Psalm 119:136

Weeping Rivers of Waters

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

If we only knew how to weep! Many people today are deeply involved in emotional religion and weep for happiness, for sorrows, for disappointments; but most of us have forgotten how to weep for the right things.

Paul expressed this in Romans 9:2-3  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.  3  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Where is that weeping today?

The psalmist expresses his sorrow and grief of heart, because Israel is not keeping the law of God. Many blessings were promised Israel if they would adhere to God's law. His promises were sure; but the people desired to have their own way, as in the days of the judges, when every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Do we as preachers and pastors weep for the lost soul in our midst? Do we weep for our family members who do not know the Lord? Do we weep for our church members who sit and act as though they are listening, when in fact the message of God's word is simply passing through from one ear through the other?

Not only is the psalmist weeping, but he is weeping "rivers of waters." I have seen actors do this on movies, and some of them can do it on the spur of the moment. This is not real but hypocritical.

But God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Professed believers do not read their Bibles; they do not pray; they do not weep! Profane philosophies have caught up our hearts unwittingly. We are a stoic people!

Remember what the psalmist wrote in Psalms 126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

 

 

The Valley Of The Shadow Of Death

By Ronnie W. Wolfe   January 19, 2015
For Funeral of: Larry Guance
Lawrenceburg, Kentucky - Gash Memorial Chapel


I came to the valley of the shadow of death,
And I feared as I came to it near.
I trembled when I thought of its eternal grasp,
Though I heard the instruction, “Don’t fear.”

As closer and closer I came to this place,
I desired that my life could just end;
But I thought of a verse in the Bible I read,
That Jesus would be my friend.

I took up this promise and trusted His way,
Relieved my heart of my fear,
And knew as I traveled this valley of death
That my friend would always be near.

So I calmly surrendered to God’s given grace
And let my soul fall in his arms,
Knowing, although the valley seems dark,
His strength would shield me from harms.

And then when I traveled the shadow of death,
The shadow would soon disappear.
I awoke in a place indescribable to man,
And the face of my Savior appeared.

Now in a place eternal in heavens
I dwell with no shadow at all,
My heart is at rest, my mind is now clear,
No sorrows will ever befall.

Psalm 119:135

Teach Us Thy Statues

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

There is no other way to learn God's word than for the face of God to shine upon us, giving us understand in our hearts and minds, teaching us the things of the Lord.

It is the grace of God which teaches us his word: what to believe, and how to live.  Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Many times we read the scriptures, and nothing seems to come of that effort; but when God's face shines upon us, we are blessed and taught. We gain new knowledge and a fresh boldness to preach the word of God.

But how do we get God to shine his face upon us? This is done through surrender and prayer. Prayer changes our attitude about God, about ourselves, and about his word.

So, before we study God's word, let us first pray and surrender ourselves, our hearts, our minds to God himself. Whether Elihu was right minded in his speech or not may be debatable, but he made a good statement in Job 22:3-4  My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.  4  The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Psalm 119:134

Our Continual Service

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

There is much oppression in the world, and there has always been against God's people and the testimony of the saving grace of God. People want to create their own gospel instead of believe in the true gospel of the Bible.

Only God can deliver us from our oppressors; and, if he does not do it here on earth, he will do it through our death by taking us to Heaven to be with Him.

So, the psalmist says that he will continue to keep the precepts (statutes, word, Bible) of God; that is, because he knows that God will take charge of his oppressors.

When Christ was oppressed and afflicted, he opened not his mouth (Isaiah 53:7). Isaiah 53:5 says, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

He did not quit, so should we not quit. We must walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). Baptism implies our continual service to God through his churches. Let us remain faithful to him.

Psalm 119:133

Steps Ordered By The Word

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

The word order here means to stabilize. It means to set one's steps on a solid foundation, an anvil, as it were. If our steps are not set on a solid foundation, then we can and will slip or turn from the straight path. The only way to stay on the right way is for our steps to be ordered by the word of God.

We are, of course, sanctified by God's word. His word is truth (John 17:17). We must read it, know it, understand it, labor in it, memorize it, follow it, and keep it close to our hearts that we might not sin against God (Psalm 119:11).

