick or disabled for an extended period of time? How did that experience affect your fellowship with God? Why do you think God let the psalmist suffer affliction? Did his suffering push him from or draw him closer to the Lord? What is happening in your life? Are you allowing physical pain and emotional suffering to draw you closer to God? Or do you blame God for your problems and let them drive you further away?

The title of the lesson today is WHEN I AM AFFLICTED. Maybe I should have made it a question that asked; WHEN I AM AFFLICTED WHAT SHOUD I DO? I like this. The Psalmist answered the question…hear him please. He said, God, I am hurting, hear me please. Listen to me. No matter what my problem is, you are the only source of comfort. I hurt. I pray. You listen. You hear. You answer. You promised me that you would be ready to serve my need. You are the only answer whatever the need.