Psalms 119:17-24
The idea of applying biblical principles is often misunderstood. It’s not simply a process of hear, believe, apply—as if one were putting on a new doctrine like a borrowed overcoat. Two steps are missing between believe and apply: explore and discover. To explore a biblical principle means studying Scripture to understand what the surrounding context is, what the principle means for us, and what it reveals about God. Furthermore, we must consider how this lone principle relates to the rest of the Bible. Digging into the Word softens hearts and minds so that the new doctrine can be planted deeply.
As we plow further into Scripture to explore, the new concept rises off the page and becomes real to us. We discover how the principle works and the proper way to apply it to our lives. As we do so, the rich truth becomes our own. It isn’t simply tacked onto our actions as an external influence; rather, we take the truth into our hearts and minds, enabling it to impact us from the inside out.
Making God’s principles an integral part of our lives is a delightful experience. Instead of feeling a passing fancy for a new concept, people who make an idea their own rejoice in it. And they dig back into the Word to learn more of the Lord’s statutes.
A believer who has little to say about God’s work in his life is probably not applying Scripture. Simply hearing and believing doesn’t make a concept yours. A principle is yours when you explore the truth, discover its place in your life, and apply the concept so that God can make it work.
Jim bought his grandchildren a new toy. After a brief glance at the directions, he set the booklet aside and got busy building. A few frustrating hours later, Jim humbly opened the instructions again and followed the steps to put the toy together. Soon he was done, and the grandkids were playing happily.
Jim knew that the manufacturer had a plan for assembling the toy. But he’s a smart fellow and assumed he could figure it out on his own. Many people take the same approach to Scripture that Jim took with those directions. Instead of treating God’s Word like a manual to live by, they glance at it only when they aren’t sure what to do next.
The Bible is like the Father’s diagram of Himself. He teaches believers who He is, what He thinks, and how He acts. Knowing the ways of the Lord ensures that we can make wise decisions that honor Him.
The Bible is also God’s instruction book for living. I emphasize that it should be read every day because believers cannot be spiritually successful or victorious without it. In today’s passage, we read that if a person wants to be righteous, his or her life must comply with scriptural principles. Of course, the only way to know what those principles are is to read, study, and meditate upon the Word.
God’s Word is our most valuable possession. Casting it aside is as foolish as tossing away a wallet full of money. Among the Bible’s riches are stories teaching us how to serve the Lord and principles about pleasing Him. It also contains a wealth of instruction for building a righteous and meaningful life.
God has given His children the privilege of calling upon Him for all they need, and what’s more, He’s promised to respond. He has also included the right to petition Him on behalf of others. In fact, Scripture tells us that the prayers of a righteous person can accomplish much (James 5:16).
To be righteous in the Father’s sight, we must accept His offer of salvation. Before redemption, we were unrighteous people under His judgment (Eph. 2:1, 3). Through faith in Christ as our Savior, we are made new and declared holy in His sight. Then, after we are able to approach Him as righteous people, we must align our prayers with His will—that’s the only way for our petitions to be powerful and effective (1 John 5:14-15). And the key to aligning our requests with His plan is getting to know our heavenly Father’s character and priorities.
Elijah is a good example of someone who prayed with authority. The Lord sent him into battle against the evil king Ahab and the 450 prophets of Baal. This was a spiritual conflict to prove who was the real God—Baal or the Lord of Israel. Elijah’s weapons were his knowledge of the Father’s plan and the authority he had in prayer as a prophet of God. His request—that Jehovah would make Himself known, voiced publicly before his opponents, matched the Lord’s will (Ex. 7:5; 1 Kings 18:37). And when God responded to Elijah’s prayer, the people declared, “The Lord, He is God” (1 Kings 18:39).
Are you a child of God? If so, you can pray with spiritual might by making sure your requests are in agreement with His will.
Exhaustion is a by-product of overcommitted schedules and never-ending responsibilities. In an effort to accomplish all that is expected, we often try to move faster and cram in more by multitasking. But in the process, we end up emotionally and physically fatigued. The Lord offers a radically different mode of living and grants renewed strength and stamina.
Those who wait upon the Lord are promised His supernatural energy. In fact, Scripture says it will surpass the natural strength and endurance of the young. Access to this divine power is achieved not by moving faster but by going slower—stopping to take time to focus on the Father, seek His direction, and ask for His strength to accomplish what He is calling you to do.
Earlier in my life, I wore myself out by impatiently pushing ahead, trying to do ministry in my own way and my own time. Since then, I have learned that when I pause and humble myself, admitting that I have no strength without Him, the Lord sustains me with both emotional and spiritual energy. There is no earthly explanation for what God is willing and able to do in a yielded human being. His Holy Spirit is like the wind beneath our wings, enabling us to soar like eagles.
The next time you are at the point of exhaustion, take some time to focus on the Lord. Are you walking in step with Him, or have you gone ahead on your own? Align your pace with His, taking the time to rest when He wants you to, and receive the energy He freely offers to those who walk obediently in His will.
When you listen to someone speak, what gives his or her words weight? How do you decide to listen to what’s being said? Most often, we measure a person's message against his or her experience, dismissing words that don’t match the speaker’s story.
Therefore, when we come to the apostle Paul’s discussion of God’s sufficiency, we ask, “Is this something Paul can really talk about?” And we are able to read the Word and see that the answer is a resounding yes.
Paul’s personal testimony recounts some of the hardships that confronted him (2 Cor. 11:22-28). He was imprisoned, beaten, threatened, stoned, ship-wrecked, robbed, and chased throughout his entire ministry. On top of all this, he had a persistent, unrelenting “thorn” oppressing his body (2 Cor. 12:7-8).
You’d think that God would keep His best servants in perfect condition and optimal health. Yet, here we see that although Paul prayed for relief, God’s answer was not what he expected. Rather than receiving a grand, sweeping cure, Paul was given a deeper answer: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9).
Through that difficulty, God taught Paul a vital lesson: It does not matter how weak we think we are, or how oppressed or downtrodden. In God’s hands, our weakness makes room for His strength. And it is through His power—and His power alone—that we can do amazing things.
Perhaps you struggle with your own “thorn.” If so, instead of praying for a quick fix, ask God what He wants to accomplish through your weakness. Your human frailty just may be the vessel through which God can display His unlimited power to the world.
