God's Word: Road to Righteousness

Psalm 119 Psalm 119 verse 105 Tonight we're going to talk about one of those verses that's very familiar to us It begins this section in Psalm 119, thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path God's word is the road to righteous living God's word is that which lights the way for those of us who are in darkness God's word does what nothing else can do And tonight we want to be able to see that road God wants us to travel You know as we look back at Israel we realize that God did something really unique for Israel He led them out of bondage

He led them by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night And that symbolized the presence of Almighty God as it would lead them from place to place And God was so good when he did that because he began with Israel showing them they must always follow him who is the light of the world The Bible says in first John that God is light and in him is no darkness at all As you go through the Old Testament you realize in the book of numbers that Jesus Christ the Messiah would be the star that would come out of Jacob

When you read Malachi chapter 4 you realize that the Messiah would be the son as you in of righteousness who would rise with healing in his wings When you come to the New Testament you begin to realize that the Magi were led to Bethlehem by a star. A star that would shine and lead them each and every step of the way until they arrived at the house of Jesus Christ our Lord And as the shepherds were in the field there was a great light as the glory of the Lord would shine around them And we know that Revelation 22 says that Jesus Christ is that bright and morning star

Jesus said that he was the light of the world in John 8 verse number 12 And we also know from the book of Jeremiah the 23rd chapter the 29th verse that God's word is like fire You see God overemphasizes the fact that he is light and that light directs his people The Bible doesn't refer to the unbeliever as the unsaved It refers to the unbeliever as that one who is lost They're lost Why are they lost? Because they can't find their way Why can't they find their way? They do not know the light that shows the way They can't follow because they can't see They're blind

When we're saved we are saved out of the kingdom of darkness Colossians 1 and transferred into the kingdom of his dear son who is the light of the world So we're transferred from darkness into light And then the Bible says that we are now light in the world We are salt We are light And so Paul picks up on that theme in Ephesians chapter 5 and says that we are to walk as children of light We are to walk brightly Why? Because we are surrounded by a world engulfed in darkness who somehow need to see where they're going

Who's going to show them? Who's going to lead them? Those who understand the light of life and those who shine and walk in that brightness so that the world around can see the true light God has put this whole light, this whole fire, this whole glory, this whole symbolism of himself so clearly in scripture that we are without excuse to know where we're going and to know what we are to do when we get there God never wants his people to be lost He wants them to know exactly where they're going And for Israel it was easy because when the cloud moved they moved When the cloud stopped they stopped

When the pillar of light would light the way they would know where to go When it didn't light the way they wouldn't know where to go So God words, God became a light for the children of Israel to walk through this land and lead them to a land of great promise because God is leading his dear children along How does he lead them? He gives us a word that is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path In ancient times no street lights There were no cars with car lights

How did people get around at night? They had oil lamps that they would carry that would light each and every step that they would take and that light would always shine in the steps that they would move in You see God takes us one step at a time so that we can have the direction we need when we need it God promises us to lead us down a road, a road of righteousness, a road of right living, a road that depicts his character and nature How is he going to do that? He is going to do that simply through his word

When Israel had a pillar of fire that could lead them God says my word is like fire as that pillar of fire would light the way for Israel so my word lights the way for the people of God to know And that's why in Zacharias's song when he talked about the coming of the Messiah he would go back to the prophet Isaiah and quote from him concerning the light that would shine on the people who were in darkness because that's what the Messiah did So tonight as we study the road to righteousness we study God's word which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path

Let's read it together I'll read the odd ones you read the even ones read them loud so those who listen by way of tape and one day on the radio will hear your sweet voices singing the melody of scripture as you recite it loudly I know we all don't have the same translations that that's okay just read it as if you're the only one in the room all right and read it loudly here we go Psalm 119 105 thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path I am exceedingly afflicted revive me O Lord according to thy word you guys need to learn to read a little bit quicker that's okay that's all right you're doing good all right verse 109 my you know by the way you guys are better at this at the beginning than you are now you know when you first started this you were really good you got in sync now you guys are kind of slowing up a little bit I think maybe you had too much for lunch or too much for dinner verse number 109 my life is continually in my hand yet I do not forget thy law that is just so much better oh I am so proud of you guys verse 111 I have inherited thy testimonies forever for they are the joy of my heart God's word is the road the road of revelation the road of restoration and the road of rejoicing the road of righteousness leads us to the revelation of God and that revelation leads us to understand how God restores us and once we have seen God for who he is and he has restored us we rejoice