Psalm 119:79

Returning To Fellowship

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

It is assumed that some people turned away from David for his sin with Bathsheba (this cannot be of certainty). These, it is surmised, turned back to him after he had been afflicted and corrected by God and after his great conviction of heart as recorded in Psalm 51.

When a sinner returns to the Lord, and his ways be converted from sinfulness to right living, the fellowship will be sweet.

Gal. 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

So, as Galatians tells us, we should consider ourselves lest we be tempted also. Temptation comes in many forms. That which tempts one person may not tempt another, but we are all susceptible to temptation and its consequences.

When we sin, 1 John 2:1 says . . . And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Our Advocate, of course, is Jesus Christ; and he can bring back the separation that sin has made between the sinner and his Christian brothers upon the sinner's repentance. Restoration among the people of God is a wonderful experience. We should all be very happy when a believer who has fallen into sin has returned to the fold in contrition and repentance.

Meditations From A Funeral

Meditations From The Funeral
Of Helen Lovins -- 9-29-2014

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

There is no higher truth, no more enduring peace, no warmer heart, no longer life, no stronger bond, no greater love, and no clearer eyes than Jesus Christ.

So Jesus Christ gives us a higher truth, a more enduring peace, a warmer heart, a longer life, a stronger bond, a greater love, and clearer eyes . . .

Clearer eyes to see:   a love beyond expression, a life beyond comprehension, a bond beyond separation, a heart beyond breaking, a peace beyond understanding, a truth beyond boundaries, and eyes to see . . .

... a city not made with hands, whose builder and maker is God, a mansion beyond this life, a place of no fear, no sorrow, no tears, "an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time."

Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

 So, by faith we can enter into that celestial city that God has made with his own hands, a city beyond our comprehension, which eye has not seen, which ear has not heard, and which it has not entered into the human heart of man but must be revealed by grace through faith in the crucified Lord, Jesus Christ, who became sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor. 5:21).  

Psalm 119:77

Tender Mercies And The Law
Ronnie W. Wolfe

It is only by the tender mercies of God that we live. Our life is completely dependent upon God's gracious lovingkindness. Whenever he so desires, he may end our lives without any hesitation.

Therefore, we should always be mindful of God's sustenance of life. We live because he lives. We breath because he allows us to breath. We move because he allows us to move. Paul put it well in Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

God's tender mercies come to us that we may live. Without it we would not exist; we would perish. God controls life on earth. He gives it when he so desires, and he takes it away when he desires:  Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

So, let us be thankful for our very being, our very existence, and our ability to move and breath and go about our lives with his blessing. We need to be thankful and worshipful every day for these things.

When we look into the perfect law of liberty (God's word), we delight, for it tells us of these things so that we may bring praise to him. We delight in his law, for it speaks of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and gives us comfort for each day, knowing that life does not come from ourselves but is completely dependent upon God. We owe God everything, so let us be unworthy servants but diligent and faithful servants of God, desiring his law, which is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

Psalm 119:76

God's Lovingkindness
Ronnie W. Wolfe

Now that the Lord has afflicted the psalmist so much and so often, he now begs for God's merciful kindness, for it is in God's word that we find his promise of comfort, kindness, and mercy; so it is according to God's word that we receive his kindness and under his auspices, his guidance, his authority, and his timing.

The word lovingkindness is found 26 times in the Bible. Twenty-one of those times it is found in the book of Psalms. Four times are in Jeremiah, and one time in Hosea.

God's lovingkindess is better than life (Psalm 63:3). He crowns us with lovingkindness (Psalm 104:4). We praise God for it (Psalm 138:2). Jeremiah 32:18 says that he shows his lovingkindness to thousands. He has shown it to me, and for that I worship him, praise him, and submit myself to him.

Without his love I would be lost; he first loved me (1 John 4:19). Without his mercy I would be lost (Titus 3:5). Without his grace I would have no hope (Eph. 2:8-10).  His kindness will not depart from me (Isaiah 54:10).

At the end of this verse the psalmist admits that he is God's servant, and aren't all of his children so? We should know that, after we have done our best, shown forth our best righteousness, served God with our whole heart, prayed with fervency, preached with power, witnessed with sincerity, read with intensity, begged for understand and for the Holy Spirit, kept ourselves from the world, separated our minds from carnality and secularism, guided people away from error, taught the truth, and submitted to the will of God: after having done all of that and more, we are only unprofitable servants.

He demands perfect obedience; he requires holiness; he expects righteousness; he encourages perfection. He deserves more than we can possibly give: he is God.

We are only the sheep of his pasture, who eat from his bounty, receive his gifts, enjoy his comfort and his spiritual illumination and his eternal life.

