Study Is Vital

⁴ You have charged us
      to keep your commandments carefully.
 ⁵ Oh, that my actions would consistently
      reflect your decrees!
 ⁶ Then I will not be ashamed
      when I compare my life with your commands.
 ⁷ As I learn your righteous regulations,
      I will thank you by living as I should!
 ⁸ I will obey your decrees.
      Please don’t give up on me!.
-Psalm 119:5-8 (NLT)


Yesterday, we looked at the first 4 verses of Psalm 119, where we discovered how important it is to stay on the course of life that God has revealed to you. Today, we'll make it more personal. Psalm 119:4-8 shows us that we need to commit to staying on course. Let's break it down.


"You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees!" The Psalmist is giving us an important principle into living the life God has revealed to you. Verse 4 teaches us that we must "keep your commandments carefully." How can we keep the commandments of God if we don't take the time to study His Word? Look at verse 5, "Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees!" Does the way you live your life line up with the Word of God? The key word here is consistently. Is the way you live your life in agreement with the commands of God? Verse 6 says, "Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands." How do you feel when you find out you are not living like God wants? Usually ashamed and scared. The writer of this Psalm felt the same way. If your actions in life doesn't consistently line up with the commands of God, then you will be ashamed. That is why taking time each day to study the Word is so vital to living the Christian life. It's how we learn the commands of God. That leads us to verse 7, "As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should." You learn the commands of God by studying the Word. I don't mean just reading a chapter a day and that's all. I mean a study, digging into the Word, using the cross reference system. You know, usually the center column of the page where little letters and numbers are found. Those are cross references, and they link like verses together. By following those cross references, you'll gain a deeper understanding of a principle or word. Try it out, as it has helped me in a big way as I study the Word. Look at the promise that the writer makes in verse 7. "I will thank you by living as I should." The writer will promise to live the way the Word says as he learns the Word. Will you make that commitment today? Finally, verse 8 says, "I will obey your decrees. Please don't give up on me!" The psalmist makes 2 promises to God. He will obey the commands of God, and will show his thanks for teaching those commands by living in them. Will you make that commitment today? Will you make studying the Word of God a priority in your life? Most importantly, will you live the way that God wants you to live? Think About It.