The psalmist prays that God will not allow iniquity to be his master, to rule him, to become its slave. Many are slaves to sin. It is the course of a believer's life to so be entrenched in the word of God that sin will remain at bay and have little effect upon his life.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. Our own sins can sting us with death as it is the culprit of death itself through the law, since no one can keep the law of God; but God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:57).

The world will gladly order our steps if we allow it; Satan certainly will. But our steps are to be ordered by the word of God so that sin can be shunned and so we can live a joyful life in the Lord in peace with God.

Psalm 119:132

Remember Mercy

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

Asking the Lord to look upon us is a delicate thing. It means that we desire God look on us as we are. If one is lost, he certainly does not want God to look upon him, for he is as filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6).

But if one is truly born again by the grace of God extended to him without any pretense of cooperation or reciprocity, then we do desire that God look at us and search us out, since that searching will reveal only true righteousness through the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

With that searching, however, must come mercy, since even as believers we are subject to the displeasure of God as we live our lives. God is rightly angry with the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11), but he also corrects his children (Heb. 12:6-7); therefore, God is pleaded for mercy.

This mercy, then, is not a novelty. It has been extended to those in the past, our faithful fathe This is an implication that, as God used to give mercy to believers, he will continue to do so even today. "... in wrath remember mercy, Hak. 3:2.

 

 

Psalm 119:131

Longing For His Word

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

To pant means either to huff and puff due to exhaustion or to have a strong desire after something. The first meaning comes close to its usage in Psalms 38:10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.  The second meaning comes close to what we read in Psalms 42:1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

It is this second meaning that interests us in our verse for today. I know all believers love God and trust him, but do they pant after him and his commandments? His commandments, after all, are not grievous (1 John 5:3). They are to be longed after, pursued, and received with joy.

Many want what God has but do not want God himself. They seek him only when a problem comes or when heartaches linger so that God will hopefully extinguish the hurt; but God is more than a Comforter (which he is), and we need to long after God for who he is and what he has done for us, not simply for what we can receive from him.

The Hebrew word for pant can also mean "to grasp." The only way we can receive God's real word is to grasp it. That is what this verse is about:  Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: James says in his book in chapter 4 verse 2, "ye have not, because ye ask not."

So ask for the old paths (Jer. 6:16). Seek the Lord while he may be found (Isaiah 55:6). Once you have found it, keep the word (Luke 11:28). You will never see death (John 8:51). In keeping God's commandments you are showing your love for him (John 14:15).

Psalm 119:130

The Light Of Scripture

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

The word of God must enter into us before it can have any affect upon us. The Bible calls this word given to us "the engrafted word." James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

The Gospel must be received in order to be affective in our lives -- 1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

This received or entered into us gives us light, the light of the glorious Gospel (2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Tim. 1:11). That is how we are the light of the world (Matt. 5:14), and that is how the gospel is a light unto the Gentiles (Acts 26:23).

The psalmist describes this reception and this light in different words in the following part of the verse as "it giveth understanding to the simple." The word of God is said to be perspicuous, which means that it is understandable. This is a great doctrine in Theology. It does not mean that we can understand everything in the Bible, but it does mean that the basic truths of the Bible can be understood by the simplest mind, the otherwise uneducated, and even the small child. This is the beauty of Scripture. This is light!

Psalm 119:129

God's Word Is Wonderful

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

God's word (his testimonies) is wonderful. The Hebrew PELE means marvelous. Such is his word to us as we read it and the Holy Spirit gives us understanding and even utterance to teach and preach it to others.

God's word is wonderful in its source, for God is the source of it. His expiration became its inspiration, and men wrote as they were moved by the Spirit of God (2 Peter 1:21).

God's word is wonderful in its substance. There is no greater literature on the face of the earth, and this has been acclaimed by many literary scholars for many generation.

God's word is wonderful in its strength. The power of the word of God lies mainly in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). It also has the power to cleanse from sins (Psalm 119:9).

God's word is wonderful in its security. God's word saves by grace through faith. It sanctifies and sets apart believers, and it secures the believers by sealing them unto the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30).

How wonderful is his word!