Opened Scriptures Bible Studies

Psalm 119:17-21  GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.  18)  Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.  19)  I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.  20)  My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.  21)  Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.  Suffering reproaches is part of walking by faith in Christ.  Psalm 119:22  Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.  We are learning about what the Psalmist meant when He asked the Lord to remove all reproach and contempt away from himself.  Generally, reproaches are directed at the church Christ is building or at individual believers.  In part this prayer request meant that the Psalmist did not want to do anything that would bring reproach, shame or contempt upon Jehova...

I am struck by how practical this eight verse section is, in terms of our prayer life. The Psalmist has given us very good guidance for praying. These are practical petitions that we can pray about, knowing that God will honor those requests. Pray to live as a humble servant. Psalm 119:17  GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.  Begin with a prayer to live out this life as one who follows Christ with humble obedience. Pray for help in understanding and applying the scriptures.   Psalm 119:18  Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.  Pray for Divine help to understand, learn and apply the truth of God's Word in our lives. Pray for the will to live as a pilgrim.  Psalm 119:19  I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.  Pray for strength to live this life for the glory of God, living as a stranger or pilgrim, awaiting our heavenly home.  Pray for God's h...

Psalm 119:17-20  GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.  18)  Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.  19)  I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.  20)  My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.  In our last post we looked at the issue of pride and how those who are filled with arrogance, self conceit and pride, err or stray from the scriptures. We looked at the negative influence of moral pride and spiritual pride.  The obstinacy  of hardened pride Psalm 119:21  Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.  Jeremiah gave good counsel from God to his nation and he implored them not to be proud by refusing to hear and heed what God said to them (Jeremiah 8:15-17). He cried out that his soul would weep over their pride because he saw what God would do in judging t...

The reality of the flood.  Genesis 7:15-20  And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.  16)  And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.  17)  And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.  18)  And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.  19)  And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.  20)  Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.  Two animals of all types, one male and one female, entered the  ark. God gave every animal and creature the instinct to enter the ark two by two as if being summoned, in order to be saved from the un...

Genesis 6:12-18  And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.  13)  And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.  14)  Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.  15)  And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.  16)  A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.  17)  And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under he...

Psalm 119:17-20  GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.  18)  Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.  19)  I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.  20)  My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.  The proud err by straying from God's truth Psalm 119:21  Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.  We are beginning to learn why God rebuked the proud and why He cursed them, by seeing what it means to err from God's commandments. The Hebrew word translated "err" means to swerve aside like a drunkard who cannot maintain his balance. It means going astray morally by ignoring or disobeying God's commands.  Psalm 95:10,11  Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:  1...