Though we are only unworthy and unprofitable servants, let us give the best for the Master, vessels of honor for his glory. He is coming, and his reward is with him (Isaiah 62:11).

Psalm 119:75

God Is Sovereign
Ronnie W. Wolfe

Did you ever think (and think hard before you answer) that God was wrong in something he did or something he did not do? Well, I suppose we have all had our doubts about the way God does things, but there is one thing that we must remember--and the psalmist brings it to our attention; that is, that God is always right.

We are not his judge, and he is not responsible for listening to our reasoning of his Providence.

Daniel 4:35

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Psalms 115:3

But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

God has done, does, and will do whatsoever he pleases. That is hard for many people to grasp--even myself sometimes, but that is such a great blessing when the mind embraces such a motif of God's sovereignty from the word of God. HE IS ALWAYS RIGHT! HE IS GOD!

Therefore, it follows that, when the Lord afflicts us, he is right also on that count. He chastens because we are his children. He loves us with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:13). He is our Father, our Lord, the Sovereign of all existence, and the Ruler of our lives.

When Isaiah saw him high and lifted up (Isaiah 6:1), he denounced his own pride and humbled himself before the great Sovereign. First Isaiah said, "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts" (6:3); then he said, "Woe is me! for I am undone" (6:5).

Oh, that we all as his creatures humble ourselves before the Great Sovereign of time and eternity and accept his rules as the true standard and measure of his will for our lives and submit to his wisdom and learn of him. May we trust him in all things.

How big is God? He is big enough to rule this mighty universe, yet small enough to live within the soul.

What a wonder is God! No enemy can overcome him; no force is greater, no rule is higher. All time bows to him; all life is dependent on him; all saints should adore and fear him; let us praise his name forever, knowing that he is "Our Father which art in heaven."

Psalm 119:74

Hope In The Word
Ronnie W. Wolfe

You will admit, I think, that this is an unusual verse of Scripture; but I believe we may be blessed to understand some principles from this great verse.

"They that fear thee" are the ones who have seen that they are depraved, blinded by sin, dead in their trespasses, and have repented and trusted Jesus Christ for salvation, for the fear of the Lord comes as a part of regeneration and conversion.

These are the ones to whom we must have a good reputation, showing that we truly fear the Lord and are serious about our confession unto salvation. These are the ones who are concerned about our welfare and even our help and encouragement in times of trouble. These are the ones with whom we have good fellowship and depend upon for personal exhortations.

These "will be glad when they see me," because in my personal life I should be salt (Matt. 5:13) and light (Matt. 5:14). My life will be a tutor or a teacher to others of true faithfulness to God. Paul told Timothy in 1 Tim. 4:12 that he should be an example of the believers. This is our calling and great privilege; thus, others who believe will be glad when they see us.

The ultimate reason for the gladness is due to the fact that we have hoped in God's word. We have our hope in the Living Word, Jesus Christ, for it is He who died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:13; Gal. 1:4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

Through the Living Word we have hope of righteousness (Gal. 5:5); we have a hope laid up in heaven (Col. 1:5); Christ in us is the hope of glory (Col. 1:27); we have a hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7); we lay hold onto a hope that is set before us (Heb. 6:18); and we have a reason for the hope that lies within us and can give an answer for it (1 Peter 3:15).

Through the Written Word we who are saved can receive sanctification (John 17:17); we can have our understanding opened (Luke 24:45); we can reason with others through the Written Word (Acts 17:2); we can show by the Written Word that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 18:28); and we can preach the Gospel through the Written Word (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

So, let us watch one another to edification; let us exhort one another as believers, and especially in our local churches, that we can be believers that will bring praise and honor to our Lord!

Psalm 119:73

Understand God's Wisdom
Ronnie W. Wolfe

It is with calm assurance that we understand that God has made us with his own hands. He formed and fashioned us just as he did Adam in the beginning. In Psalms 100:3 the psalmist states, Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Again the psalmist says in Psalms 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

Job also understood this principle of life when he states in Job 10:8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; . . .

But even though God has made us, and he made Adam upright, yet Adam did sin; and that has plunged the entire human race into a depraved, sinful condition. Thus, we need for God to illuminate our minds to the truth; so, he pleads for God to give him understanding.

The truth of God is not "the wisdom of the world" (1 Cor. 2:6), but it is the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 2:7) that we speak in a mystery (because we cannot rationally understand that wisdom). It is a "hidden wisdom" that is ordained of God (1 Cor. 2:7), wisdom that Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him (1 Cor. 2:9).

May God give us understanding to both accept his word and practice his statutes. David said to Solomon in 1 Chronicles 22:12 Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.

The knowledge and understanding of the mysteries of God come only from God. Scholarship and sophistry are too worldly and small to accommodate God's rich wisdom--all this that we might learn God's commandments and learn to do them.

Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: