Category Prayer

Vs. 3 – They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways.

Thomas Manton:

You have the blessed man described negatively, they do no iniquity. Upon hearing the words, presently there occurs a doubt, how then can any man be blessed? for ‘there is not a man that liveth and sinneth not,’ Eccles. 7:20; and James 3:2, ‘In many things we offend all.’ To deny it, is a flat lie against the truth, and against our own experience. ‘If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us,’ 1 John 1:8.

First, What it is to do iniquity? If we make it our trade and practice to continue in wilful disobedience. To sin is one thing, but to make sin our work is another: 1 John 3:9, ‘He that is born of God doth not commit sin;’ he doth not work sin; and Mat. 7:23, ‘Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ That is the character of the reprobate workers of iniquity. So John 8:34, ‘Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.’ Sin is their constant trade: Ps. 139:24, ‘See if there be any wicked way in me.’ None are absolutely freed from sin, but it is not their trade, their way, their work. When a man makes it his study and business to carry on a course of sin, then he is said to do iniquity.

Secondly, Who are those that are said to do no iniquity in God’s account, though they fail often through weakness of the flesh and violence of temptation? Answer—All such as are renewed by grace, and reconciled to God by Christ Jesus; to these God imputeth no sin to condemnation, and in his account they do no iniquity. (Manton, T. (1872). The Complete Works of Thomas Manton (Vol. 6, p. 30). London: James Nisbet & Co.)

Prayer:

Blessed be Your Name, O’God, my God, my righteousness! All my sin was placed on my Savior, Jesus Christ, while He hung on that horrible cross. He who knew no sin, became sin, so that I might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. So effectual is the blood of my Savior that I am received pure and without iniquity before You. In Your ways I will walk and I will delight in the liberty that Jesus has wrought for me. I rejoice in my Savior knowing that Psalm 32:1-2 pertains to me–“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Yes! That is me in Christ Jesus! Amen!

Follow each day as we pray through Psalm 119.

vs. 2 – Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!

O’ Father, I confess that it is most difficult to keep Your testimonies. My heart is prone to wander to serve self rather than Thee. I catch myself indulging in the pride of life, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes. I am sorry. I am thankful that You do not judge me according to my faithfulness, or rather lack of it. In Christ I am free from condemnation in my failures. I am free to keep trying and trying, all the time knowing that I am safe in Christ, who is the propitiation of my sins. May the Holy Spirit continue to mold my heart to seek You more faithfully. And in seeking You I will grow and be transformed from grace unto grace. Jesus Christ, be the glory! Amen!

Thomas Manton:
In this psalm the man of God begins with a description of the way to true blessedness. In the former verse a blessed man is described by the course of his actions, ‘Blessed are the undefiled in the way.’ In this, by the frame of his heart, ‘Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, that seek him with the whole heart.’ The internal principle of good actions is the verity and purity of the heart.  (Manton, T. (1872). The Complete Works of Thomas Manton (Vol. 6, p. 15). London: James Nisbet & Co.)

I apologize to the followers of this blog for disappearing the last two month.  My spare time has been focused on a local church as their Interim Pastor, of which at this time I continue in. So besides my full-time employment, still working on a Study Guide on the subject of prayer, eating and sleeping … and of course my favorite and more important responsibilities of my family, I have little time left to give to this blog. Time being scare, I made the decision to continue to get my monthly haircut rather than sit at my computer and write a blog post. I know, so selfish of me.

I am going to attempt to do something challenging to you as a reader and to me as a blogger. Many years ago I found a great treasure in Psalm 119. This chapter is one large prayer that is easily broken up into many prayers that are relevant for today. I want to encourage my readers to use Psalm 119 as a daily guide in prayer. It can bring structure to your prayer time, as well as direction and instruction to your prayer life and your walk with the Living God. Each verse is a prayer. Each verse is a lesson. Each verse leads us to the One Living God and Savior.

My challenges to you:

1. Follow this blog daily and integrate the prayers and thoughts within the posts into your own daily prayers. Let them guide and teach. I promise to keep my posts short and to the point;
2. Encourage others to follow this blog to enhance their daily prayers; and
3. Commit to setting aside time, solitude time, to commune with the Father, with the Son, by and through the Spirit of God. Let His word from Psalm 119 be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.

BTW:  My commitment to this daily challenge does not mean the neglect of a haircut.

Let’s Start today, January 1, 215

Psalm 119:1 (NKJV) — Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord!

Here, my Father and God, is Your promise to those who walk according to Your instructions. My life has been and continues to be a testimony of this promise. For I am blessed to walk with You in Your perfect way. Help me to be sincere in this journey. Help me to guard my heart and keep it. O’ Lord, please teach me, lead me, and instruct me to pursue this course of integrity and sincerity, for such a walk is a reflection of Your goodness and righteousness. It is also a testimony of Your personal care for me.

I want to walk in this way, for by it I will walk above reproach and undefiled in this world. By Your Spirit, in His strength and wisdom, I will walk with You today, tomorrow, and through eternity. To my Savior, Jesus Christ. be all the glory and honor. Amen.

Quote from the puritan pastor, Thomas Manton:

That sincere, constant, uniform obedience to God’s law is the only way to true blessedness. This is called a way, and this way is said to be God’s law, and in this way we must be undefiled; which implies not absolute purity and legal perfection, but gospel sincerity; and in this way we must walk, which notes both uniformity and constancy; it must be our course, and we must persevere therein. (Manton, Thomas. The Complete Works of Thomas Manton. Vol. 6. London: James Nisbet & Co., 1872.)