His Word is My Shield

Psalms 119:10-12 [NIV]

I seek you with all my heart;
       do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
       that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, O LORD;
       teach me your decrees.

I know everyone here experienced troubling times where all you can think of is HOW you can get through your current situation, WHAT you should do to get through with it and WHEN is it going to be finish. Sometimes we even think WHY it is happening.

This happens when we are troubled, especially when it happened so suddenly like accidents. At first, we don’t see Christ because what we can only see is our problem and see how bigger it is than us.

What do we do when we are in times of trouble? Usually, these are what other people do when they have problems.

1. Think of what to do in order to get out of that situation or get through it.
2. If they can’t do it alone, they’ll think of whom to come to in order to get help.
3. Then after thinking of what to do, they think WHY it is happening to them.
4. Then they ask those people who they think can help them.
5. If nobody is there to help them and they realize there are no more people to help them then they realize there is still another someone who could help them and that is God. The last thing on their mind was to PRAY. Some people even bargain if God ever answers their prayers. Are we these kind of people?
6. And if their prayers are unanswered they blame God for everything that happened. Is it fair to God? Last thing on our mind when we encounter problems is God and we blame Him if things have gone wrong.
7. And if their prayers have been answered some people tend to forget what happened and even forget their bargain to God. It’s like nothing happened. Is that how grateful are we to God?

But that is not what the Bible is teaching us.

I’ve realized a long time ago how important it is to memorize God’s word but I am unable to do so. Some people may say, why should I do it? I always read the bible and go to the church anyways and I can always hear the word of God.

In my opinion, it is important to memorize the word of God. Maybe if unable to do so at least put in heart what you have learned. Because there are many times where you are not surrounded by people of God and even if the Bible is in front of you. Some people don’t even know where to go if ever they are troubled.

If we encounter a problem, ask this to your self. What verses will comfort my troubled heart today? You can check the verses enlisted on this link in case we need help.

So going back to the verse above, let us see what the bible tells us to do when in times of trouble.

1.    [v.10] I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
A person with all his heart must seek God first so that he won’t get strayed or lost. We do this because when we are troubled our minds are blocked and sometimes we can’t tell the truth with lies, we can’t tell right from wrong, for short we are confused.

2.    [v.11] I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Now think of God’s words, His comforting words. What good does it do to think of God’s words? First, it helps us calm down because we know we have a great God on our side. Amen?
Psalm 18: 2 - The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 
[SHIELD serves as our protection, because we know God will protect us.]
Psalm 55:2 - Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. [PROVIDENCE – Because we know that God won’t neglect His children]

Let us use His very words in order to shield us from sinning. Why? Because sometimes when we are troubled hatred, anger, jealousy, greed, revenge and other negative thoughts could take over or overcome us.

3.    [v.12] Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.
Now that we have calmed down after thinking of God’s words that we have hidden in our heart. Let us now ask God’s guidance. Let us ask Him to guide us in solving our problems while abiding on His commandments. Let God teach us the ways for us to overcome our current situation. How?

4.    [v.13] With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
If we continue to recite God’s word, especially the verses pertaining to our current situation, we’ll learn and realize what God is teaching us to do and why we are experiencing such thing.

5.    [v.14] I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
If we trust God, we not only follow his statutes but we rejoice in doing it.

6.    [v.15] I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
Then we continue to meditate on God’s words and continue to follow God’s ways.

What does God really want us to learn when we have problems?

Matt 6:26 - Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

If God provides food to those birds that don’t even sow or reap what more can He give us who are far more precious than those birds?

Phil 4:6 – Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your request be made known unto God. [COMFORT – it tells us to not worry about our problem.]

So dear friends, keep God's words in our hearts so when we face troubled times we know we are not alone, we know whom to ask help, we know we have a faithful father and shield, we know that we are precious, we know that we will not be lost with His words. 

We know because we hid not just God's words but God himself in our hearts.

God bless you all guys.