in all that he is that's where God wants to lead you and how's God going to do that he's going to do it through his word two things I want you to notice about the road of revelation number one the course that the psalmist would take and number two the commitment that the psalmist would make he says very clearly in verse 105 that God's word is a lamp and God's word is a light he understands he needs direction he understands he needs God to lead him and direct him in the way that he should go and the only way that's going to happen is if God lights the path he is to walk now I don't know who you are I don't know what's going on in your life I don't know what kind of direction you need in your life people always are looking for direction they want to know what God says concerning them they need to know what to do today and maybe you've got lots of questions maybe you got questions about who you should marry people always got that question who they should marry in the Bible doesn't say well you know Bill should marry Sue and and Jane should marry Jack okay it doesn't say that the Bible does say that we're not to be unequally yoked together with the unbeliever so we do know that that the believer is not to marry the unbeliever so if you're dating someone that's not a believer you know that that's not the way that God is leading you that's your own selfish desires in that relationship it's not God leading you to do something that would be contrary to what his word says and yet God always provides direction maybe you need to make a decision concerning financial situations in your house maybe you need to make decisions concerning your children all of us have to make decisions we need direction and God gives us that direction in his word sometimes we we think that well if we just look through the Bible and hopefully the Bible will fall on a good verse that will give me a direction for that day but that's not how God wants to do it God has a very simple way of explaining to you the road you are to take let me read to you some verses psalm 5 psalm 5 verse number 8 oh lord lead me in my righteousness because of my foes make me or make thy way straight before me the psalmist knew that he needed a straight path he needed a God to direct him and show him which way to go psalm 25 verse number 4 make me know thy ways oh lord teach me thy paths let lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation for thee I wait all the day now that that's a good little verse right there isn't it why because we don't want to wait all day for God to lead us we want God to lead us now I'm one of those with type a personality guys and I'm one of those guys who likes to get it done you know ASAP and there is no hesitation between one thing that needs to be done and another that needs to be done if there's a job to do you got to get it done don't delay and yet the psalmist had to wait for God all day now we might wait for God all morning but God forbid we should go into the afternoon to wait for God to direct us but the psalmist would say I wait upon the Lord all the day for as long as it takes I will wait for God to direct me you see so many times we don't want to do that because we got a plan who's got time to wait for God to show us his plan when we who are made in his image got a pretty good plan and yet we need to learn to wait upon the Lord listen to this psalm 27 verse number 11 teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a level path because of my foes psalm 31 verse number 3 for thou art my rock and my fortress for thy name's sake thou will lead me and guide me did you get that why does God lead you and guide you not because you don't need to know the way but for his name's sake it's for his sake God leads you because his reputation is at stake God leads you because his name is on the line he knows it and so he wants you to wait all the day for him so that when you go or make the decision you make he gets the glory you see we don't want to wait all the day because we want to make a decision and get the glory ourselves but God leads for his name's sake not for you it's all about him he saves you for his sake not for yours see that's one of the lessons that we as Christians have a is all about God his glory his honor he is the one that's supposed to be put on display psalm 32 verse number 8 you know this verse I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go I will counsel you with my eye upon you now here comes the warning do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check otherwise they will not come near to you God says I want to instruct you and I want to guide you but I can't have you be as stubborn as a mule I need you to be willing to accept my direction I need you to want to receive from me the path you must go I'll instruct you I'll guide you my eye will be upon you I will know exactly where you need to be but I can't have you stubborn I can't have you kicking and screaming all the way down the road of my will I need you to humbly submit to the direction you are to go listen to psalm 143 verse number 8 let me hear thy loving kindness in the morning for I trust in thee teach me the way in which I should walk for to thee I lift up my soul the psalmist wanted to know about the loving kindness of God in the morning why because he had to make it through the day teach me in the morning so that I can make it through the whole day sometimes people argue with me all the time about this well you know I don't have time spend spend uh time in the word of the Lord in the morning I I got to be at work too early I don't have time to do that so so I do it at night well there's nothing wrong with doing it at night but if I was you I'd do it in the morning because I want to make sure I know what God wants from me throughout the day the psalmist says in the morning I long to hear the loving kindnesses of my God I want to know about his compassion I want to know it because when I go through the day I'm going to need it I'm going to need it and so the psalmist says God wants to direct your path he wants you to lead leads you every step of the way turn to psalm 37 psalm 37 verse number 3 trust in the Lord and do good dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart commit your way to the Lord trust also in him and he will do it and he will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him