Today’s homework is to read the bible’s longest chapter, Psalm 119 as there are 176 verses and then Psalm 117 with the fewest verses. If you understand the magnitude of Psalm 117, Psalm 119 makes a whole lot of sense. Psalm 117:1 “Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. 2 For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.” If you believed that His love endures forever, you would stand firm on His word, believe His word and your joy would be complete but that means wholehearted obedience. John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.” If we do not keep His commands, we miss out on the Spirit of Truth. John 15:10 “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 16:16 “Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” 17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” 19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” Because we believe God’s word, we are joyful, and no one can take it away.
Yesterday we read about the people hearing the word of God as Ezra spoke. The people heard and were grieving but the people were told Nehemiah 8:10 “This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” If you are looking for your joy in people, wealth, or possessions you will always be let down as that joy is only temporary but standing on God’s word and obeying is eternal. The temporary comes and goes, but God’s word last forever. 1 Peter 1:24 “For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was preached to you.” That is not the word being preached today and joy remains incomplete. We need to return to God’s word because as God said, Isaiah 55:8 “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” You will either receive God’s word with joy and be saved or you will reject His word and be condemned but it will achieve the purpose it was sent out for. John 3:18 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Romans 10:16 “But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” 19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.” 20 And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” 21 But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.” Acts 13:46 “Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who where appointed for eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”
The word of God will go out and people will either receive it or reject it and there is no middle ground. Revelation 3:16 “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Today the word of God has been set aside for the ways of men that don’t make your joy complete. God is still holding out His hands to a stubborn and obstinate people. Mark 7:6 “He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” The church’s rebellion has caused a famine in the land. Amos 8:11 “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.” Matthew 13:15 “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” The power of God’s word has been replaced with the powerless words of man and therefore there is no healing because God has turned His face from us.
There are many who attend church thinking they are following Jesus, but there is no power and it looks nothing like the gospel of Jesus Christ. Mark 4:10 “When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that, “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ 13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” There are a lot of people receiving the word with joy, but it doesn’t last, as there is no root. This comes from faulty teaching and the teaching of other gospels. Then you add on top of that deceit, worries, and desire and the word of God is set aside. God’s word is also set aside because many think their reasoning makes more sense than God’s truth.
For many the joy they have on Sunday is short-lived. They then need something stronger, and they search for something that will fill that void. They look for a better worship experience, more entertainment, nicer facility with programs for all ages but then the pandemic comes along, and they have nothing and their joy is gone. It was hard enough to keep the joy week after week, let along a couple of years. Most Christians are not founded on the rock, but the sand and it comes crashing down as soon as something does not go according to their plan. They even get angry at God even though it is not His fault but their own. Complete joy comes with standing firm on the word of God so that no matter what, you will rejoice always. Tomorrow we are going to look at Paul’s rejoicing in the Lord. Job said Job 23:8 “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. 9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. 10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. 11 My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. 12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.”Job also said after much suffering Job 6:10 “Then I would still have this consolation—my joy in unrelenting pain— that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.”
When you know God’s word, you will be able to test the spirits and discern between what is truth and what is false. Proverbs 8:32 “Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. 34 Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. 35 For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord. 36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death.” There is an interesting verse in Luke where a woman shouts out to Jesus Luke 11:28 “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” The Catholics should have paid more attention to the response Jesus gave her. 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Obeying Gods’ word means you do not change it by adding to it or taking from it as every church has done to meet their own needs. We are warned all through scripture. Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” Deuteronomy 4:1 “Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.”Deuteronomy 12:32 “See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.”Revelation 22:18 “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.”
Yet men and women constantly are adding and taking away to their own demise and to the destruction of those who listen to them. Instead of listening to the truth of God’s words, they listen to the distorted words of man and are led astray by them. Now before you read this next verse remember this is spiritual warfare and we are fighting satan, but this is how important it is to stay true to God’s word so that our joy is complete not a complete failure. Deuteronomy 13:12 “If you hear it said about one of the towns the Lord your God is giving you to live in 13 that troublemakers have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods,” gods you have not known, (false doctrines and doctrines of demons like dispensationalism) 14 then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, 15 you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. You must destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock. 16 You are to gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. That town is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt, 17 and none of the condemned things are to be found in your hands. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger, will show you mercy, and will have compassion on you. He will increase your numbers, as he promised on oath to your ancestors— 18 because you obey the Lord your God by keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes.” Malachi 2:8 “You have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty.” Peter when talking about Paul said 2 Peter 3:16 “His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.”
