Join with me once again, turn with me to Psalm 119. 119 as we just get started into this psalm. Psalm 119, and I'd like to read the first eight verses once more. It says, blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity, they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. Oh, that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes. Oh, forsake me not utterly.

And when we looked at this earlier and we mentioned The ten words commonly through the psalm that speak of God's word to us, and the words were the way, his law, his testimonies, his word, his commandments, his precepts, his statutes, his judgments, his righteousness, and his truth or faithfulness. that these are speaking of God's way of speaking to us in the word that we have and all these different words that describe the scripture pointing to Christ from a different direction. It's like taking a gem or an object that we highly prize and looking at it from every direction and seeing how that appears. And that's what the scriptures all the way through do that. And in this Psalm here, those terms are used variously and throughout. of the scriptures.

I'd like to title this or call this today, this look at it, Blessed Are We. God's people are blessed. We looked at, when we looked at the first verse and the thoughts here, Blessed are the undefiled, again by way of review, that that verse is speaking wholly of Christ himself. He's the only one that was ever undefiled, and that was perfect, and that wasn't not under the fall, under sin. And he is the one that's speaking about being blessed here, is him. because he's the undefiled. Verse two and following, generally here, are speaking about the church. Blessed are those, it says here, that keep his testimonies, that seek him with their whole heart. Because of what Christ has done, we are blessed in him and because of him. And all that we have in spiritual matters is derived from him.

Turn to Ephesians chapter one, if you would. Ephesians chapter one. And thinking about the these terms that speak as God speaks to us, the testimony, the statutes, law, and the word law is kind of used as a blanket over a lot of these terms of that which is spoken of God to us. And we'll keep that in mind some as we look at some of these scriptures, how that speaks to Psalm 119, but Ephesians chapter one, I'd like to read the first 10 verses of it. It says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the saints, which are Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you and peace from God, our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predestinated us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself. that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him.

" And in this passage here, you'll note that there is not much that it refers to where we've added to any of this position that we have gained in Christ. If you read down through this, there is nothing that says, I did this, you did that. I do this, you do that, and you'll be in this position. It says here, it says, amongst other things, verse four, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. And Norm and I were speaking earlier in his office about some of these things, and there was a message a while back that spoke several times speaking about the sufficiency of Christ to his people in redemption. And anything that's brought into play besides what is in the text here that God has done, it speaks to how inefficient that men would deem Christ's salvation to be. If there needs to be anything added to it as far as obedience to something as far as the law goes or details like that that are required, anything that was required to be taken care of, We could not do it, and Christ did do it, and there's a pamphlet back there that's called Do or Done that speaks to that, whether, if Christ redeemed his people, he redeemed his people. If it's not done, then we're in a spot, and there's nothing else that can be, we can't do anything and add anything to that.

In chapter two of Ephesians, in reading a few verses, here not only what we gained in him, but it's again to the faithful in Christ it says at the beginning here, the saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. And chapter two, it starts out, and you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and in sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy for his great love wherein he loveth, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace are you saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit in heavenly places together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

a couple of thoughts here, more than a couple of thoughts that are here, points we're going to talk about, that you hath he quickened. The new birth, it's not a how-to plan here, it is what God has done. He has quickened. It tells about what we are like by nature, what we are like by nature. And in the course of these things, there's a but in the middle of this reading here that's a very important but. We were in this position, but it says, God, who is rich in mercy for his great love with who loved us, even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace are you saved. It shows the condition we were delivered out of. There's no but in the first chapter of all those things that God did for his people. There's no other half of it. In this one, in chapter two, it tells us what we were like by nature and what we were saved from. But for God, this would be the case. It's not but you made a great decision to change things, it's but God did this and God did the work in his people.

