Psalm 119 -- GOD's WORD...and The WORD Is CHRIST JESUS!

JESUS said, “I AM The ROAD, also The TRUTH, also The LIFE. No one gets to The FATHER apart from Me.” (John 14:6) ...Recently GOD spoke to us directly through His SON -- CHRIST JESUS...This SON perfectly mirrors GOD, and is stamped with GOD’s Nature. (Hebrews 1:1-3) JESUS said, “You address Me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I AM....I’ve laid down a PATTERN for you. What I’ve done, you DO...IF you understand what I’m telling you, ACT like it—and LIVE a BLESSED Life. (John 17:12-17)

In the Beginning was The WORD, and The WORD was with GOD, and The WORD was GOD. (John 1:1) Whatever GOD has promised gets stamped with the Yes of JESUS. In Him, this is what we preach and pray, the great AMEN, GOD’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. (2 Corinthians 1:20) But of Him you are in CHRIST JESUS, who became for us WISDOM from GOD—and RIGHTEOUSNESS and SANCTIFICATION and REDEMPTION... (1 Corinthians 1:30)

JESUS said, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the BLIND SEE, the LAME WALK, the LEPERS are CLEANSED, the DEAF HEAR, the DEAD are RAISED, the POOR have the GOSPEL preached to them." (Luke 7:22) JESUS said, "I AM the BREAD of Life. He who comes to Me shall NEVER HUNGER, and he who BELIEVES in Me shall NEVER THIRST." (John 6:35)

JESUS said, “And I will pray The FATHER, and He will give you ANOTHER Helper, that He may abide with you forEVER—The SPIRIT of TRUTH, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you KNOW Him, for He DWELLS with you and will be IN you." (John 14:16-17) I AM The VINE, you are the branches. He who abides IN Me, and I IN him, bears MUCH fruit; for WITHOUT ME you can DO NOthing." (John 15:5)

For IF you live according to the FLESH you will DIE; but IF BY the SPIRIT you put to DEATH the DEEDS of the BODY, you will LIVE. For as many as are LED BY The SPIRIT of GOD, these are sons of GOD. (Romans 8:13:14) But IF you are LED BY The SPIRIT, you are not under the law...the Fruit of the SPIRIT is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL... (Galatians 5:18, 22-23)

JESUS: "When you OBEY My commandments, you REMAIN IN My LOVE, just AS I obey My FATHER’s commandments and REMAIN IN His LOVE. This is My commandment: LOVE EACH OTHER in the SAME way I have loved you. You are my friends IF you DO what I command. This is My command: LOVE EACH OTHER." (John 15:10, 12, 14, 17)

JESUS: "You’re BLESSED when your commitment to GOD provokes PERSECUTION. The PERSECUTION drives you even deeper into GOD’s Kingdom.  Not only that—count yourselves BLESSED every time people put you down or throw you out or speak LIES about you to discredit Me. What it means is that The TRUTH is too close for comfort and they are UNcomfortable. You can be GLAD when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I DO! And ALL heaven applauds. And KNOW that you are in GOOD company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble." (Matthew 5:10-12)

JESUS: "You’re BLESSED when you’ve worked up a good APPETITE for GOD. He’s FOOD and DRINK in the BEST meal you’ll ever eat. (Matthew 5:6) But The COUNSELOR, The Holy SPIRIT — The FATHER will send Him in My Name — will teach you ALL things and remind you of EVERYthing I have told you. When The COUNSELOR comes, The ONE I will send to you from The FATHER — The SPIRIT of TRUTH who proceeds from The FATHER — He will testify about Me." (John 14:26, 15:26)

“Why do you call Me GOOD? ” JESUS asked him.  "No one is good but One— GOD." (Luke 18:19) EVERY GOOD Gift and EVERY PERFECT Gift is from Above, and comes down from the FATHER of Lights, with whom there is NO variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17) And we know that ALL things work together for GOOD to those who LOVE GOD, to those who are The CALLED according to His Purpose. (Romans 8:28)

JESUS said to His disciples again, “PEACE to you! As The FATHER has sent Me, I ALSO send you."  And when He had said this, He BREATHED on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy SPIRIT." (John 20:21-22) The REVELATION of JESUS CHRIST that GOD gave Him to show His slaves what must quickly take place. He sent it and signified it through His angel to His slave John. The one who reads this is BLESSED, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and KEEP what is written in it are BLESSED, because the time is near! (Revelation 1:1,3, HCSB)

JESUS said, “COME to Me, ALL of you who are WEARY and carry HEAVY burdens, and I will give you REST. TAKE My yoke upon you. LET Me teach you, because I AM Humble and Gentle at HEART, and you will find REST for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

For the Law was GIVEN through Moses, but GRACE and TRUTH CAME through JESUS CHRIST. (John 1:17) But EVERYone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does NOT do them, will be like a FOOLish man who built his house on the sand...(Matthew 7:26) You’re BLESSED when you get your INside world—your MIND and HEART—put RIGHT. Then you can SEE GOD in the OUTside world. (Matthew 5:8)

