How Shall the Young Secure their Hearts?
Introduction:
Three thousand years ago the wise man Solomon wrote this:
Ecclesiastes 12:1 “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, ‘I
have no pleasure in them.’ ” Two thousand years ago the inspired apostle
Paul wrote this: I Timothy 4:12 “Let no one despise your youth, but be an
example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith,
in purity.” NKJV While you are young is the time to anchor your life in God
and His Word, to honor Him who made you and gave you life. The Bible
informs young people how to secure their hearts; it provides principles by
which to glorify God in this life and enjoy the next.
This song was based on Psalm 119:9 with words by Isaac Watts
and music by Beethoven.
How Shall The Young Secure
1.
How shall the young secure their hearts, And guard their
lives from sin? Thy word the choicest rules imparts To keep the conscience
clean, To keep the conscience clean.
2.
Tis like the sun, a heav’nly light, That guides us all the
day; And, thro’ the dangers of the night, A lamp to lead our way, A lamp
to lead our way.
3.
Thy word is everlasting truth; How pure is ev’ry page! That
holy book shall guide our youth, And well support our age, And well support
our age.
Text:
Psalm 119:9-16 “
Body:
I. By
Taking Heed to the Word
Psalm 119:9
“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your
word.” NKJV
·
This means listening to and obeying God’s Word. This is the
only means to cleanse your way, your life. (Psalm 24:3-5) “Who may ascend
into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has
clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor
sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And
righteousness from the God of his salvation.” NKJV
·
The Bible never becomes obsolete or irrelevant. It’s just as
vital today as when it was first written. It is a book for all ages. No
one is too young or too old to learn and profit from its teachings.
·
Timothy was reminded of the fact that he had known the Sacred
Scripture from the time he was an infant. (II Timothy 3:15) “and that from
childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you
wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” NKJV The basic
principles of God, Christ, and the Bible can begin to be taught to babies.
From the beginning teach them how to say ‘God,” “Jesus,” and “Bible.” As
they grow from infants to toddlers to preschoolers, continue to teach them
Bible fundamentals as well as the great stories in the Bible. Their
capacity to learn is enormous. Make sure they learn the right things.
Remember I Timothy 4:8. “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness
is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of
that which is to come.” NKJV Bodily exercise profits for only a little
time.
·
Young people need to learn the Word. They need to learn how
to teach their religious friends the truth.
II.
By Being Totally Committed to the Lord
Psalm 119:10a
“With my whole heart I have sought You;” NKJV
·
Partial allegiance is in many ways, worse than no allegiance
at all. Youth need to seek God while they can. (Isaiah 55:6) “Seek the
Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.” NKJV
Wholehearted dedication is what Christ desires of His people. (Matthew
6:33) “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all
these things shall be added to you.” NKJV
III.
By Not Backsliding
Psalm 119:10b
“Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!” NKJV
·
At times, especially during one’s younger days, it seems so
easy to stray from the Bible’s teachings. This is seen when one misses the
services of the church on a regular basis, or being disobedient to their
parents, or associating with the wrong people, or starting to drink or do
drugs. Listen to Isaiah’s advice. (Isaiah 55:7) “Let the wicked forsake
his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly
pardon.” NKJV
The apostle Peter informs us on how best to keep from
wandering from the ways of the Lord. (II Peter 1:5-10) “But also for this
very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue
knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to
perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly
kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither
barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who
lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten
that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more
diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you
will never stumble;” NKJV
IV.
By Filling Your Heart with the Word
Psalm 119:11
“Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.”
NKJV
·
If you don’t fill your heart with the Word, every type of
philosophy and false religion will fill it. A young person is bombarded
with humanism, naturalism, evolution, secularism. . .
·
The importance of filling your heart with the Bible is seen
in that it helps us keep from sinning. You should memorize verses dealing
with specific sins so that when temptation comes along, you can resist it.
This is the method our Savior used to defeat Satan in the wilderness. “It
is written.” (Matthew 4:7) “Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, You
shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” NKJV
V.
By Being A Serious Student of the Word
Psalm 119:12
“Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes.” NKJV
·
You must be more than a casual reader, but one who diligently
applies himself to the Bible. (II Timothy 2:15) “Be diligent to present
yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.” NKJV Begin today a life of serious Bible
study. (II Timothy 3:14-17) “But you must continue in the things which you
have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able
to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All
Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of
God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” NKJV
VI.
By Declaring Your Faith Courageously
Psalm 119:13
“With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth.”
·
The writer mentions this again in Psalm 119:46. “I will speak
of Your testimonies also before kings, And will not be ashamed.” NKJV
Regardless of who you are with, never be ashamed of being a
Christian, a member of the church of Christ. (Mark 8:38) “For whoever is
ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him
the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father
with the holy angels.” NKJV
VII.
By Forming A Proper Set of Values
Psalm 119:14
“I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.”
NKJV
·
The psalmist realized the importance of God’s Word as
compared to the riches of the world. (Psalm 119:72) “The law of Your mouth
is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.” NKJV
·
Keeping God’s Word gives eternal life. (John 6:63, 68) “it
is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I
speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 68 But Simon Peter answered Him,
‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’ ” NKJV
VIII.
By Realizing that the Bible Is the Word of God
Psalm 119:15
“I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.”
·
We should respect it when it is being read because it is God
speaking to us. (I Thessalonians 2:13) “For this reason we also thank God
without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard
from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the
word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” NKJV
·
The Bible is unique among all books.
IX.
By Finding Joy in Keeping His Commands
Psalm 119:16a
“I will delight myself in Your statutes;” NKJV
·
The writer affirms how comforting God’s Word is. (Psalm
119:18, 24, 50) “Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.
24 Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors. 50 This is my
comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.” NKJV There is joy, comfort, and real lasting happiness to be
found by obeying God’s commands. (I John 5:3) “For this is the love of God,
that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” NKJV
X.
By Always Remembering God’s Word
Psalm 119:16b
“I will not forget Your word.” NKJV
·
Start young with this determination to always obey the
Bible. How? Focus on the grace of God that sent His Son to die on the
cross and the mercy of God which He continues to shower on us every day.
Be able to say with the psalmist these words. (Psalm 119:112) “I have
inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end.”
NKJV
Conclusion:
Young people I urge you to start to remember God in your
youth – to secure your hearts by seeking God first in your lives and never
putting anything or anyone above Him.
Bobby Stafford
December 3, 2017
The
church of Christ
