Psalm 119:15 says, “I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.” Until this morning I never had this connection. It is as we are meditating on God’s word, He reveals its hidden message. We then contemplate His way to make a personal application.

We might think that we know how to apply the truths He has given us. However, we need to remember that His ways are higher than our ways. My way would be to make it a discipline. Something to incorporate in my daily life.

We don’t ‘conform’ our thoughts, purpose, and actions to His ways by discipline. It is by moment to moment choices. Our fleshly way is to do it in our own strength. Two choices: serve our flesh or the Spirit.

Matthew 6:33 is a due north compass verse. It says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Here is another line drawn in the sand. Moses sent out 12 spies. 10 came back with a bad report. Two had a good report. All 12 saw the same thing. Yet 10 focused only on the giants through their own projected fears. Joshua and Caleb proclaimed God’s ability. 

We capture Caleb’s words in Numbers 14:9. It says, “Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” 

Joshua gave the children of Israel two choices. He drew the line in the sand and stepped over. Joshua 24 15 says, “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” When we are faced with impossibilities, our flesh will scream to be served. 

God’s ways are higher than mine. I must make Psalm 119:14 one of heart intent. I have learned from the Psalms that voicing what I say with ‘I will’ states intention. It helps my brain engage to follow through.

The way of the Lord is perfect. When we read about His way, we can rejoice in it and allow it to begin to conform our thoughts to it. I want to know God’s way. Psalm 103:7 says, “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” It is like a line drawn in the sand. I’m standing on Moses’ side.

In Exodus we see this played out. The children of Israel faced the Red Sea. In Exodus 14:15-17 God told Moses ahead of time exactly what He was going to do ~ His way. His acts were revealed to the rest.

2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Note the word ‘all’ which means everything without exception.

From this verse we gather two truths. Scripture is God-breathed, and it is profitable. It is not all written to us, but we can make personal applications from it all. I do know that since I started reading through my Bible consistently, it speaks to my heart differently according to the season I am in.

As I was meditating on Psalm 119:14 I realized that it was a verse which draws a line in the sand. It says, “I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches.” Hmm. It makes my heart stutter at the second part’s comparison. How will I make an application?

Isaiah 43:18 is one of my ancient path verses. It says, “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.” Consider means to ponder and think about it. Verse 19 in the Amplified says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it?…”

When we are so caught up in a mental dialogue about things in our past, we will miss what the Lord is seeking to do in our present. The Lord is always at work in our lives. I had a friend email me a quote this morning. “Is my faith in an outcome, or is my faith in God?”

Jesus instructed His disciples in Mark 11:22, “…Have faith in God.” Each time we veer off track, it is because we have lost sight of the Lord. Our circumstances can change in a moment, but His purposes for us remain steadfast and immovable through every change.

I memorized Psalm 119:9 as a child. My understanding has greatly broadened since then. As I was meditating on it recently, I thought about the word ‘heed’ and other verses that use that word. The Hebrews means: to keep, guard, observe, retain, and treasure up in memory.

How do we keep unspotted from the world? The Amplified says, “…By taking heed and keeping watch (on himself) according to Your word (conforming his life to it).” Here is a great explanation for conformity from another translation.

Romans 12:2 J. B. Phillips says, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within…” God’s way of conforming is through inner transformation. His way of righteousness is to mold our thoughts, purpose, and actions to His will and ways. He does that as we embrace His truths and make them our own.

Psalm 119:4 says, “You have commanded us to keep Your precepts diligently.” My mind goes back to Deuteronomy 28:1. It says, “…if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments…” The chapter continued with the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience.

Peter reminded his readers in 2 Peter 1:5 to give all diligence to add certain inward graces to their faith. Both verses were written to others, but we can make personal applications. Our diligence is evident through our actions or inactions. All actions follow thoughts.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Our heart is our belief center. Our life is a vineyard that needs to be tended. What have you neglected to prune from your thoughts?

When we fill our mind with thoughts based in God’s word, our actions will be righteous. Our hearts will be guarded by His inner sentinel of truth. Our discernment will be sharp. As Proverbs 2:11-13 says, “Discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil…from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness.”

We will not stray from the truth of God’s way when it becomes our guiding compass. Psalm 73:24 says, “You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”

Psalm 64:10 says, “The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.” Being attentive, alert, and willing to follow are key components in our progressive sanctification.

I have been meditating on Psalm 119:3 for several days. It was written about those who walk uprightly. It says, “They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.” There is an essential key for us.

Psalm 18:30 says, “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” Perfect. No way to improve. Complete. Then verse 32 says, “It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.”

Walking in God’s perfect way keeps us from sin~protects us when tempted. When we stray from His way we get derailed. His way is truth, our way is based in self-deception. Anytime we put our way ahead of God’s we will sin. Sobering truth. Romans 6:1-2 states that we don’t have to sin because we died to sin at salvation.

All thoughts bear fruit ~ life-giving or destructive. When we meditate on God’s word, He expands on His truths through life-sustaining rich insights. Insights empower. They bring clarity, wisdom, understanding, and direction.

Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” Caroline Leaf is a Christian neuroscientist. She uses a very gnarled wire tree to illustrate how our toxic thoughts create such chaos in our brains.

We are a reflection of our thoughts. Meditation on God’s word changes our brain’s neural pathways. Amazing. We are truly fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14. 

Consider: all of God’s thoughts are life-giving. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thought of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Psalm 139:17 says, “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them.”