God is going to direct you number one when you trust him when you trust him and nothing else and no one else when you trust him and when you trust him you will make your delight in him because you realize how great he is as you delight in him he will give you the desires of your heart because your desires are his desires so you trust him you delight in him and then you commit your way to him and then you patiently wait as you rest only in him to direct you that's what God wants to do with you you know sometimes we go through life and we get so frustrated that God hasn't answered that somehow God has turned a deaf ear to my request that I don't have an answer as to what I should do and the Bible says rest and wait patiently for him that's a hard lesson to learn and sometimes we learn it at a great price may we all learn to to rest and wait patiently for our God to direct us he wants to counsel us he wants to teach us he wants to direct us he tells us that he's given us his word to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path and so God's word is that which shines to show me the way the road of revelation is seen in the course in which the psalmist would take it's also seen in the commitment that he makes but before I talk to you about that let me tell you something about God's word it always exposes danger did you know that it exposes danger over in Proverbs chapter 6 I love this Proverbs 6 verse number 23 the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light and reproofs for discipline are the way of life to keep you from the evil woman from the smooth tongue of the adulterous you see we need God's word to keep us on the straight and narrow we need God's word to keep us out of danger and the more we spend in God's word the more the warning signs we are able to see that's why the Solomon said in Proverbs chapter 4 verse number 18 the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day the righteous man walks a path that becomes more and more illuminated as he walks until that full day when he goes home to be with the Lord but the righteous man has a path that's illuminated he knows where God wants him to go because he follows and longs for God to teach him the psalmist understood that look at the commitment he made this is so good I have sworn and I will confirm it that I will keep thy righteous ordinances I promise to keep your precepts not only not only will I hear them but I will perform them you see that commitment right there is something that we need to understand as we follow God because you know we ask God to teach us God shows us and then what sometimes we don't want to do it we don't make a commitment to perform his statutes until the end we hear what God says and we're not so sure we're like it let me let me give you an example you know you've heard me say this before I believe that God's will is very clear in scripture we know that God is not willing to and he should perish but that all should come to repentance second Peter 3 9 God's will for your life is that you be saved Ephesians 5 18 says that we are to be wise to understand the will of the Lord what is that that we might not be drunk with wine in which is excess but be filled with the spirit God's will for you is that you be saved and God's will for you is that you be spiritually spiritually controlled by him that's God's will for you the Bible also says over in first Thessalonians 4 3 and 4 this is the will of God even your sanctification that you abstain from sexual immorality God's will for you is that you be saved that you be spirit controlled and that you be sexually pure that's God's will people say man I want to know God's will for my life and they live in an immoral relationship well until you get out of that relationship and honor God in your purity God's not going to lead you God's not going to light your path God's not going to direct you in the way you should go because you are violating a very basic principle of scripture God wants you saved God wants you spirit-controlled God wants you sexually pure pure and God wants you involved in service Psalm 103 verse number 21 that you who serve him doing his will God's will for you is that you serve him and when you are actively involved in serving him because you've been saved by him and his spirit is controlling you and you are living a sanctified life that is a life that's set apart from the world and being sexually pure God will lead and direct your path but if you violate those things you're going to be so confused about what it is God wants you to do because the basics of his will are spelled out in scripture saved spirit-filled sexually pure and serving him the bible also says these words in first Thessalonians 5 verse number 18 in everything give thanks for this is the will of God for you you want to know the will of God for you he wants you to say thanks in every situation every situation offer praise and thanksgiving to his name that's God's will for your life and so God says this is what I want you to do and we say well I'm not sure I want to do that the psalmist said God's word is a lamp unto my feet and a light into my path and therefore I have sworn and I have confirmed that I will obey his precepts I hear what he says I know what he says and I will do that a lot of times you go to church and you hear people uh sit in the pew and they listen to the sermon and they know what God says they say well I'm not doing that I don't he he just misinterpreted that scripture I'm not doing that that's not what the bible says that's not what God's saying to me and they they put up these walls of defenses well the bible is very clear God wants you saved you're not saved God's not gonna leave you God wants you spirit spirit controlled he wants you sexually pure he wants you to give thanks to him in all things he wants you to be sanctified set apart serving only him first Peter 2 says that God's will for you is that you be submissive to the authorities that he ordains so if you are not submissive as an individual you're going to have a hard time receiving light for your path because submission is the key component in understanding the will of God and Peter's very clear that you submit yourself to the powers that be so if you're in a relationship where you are in an a subordinate relationship where you are