Psalm 119:80

Be Not Ashamed

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

To do the work of God is extremely important. We are to work the work of God while we can; and, as Jesus said in John 9:4, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

But to do the work of God is not enough for believers. We can do outward work and not be pleasing to God. It is the heart that brings glory to God. When the heart is right, when it is warm, when it tends toward God, when it longs for God as the hart, or deer, pants after the water brooks (Psalm 42:1), that is when God is pleased.

Our hearts should especially be tuned to God's statutes, his holy word, the Bible. We must spend much time in his word to know it, to understand it, to experience it, to feel it, and to work it out. Thus, our hearts will be warm and longing toward the work of our God, our Savior, and our Comforter.

Our heart's desire should also be a missionary one. We should long, as did Paul the apostle, to see people saved (See Romans 10:1).

The word sound in our verse today means healthy. Just as our human hearts should be healthy, so should our heart, our inward being, be healthy toward God and his word, his statutes. It is the heart, consequently, that will be blessed by the application of God's statutes.

The beatitudes of Jesus confirm this; the blessings are for the heart, not for the human mind or even our emotions. God will bless our spiritual hearts with truth, and we can stand strong in that truth with his blessing.

When we are blessed in our hearts by God's word, then we will not be ashamed. Notice:

Romans 10:11

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

 1 John 2:28 

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming

.

Remember Acts 5:41

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

  

We are so much like the Laodicean church in the book of Revelation, a church that was lukewarn, no doubt ashamed of the name of Christ. God spewed them out of his mouth. They were nonchalant and uncaring about God's word; their hearts were not sound toward God's statues. So it may well be with many of our churches today. Perhaps we have left our first love; perhaps we have Jezebel in our midst or fornication, or one or more of the other sins that were burdening the churches in the book of Revelation.

But let us forsake our sin, correct our hearts, point our hearts toward God's word, and get busy about the Father's business, not being ashamed of him and his work and doctrine. Perhaps he will bless us mightily if we will.