Psalm 119:1-88 Transformed By The Word of God

Daily Bible Study for Monday December 12, 2016

By: Hanny Lynn Stearns

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

“Multiplying God’s Word Around the Globe”

Chapter Reading for Today: Please read in your Bible before proceeding. Note that most translations are considered paraphrases. The Young’s Literal Translation provides a more accurate translation since he is the one who authored a concordance. Others are helpful for seeing a different perspective, but we cannot always depend on their wording. I trust this is helpful to you. If you are studying in another version, that is fine. I am studying from the KJV.

 ***Please note a change! We will look at everything for our basic study from the King James Version going forward. It is helpful to stay with one solid version as we study so as not to cause confusion. I may add other translations for specific scriptures as the Lord directs. 

One final note: I will put the scripture in italics to differentiate from my own writing. I am adding red to the letters when it is Jesus talking – just like the Bible. Thank you.

Bible Gateway Verse of the Day

Galatians 4:4-5

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Psalm 119:1-88

Transformed by The Word

Because this Psalm is very lengthy, we will take verses 1-88 today, and the rest tomorrow. How often have we read from this Psalm – the longest chapter in the Bible to understand its purpose and message anyway? I myself can say that I have not turned to it nearly as much as I should have. This Psalm is all about God’s word to us. It is rich with meaning, purpose and help, like the Lord intended it to be. It is meant to transform lives and rearrange the human heart to be like the Master. All of this happens when we meditate on His word day and night. Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father:

Thank You for Your word that is the lamp to our feet and the light to our paths through life in this dark world. Jesus was the word and He was made flesh and was sent to dwell among us. We get not only the benefit of reading Your word and thinking about it constantly, but we get to see it come alive in Jesus. As Christians all over the world prepare for Christmas, we know that the purpose is to celebrate Jesus and what He was sent to do. Your word is everything the human soul and spirit needs in order to thrive in this life. Father, I ask You to give me the anointing and utterance to bring Your message in this lesson to Your children. Cause Your word to go out unhindered and unchecked by any outside force or my flesh. Bring us more revelation today to see what we have not seen before with the help of Holy Spirit. Father, we purpose to be doers of Your word and not hearers only. Thank You for always watching over Your word to perform it when we obey what it says. You are faithful and no word from You ever fails. Thank You in advance for the changes You will make in our hearts today as we study in Jesus name. Amen.  

As I read this Psalm out loud, all I could see was exactly what I had recently heard our pastor say about the entire Psalm – it is all about the word of God. We see the writer, under the unction of Holy Spirit, writing all about how he treasures the word. He stands on it. He lives by it. He seeks it, speaks it to others, keeps it, learns from it and fully trusts in it. What a load of benefits to a mere mortal man. In this, we see a life that is transformed by the continual meditation on the word of God. When the enemy comes, we stand on the word. 

When comfort is needed, we go to the word. When learning is necessary, we go to the word.

We can also see a lot about the word being the commandments of God. The law and the precepts are in essence one in the same – they are what God has instructed His people to do. Just like we obey a traffic law, the Christian is called to obey God’s laws. This Psalm also talks about God’s judgments a lot. What the Lord decides in a given situation, that will stand. And what does he base His judgments on? You guessed it I’m sure – His word. It is all about the word. The word of God is sharp and powerful…

Hebrews 4:12

¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

A person cannot be in the word constantly without changes being made to the heart – it is impossible. Yes, that is how powerful the word of God is. This is why God commands us to meditate on it day and night…

Joshua 1:8

⁸ This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

The truth is that none of us will ever be able to make any lasting changes in our lives unless we place our trust in the Lord and what He says. Transformation begins with hearing what the word says – what the will of the Lord is. When we make it our goal to please Him by doing what it says, He can weave it down deep into the core of our soul and spirit so that we will never be the same. I will give you an example from my own life.

Most folks know that I had struggled long and hard with food and sugar addiction. When the Lord led me to come to Florida back in 2007, He also packed a nutritious food plan in my suitcase that seemed to miraculously make its way with me, even after I lost most of my belongings. Once here, He led me to start to follow it. I had been paying close attention to His word. I knew what He wanted me to do and I was willing to make the changes in my life. Little did I know how hard this would be on my flesh. It has taken years to get me to where I am at today. The Lord had to use the power of His word and His Spirit to work transformation in my heart such that I would hunger more for His word than for physical food or that terribly addictive sugar.