to be submissive to your boss or submissive to your husband or submissive to your wife or submissive to the word of God or submissive to the powers that be and you are not those things you're gonna have a hard time finding God's direction for your life and if you do all these things first Peter 4 says it's God's will for you to suffer for his name's sake see if you are saved spirit controlled sanctified serving him submissive saying thanks you'll suffer for him and that's God's will for you people say well what's God's will for my life that there you got it that's it right there in a nutshell that's what God's word says and that begins now to open the door for you to be able to follow God's clear leading if you're confused about what it is God wants you to do go back and ask yourself am I saved if I am am I spiritually controlled by him is my life dominated by the spirit of God am I set apart am I sanctified am I sexually pure am I submissive to the authorities that God has placed over me am I saying thanks to him for everything and in everything am I serving my God with all my heart am I the kind of person God wants me to be if not I'm gonna have trouble seeing the light that he wants me to see that I might walk the road to righteousness okay point number two we go from the road of revelation to the road of restoration this is so good listen to this look at the next verse I am exceedingly afflicted he makes a commitment right I'm gonna obey the word of the Lord no matter what I have sworn and I have confirmed it that I will keep thy righteous ordinances I'm gonna do that what's the very next verse I am exceedingly afflicted isn't that the way it always is we make a commitment to follow the Lord and all the gates of hell break loose upon our lives that's just the way it is and the psalmist understood the affliction that he had so I want you to see two things about the road to restoration first of all the nature of affliction and number two our need in the midst of affliction okay first of all the psalmist gives us the nature of affliction number one it's severe it's severe he says I am exceedingly afflicted I love what the asv translation of 1901 says when it says it this way I am afflicted very severely you know sometimes affliction comes in doses sometimes it comes in small doses sometimes it comes in big doses and the psalmist was experiencing a big dose of affliction because he was exceedingly afflicted it was coming upon him not just in little waves but tsunamis they were huge waves they were beyond anything I am exceedingly afflicted and sometimes the nature of affliction is one that is very severe upon our lives and then not only was it severe but it was stressful listen to what he says he says in verse 109 my life is continually in my hand that's a phrase that speaks about the anxiety that one goes through when they're afflicted Job used that phrase over in the book of Job the 13th chapter the 14th verse we'll begin at verse number 13 of Job 13 when it says be silent before me so that I may speak Job was going to speak to his his marvelous counselors he says be silent he says then let come on me what may he says why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hands the psalmist says my life is continually in my hands you know what when we are exceedingly afflicted what do we do we seek to take control of what's going on in our lives and when we do that the stress in that affliction begins to rise it gets greater why because I can't control what's happening to me boy I wish I could but I can't because God's in charge of the thermostat okay he knows how to turn up the heat in our lives and you know sometimes we we want to be in control of what's happening we want to grasp that thermostat and turn that baby down but we just can't do it and all of a sudden my life is continually in my hands and I'm becoming more and more stressful Job says you know what the biggest temptation I have is to take control of my situation and I can't next verse he says in verse number 15 though he slay me I will hope in him I will trust him I can't I can't do anything and stress happens in your life and mine in the midst of affliction when all of a sudden our life is in our hand it's continually in my hand the psalmist says and boy we love that the problem with that is is that it just rises raises the stress level in our lives because we cannot control it we cannot contain it we cannot calm it it just overwhelms us and so the psalmist tells us about the nature of affliction it's severe it's stressful and sometimes it's surprising he says this in verse number 110 the wicked have laid a snare for me the wicked have sought to trap me sneak up on me the wicked man you see sometimes affliction can be surprising because we're not ready for it right now we should be we should be peter said it this way way back in in first peter uh chapter four you'll remember this beloved verse number 12 do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing as though some strange thing were happening to you peter says what are you surprised about you shouldn't be surprised that this fiery ordeal what a what a way to describe your trial a fiery ordeal it's come upon you and it's kind of like a play on words because remember peter was talking to people who who had brothers and sisters who because of nero were were wrapped in pitch and and and set on fire to light up the gardens of nero at night and so it's like a play on words this fiery ordeal why are you surprised that you are being lit up like candles at night and being burned alive why are you surprised that shouldn't be as though some strange thing were happening to you but to the degree that you share the suffering of christ keep on rejoicing so that you also let the revelation of his glory you may rejoice with exaltation boy you're kind of worthy to suffer for the for the name of christ and yet sometimes we get caught off guard remember satan is like that roaring lion that goes about seeking whom he may devour first peter five verse number eight he he wants to devour us and so sometimes we can become ensnared we can be caught off guard that's why we need god's word to be a light into our path and a lamp into our feet or lamp into our feet and light into our path however you want to say it's good because it both works okay but but what what you have