This is My Comfort

[Christsfreeservant]

“Remember your word to your servant,​

in which you have made me hope.​

This is my comfort in my affliction,​

that your promise gives me life.​

The insolent utterly deride me,​

but I do not turn away from your law.​

When I think of your rules from of old,​

I take comfort, O Lord.​

Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,​

who forsake your law.​

Your statutes have been my songs​

in the house of my sojourning.​

I remember your name in the night, O Lord,​

and keep your law.​

This blessing has fallen to me,​

that I have kept your precepts.” (Psalms 119:49-56 ESV)​

Who are the insolent? They are the rude and the disrespectful, but not by anyone’s standards, for according to various cultures these words can take on different meanings. For what may be considered rude in your culture may not be the same as in my culture. So we have to be very careful here that we do not assign blame to people when it is just our own culture which is dictating what is rude or not rude, or what is disrespectful and what is not. And so we have to look to the Scriptures to guide us in this.

So, I looked up the word in the Hebrew interlinear and it defines insolent as “presumptuous, arrogant, proud.” And it appears that it is often used in the context of those who are wicked, godless, rebellious, haughty, and in opposition to the Lord. So the insolent, in this context, are those who are of self-importance, who are snooty, conceited, egotistical and full of pride. This is speaking of those who have an overly high opinion of themselves and who are vain and who think of others as not worthy of or as less than them.

Okay, so the psalmist is calling out to the Lord in prayer, asking for the Lord to remember his word to him, for he was the Lord’s servant. So he was calling on the Lord to recall his promises to his servant, for the Lord’s promises to him are that which gave him hope and life. But let me add a word of caution here, for there are many professers of faith in Jesus Christ today who are claiming the promises of God over their own lives, but without acknowledging that all of God’s promises also have conditions to be met.

Therefore, not all of God’s promises to the body of Christ, his church, apply to everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord.” For not all who profess faith in Jesus Christ truly know Christ, because not all of them are obeying our Lord and his commandments, in practice, and not all are living morally pure and godly and upright lives in Christ Jesus for the glory and praise of God, as a matter of life course. For many are giving lip service to the Lord but they are not walking in his ways, but they are still living according to the flesh.

So, if you are going to call upon the Lord in prayer, asking him to remember his promises to you, then please make sure that those promises truly apply to you. For not everyone who says to Jesus, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven. And not everyone who claims to be in fellowship with the Lord is truly in fellowship with God, not if they are still walking in sin. For it is not what we claim that matters to God, but it is what we do, in practice.

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 10:23-31; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

But if we are those who truly have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and who have been raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness, and so we are denying self, and dying to sin daily, and walking in obedience to our Lord, in practice, and no longer in sin, then we are those who can rightfully claim the promises of God which he has given to those who truly belong to him.

And we will be the people of God who are walking in his ways and in his truth, who are sharing the truth of the gospel with others, and who should also be refuting the lies of the enemy. And so we will have people who will come against us, even others who profess faith in Jesus Christ. And we should also be the people of God who feel what he feels and who grieve over others who are still walking in sin and according to the flesh, and who are not walking according to the Spirit, even though they profess to know Jesus.

And we should be those who hold true to the word of God and who continue in walks of faithful obedience to him, regardless of what other people do, and regardless of how other people treat us. And we should be those who hate sin like God hates sin, too. But we should know and be prepared for the reality that if we walk in the ways of the Lord and in righteousness and holiness, and if we are those who are spreading the good news of the gospel, in truth, we are going to be opposed. But we can depend upon the Lord and his promises to us, regardless of all we are having to endure.

Give Thanks

By Don Moen / Henry Smith

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"

We give thanks to You oh Lord
We give thanks

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