God's Law of Love - 181-191

181.  According to God's Word, am I Blessed?

• Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
• Psalm 32:1, 2 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
• Psalm 94:12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
• Psalm 112:1 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
• James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Dear Father in Heaven. How I long for Your blessing to rest upon my life! Your Word reveals how I can receive Your blessing. In Your strength, I choose to turn from the counsel and actions of ungodly sinners, and contemplate Your truth. I accept Your grace and forgiveness to cover my sin. I submit myself to receive Your guidance and correction as I study Your Word. I reverently trust Your provisions, and delight in Your ways. And it is my deep desire to cling so closely to You that I will receive enduring strength to persevere.

182.  What does God delight in?

• Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
• Proverbs 11:20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
• Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
• Proverbs 14:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
• Jeremiah 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

My precious Lord, as I get to know You in a deeper way, I want to know what pleases You, and what You delight in. You reveal in Your Word that You delight in honesty and truthfulness. You delight in the prayers of those who are open and transparent with You. You delight in lovingkindness, equity and righteousness. Teach me, Lord, to delight in what You delight in.

183.  What does God want me to delight in?

• Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
• Psalm 119:92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.
• Psalm 119:143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.
• Psalm 119:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
• Isaiah 58:13, 14 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Dearest Lord, You tell me plainly what You want me to delight in, and that is in Your holy law. The knowledge Your holy law brings describes Your righteousness. That is the only way I can recognize my need of a Savior. I have broken Your law. Turn my eyes to Jesus' perfect lawkeeping so that I may truly delight in Your law. Put Your law-keeping Spirit within me so that keeping the commandments are my delight instead of a burden. Especially do You want me to delight in the Sabbath commandment, because that is the one that sets me in right relationship to You, as my Creator and Redeemer. Thank You, Lord, for Your holy law!

184.  What function does God's law have in showing me my sin?

• Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
• Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
• Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
• Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
• 1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Dear God, my Lawgiver and King. Your holy law is the instrument that reveals Your holy character, and therefore shows me what sin is. The law points out sin in clear contrast to Your righteousness. As a sinner, I need more than Your law, I need grace! Through Your grace, the law is taken from above me, crushing me with condemnation, and placed within my new-covenant heart, so I can be in harmony with it. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace which delivers me from condemnation.

185.  To whom does God say He will show mercy?

• Deuteronomy 5:10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
• 1 Kings 8:23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
• Nehemiah 1:5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
• Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
• Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Dear merciful Lord, I praise You for Your mercy toward me. I am undeserving, and like all humanity, I am incapable in my own strength of keeping Your commandments. Thank You for Your plan of salvation, for giving me a new heart filled with love for You, and the ability to obey Your commandments.

186.  Will God truly enable me to obey Him, and keep His commandments?

• Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
• Jeremiah 7:23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
• John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
• Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
• 1 John 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Dear Loving Lord, whatever You command me to do, You also will empower me to do. Your Word declares that my entire duty to You can be summed up in two commands, to reverence and obey You. I know that You are able and willing to empower me with the capability to do just that. My obedience to Your commandments simply is the outworking of the divine principle You implant at my new birth. I receive no personal credit or saving merit from obeying You. It's the natural response of love in a converted heart. Thank You, Lord, for saving me to the uttermost.

187.  Does God want me to value His law, the 10 commandments, more than riches?

• Psalm 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
• Psalm 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
• Psalm 119:72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
• Psalm 119:127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
• Proverbs 3:1, 14 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

Lord, these texts place value on Your law that exceeds any value in this world, above all riches and treasures. All the wealth this world has to offer pales in comparison to Your law, because acknowledging Your law is an absolute necessity in Your divine plan of redemption. Through Your law we see that You are holy, and we are unholy. This knowledge leads me to my Savior. I praise You, dear Lord, for Your priceless law!

188.  Does the Bible reveal that many have a strong hatred for the law of God?

• Exodus 16:28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
• Psalm 119:126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.
• Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
• Isaiah 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel.
• Amos 2:4 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:

Dear Kind Heavenly Father, Ever since Eve took the fruit and ate, rebellion against Your rulership and government has been widespread. We are all infected with enmity against Your law. It is only as we allow You to subdue our rebellious hearts and give us a new heart that we can love Your law. Lord, take away my carnal heart even now, so I can walk in the Spirit and please You.

189.  How do I know if I truly love God?

• Deuteronomy 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
• Psalm 31:23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
• Psalm 97:10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
• Psalm 116:1, 2 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
• 1 Corinthians 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Dear Father, this question cuts me to the quick. Do I really, truly love You? How can I tell if my love for You is genuine? Your Word declares that I must cleave to You in love. You must be my life, the source of my strength, my hope, my purpose for living. Loving You means to hate evil and sin. It involves a commitment to call on You continually. Loving You must be my primary focus in life.

190.  Will the love of Jesus in my heart enable me to keep His commandments?

• John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
• John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
• 1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
• 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
• 2 John 1:6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

Precious Lord, I praise You and thank You for this glorious truth, that Your love in my heart is a commandment-keeping power. I am Your friend, Jesus, because I have accepted Your love. Love makes commandment keeping a delight. I love You so much, Jesus! Thank You for placing this love in my heart, so I can cheerfully obey You!

191.  Did God write the 10 commandments with His own finger, and give them to His children?

• Exodus 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
• Deuteronomy 9:10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.
• Deuteronomy 10:4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.
• Nehemiah 9:13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:
• Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Dearest Lord, my judge, my lawgiver, and my king. You actually wrote the 10 commandments with Your finger, on 2 tables of stone. And in Your Word, I have access to this vital document. You are the source of this holy law, and You wrote it on stone to show its permanence. The original 10 commandments are safeguarded under Your throne in Heaven. It is the foundation of Your government. No human has a right to alter or annul this law. Lord, help me to grasp the significance of all this, and to honor Your holy government.

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