Bible Pathway - July 15, 2012

Highlights:

The greatness, power, and perfection of God's Word.

With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy Commandments (Ps. 119:10).

After the psalmist said: With my whole heart have I sought thee, he prayerfully acknowledged his weakness: O let me not wander from Thy Commandments. Isaiah prayed: The desire of our soul is to Thy Name . . . With my soul . . . will I seek Thee early (Is. 26:8-9). As we seek the Lord with our whole heart, we can rest assured that He can and will keep us from wandering from His Commandments. God will establish in our hearts the determination to walk in His pathways and follow His Commandments. If we seek Him with our whole hearts, He will order our steps and illuminate the direction that we need to walk.

Notice how in Psalms, the writer speaks of the whole heart: Blessed are they . . . that seek Him with the whole heart. . . . I shall keep Thy Law . . . with my whole heart. . . . I will keep Thy precepts with my whole heart. . . . I cried with my whole heart (Ps. 119:2,34,69,145). David sought the Lord, observed His Law, and prayed for His help — all with his whole heart.

If we are not seeking after godly things with our whole hearts, when we do reach out to God we will be holding something back from Him. If we don't observe God's Law with our whole heart, part of our heart will be drawn away to evil and not follow the Law entirely. If we don't pray with our whole hearts, we will never really reach God with our prayers. And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices (Mark 12:33).

How necessary it is when praying, reading God's Word, or seeking His will, that we be able to say: With my whole heart have I sought Thee (Ps. 119:10). This is so essential in order to please God and be sure He will move on the petitions we bring before Him. Jesus saith unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great Commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and prophets (Matt. 22:37-40).

Oh how I love Thy Law! it is my meditation all the day (Ps. 119:97).

Thought for Today:

God has no greater joy than to see His children walk in Truth.

Christ Revealed:

By the psalmist who delighted in the Commandments of God (Ps. 119: 47). Christ said: I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me (John 6:38; 15:10).

Word Studies:

119:1 undefiled, blameless; 119:7 uprightness of heart, sincere intentions; 119:25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust, I am very discouraged; quicken thou me, restore my life; 119:28 melteth for heaviness, is weary because of grief; 119:83 am become like a bottle in the smoke, shrivel like a wineskin in the smoke.

Prayer Needs:

Pray for Government Officials: Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Rep. Daniel W. Lipinski (IL), Rep. David N. Cicilline (RI), and Rep. Mac Thornberry (TX) • Country: Mali (10 million) in West Africa • Major languages: French and Bambara • Religious freedom despite Muslim majority • 81% Muslim; 17% animism and spirit worship; 2% Christian • Prayer Suggestion: Ask the Lord to forgive your sins (Ps. 25:11).

Optional Reading: 1 Timothy 6

Memory Verse for the Week: Galatians 6:8