Little by little, I became more adjusted to eating the way He wanted me to eat. All the while I had to start to learn how to feed on the bread from heaven – Jesus, the word that was made flesh, Who came to walk alongside of us. Let’s look at what I opened to today…

John 6 (The Entire Chapter)

6 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. ² And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. ³ And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. ⁴ And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. ⁵ When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? ⁶ And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. ⁷ Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. ⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, ⁹ There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? ¹⁰ And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

¹¹ And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. ¹² When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. ¹³ Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. ¹⁴ Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

¹⁵ When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. ¹⁶ And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, ¹⁷ And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. ¹⁸ And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. ¹⁹ So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

²⁰ But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. ²¹ Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. ²² The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; ²³ (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)

²⁴ When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. ²⁵ And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? ²⁶ Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. ²⁷ Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

²⁸ Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? ²⁹ Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. ³⁰ They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? ³¹ Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. ³² Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

³⁴ Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. ³⁵ And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. ³⁷ All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. ³⁸ For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. ³⁹ And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. ⁴⁰ And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

⁴¹ The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

⁴² And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? ⁴³ Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

⁴⁴ No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

⁴⁵ It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. ⁴⁶ Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. ⁴⁸ I am that bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁵⁰ This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

⁵² The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? ⁵³ Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. ⁵⁶ He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

⁵⁸ This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

⁵⁹ These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. ⁶⁰ Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? ⁶¹ When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? ⁶² What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

⁶³ It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. ⁶⁴ But there are some of you that believe not.

For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. ⁶⁵ And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. ⁶⁶ From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. ⁶⁷ Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

⁶⁸ Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

⁷⁰ Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? ⁷¹ He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

How many know that taking the time to read God’s word will make real and lasting changes in one’s life? In this story of events that took place, we see that people went after to Jesus to fill their physical bellies. They were not looking to be fed spiritually. As a result, they turned and walked away, following Him no more. There were only a few that remained. Peter knew that Jesus had the words of eternal life. He was all in – at least he thought so at that point. 

The disciples had spent enough time with “the Word” to know that what He said were the words of God’s Spirit and they were life to those that found them. The question for us all today is this. “Do we find God’s word to be the real meat that we need to eat every day? While it is true that physical food is necessary to sustain our natural bodies, it is the Bread from heaven that keeps our spirit and soul cleansed from sin.

Jesus is the Word of God. God is Spirit. God is Jesus. God is the Father – all three wrapped up into one awesome and powerful God – hallelujah. When I began to take His word seriously, all kinds of junk in my life had to go. The biggest thing I thought I was dealing with was the food and sugar addiction. Oh, but there is so much more. As I write this today, I can look back and see many wonderful changes that the Lord has made in my life. But He could not have made a single one of those changes in my heart if I had not agreed to walk in His word with Him every day…

Amos 3:3

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Many people have turned and walked away from Jesus because they thought His commandments were too hard. But here is what the Lord says about that…

1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Jesus was sent here to show us how to keep His commandments. He did it – so can we. I know, it looks impossible to the natural eye. But I can tell you that today, I am a living testimony of the power of His word. I was so terribly addicted to sugar, let alone the other food, that I could not turn it loose no matter how hard I tried or wanted to. It had a choke hold on me so tight that it was sucking the life right out of me.

Even though I was a Christian at the time, I was not feasting on the Bread from heaven like I needed to. Reading the word was minimal and I was just not getting much out of it. There was a lot wrong at that time. Because I was so “flesh” minded, it was very difficult for the Lord to get through to me, though He never stopped trying. I am eternally grateful for that. I went to overeaters anonymous, I went to AA meetings. I read countless books on diets and articles about health and nutrition. And the funny thing is (not really) is that I always enjoyed fresh fruits, vegetables and fish. But in addition to enjoying those things, I was enjoying all the “slop” they put on the healthy food that strips it of any real nutritional value.

There were numerous times even in recent years where the Lord was calling me to step aside and stop laboring for food. He wanted me to get out of the kitchen and come sit with Him so He could feed my spirit and soul what I really needed. Too many times, I ignored those promptings to feast on His word, and as a result, I struggled longer and harder than I ever had to in order to get free of the bondage I was in. And every time I reached a new level of success, something else would be taken away. That is, if I was willing and obedient. Once I would get victory over one issue, the Lord would ever so gently present another issue that needed to be corrected.

Speaking of correction, what about Psalm 118, huh? Even though I did not send out a study on that, I sure did get a lot out of it. I hope you did too. The Lord was bringing a lot of things to the surface I had not seen or had not been so willing to face. I went through another season of correction this weekend. It was not pleasant, but His chastening is welcome…

Hebrews 12:11-13

¹¹ Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. ¹² Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; ¹³ And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

God’s word is so important if we really want to be disciples of Jesus. We cannot survive without it. We can run and we can try to hide, but we will never succeed. The wonderful thing about our loving heavenly Father is that the minute we acknowledge our sin and ask Him to forgive us – He does. It is immediate forgiveness. He will correct us and then He will comfort us when we start doing the right thing, showing Him true repentance. Everything in His word serves every purpose we could ever need it for. There is not one thing that any human being could ever experience in this life that God does not have a word for. He is the solution for every need, no matter how big or how small.

