Resources: Lesson Manuscript, PowerPoint, and Devotional
Discipleship Question: In your own words, how would you define discipleship?
Next week Discipleship Question: What is the most neglected area of discipleship and what’s the solution?
Franklin Heights Church Connect Groups: https://franklinheights.org/connect/groups/
Review: Last week we looked at the difference between choosing to base one’s life in the word and turning away from the Word, and it makes a world of difference, doesn’t it?
Title: God’s Truth
Text: Psalm 119:1-16
Theme: God reveals Himself and His will in Scripture.
Introduction: Some folks look at the instructions first thing, while others—usually guys—try and build the item without consulting the instruction manual and only turn to it if they are in abind, so that in their thinking they don’t completely lose their man card.
God’s word instructs us for abundant living.
- God’s Instruction (Ps. 119:1-4)
“Blessed [genuine joy/happiness is another translation] are those whose way is blameless [not sinlessly perfect, but genuinely seeking to honor and obey God with one’s life and maturing],
who walk in the law of the Lord!
[God’s ways and instructions]
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
[The Hebrew means total commitment of one’s inner life, what we allow to capture and hold our attention; Matthew 22:37, “37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”]
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.”
[keeping His commandments here means diligence, passion, forcefulness, putting in the work and the effort]
2. Obedience to God’s Word (Psalm 119:5-8)
“Oh that my ways may be steadfast [meaning firmly committed in one’s lifestyle for a lifetime, for the long haul]
in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame, [To avoid the feelings of shame and regret that come from broken decision-making, set a steadfast, intentional course of obedience fueled by God’s grace. The gospel: Shows us that when we’re saved, we no longer are subject to those old sin nature patterns, but we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to instill new practices of steadfastness, Bible reading, prayer, local church commitment, and so on.]
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. [engaging the mind, thinking]
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.
8 I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me!” [We can pray this, as well, with confidence that we will never be utterly destitute in our walk with God; We may face some lows, but God will always be there with us to lift us up and see us through by His goodness, faithfulness, grace, and all-powerfulness.]
3. The Goal of God’s Word (Psalm 119:9-16)
God’s Word is some mindless thing that we recite or repeat to feel more spiritual like some traditions; God’s Word is meant to be understood and applied. Truth be told, we probably know more of the Bible and what God’s commands expect of us than we realize and the question is will we implement what’s necessary to start doing what we know to do.
“How can a young man [not age but spiritual maturity; how easily one can be distracted from God] keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up [“hidden, treasured”] your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare
all the rules[c] of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts [Other mystical religions define meditation in terms of emptying the mind, whereas here, meditation is filling the mind up with God’s Word and thinking on it to the point where our thinking is transformed to be more and more godly.]
and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.”
Resisting temptation and dwelling in the Word and cherishing the Word and applying the Word are integrally interconnected, inseparable.
Discussion Question:
- How has God’s word helped you make godly decisions?
Big Takeaway(s):
- Commit to reading and thinking on God’s Word
- Commit to obeying Gods Word
- Commit to encouraging another believer in their time in the Word*
Recommendation: Ask them, “How is your time in God’s word going? What is God showing you? Something that encourages you? Something you are willing to change? A new truth you didn’t know before? What questions is God’s Word raising in your heart and mind?”
This lesson was shorter. Maybe break up into smaller groups and discuss these takeaways and discussion questions together before wrapping up.
Resources:
- www.drcalebwalker.com
- Lesson Teaching Manuscript
- Free Download of this PowerPoint
- Devotional
- Discipleship and church revitalization consulting: cwalker@franklinheights.org
Devotional:
Title: “Psalm 119:1-16 & Purity”
We live in a broken world with broken people. God’s plan is for us to give our lives to Jesus so that we can implement His original design and reach others to become reconciled back to a right relational standing with God, as well. We want others to experience what we have experienced, because they are lost without Him. Purity is the Hebrew word “zāḵâ” which means clean, pure, justified, keep pure, and clear. Living pure can be foreign to the new convert. Once an individual gives their life to Jesus Christ there are old habits, practices, ways of thinking and acting that are to be repented of and removed and replaced with purified actions. Belief always informs action; otherwise, it’s not truly a genuinely held belief by the individual, merely something one gives mental ascent or credence to as an option, but not a personal imperative.
The Psalmist begs the question of “how” this can be achieved? It can feel daunting and overwhelming. The answer: diving into God’s Word, reading, thinking, meditating on it, allowing it to increase your cherishing of God and His word and His will and His ways. The Christian life God wants for you is impossible without the Word.
How to pray:
- To be intentional in planning time in God’s Word
- For regions of the world without the gospel or a translation of the Bible to receive gospel witnesses willingly and for Bible translation to speed forward
- To have an increased affection for God through His Word
- To have an increased appetite and enjoyment for God’s Word and a decreased appetite for sin and distractions.
Caleb Walker 
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