PSALM 119:9-16 BETH

Imagine starting life all over again, what would you do differently?
Oh, we dont want to dwell too long on a question like that, - it would fill
us with regrets and sadness. Like many of you, - perhaps, even all of you,
- I have done things Im not proud of, I wish I had never done them.
However, its the devils business to keep us in the past and to rake up
that which Christ has forgiven us for if we have been truly sorry for
our past sins. Yes, of course, if we had the opportunity to live life over
again we would steer away from those sins and influences that has made
a scar on our lives.

It is a tremendous question the psalmist asks, Wherewithal shall a young
man cleanse his way? He asks the question knowing the answer. He has
a young man in his mind who has a longing to please God. With all the
influences around him this young person wants to find out how to get
right and stay right. What an important question?!

There is a word at the beginning of this section that we are very likely to
pass over and not notice. It is part of Gods inspired text, and He has
retained it in its original language; the word is beth (bah-yith). It is the
second letter of the Hebrew alphabet but it has another connotation as
well it is also the Hebrew word for house, dwelling place, shelter.

You find it so often in Scripture (56 times), for example, Bethlehem
(house of bread), Bethshan (House of ease), Bethel (house of God).

Lets ask the opening question again using beth not simply as the second
letter of the alphabet, but within the context of its meaning for house.
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? How ought I to live?

Believer, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:19 know ye not that
your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of
God, and ye are not your own?) You live with God in your life; what are
the ramifications of that?

LIVING WITH GOD
When you have someone else staying with you in your home (on
holiday) it affects what you do. Ladies, you mightnt want to come down
and sit in your dressing-gown at night; gentlemen, you watch your
manners at the dinner table
2
It can be quite relaxing or quite stressful depending upon who it is!
When you become a Christian you become a beth-el, a dwelling
place of God.
In our homes, if you have been out in the garden and there is muck on
your shoes or Wellingtons you take them off; if you have been working at
something and your hands are all dirty, you wash them; if your clothes
are filthy, you leave them out to be cleaned, and you put on fresh clothes.
It is the way it is we try to keep our homes clean.
Now, as a Christian, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?
You are living with God now, He is not a visitor who comes and goes, He
is a Resident, - your home is His home, your heart is where He lives.
What people sees of God is what they see through you. God never
goes on holiday, once He comes to live in your life He never goes away, -
He never leaves you.
In the middle of the night He is there, when you get up in the
morning He is there, He is there with you all and every day, He is the
Friend that is closer than any brother or any member of your family.
When you become a Christian God moves in and takes
permanent residency.
Christian, you are living with God. That is tremendous! Its
fantastic! I am living with God!
Yes, and am I on my best behaviour now Christ has moved in?
He is perfection I am not. He never does anything wrong that is
offensive to God I sometimes do. How can I go about living the way
He would have me to live? Living with God

