“Thy Word Is a Lamp unto My Feet” By Parrish Lee September 18th,
2011 Psalms 119:105 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path. The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘lamp’ is “נֵר” (neer) which means, from a primitive root [see <H5214>, <H5135>] properly, meaning to glisten; a lamp (that is, the burner), or light (literally or figuratively): candle, lamp, light. The Hebrew word for ‘light’ is “אוֹר” (ore) which means, from <H215> ('owr); illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.) :- bright, clear, + day, light (-ning), morning, sun. Did you catch that? When it talks a bout light, it isn’t just talking about illumination, it’s talking about happiness. When you follow God’s Word, it’s also meant to bring happiness. What better confirmation is there than that? That’s one of the problems in the world today, you don’t here people in the world saying, “We need to get back to using God’s Word as a lamp unto our feet, or as a lamp unto our path.” Sometimes God’s people fail at using God’s Word properly. Several years ago, we had a brother that was in the military, and he told me that he had some options. He had some choices of where he could go for his next duty station. He told me where he chose to go, and I asked him why he chose that location. He smiled and told me that he could see this or do that there. I pointed out to him that the location that he had picked was so far away from fellowship, and I asked him if he had prayed about it. He told me that he hadn’t. Several months later, he wrote me a letter, and told me that the ministry seemed so restrictive, and that he was having problems with many of the things that he had learned since he got saved. He told me that he was starting to think that this life just wasn’t for him. He decided to pray about it, and the very next day, he saw two brothers, that didn’t even know where he was, come walking down the street. He caught up to them, and they spent some time together and had some good fellowship. God answered his prayer. There was another brother that fell in love with a woman. Now, I want you to know that I don’t think that there is anything wrong with a man falling in love with a woman. This woman was not a Christian, though. Several people in the ministry reminded him that the Bible says to not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). I asked him what he wanted to do; he told me he wanted to merry her right away. I asked him what he thought he should do; and he had a much harder time answering that. We tried to encourage him to invite her out to church, invite her to know the Lord. We tried to get him to pray about it, but he refused to even ask God, “God might tell me no.” Some months later I saw him and I asked him how he was doing. He said, “God don’t speak to me any more.” I talked to him about repentance, but he said, “I made my choice; I am where I am.” I never saw him again. There was another brother that was going to go to college. I told him that was great. He told me that college was going to take a lot of his time. I wondered why I was hearing a ‘but’ coming. He said, “I think that I will get my education, and then come back and find God.” Much, much later he came back to church. I asked him how he was doing, and he said, “I cannot believe what has become of my life. If there’s any way possible, I’m going to find my way back.” That was the last time I saw him, too. His Word tells you to pray about it. I dare say that, not just the believers, but the world is in the shape it’s in because we don’t let it guide our footsteps. Sermon notes by Pete Shepherd |
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