Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 119:121-128
Ps 119:121-128 Ayin
I have done what is righteous and just; do not leave me to my oppressors. Ensure your servant's well-being; let not the arrogant oppress me. My eyes fail, looking for your salvation, looking for your righteous promise. Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. It is time for you to act, O Lord; your law is being broken. Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.
Matt 5:20, Matt 7:28-29
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Jesus spoke with authority because he is the revelation of God to mankind. He said that he is truth. When Jesus preached, he did not have to study and try to figure out what God had meant in his word because he was the source of the revelation. Jesus was always right in what he said. His interpretation of scripture was never wrong or misapplied. This was not true with the Pharisees.
The Pharisee were the teachers of the day, along with the Sadducees and some smaller groups on occasions. The Pharisees were the “conservatives” of the Jewish religion. They were the strict ones that believed in literal interpretation and strict obedience, as long as it aligned with their understanding. The subtle shift here is that they replaced the word of God with their understanding, so that the latter became the standard. They saw the possibility of being wrong as non-existent.
The word of God is infallible. Truth is always truth. It is dependable in every situation we face in life. But our interpretation may be wrong. Our application may be wrong. In reply to a question, Jesus asked: “what does the scripture say, and how do your read it?” He recognized that one’s understanding may be wrong. Of course, I believe that what I believe is right, but I also know that I can be wrong.
O Lord God, help me know and properly understand your word. Help me live it to the very best of my ability, in every situation. But I am realistic enough to know that I am not always right; forgive me and give me better understanding. Use me to teach your will but to teach others that your word is the standard, not what I say, or any other person says. Lord, I have friends battling cancer and I ask you to give them healing and peace of mind each day. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