LEARNING FROM GOD
Warren Wiersbe made a beautiful little comment, The Bible is the
owners manual and it must be obeyed. The owner is God, His manual
is the Bible and He gave it to us that we would obey it.
The psalmist asked the question, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse
his way? and he answered, by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
We have all got the same manual, - the Word of God is absolute
truth and absolute truth never changes, because it never needs any
change. It doesnt mean one thing to you and something else to me.
If our first parents had remained obedient to Gods commandment sin
and the consequences of sin would never have entered this world; there
would never have been any prisons, or any hospitals, - there would have
been no need for them.
3
You turn to Gods Word, even in the 21
st
century, and it tells you
what God says about murder in all its various forms, - it clearly teaches
against abortion and euthanasia, for example; it tells you what God says
about drunkenness and sodomy and the occult and all the sins that have
ever been committed.
But it also tells you how God wants you to live and He comes and
dwells inside you to help you live how He wants you to live.
He doesnt simply give us a rulebook full of dos and donts and
chastise us when we go wrong He gives us His rulebook and God the
Holy Spirit comes to live inside us to help us to be obedient to it.
He teaches us that All scripture is given by inspiration of God (II Tim.
3:16), - we dont need to worry or not whether we should accept some
parts of it and not others, - He tells us that all of it is to be trusted. It is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness.
It is where you are taught sound doctrine not mans fancies and
errors. Sound doctrine is the basis of sound living as a Christian.
Erroneous doctrine leads away from Christ and strips Him of glory,
honour and the sovereignty He so zealously guards. It produces weak and
emaciated believers
It is for reproof, for correction, - it pulls you up when you need to be
put right. It leaps out at you from the page and stares you in the eyes
when you need to be corrected. If you are a child of God, you will take on
board how the Word of God reproves and corrects you because you
want your way to be perfect, - you love your Saviour, you know what He
wants and desires; Hes living with you and you are willing to take
heed thereto according to [His] word.
You are learning from Him all the time; you are seeking Him with
your whole heart. You wouldnt dream of doing anything contrary to His
Word; when you do fall, it breaks your heart but you return to Him
and He mends it and you resolve not to fall to that sin again.
His Word is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness. Gods Word teaches me about my tongue, my
mind, my heart, my relationships; when Solomon had finished building
the temple in J erusalem he spoke before the people of Israel and He said
to God, II Chron. 6:17 Now then, O LORD God of Israel, let thy word be
verified 18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold,
heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house
which I have built! and he prayed for his people, v.31 That they may fear
thee, to walk in thy ways.
4
You cannot succeed in the Christian life without adhering to Gods
Word, - it is one of those definites we can be sure about. If you do not
seriously study the Word of God you will not know all that He expects of
you. (Lord, I didnt know! No excuse!). The psalmist pleaded with
Him, v.10 O let me not wander from thy commandments. When you
wander, you get lost, and it is not Gods will for you to get lost.
It is a danger, - none of us here should take for granted that any of us
could wander away from God.
Again, we return to what the Bible says about Christ living in us if
we dont look after the house, it points to the fact we have little
consideration for the One living with us, - any old thing will do Him!
You see, Peter wrote something that is worthy of our consideration
here, I Pet. 4:17 the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.
We are I Pet. 2:5 as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, and it is His desire and will for
each of His children to do that which is acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
... And it is through His Word, - there is no substitute, - that we learn
from Him, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Living with God, learning from God

LEANING ON GOD
Some people would rebel against what I have been saying this
morning, they would like to be more in control and tell God what He
wants but God is not like that; we do what He says, not the other
way round!
The psalmist understands this, Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy
statutes. I bless You, Lord, for I know You have much to teach me and I
have much to learn You are teaching me teach me much more!
Some people are teachable, others know it all, - it was the same in
Bible times, its the same today. The false prophets and the Pharisees
knew it all, - they knew far better than the men God sent and the Son of
God Himself.
The psalmist, on the other hand, had a teachable spirit, - he realised
that no matter how much he had learned, he had still so much more to
learn.
Being a church member for fifty-sixty years, graduating with degrees
from a theological faculty, being a young person and keeping up-to-date
with all the latest Christian authors and trends doesnt mean you know it
all it simply means you must keep on learning.
5
One of the things it teaches you is that the more you learn the more
you lean. You learn that you are living with Christ Whose Word never
bends to suit the circumstance. No matter how heavy the burden you are
carrying, He holds you up so you will not fall.
He wants you to be confident in Him; He wants you to trust Him.
You can remember what He has already done for you, v.14 I have
rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches and you can
trust Him for what He will continue to do for you.
He has a will for your life; He has your life mapped out, Job 23:10 he
knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Prov. 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
He knows what is around the corner and He has it there so that
you would look to him, lean on Him and trust Him.
Often we are in so much of a hurry, - and in a panic, - but the
psalmist here teaches us to slow away down and come to God, - He is
never far away: remember, He is living with us, and the psalmist
confidently looks to God, and in this child/father relationship he promises
God, v.15 I will meditate in thy precepts [teachings, commandments, word], and
have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not
forget thy word.
He is leaning on God and that is how he keeps going.

Conclusion
Beth it is a house, in which, - believer, - you are living with God,
you are learning from God, and you are leaning on God.
There is no mortgage outstanding in this house, - it has all been paid
for, - there is nothing owing.
It is a sound structure, - there is nothing ready to fall in or collapse.
Its Chief Resident is Christ and He has come to live with you.
When the old debt collectors come banging on your door as they used
to, tell them you owe them nothing send them away!
Your house is Gods house, you are privileged to have Him with you.
Keep your house in good condition, - living with God, learning
from God, leaning on God keep it right Eph. 2:20 built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief
corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an
holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit.