By His Worddevotions

I know a man who loved wearing braces on his teeth so much in his teens that he did it again in his 30’s. When he wore them as a kid his very crooked teeth were made straight. However, after the braces were taken off he was given a retainer that he was to wear a certain amount of time each day. Now in those days retainers were not quite as sleek and inconspicuous as they are today. In his youth he must have determined that his orthodontist and his parents were just looking for ways to make him miserable, because he kept “losing” that retainer. And because he chose to not to follow the plan of the dentist, within a few short years his teeth were once again out of line . . .
I thought of that young man today as I read Psalm 119:9-16. Verse 9 starts out
How can a young man keep his way pure?

The question seems to be, where can a young man find the wisdom to make the right choices in life given the fact that he has no experience. The answer to that question is given in the eight lines that make up this second of 22 sections of Psalm 119. The 22 sections are made up of eight line phrases that begin with the succeeding letters of the Hebrew alphabet. For example, the first 8 verses all begin with the letter Aleph; verses 9-16 all begin with the letter Beth; etc.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
It is that simple - live according to the Word. The Psalmist goes on to tell us how to do that.
1. Memorize the Word. See verse 11.
2. Verbalize or speak the Word. Verse 13
3. Do what the Word says with a great attitude. Verse 14
4. Filter all decisions through the Word – let it be the standard for living. Verse 15
5. Never neglect the Word. Verse 16
It is my opinion that the key to doing these five things on a consistent basis is found in verse 10 – seeking a personal relationship with our Father in heaven with all of our heart. Obedience is the outflow of love for our God. Because we love the LORD we will want to know everything we can about Him . . . and that is one the major reasons we have the Bible today – to know Him. Thank God for His Word. Thank God that it can live in our hearts and help us to walk with God in a way that pleases Him and brings great blessing to us. The Lord’s Word is trustworthy. . .
Or, we can be like the young man who “lost” his retainer and learn the lessons of life the hard way.

Suggested Readings To Read Through The Bible In A Year
Friday          September 3, 2010   Esther 4-7 and Psalm 119:9-16
Saturday      September 4, 2010   Esther 8-10 and Psalm 119:17-24
Sunday        September 5, 2010   2 Timothy and Psalm 119:25-32
Monday       September 6, 2010   Job 1-3 and Psalm 119:33-40
Tuesday      September 7, 2010   Job 4-6 and Ps. 119:41-48
Wednesday September 8, 2010   Job 7-9 and Psalm 119:49-56