We're gonna hang in there, we're gonna get to Psalm 119. But turn to the book of James, if you would. And we're gonna We're gonna look at a verse here in the first chapter of James. And again, it talks about what we are like. And it talks about what we tend to by nature and what God has done and does do for his people. It says, well, let's start with verse 22, and above there it says that we should lay aside the things that we shouldn't do, but it says here, verse 22 of James chapter one, be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and a doer, not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

but whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. And he goes on here, but here, particularly, looking into the perfect law of liberty. And we're gonna look in, Consider what the law of liberty is here as talking about a law and not a law of ordinances, but a law that is the work of the spirit that we're going to see here. Looking into that perfect law, the believers continues in and not moved away from the gospel of hope. our Lord Jesus Christ, and not forgetting by the spirit bringing to mind the scripture of truth. He brings it, the spirit brings his word to us.

And then in James, in the first chapter where we're there, back up just a little bit. It's in verse 17 and 18, it says, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. and by the work of the spirit that he does in his people.

But here, a couple of things here, in verse 17, it talks about the good and perfect gift from above, from the father of lights, and the last part of that said, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Who who has a people and has delivered them There's no shadow of turning. There's no changing in him. We are variable. We do have variableness and shadows of turning and more than shadows of turning. We are variable, as Paul says. Our hope is in him and not ourself. But the one that has a people and has determined to redeem a people, deliver a people, There's no change in his mind in that. The law does not speak as a killing thing. If we are his, the work of the spirit, and I'd like to read in Proverbs, turn to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs chapter 13. Let's see. In verses 13 and 14 of Proverbs 13, it says, whoso despises the word shall be destroyed, but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death.

And the Law of the Wise, it says, is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death. And I'd like to point out that the Law of the Wise, this fountain of life, is that which God has caused, it says, to spring up within his people, and that departs from the snares of death, and the snares of death is anything that is contrary to what this says. Up above here in verse 13 it says, who despises the word shall be destroyed, but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. the commandment or the word or the testimony of God to his people is that fountain of life that brings up.

I was again speaking to Norman and a thought came to me that I just really It was a good thought to share in that the commandments or the law or those things, people look at statues as something that's hard to be kept and something that must be done. I think as God's people, we don't look at it that way. There are those that say, well, if you don't keep these things, then you're lawless, you don't have that. I think that the proper way, or one of the proper ways to look at all of God's testimonies and words to us is, and those commandments and statutes are a different revelation of who God is. They speak to God's attributes, not to our failure as God's people.

We know that our righteousness doesn't come by that, but it's not just looking at a and a hard God that has these things that's hard to be done, but they speak about who He is. He is wisdom. He is sanctification. He is righteousness. His justice, all those things, they're not just something that is added or that God has, they are who God is. God is wisdom. God is the definition of wisdom. Wisdom isn't just a piece of what God is, but He is that thing and that I think is how God will have his people look at whatever commandment or law it is, any requirement that need to be done.

We know that Christ is fulfilled and we can't, but we don't just say, well, we set that aside now we're in grace so we don't have to consider that. I think it's considered in a much better light. Now it's not a condemnation to us, but a depiction and a description of who our God is. And all those sacrifices and things that we looked at through Leviticus and in the Old Testament there that pointed to Christ as those sacrifices that were needed. as they point to him as the fulfillment of that, I think that the commandments and statutes, whatever people want to look at, it speaks to our God the same way. He is those things, and not a list of things to keep or to do.

In the book of John, chapter four, here, the woman at the well. And at Jacob's well, and the Lord asked this woman that happened to be there for a drink, And she says, verse nine, she says, the woman of Samaria unto him, how is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. And Jesus answered and said unto her, if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us this well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Then Jesus answered and said unto her, whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but that water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.

The woman said unto him, sir, give me this water that I thirst not, neither come here to draw.

And that work that the spirit does within his people, it says here, is a well of water springing up to everlasting life. It is the work that does that. It's the work of the spirit that causes us to, I think, to look at the scripture aright, to look at it in Galatians Chapter 5, just a word.

And they had some, as all of God's people have, they had some issues. And it gets into the bondwomen and the free and the pictures there of Mount Sinai and Mount Zion and it says in chapter 5 of Galatians verse 1, stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

And he goes in verse two, it says, behold, I, Paul, say unto you that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole law. And part of what he's saying here is if you're gonna say that you need to do part of the law to fulfill and to finish up the work, then you better, you have to do all of it. If you're gonna claim any of it as an in or a polishing up of your sanctification or your righteousness in Christ, you have to keep it all. It's not just circumcision with just a picture of legal righteousness that they felt that, and they were wanting others to partake of.

