Christian Living

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Psalm 119.128

A rich jewel

"Therefore I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything, I hate every false way" [Psalm 119.128 NASB]

I have had a number of jobs in which, sometimes as often as every month, we had periods of stock-taking. Very often, as was the express purpose, we found out that we had either lost or misplaced what was regarded as financially valuable.

Then, every document was read over and over again with extreme diligence, until we discovered what was lost and more importantly, who was accountable for the loss.

Upon reflection, I sometimes think that we believers have lost or misplaced a lot of what our fathers in the faith had, and which, in effect, did them no harm at all.

For example, it was not too long ago when part of the average churches weekly programme was two set practices, one night for a prayer meeting and another evening set aside for a Bible study.

Today, we are taken up with ministry meetings, deliverance sessions, and prophetic and deeper life conferences. Note here that all of these are man-centred, whereas prayer meetings are God focused...

Another practice which seems to be on the way out, and at what a cost, is the partaking of the communion service every Sunday morning.

You may be wondering, "Why is this necessary?" Apart from focusing our eyes and hearts on the Lord, the essential need for self-examination and continuing relational harmony with God is of paramount importance.

Furthermore, the principle of spiritual stock-taking seems to have slipped from our vocabulary and more severely, from among our daily disciplines.

In secular work, what we have accomplished is usually manifest before our motives are revealed. It is not the same in the church. The Spirit of God singles out the motive which was the seed for the fruit. This is why daily spiritual analysis is necessary and essential.

Are you conscious that in one or two ways, you are starting to wane? Now, no one could lay this charge at David's door.

Note how his words are laid out, “… I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything, I hate every false way."

Despite his rare shortcomings, there was no word from God which David did not seek to obey and there was no wrong way that he was prone to wander into.

We may have heard teaching on being consecrated and then how to put it into practice by living a sanctified life.

May I tentatively suggest that if we were to put into practice this verse, which indeed conveys the principle of sanctification before God, we would not have had to attend deeper life conferences. [David McArdle]

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