Psalm 119:129-136

Psalm 119:129-136

Chain Reaction

I.                    Only God’s wonderful Word can produce a lifechanging spiritual chain reaction; so we must see that it’s awe of God through His wonderful Word which produces right understanding, desires, and actions (Vv. 129-132)

a.       A powerful and lifechanging spiritual chain reaction in our lives is catalyzed by seeing the beauty and wonder of God. God’s word is the tool which He has given us to see His beauty and grow in wonder at His great faithfulness. When we truly invest ourselves in consuming God’s Word, the inevitable consequence is true wonder and amazement at who He is and what He does. This awe at His goodness and faithfulness is the catalyst which compels us to true obedience and right actions. While many reject obedience to God’s Word, many others seek to follow His “rules” because they fear His punishment, and others attempt obedience simply because they believe they might obtain blessing from God. However, true obedience and true right actions are only the result when we’re moved to desire to faithfully return the love to God which He’s shown us in His wonderful Word. Through our faithful obedience, the power of His Word is unlocked in our lives, our wonder increases, and He continually transforms our lives. By transforming our understanding of Him, God’s Word also transforms our understanding of life and ourselves. The light shed through the revelation of who God is in His Word reveals His holy perfection, our need for His righteousness, and our inability to obtain what we need in our own strength. But God’s Word also reveals His great grace, mercy, love, and His great desire to redeem us to Himself through His Son. Only God’s Word can transform our understanding of ourselves, of life, and how to properly understand life’s seemingly overwhelming challenges and circumstances in light of who God is. (Vv. 129-132; Job 23:12; Ps. 34:8; 42:1-2; 51:3-17; 81:10; Prov. 3:1-8; Isa. 6:5-8; 55:1-2, 6-11; Matt. 4:4; Luke 18:9-14; 24:13-36, 44-47; John 3:16-21; 14:21-24; 1 Cor. 1:18-31; 2 Cor. 3:18-4:6; Rom. 3:19-26; 5:6-11; 6:23; 8:1; Eph. 2:1-10; Jas. 1:16-21; 1 John 1:6-10; 5:1-5)

II.                 Only God’s wonderful Word can produce a lifechanging spiritual chain reaction; so we must see that it’s right understanding, desires, and actions based on awe of God through His wonderful Word, which leads to true freedom and right guidance in life (Vv. 133-134)

a.   When we’re truly in awe of God and His wonderful Word, we delight in obedience to His commands, we grow to understand and desire rightly, and find grace and mercy in His love for our every need. In this way God’s Word frees from us from slavery to sin, from the trappings and oppressors of this world, and guides our every step to walk in His victory. Who the Son sets free is free indeed, and when we continue in His Word, growing as His disciples, we walk free from the fear, anxiety, worry, and expectations of this world. (Vv. 133-134; John 8:30-36; 16:33; Rom. 5:1-5; 6:12-16; 8:18, 31-39; 1 Cor. 7:23; Phil. 4:6-8; 1 Pet. 2:21-25)

III.              Only God’s wonderful Word can produce a lifechanging spiritual chain reaction; so we must see that it’s right understanding, desires, actions, true freedom, and right guidance based on awe of God through His wonderful Word, which leads to right heart burdens and right perspective in life (Vv. 135-136)

a.   When we continue in God’s Word, we’re grown in awe of His wonderful Name and faithfulness, we walk in the light of His blessings, and continually growing to see more of Him. God blesses our lives continually through His Holy Spirit, who counsels us, directs us, and reveals God more fully. While we still dwell in a broken world and experience the difficulties of life, God transforms our perspective of our challenging world. Our awe of God, and the guidance, understanding, obedience, and grace we receive through God’s wonderful word, must also shape our perspective and broken heartedness for others. Our awe and wonder of God through His Word in our troubling times must be the catalyst which move us to seek Him more deeply and diligently, move us to pray for the lost more fervently, and compel us to share His gospel more urgently in word and deed. (Vv. 135-136; Exod. 34:6-7; Numb. 6:24-26; Ps. 4:6; 67:1; Jer. 9:1, 18; 13:17; Lam. 1:16; Luke 19:41-44; John 14:9-17, 25-27; 16:1-15, 20-28; Rom. 9:1-3; Phil. 3:17-21)