Unfortunately, some “religions” tell people not to read their Bibles. It is atrocious! What happens then is that many people are running back and forth to church services wondering how then they can be saved. They do not know the word of God, so they have nothing solid to stand on. In today’s reading, we can see all kinds of different situations that the Psalmist faced, and in each one he was turning to the word of God in prayer which is fellowship with the Father. As a person stands on God’s word, He will bring it to pass in our lives. His word never ever fails to do what it was sent to do…

Isaiah 55:11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

As I have walked through this thing with food addiction, I have had to keep my nose in the word of God. I have had to go to church meetings and hear the word which further increased my faith in what God could do for me. Then I had to turn around and go back to the word – again and again. If we don’t, we are hurting ourselves more than we know. God will make His word produce a hundredfold harvest in our lives when we pay attention to what we are hearing. Look at this…

Hebrews 2:1

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

This passage is telling us to pay attention. If we have heard the words of eternal life, we must pay attention. We must keep His words in our hearts at all times. We must look at it over and over again. Below are my personal verses that apply to my situation from our verses today…

Psalm 119:66, 67, 71, 74

⁶⁶ Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

⁷¹ It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

⁷⁴ They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

Yes, I was one who went astray on many levels. I did not do what the word of the Lord said because I had not yet acknowledged my sin before Him and as a result, I would read but not get much from it. The Bible has to be spiritually discerned by the Holy Spirit living in us once we are born again. But even after the new birth, we can choose to walk more in the flesh and therefore not be able to hear well from the Lord. A willing heart makes a hearing ear. The Lord knows our hearts and if we want to listen about things or not.

All of us are called to be an example to others. We are to be a witness of the power of God’s word and His Spirit in our lives. When others see us, they need to see something they do not see in everyday life. They need to see real transformation. Even though this transformation is a lifelong process, we can get to a point where the Lord can use us mightily to touch many other people by our living witness of His power in our lives.

People need to hear. And how can they hear if His children will not be used to go tell them. Let’s look at a man who was a faithful minister of the word of God. His name is Paul…

1 Corinthians 3:1-15

3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

² I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. ³ For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

⁴ For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? ⁵ Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

⁶ I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. ⁸ Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. ⁹ For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

¹⁰ According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. ¹¹ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

¹² Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; ¹³ Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵ If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Paul spent his “after Christ” days preaching the word. He planted the “seed” of God’s word into the hearts of anyone who would listen. The people he was addressing at the time (and ultimately us) were still behaving like newborn babies in Christ. They chased this preacher and that one. Sound familiar? Paul was setting them straight. They had to stand on Jesus – the foundation of our salvation. He was willing to go through many hardships to lay the foundation of God’s word – Jesus in every place he went. 

This leaves us with the question, “How much are we really reading the word and turning to it for help in our time of need?” Sadly, the answer for many is that they do not have the time of day. They will wine and complain about their problems, but the minute someone points then to the scriptures, suddenly they think they have something better to do.

Friends, no matter who is doing the physical talking, it is the word of God that really does the work in our hearts and brings the increase of its purpose to pass in our lives. Only God can bring a harvest to the human heart after the seeds have been planted. The devil always tries to come and steal the word we have just received. He does not want people to get it. He knows if they do, his work is demolished.

But it is anyway because Jesus already triumphed over him and gave us the authority that He has – glory to God. Will this Psalm spur us on to read more? Will we allow the Lord to transform our lives day by day by keeping His word in our hearts? And as we do, will we go out and tell others what He has done for us? If there is one thing that the Lord is saying, it is that there are workers needed everywhere in His harvest field. People need to hear the word and be transformed from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. The word really works when we work it.

There are three main points to consider from today’s study…

True transformation can only come by meditating on God’s word and speaking it out in faith

God’s word will work in every situation we face in our lives

The Lord is looking for those who will allow Him to change their hearts and then go tell others

Questions:

What stood out to you the most in today’s study?

What changes will you make in your life as a result?

What needs to be transformed in your life right now?

Will you feast on the True Bread from heaven so you can be full of His goodness?

Who can you share this study with?

Are you standing on God’s word every day and every night?

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father:

Thank You for reminding us today that spending time in Your word and feasting on Jesus – the word made flesh, is the only thing we can do in order to see lasting changes in our lives. Help me to see what You want to transform in my life right now. Forgive me for the times I have not spent the necessary time in Your word that I should have. Help me to come up higher – closer to You as I spend time with You and mediate on Your precious, powerful word. Thank You in advance for the changes You will make in my heart as I do. In Jesus name. Amen.

And God Said… You fill in the blanks.