How Can A Young Man Keep His Way Pure?
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word.” Psalm 119:9
Remember when our kids would build a fort out of pillows and cushions? They would surround themselves with them to protect themselves from any ‘enemy’ whether it be a sibling or pet who was the perceived ‘intruder’. It was creative and fun. But there is a great spiritual significance to that fort building.
Psalm 119:9 says “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living (or keeping) according to Your word.”
The word “pure” is the Hebrew word “zaka” which means translucent or morally innocent (1). Oh how we pray that for our sons and daughters! But in this world, corruption is easily attained, even if it’s not pursued. So how can they guard against it? And how can we pray?
We pray that they are living according to God's word. That word “living” is the word “samar” in Hebrew. Samar means to hedge about as with thorns, the guard, attend to, be circumspect and keep watch.
In Medieval times, the castle was always built with a keep- that portion of the castle that was the strongest and safest place. It was a fortified town and a place of refuge. Psalm 61:3 says, “For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.”
Our sons and daughters will only keep their way pure, not just by going about their day with God in mind, but by surrounding themselves with His word, being circumspect- looking all around them and guarding against attack by the enemy.
Just knowing God’s word isn’t enough. Being familiar with it won’t provide the protection and defense we need. No, we need to surround ourselves so that we do not fall into sin.
Today, let’s pray that they revert back to their childhood days of building a wall of protection against the enemy, not with cushions and pillows, but with the mighty Word of God.
“Great peace have they who love Your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” Ps 119:165
“Heavenly Father, You are the Mighty Protector and the Great Defender. I pray that You would surround (name) today with a hedge of spiritual protection against the Enemy. Lord, let (name) be ever-mindful of You and Your Word. May it not just be something that is ‘familiar’ to them, but let Your word be light and life to them. May they look to You for their guidance and protection. May their first thought in the morning be You and their last in the evening as well. Lord, help (name) to keep their way pure- not hiding sin but translucent, allowing Your light to shine through them. Help them to be morally pure, not following after deception or evil but wholeheartedly following after You. Be their Keeper, Lord and may their life be full of peace because they love You completely. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25, KJV)
Pray without ceasing, friends.
1. H2135 - zāḵâ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2135/niv/wlc/0-1//
2. H8104 - šāmar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8104/niv/wlc/0-1/
The Battle of the Mind- Loving God with All of It
Matthew 22:37 “Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’”
Loving God with all our mind seems like a ‘no-brainer’, right? We know we should do that. We talk about it. We encourage others to do it. It’s likely we taught our sons and daughters this very scripture. But when it comes down to it, how do we really do that… and are we intentional about it? Do we really understand what it means to love God with all our mind?
The word ‘mind’ in Matthew 22:37 is the Greek word, dianoia. It means “deep thought, the ability of the mind or its disposition, by implication, its exercise: imagination, mind, understanding.” (1) That encompasses quite a bit, doesn’t it? If our thoughts are captive on God (2 Corinthians 10:5), we are spiritually setting our minds on things above (Colossians 3) and protecting ourselves from spiritual attack and oppression. We are intentionally exercising our minds in ways that will spiritually strengthen and protect us.
But there’s more. Let’s break the word “dianoia” down a bit more. It’s important to dig in so we really understand. The prefix of the word dianoia is ‘dia’, which means “through, over, across, the channel of an action”(2). The second part of dianoia is the Greek word “nous” which means, “mind or understanding” (3) and comes from the root word “ginosko” meaning to “allow, be aware of, feel, have knowledge, perceive, be resolved, be sure, understand.” (4)
Think about it. The Greek word for mind is vastly more detailed than what we might recognize by only reading the English. Dianoia involves the channel or direction of one's thoughts, the depth of their understanding and what one chooses to allow to be present and active in their mind; what they are pondering and meditating on. It’s the direction, the action and the permission of our thought life.
Dianoia isn’t a word we use on the daily. It’s likely we may be more familiar with the word ‘paranoia’. The prefix of the word, “para” means “beside, next to, near, against or contrary to”(5). When we focus on what is near or around us (para), it can stir fear. If we allow what is contrary to God to consume our thoughts, we are dwelling on things that do not support Godly thinking. What we choose to marinate in begins to saturate us. It colors our thinking. It flavors our choices. It overtakes us so that we think of Godly things less and less and we become more and more filled with the world around us. We need the ‘dia’ not the ‘para’.
The little things matter, friends. What we choose to watch and listen to. What we read and discuss. Who we fellowship with and how and where all impact our thinking. And our thinking impacts everything. Are we taking intentional time to think on God’s word and meditate on His precepts? Are we marinating in the honey of the Word or the acid of the world? We need to pray for our sons and daughters and, really, for all believers that as this world grows darker, we strive intentionally to love God with all our mind.
Are we marinating in the honey of the Word or the acid of the world?
“Love the Lord your God with all your mind.” It’s a straightforward command that we need to embrace with all that we are. We need to be intentional. God will not falter or cool in His love for us, be we can certainly grow cold in our love for Him.
“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,” Matthew 24:12
Today, let’s pray for our sons and daughters, for our friends and loved ones, that they would understand and pursue loving God with all their mind. Pray for purity in thought. Pray that they would choose ‘dia’ over ‘para’. If we look around, we’ll be overcome by the darkness and decay of the world, but if we choose to look toward God, we’ll be blessed and protected. We’ll know hope- elpis - the eager expectation of good and the confident joyful expectation of eternal salvation (6).