During our Lenten journey we talked about demolishing strongholds in the church. Deuteronomy 13 describes what we are supposed to do but few will stand up to the false teachers that are everywhere. To stand up, we must be grounded in God’s word, making sure that we have turned from our own wicked ways. The good news is that Isaiah 30:20 “although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.” Malachi 2:5 “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. 7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.”
Many people call themselves Christians but do not follow God’s word wholeheartedly. They may be very committed to the church they go to, but not actually committed to the word of God; they are just committed to what their church teaches them. There are a lot of people who think they are hearing from God but in reality, they are not. John 14:21 “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.” You can’t keep Gpd’s commands if you do not know what they are. You can’t say you love Jesus if you are not doing as He said you should do. Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” To many are very proud of the sand castle they have built, at least till the day they collapse. Many will not know until it is too late and will only hear depart from Me I don’t know you.
Jesus talks about the family of God when He said, Luke 8:21 “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” Acts 15:35 “Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.” If the true words of God are not being taught, then there is no power but be careful of counterfeit power from satan. If you are standing on God’s word and seeking Him with all your heart, you will wait with anticipation for that power to return. Acts 11:26 “Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” Acts 19:11 “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”
This famine we are in, this lack of hearing God’s word is from rebellion and unbelief. The verse you just read should be still possible in the church today. This power was meant to continue as nowhere does it say that it was temporary. The bible has a lot to say about this power and it is called the kingdom of God. When the true gospel is preached according to God’s word, the kingdom of God comes near and the church does as Jesus did, but we must stand on God’s word and expect the church to look just as Jesus intended it to. This is why we have the Gospels and Acts. This Easter Sunday, the church around the world celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, meaning He is alive. Ministers will preach about it and songs will be sung, but where is the healing of our infirmities if Jesus is alive. Matthew 8:16 “When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” The church it seems believes our risen Lord is just a fable and no longer believing He has bore our diseases. It must also mean there are no longer disciples to be sent out in power but if Jesus is alive, then there still must be disciples and yes there are still demons and as you might have noticed, lots of sick people. Matthew 10:1 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” Acts 8:5 “Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.” This is the Gospel of Jesus Crist and His kingdom coming near and what the church should be doing today.
Believing God’s word and standing firm upon it means that the joy of the Lord can come to any city, yet most do not believe this power is available even though God’s word clearly says that it is available to all who would believe. Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call. 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” We see the gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:7 “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” So who do you believe, a powerless man or women who has created manmade empire or the King of kings and Lord of Lords, Isaiah 42:5 “the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it.” Men and women come and go but the word of God endures forever. The answer should be a simple one; listen to God’s word yet most will continue to listen to man’s words and negate God’s word while doing so.
Did you read Psalm 119? Does the word of God mean as much to you as it did the Psalmist? Now, do you believe what you read in God’s word or have you set it aside for your traditions, your experiences, and your own reasoning. Turning from wicked ways means you now set aside your traditions, reasoning and experiences and follow God’s word wholeheartedly and the joy of the Lord will strengthen you. When you believe God’s word, you fear Him, but in fearing God you receive wisdom and knowledge like never before. Proverbs 2:6“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Daniel 1:17 “To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.” Daniel 2:19 “During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”
Have you heard the true gospel message? Are you sure? Do you take Jesus at His word like this man. John 4:49 “The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him. 53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live So he and his whole household believed.” Do you even believe this can happen today? Jesus said John 4:23 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” The Messiah has already come as did His kingdom. John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The word was then written down. 2 Peter 1:16 “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”Are you paying attention the God’s word or the words of man? If you are trusting in God’s word, Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” If you are not adhering to God’s word, hear the words of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 33:11 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?”
