September 3, 2019 -- Psalm 119:8 -- Didja catch the reference?

How can a young man keep his ways pure?

By guarding them according to your word.

Psalm 119:9 English Standard Version

Two words: “believer, believer”. If you listen to any music in the stores when you are doing your back to school shopping, you’ll have heard those two words. I am guessing your children will likely know the rest of the lyrics. With very little prompting they’ll be able to continue “Pain. Pain. You break me down, you build me up". (Imagine Dragons “Believer”—it is like a brain worm, whether or not you want it, the words burrow into your brain). In the gym music is blaring. In the store music is blaring. Walking along the streets you see youth with earbuds (and adults and even some of the seniors working out have those ubiquitous earbuds in!). With all the noise pouring out know for certain all these songs have very worldly messages! And such messages are directly opposed to the rule of God and HIs grace. So the question is urgent: how can a young man (a young woman) keep his way pure?

It is the question that touches every single generation. Every generation from the beginning to now faces this huge challenge. Every responsible teacher and adult must ask: what will distract them from God and what will draw them to the Living God?

Two words to show us the urgency of the crisis we are facing: “Jerusalem. Jerusalem”. Do you know the reference? Do the youth in your family, in your church know this reference? It is Matthew 23:37, Jesus mourning over the people of Jerusalem for failing to recognize the love of God stands incarnate before them in the person of Jesus.

We recognize fleeting references to music or things like MAGA [Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again]. Yet our biblical literacy seems to be failing. As believers we are called teach the Word to our children. As adults we need to model a great love for the word of God—Ephesians 6:17 calls the word of God “the sword of the Spirit”. By the word lies are cut down. By the word temptations are shown to be the way of death. By the word we recognize the intensity of the battle Satan is waging for our heart and mind. Yes, the only way a young person can keep his way pure is by the Word of God. Read it. Feed on it. Tell others about it.

Mighty God, our King, rule us by Your Word and Spirit. Retrain our tastes so that we will hunger and thirst for Your Word. As the Word takes hold of our thoughts and hearts let us then use it as the sword of the Spirit to divide truth from lies, and slice through the temptations to evil so when the temptation have been cut away we will clearly see the pathway of death they are hiding. Let the Word reveal to us the Living Word: Jesus Christ. In Him, Spirit of God, make us aware of His salvation and HIs protection through all the thick of battles we will face. Amen.