“Father, you call us to demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5). You know that Satan attacks our minds and it is there that the spiritual battle and downfall begin. Lord, help (name) to love You with all of their mind. Don’t allow them to give away little corners and pieces of their mind. Protect them from ‘marinating’ in ideas and activities that would have them dwell on ungodly things. Lord, let the helmet of salvation protect their mind from any attacks because we know our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). Help (name) to set their mind on things above (dia), not on earthly things (para) and strengthen them to walk faithfully with You. Lord, time is short. Our world is dark. Satan will do anything he can to destroy believers and keep unbelievers from turning to Jesus. I pray Your mighty protection over each of my family and friends and over Your Church today and in the days to come. Lord, work mightily and may all the glory be Yours now and forever, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
G1271 - dianoia - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1271/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G1223 - dia - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1223/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G1223 - dia - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1223/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G1097 - ginōskō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1097/niv/mgnt/0-1/
Para-word meaning. Wiktionary. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/para-#:~:text=From%20Ancient%20Greek%20%CF%80%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%AC%20(par%C3%A1,against%2C%20contrary%20to%E2%80%9D).
G1680 - elpis - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1680/niv/mgnt/0-1/
Pray without ceasing.
*Join the PAC Prayer will be taking a short break for the month of March. See you in April! Until then, pray faithfully. Pray often. Pray without ceasing.
A Prescription for Love
Mark 12:28-30 “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”
So much of life is performance based, isn’t it? We’re always evaluated by what we can say, do and accomplish. We get jobs based on our experience and skills. We gain friends and followers with our words and actions. We earn awards and recognition by our accomplishments. So, when it comes to our spiritual lives, it’s no wonder we often misunderstand what God expects of us and how we should love Him. So many ‘religions’ put emphasis on effort…man’s effort, in order to gain God’s love and approval.
What if…..what if we just followed Jesus’ words? What if we simply believed and obeyed? What if we removed all of the labels: “Baptist”…“Presbyterian”… “Methodist”, “teacher”, “preacher”, “member” and we were simply known as a “Christ-followers”? What if we simply loved Christ and, in loving Him, were able to let others see Him in and through us? It’s what Jesus calls us to do.
But the teachers of the law were very concerned about rules. They wanted to keep the law to a “T”. They missed the truth of the gospel in the midst of their obsessions with following rules. Too often, it seems, we do the same. We check boxes or sign statements that affirm we believe the right things. We do ‘all the things’ that demonstrate our commitment. But it becomes works based and we pat ourselves on the back for being so dedicated, so knowledgeable, so … ‘Christian’. Yet, we lack the very thing that God says is most important.
In Mark 12:30, Jesus told the teachers of the law what the most important commandment was- “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”
He calls us to love Him. The Greek word used here is ‘agapaio’ (1) which means to welcome and entertain, to be fond of and to love dearly. It also means to be well-pleased and contented. Are we contented with Christ or do we seek out other people and things to fill us? Do we rely on our efforts and associations to prove our faith or are we so in love with Jesus that everything is an outpouring of that relationship?
Next, He says we should love with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. Isn’t it curious that Jesus doesn’t talk about emotions? Far too often we equate ‘love’ with how we ‘feel’, but emotions are a by-product, not the source of love. Hence, if people are dependent on emotions, they fall in and out of love because their feelings change; they no longer ‘feel’ for that other the way they once did. Jesus says, first we must love Him with our heart- the seat and center of our physical and spiritual life, the inner man (2).
Then He calls us to love Him with our soul-the very breath of life He breathed into us when He created us. Our soul is that spiritual force that animates the body and is not dissolved by death. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says God has set eternity in the heart of man. Our soul is ‘built’ for eternity. It is the spiritual part of us that can truly connect with God (3). It is the part of us that is drawn to that very relationship with Him.
Then, Jesus asks us to love Him with our mind- the faculty of understanding, feeling, and desiring (4). When we love with our mind, we make a choice to intentionally choose to commit our lives to Jesus. It’s a rational decision based on our understanding of Who God is and how He loves us.
Finally, Jesus calls us to love Him with all of our strength. That is what the Greek defines as might, ability, force, to hold oneself to a thing, be joined to- to the extent of one’s ability (5). He wants us to cling to Him with all that is in us.
Do our sons and daughters love Jesus well? Or, do we hear them saying “I just don’t ‘feel’ close to the Lord.”? Today, let’s pray that they will love the Lord with all their heart- the center of their being, with all their soul- the very part of them that connects to eternity, with all of their mind- an intentional choice to pursue Christ, and with all of their strength- clinging to Jesus with every ounce of ability He provides.
“Father, You love us so well. Thank You for being constant, faithful, unshakeable and merciful to us in our weakness. I pray for (name) today. Help them to pursue You with all that they are and have. Remind them it’s not about ‘feelings’ but about faith, commitment, and a choice to follow Jesus with all they have and all they are. It’s about obedience-no matter what. Lord, I ask that You would work in (name)’s heart- the very center of who You created them to be. Lord, You knew them before You formed them in the womb. Stir in their heart a desire to live for You. Draw them, Lord, and speak to their soul. Cause (name) to thirst after You (Ps. 63:1). Give them a longing for more than what this temporary world can offer. Satisfy them with a love that is far deeper and more fulfilling than any they’ve ever known. Lord, give them a clear understanding that committing to and loving Jesus is what they were created to do. Help them to make the intentional, wise choice to follow in obedience and love You with all that they are. Give them strength to follow through on their commitment, especially when life gets hard. Lord, in those difficult times, we waver, we falter, we lose strength and we despair. Sometimes our frail hearts and minds can’t understand and embrace the enormity of Your love and of Your promises to us. We filter things through our own human experience and understanding- but You are so much more!! Lord, I pray that today, (name) would see and understand how much You love them. I pray they would catch a glimpse of the beauty and soul-embracing love of God. Help them be satisfied, as with the richest of foods and may their lips praise You (Ps 63:5). I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.