Here’s how we can be sure that we know GOD in the right way: KEEP His commandments. If someone claims, “I KNOW Him well!” but does NOT keep His commandments, he’s obviously a LIAR. His life doesn’t match his words. But the one who KEEPs GOD’s word is the person in whom we see GOD’s mature LOVE. This is the ONLY way to be sure we’re IN GOD. Anyone who claims to be intimate with GOD ought to LIVE the SAME kind of life JESUS lived. (1 John 2:2-3)

We also have the message of the prophets, which has been confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to this Message, as to a LAMP shining in a DARK place, until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your HEARTS. (2 Peter 1:19) For the Commandment is a LAMP and the Teaching is LIGHT; and REPROOFS for DISCIPLINE are the Way of LIFE. (Proverbs 6:23)

DRAW NEAR to GOD, and He will draw near to you. CLEANSE your hands, you sinners, and PURIFY your HEARTs, you double-minded. (James 4:8) 

You are my Shelter and my Shield; I put my Hope in Your WORD. SUSTAIN me as You promised, and I will LIVE; do not let me be ashamed of my Hope. SUSTAIN me so that I can be SAFE and always be concerned about Your statutes. You REJECT all who stray from Your statutes, for their DECEIT is a LIE. I tremble in AWE of You; I FEAR Your judgments.  (Psalm 119:114,116-118,120)

They are MORE desirable than gold, yes, than MUCH fine gold; SWEETER also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:10) And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I LOVE; and I will MEDITATE on Your statutes. The Law of Your mouth is BETTER to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. I shall DELIGHT in Your commandments, which I LOVE. (Psalm 119:47-48,72) HAPPY is the man that finds Wisdom, and the man that gets Understanding. (Proverbs 3:13)

OPEN my eyes, that I may behold WONDERFUL things from Your law. Take away reproach and contempt from me, for I observe Your testimonies. My SOUL KEEPS Your testimonies, and I LOVE them EXCEEDINGLY. (Psalm 119:18,22,167) SUCH knowledge is TOO WONDERFUL for me; It is TOO high, I cannot attain to it. (Psalm 139:6) 

O, the DEPTH of the RICHES of the WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE of GOD! How UNsearchable His Judgments, and UNtraceable His Ways! (Romans 11:33)

The Fear of the LORD is CLEAN, enduring forEVER; the Judgments of the LORD are TRUE; they are RIGHTEOUS altogether. (Psalm 19:9) SPLENDID and MAJESTIC is His work, and His RIGHTEOUSNESS endures forEVER. (Psalm 111:3) You are near, O LORD, and ALL Your commandments are TRUTH. The sum of Your word is TRUTH, and EVERY one of Your RIGHTEOUS ordinances is EVERlasting. (Psalm 119:151,160)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will NEVER pass away. (Luke 21:33) ForEVER, O LORD, Your WORD is settled in Heaven. (Psalm 119:89) I know that ALL GOD does will LAST forEVER; there is NO adding to it or taking from it. GOD works so that people will be in AWE of Him. (Ecclesiastes 3:14)

The Law of the LORD is PERFECT, restoring the soul; the Testimony of the LORD is SURE, making WISE the simple. (Psalm 19:7)

From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I HATE EVERY FALSE WAY.  Therefore I esteem right ALL Your precepts concerning EVERYthing, I HATE EVERY FALSE WAY. (Psalm 119:104,128) A RIGHTeous man HATES FALSEhood, but a wicked man acts disgustingly and shamefully. (Proverbs 13:5)

Your testimonies are righteous forever; Give me understanding that I may live.  O LORD, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised. (Psalm 119:144,169)

My son, IF you accept my words and store up my commands withIN you, listening closely to Wisdom and directing your HEART to Understanding; furthermore, IF you call out to Insight and lift your voice to Understanding, if you SEEK it like silver and SEARCH for it like hidden Treasure, then you will understand the Fear of the LORD and discover the Knowledge of GOD. For the LORD gives Wisdom; from His mouth come Knowledge and Understanding. He stores up SUCCESS for the UPright; He is a Shield for those who live with INTEGRITY so that He may GUARD the paths of JUSTICE and PROTECT the way of His LOYAL followers.

Then you will understand Righteousness, Justice, and Integrity — EVERY GOOD PATH. For Wisdom will enter your MIND, and Knowledge will DELIGHT your HEART. DISCRETION will watch over you, and Understanding will guard you, rescuing you from the way of EVIL —from the one who says PERVERSE things, from those who ABANDON the right paths to WALK in ways of DARKNESS, from those who ENJOY DOING EVIL and CELEBRATE PERVERSION, whose paths are CROOKED, and whose ways are DEVIOUS.

So FOLLOW the way of GOOD people, and KEEP to the paths of the RIGHTEOUS. For the UPright will inhabit the land,  and those of INTEGRITY will remain in it; BUT the WICKED will be cut off from the land, and the TREACHEROUS uprooted from it. (Psalm 1:1-15,20-22)

FILLED with the SPIRIT

(The following are the gifts which delighted my spirit as the SPIRIT led me on a rambling GODventureZ bike ride to Coronado.)