And then in Acts, to the book of Acts on the same thought here of turning again to beggarly things and to things that are of no profit in Acts chapter 15. Acts chapter 15, first verse says, and certain men came down from Judea, taught the brethren and said, except you be circumcised after the matter of Moses, you cannot be saved. So that's, they've dealt with that before. And then down in verse five, so that's what they're dealing with here. They're coming to Jerusalem. It says in verse five, But there rose up certain sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying that it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together to consider that matter.

And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Now therefore, why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we all believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, We shall be saved even as they, in the like manner as they.

And here it says, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear. Speaking about the tables of law. They weren't able to bear it and yet they wanna put this same yoke of responsibility on the disciples.

And it says here that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved even as they. Not a part and part, not God doing part and we doing part. And I think that that is, how that is how that a lot of times the scripture is approached.

And we hear in Psalm 119 when it speaks those words, all those words that describe God speaking to us. And in the bulletin this morning, there are several things to look at. And let me see where I put it. Inside your bulletin, it says the word of God is. It's a counselor to instruct you, a comforter to console you in your troubles, a light to guide you in the right path, a staff to support you in your trials, a sword to defend you against all your enemies.

And then it says, Tyndale says, God's word is the food of the soul, and the body is fed by food, so the soul is nourished by the word. And John Bunyan says, this book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book. Every time you read this, Jeremiah Burr said, read the word, you must remember that God is speaking to you.

And I think there's one in here, John Flavel, says the Bible is a love letter which God has sent to us and I think that reinforces the thought that the scripture is given to God's people. It's not given to God's people to oppress, but to bring to light the gospel in his son. And in all manner, in all places, in all portions of the scripture.

And as we see here in all these words in this first eight verses that describe God's word to us, those are as I said, that it's God's love letter to his people because it is a marvel, first of all, that God would, when Adam and Eve stand in the garden, that they ever heard from him again. And then what the scripture has said about the promise of the Lord coming and that We have that, and we can hold that in God's word to us, and it is for the teaching, the learning, the admonition, and the building up of the church in the Lord himself.

This is spoken to us by a son, it says, in latter days, it says in Hebrews, and I have several, Portions here of what Hebrew says about the scripture. It says, spoken to us by his son, he himself purged our sins and then sat down. He gave earnest heed to what is saith in the scripture. It says we enter into rest in the scripture. We says we rest in Christ. And it says he is able to save to the uttermost. And it says that we are able by this to serve God acceptably. And it says in chapter 13, perfect in every good work by his will and his doing.

Read the text in between there because we don't have time at this point to do this. The Lord Spirit, it says, constrains us. Paul said it constrains us. It keeps us in the way. It's not a list of rules and regulations that we have. It is his, and by the circumcision of the heart. In Philippians chapter two, it says, by his will, causes us to will and to do of his own good pleasure. We're not going to do anything or desire to do anything contrary to his word, but again, it's not a checklist of things we must do, but it's for our feeding, our admonition, our learning, and we see God's word in all forms that he has spoken how great our God is.

two spots before we close, in 2 Thessalonians, in 2 Thessalonians, let me get there, 2 Thessalonians It says here, speaking to the Thessalonians, God's people, certainly verse 14 of chapter two, it says, where unto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word or our epistle.

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, even our Father, which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

And it is, like I said, it's of him that we will and do of his good pleasure. And this is all This is all strengthened and brought to mind as he directs us in his word, in the testimonies.

And then I'd like to close with just a thought by Brother Hawker. He's speaking of God when he speaks in the Psalms. It says, when he says in this Psalm that the people of God keep his testimonies, It carries with it an idea of believing in and resting upon God's testimonies of grace here and glory hereafter in and from the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

That this psalm, that it says this psalm, that it speaks to God's people, those testimonies, an idea of resting upon God's testimonies in those things. for here and hereafter in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And we'll keep that in mind, and we'll, next time we're gonna be looking at starting with verse nine through 16, and we'll see some there.

Okay, once again, thank you for your attention being here, and be free.