What is missing in my heart? There is something missing. Lord, a revival is desperately needed in the churches and in our land. O God, start the work in me.
Here are some thoughts from Psalm 119.
“My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.” (v. 120)
It starts with fear of God and of His word.
What is needed?
I. Holiness - “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.” (v.1)
A. How do I obtain holiness?
1. Walk in the law of the LORD. (v.1)
2. Keep His testimonies. (v.2) “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies.”
3. Seek Him with my whole heart. (v.3) “and that seek him with the whole heart.”
B. What are the characteristics of holiness?
1. A pure life free from moral evil and unrighteousness. (v.3) “They also do no iniquity.”
2. A Godly walk based on the principles of God’s word. (v.3) “they walk in his ways.”
C. Prayer for holiness
1. Acknowledgement that God has commanded us to keep His precepts. “Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.” (v.4)
2. We are commanded to keep them diligently, that is utterly or completely. But we cannot do so in our own strength.
3. So we pray, “O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!” (v.5)
D. Results of holiness
1. I will not be ashamed; that is not brought to shame
Why?
Because I have respect unto all God’s commandments. I look intently unto these commandments. “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.” (v.6)
2. I will understand God’s judgments
3. My heart will be upright
4. I will praise my God
v. 7 “I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.”
II. An upright heart - v.7 “I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.”
A. How do I obtain an upright heart?
I learn God’s righteous judgments.
B. What are the results of an upright heart?
1. I will praise my God from my heart.
2. I will keep God’s statutes. (v.8) “I will keep thy statutes.”
3. I will have the assurance that God is with me. (v.8) “O forsake me not utterly.”
III. A clean heart - v.9 “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
A. How do I obtain a clean heart?
1. By taking heed to God’s word. (v.9) “by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
2. By seeking God with my whole heart. (v.10) “With my whole heart have I sought thee.”
3. By asking God to help me stay in the path of His commandments. (v10) “O let me not wander from thy commandments.”
4. By memorizing God’s word and applying it in my life so that I can stay away from sin. (v.11) “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
5. By praising God.
6. By acknowledging His authority (v.12) “Blessed art thou, O LORD.”
7. By asking God to teach me His ways. (v12) “teach me thy statutes.”
8. By telling others what God’s law says. (v.13) “With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.”
9. By rejoicing in God’s way as the right way. (v14) “I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies.”
10. By understanding that God’s way is just as precious as all riches. (v.14) “I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.”
11. By meditating on God’s precepts and acknowledging that His way is the right way. (v.15) “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”
12. By delighting in the word of God. (v.16) “I will delight myself in thy statutes.”
B. What are the results of a clean heart?
1. I will meditate on the word of God.
2. I will delight in the word of God.
3. God’s word will always be in my mind. I will not forget God’s word.
(vs. 15,16) “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.”