Having read A. W. Tozer's Life in the SPIRIT -- i felt confirmation that i was indeed being "filled" by the SPIRIT. As a follower of CHRIST JESUS, i know that i am no longer under any eternal condemnation for the sins i've committed (and continue to commit in this flesh which my born-again spirit is housed -- the "flesh" is anything to do with the body: its material substance, heart/mind, thoughts, will, habits, actions, words, personality, ambitions). The LORD JESUS redeemed me (paid for all my sin-debts) with His own precious blood that was shed on the Cross at Calvary. All my sins -- past, present and future -- were cancelled out when i repented and turned to GOD for forgiveness and asked CHRIST JESUS to be LORD and Master of my life.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in CHRIST JESUS, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the SPIRIT. For the Law of the SPIRIT of life in CHRIST JESUS has made me free from the Law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)

Such matchless gift is from the grace of GOD, which i received with utter gratefulness, knowing that i did not deserve GOD's merciful pardon; nor could i ever repay even one iota of the indescribable gift of salvation -- freed from the slavery of my sin nature -- born again of the Holy SPIRIT... a new creature in CHRIST, indwelt by the living SPIRIT.

In the past, i've prayed to be filled by the Holy SPIRIT -- having made a conscious and willful commitment of surrendering all to CHRIST. As Oswald Chambers has written, true surrender is "giving up my rights to my rights." To me, true surrender is acknowledging that "my" all is not really mine at all, but the all that i've been given were all from GOD. My very life...each breath i breathe... the very body in which my soul moves -- all are His gifts. For the world is Mine, and all its fullness. (Psalm 50:12b)

What does it mean to be "filled" by the Holy SPIRIT? It's like being a doulos to a kurios -- a slave to his master. Since CHRIST bought me with His own shed blood, redeeming me from a literal eternal Hell -- therefore, He owns me. i am His to do as He purposes. i am as clay to the Master Potter. i am as the brush to the Master Artist.

So to be filled by indwelling GOD the Holy SPIRIT is to be controlled, dominated, mastered in everything and all that i am. The SPIRIT has all the keys to all the rooms of my house -- He also owns the deed! i am His possession.

The SPIRIT is GOD... is CHRIST JESUS -- He is my Sovereign LORD. i am His child, obedient to the authority of the heavenly Father. i am His student, following the teachings of the Master Teacher. i am His slave, serving to please only Him. A student is not greater than the teacher. A servant is not greater than the master. (Matthew 10:24)

But to me -- being controlled and mastered by GOD the Holy SPIRIT is a privilege -- a priceless gift indeed.

To be owned by the Divine Designer who created the cosmos is "status" indeed.

To be instructed by the greatest Teacher and Counselor Who ever lived (and now sits at the right hand of GOD the Father) is blessing indeed. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty GOD, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

To be provided for and nourished by the infinitely abundant Provider and Giver of all good things is security indeed. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17)

To be empowered to overcome my human frailties by the same power that raised JESUS from the grave is supernatural strength indeed. The SPIRIT of GOD, who raised JESUS from the dead, lives in you. And just as He raised CHRIST from the dead, He will give life to your mortal body by this same SPIRIT living within you. (Romans 8:11)

To be comforted by the most tenderhearted and compassionate Comforter is peace and solace indeed. But You, O LORD, are a GOD full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. (Psalm 86:15)

To be loved by the indescribable Lover Himself, who gave up His own Son, Who gave up His very life to save such a wretch as myself (and all others who would entrust their lives to Him and follow Him wherever He leads) -- to rest in this unfathomable love is contentment indeed. For GOD so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

It is no longer difficult to surrender my all to such GOD who is Love manifest in CHRIST JESUS. This is real love. It is not that we loved GOD, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:10)

On this Saturday, as blogged in GODventureZ -- i asked to be filled with the SPIRIT, who is the SPIRIT of JESUS, who is in GOD the Father... to lead me wherever He desires. Rather than attending a Zumba master-class, i was happily persuaded to spend the day with Him -- my Constant Companion -- to just be being led, one step at a time... pedaling leisurely with no clock or agenda to follow.

The SPIRIT answered my prayer with this experience of consciously and knowingly being filled with His presence during the GODventureZome bike ride to Coronado.

The pictures above documented the real gifts that the SPIRIT generously bestowed as i joyfully obeyed His gentle leading -- the vibrant flowers that He made me see not only with my physical eyes, but also with the eyes of my heart; the bird calls that He attuned for my ears to hear, but also as music for my soul; the songs that journeyed from my heart and spilled from my lips; the constant smile that was the evidence of the joy that He shed abroad in my spirit. If you can remember your lightness of being when you first fell in love, you can identify with this fullness of joy.

And the gift that made "my cup runneth over" -- the hat to replace the one i gave away in Taveuni. The LORD is my Shepherd; i shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and i will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23)