I have on occasion been called legalistic, a pharisee, and even a heretic. I am not; being one who is passionate about the law of the Lord, striving to live a holy lifestyle, and having an expectation that others who claim to be followers of Christ to live according to his WORD does not a legalistic pharisee or heretic make. If you are a Christian, do you love the law of God? Do you long for the law of God? Do you want his governance or your own, or even the governance of the world? These are things to think upon and evaluate.

I want to share this short devotion on the matter………………

Longing for God’s Law
by R.C. Sproul

A survey by George Gallup Jr. revealed a startling trend in our culture. According to Gallup, the evidence seems to indicate that there are no clear behavioral patterns that distinguish Christians from non-Christians in our society. We all seem to be marching to the same drummer, looking to the shifting standards of contemporary culture for the basis of what is acceptable conduct. What everybody else is doing seems to be our only ethical norm.

This pattern can emerge only in a society or a church wherein the law of God is eclipsed. The very word law seems to have an unpleasant ring to it in our evangelical circles.

Let’s try an experiment. Read the passages from Psalm 119 that accompany this devotion. Try to crawl into the skin of the writer and experience empathy. Try to feel what he felt when he wrote these lines thousands of years ago.

Does this sound like a modern Christian? Do we hear people talk about longing passionately for the law of God? Do we hear our friends expressing joy and delight in God’s commandments?

Coram Deo: Do you long passionately for God’s law? Do you express joy and delight in His commandments?

Psalm 119:97: “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

Psalm 119:11-12: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You! Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes!”

Psalm 119:131: “I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Your commandments.”

It is one thing to say we love the word of the Lord but if our lives trend after that of the world our words mean nothing. This evaluation of our life and our longing for the law of God can indeed wane. Sadly enough, I have often found myself saying I love the law of the Lord but finding that my life at the time was not displaying that statement to be true. I must repent and pray for that passionate longing to return! I must be obedient to seek after God, & his word, & his truth.

I want to end this post with one of my favorite hymns. It is one many have not heard and many would cringe when trying to sing.  BUT it is one that I love because it reminds me to long for and to love the law of God.

I have posted this hymn on my blog before but I want to share it once again.

Most Perfect is the Law of God
From Psalm 19:7-11 and Psalm 119:97

Most perfect is the law of God, Restoring those that stray;
His testimony is most sure, Proclaiming wisdom’s way.

O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

The precepts of the Lord are right; With joy they fill the heart;
The Lord’s commandments all are pure, And clearest light impart.

O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

The fear of God is undefiled And ever shall endure;
The statutes of the Lord are truth And righteousness most pure.

O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

They warn from ways of wickedness Displeasing to the Lord,
And in the keeping of his Word There is a great reward.

O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

Often people have a disproportionate view of God.  Some focus on his love, mercy, and grace while neglecting his justice and wrath.  Others Focus on his justice and wrath and neglect his love, mercy, and grace.  We must seek to know God and all of his character or else we do not truly know him.  God is glorified through all of his attributes!  He is glorified in his grace and glorified in his display of justice.  Even in his display of justice there is an element of his mercy and grace.  Even when things are destroyed they are not utterly destroyed.  When there remains a remnant there is mercy and grace!  Praise be to God!

Psalm 136 is a beautiful portrait of this.

From Psalm 19:7-11 and Psalm 119:97

Most perfect is the law of God, Restoring those that stray;
His testimony is most sure, Proclaiming wisdom’s way.

O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

The precepts of the Lord are right; With joy they fill the heart;
The Lord’s commandments all are pure, And clearest light impart.

O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

The fear of God is undefiled And ever shall endure;
The statutes of the Lord are truth And righteousness most pure.

O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

They warn from ways of wickedness Displeasing to the Lord,
And in the keeping of his Word There is a great reward.

O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
O how love I thy law! O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

To participate in the Saturday Psalm & Praise just follow the link.

As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown, good Lord, show me the way
Oh sisters let’s go down, let’s go down, come on down
Oh sisters let’s go down, down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown, good Lord, show me the way
Oh brothers let’s go down, let’s go down, come on down
Come on brothers let’s go down, down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown, good Lord, show me the way
Oh fathers let’s go down, let’s go down, come on down
Oh fathers let’s go down, down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown, good Lord, show me the way
Oh mothers let’s go down, come on down, don’t you wanna go down
Come on mothers let’s go down, down in the river to pray

Down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown, good Lord, show me the way
Oh sinners let’s go down, let’s go down, come on down
Oh sinners let’s go down, down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown, good Lord, show me the way

To participate in the Saturday Psalm & Praise just follow the link.

John 20:31
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, all is at rest I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Words: Fanny Crosby (1873)

This week, in preparation fro Resurrection Sunday I would like to share a few scriptures from our Good Friday service.

Jeremiah 25:15,28
Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.

“And if they refuse to accept the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: You must drink!

Matthew 26:39
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

John 19:28-30
After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Psalm 57

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,for in you my soul takes refuge;in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,till the storms of destruction pass by.

To participate in the Saturday Psalm & Praise just follow the link.

Exodus 15:1-2

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying,

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Finish Reading the Song of Moses…………

To participate in the Saturday Psalm & Praise just follow the link.

I am going to do something a little different this week. Back on Thursday I had a blogging buddy post on his 13 favorite hymns. He put a lot of time and effort into his list and has video clips for every single one! They are some amazing and wonderful hymns of praise and encouragement. So today I am linking over to DrillerAA’s blog and suggest that you take some time to go and listen and be blessed! Please leave him a comment and let him know how much you appreciate his hard work!