here is god helping us see that you know what the nature of affliction is such that it can really take a toll on you so what do you need what do you need an affliction let me give you five things this is so rich this is rich this is great you'll be so glad you came i promise listen number one what you need is to receive inward strength you need to receive inward strength psalmist says i am exceedingly afflicted revive me oh lord according to thy word when you face affliction you need to have strength on the inside and that hump comes because you have been quickened you have made been made alive you are enlivened by the word of god that's why paul told timothy in second timothy 2 verse number one be strong in the grace that is in christ jesus you got to be strong timothy but the only way you can be strong is in the grace is in christ jesus paul said in ephesians chapter 6 verse number 10 be strong in the lord and in the power of his might our strength comes because we are in the lord and the lord is in us our strength comes from the inside out and so therefore we need to understand that the psalmist says you need to receive inward strength it comes because god's word quickens the soul and number two you need a misaffliction listen to respond with praise and worship listen to what the bible says psalm 119 verse number 108 oh accept the free will offerings of my mouth oh lord you need to respond with praise and worship there is that sacrifice of praise that once offered hebrews 13 15 tells us is pleasing to god it's a free will offering it's not a reluctant offering he's not being made to offer it up it's a free will offering of his mouth that is his praise and worship of god it's going to come because he's going to sing to his god remember paul in prison in act 16 he and silas were in chains and they began to pray well we understand that if you were in prison you'd pray too but they began to pray and sing praises to god in the middle of the night why because they were going to respond in midst of their affliction with praise and worship remember in acts chapter 5 when the apostles were beaten because they would only obey god and not obey man and it says in act chapter 5 verse number 41 they left the room where they had been beaten with whips rejoicing having been counted worthy to suffer for their god how do you respond when affliction comes you got to respond with praise and worship that's what you got to do that's what's so important that's what separates us from everybody else that's what that's something satan can never do is praise god but you can you can praise them like nobody's business and so in the midst of your affliction what are we supposed to do we're supposed to make sure that we respond in praise and worship we also need to understand that when when we when we receive inner strength we will respond with praise and worship you see what causes us to do that is the spirit of god inside of us it causes us to respond in a way because we have received the strength that comes because god has quickened us through his word so once you receive that inward strength you respond with praise and worship and number three you request understanding from god you request understanding from god listen to what the psalmist says he says in verse number 108 at the at the end and teach me thine ordinances lord i want you to teach me you see in the midst of affliction the last thing we want is another lesson to be taught but the psalmist says listen lord i i i want you to give me the strength that i need on the inside so i can respond to you on the outside therefore i need you to teach me your righteous ordinances i need you to teach me and that was the cry the psalmist all throughout psalm 119 you go back and you read verse 12 blessed art thou oh lord teach me thy statutes verse number 26 i have told my ways and now has answered me teach me thy statutes over in verse number 64 the earth is full of thy loving kindness oh lord teach me thy statutes verse 66 teach me good discernment and knowledge for i believe in thy commandments all throughout psalm 119 the psalmist cries for the lord to teach him he wants to learn he wants to know and that should be the cry of our heart lord teach me your righteous ordinances teach me the ways that you want me to go teach me your word that i might respond to you and live the way you want me to live and then number four remember what god says remember what you need in the midst of your reflection to receive inner strength to respond with praise and worship to request that god teach you and that you remember what god says listen what the psalmist said first 109 my life is continually in my hand yet i do not forget thy law see you need to remember what god says boy let me tell you something whenever affliction arises you gotta remember what god says usually we don't but you need to i love what peter says way back over in first peter chapter one he says this in this verse six you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while if necessary you have been distressed by various trials what a perspective in this you greatly rejoice why because your trials are temporary they're for a little while they're not forever i know sometimes we think that when we're in the midst of the pain it's going to last forever listen it's not going to last forever i know you might think it's going to but it doesn't peter says it's just for a little while he gives you a divine perspective on your situation and so he helps you understand that's only for a short time in fact he closes his epistle in chapter 5 verse number 10 by saying these words and after you have suffered for a little while you're not going to suffer forever but it's going to be for a little while the god of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in christ will himself perfect confirm strengthen and establish you so god's going to do it's only for a little while because god's got a plan he's going to totally revolutionize your character he's going to totally transform your life you're going to be a completely different person so they're only temporary they're only for a little while but peter says they're also very timely he says in this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while if necessary literally sense necessary in other words you might not think you need them but from god's perspective they're necessary see none of us would ever think that a trial is necessary i mean come on none of us want to think that this i need this in my life today i need one more thing i need one more straw to break the camel's back lord give me one more trial give me one more heartache none of us would ever ask for that but peter says they're necessary from the divine perspective because god knows exactly what you need it's like as a parent you know what your child needs right now your your child doesn't agree with you they think they know what they need but you're the parent you know more what they need than they do so what makes us think as the created beings of the world that we know more than the creator of the world god knows what we need and they're necessary for our lives in fact the psalm said in verse 175 of psalm 119 in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me and then he says you know for a little while if necessary you have been distressed that word distress is the same word used of christ in the garden of gethsemane as he was distressed and would sweat great drops of blood he says i know about your trials but understand this they're temporary they're temporary and yet they're very timely because god believes you need it and yes they will be taxing to your soul because you will be distressed and yes they will come in a variety of ways he says this he says you have been distressed by various trials there's just not one specific trials the word is uh poikilos which we get the english word polka dot they come in different various shapes and sizes okay now the unique thing about that is over in chapter 5 or chapter 4 verse number 10 it says this as each one has received a special gift employed in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of god same word used manifold various grace of god see for every trial there is an equivalent grace to match the trial and god will make sure that whatever trial you're going through no matter what shape or size it's in there's an equal amount of grace to match it and so peter says i know they come in all kinds of shapes and sizes but listen to this he says that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable even though tested by the fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor the revelation of jesus christ he says i want to tell you something about your trials they are going to solidify i'm sorry they're going to verify your faith they're going to purify your life and they're going to solidify your praise and honor and glory at the revelation of christ folks we need to know what the bible says and not forget it the psalmist says in the midst of my affliction i do not forget your law and so many times we have forgotten what god has said about our trials our affliction our heartache our pain we can't afford to forget we must remember so the need that every one of us has in the midst of whatever affliction we face is number one to receive inward strength to respond with praise and worship to request understanding from god to remember what god has said in his word and fifthly to recognize the importance of faithfulness the psalmist said these words verse 110 the wicked have laid a yet i have not gone astray from thy precepts isn't that good i'm going to maintain my steadfastness i will be faithful forever and no matter what or how deep the pit how hot the fire we need to recognize the importance of being faithful to god in his word the psalmist was very clear even though people seek to entrap me i get surprised by some of them i will not go astray from what you've said i will remain faithful so god's word the road to righteousness is a road to revelation a road to restoration and a road to rejoicing as to what he says in verse 111 or 112 i have inherited thy testimonies forever for they are the joy of my heart i have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes forever even to the end the other road to rejoicing because god's word became the precious possession of the saint and became for him the permanent priority of his life the permanent priority of his life god's word was the treasured possession the precious possession it was his inheritance you ever received an inheritance usually we think of inheritance we think of what money you know when the folks die i get the inheritance but we need to realize that the most precious inheritance is god's holy word because it causes real deep inner joy and so the psalmist said this becomes my permanent priority he says i have inclined my heart to perform my statutes forever even to the end so you know we go to church or we go away on a retreat we say i'm gonna i'm gonna do god's word forever and then we go home from the retreat and four or five days later we're back in the old way we used to be before or we go to church and we we hear a good sermon and and uh we think man i'm gonna follow through on the word of the lord i'm gonna do what god says forever even to the end and from the time i made that commitment to the time i get in my car to go home then it's just right out the window but the psalmist says you know this isn't a a small commitment this is a lifelong commitment i wonder how many people have in this room have ever said that that i have inclined my heart to perform my statutes he goes at the heart of the issue doesn't he not my eyes not my hands not my feet but my heart because as solomon said in chapter 4 verse number 23 out of the heart flows all the issues of life so the psalmist says it's my heart i have inclined to perform my statutes forever even to the end oh may that be our cry because we so desperately want to walk the road of righteousness let's pray lord you are so good to give us the word of god so many of us lord need direction in our lives we have decisions to make some tonight some tomorrow some this weekend some next week but lord we need to make the right decision in fact every moment of every day is an opportunity to make the right decision to honor you and to glorify your name and i pray that we as your children would look to you the light of the world who's given us your word that's like fire that lights the way that we might know where to walk and how to act go before us this night go before us tomorrow that we might live this week in the light of your glorious word in jesus name we pray amen