Erling Thu

Understanding to observe the law

Psalm 119:34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.

I like the burning zeal David has to learn from God what man could not teach him. God has given all human beings a measure of intellectual capacity to think and learn, but here David teaches us that we can ask God to give us grace to use that ability to understand what tends to our peace. He asks to know how to keep God's law. He prays that the Lord must enlighten his mind to understand God's will.

We need wisdom and understanding to keep God's law. Therefore, we also find in the New Testament that the apostle Paul often prays that the Holy Spirit must give the believers enlightened eyes to understand and take possession of  our inheritance. He calls the Spirit the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. The Apostle John says: we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ (1 John 5:20).

In this Psalm, David does not ask just for understanding to keep the word. He also prays for grace to observe God's law wholeheartedly. In Hebrew thinking, understanding and knowledge are not anything theoretical and intellectual, but are always linked to life. We only understand God's Word when we live it. If we do not live by the word of God, we have not understood it. If we truly understand who God is and what He says we should do, we would not dare or want to do something other than obey. When we have come to know God through Jesus Christ, we also have the urge to do His will.

There are some translations where this last sentence is not a prayer, but a promise: Truly, I shall observe it with my whole heart! There is no contradiction between its two ways of translating this sentence. Whenever we give a promise to God, we do it in prayer for grace to fulfil it. Whenever we commit ourselves to something for God, we do so in the belief that God will help us. Our prayer and promise go in the same direction. Both are turned to God. It is him we want to learn from. It is His will that we will do, and it is His grace that will help us. We pray wholeheartedly, and will gladly keep and observe His law of our whole heart.

"Give me an understanding heart, that I with burning zeal can know and obey your truth!"

The way to happiness

Psalm 119.1

Alef

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord (Strong 8451).

David is so excited with the word of God that he regards ist as his highest ideal of blessedness to be conformed to it. In the first verse he starts by praising those who are blameless, those who live a life of integrity. Something that can only be done when they follow the Lord's Law. Blessed are those who live whole lives in the light of God's Word. Blessed are those who live by the law of the Lord.

We do not find happiness in life by following our own heart, for it is deceitful, says the word of God. Our own thoughts and desires will very often lead us into a disaster. But how blessed are those who are led by the law of the Lordt. In a time when many are depreciating the word of God and undermining the  trust in the Bible, I will make it very clear that I trust the Bible. By the grace of God I have lived a long life and seen different moods and trends, technics and methods, come and go. I have even seen movements and churches come and go. But the word of God stands firm. There is nothing to match the blessing of living by the word of God. I want the future generation of believers all over the world to experience this blessed life.

The Law of the Lord - the Torah of Adona - is the first phrase we encounter in this psalm for the Word of God. It is very important to understand what lies in this phrase as we find it many times in the Bible. It is customary to translate the Hebrew word "torah" by law, but according to "The Complete Jewish Study Bible" this word suggests simple instruction, guidance, or the path we should go. The Lord's Torah finds its origin in the Eternal God. He declared his commands to Israel at Mount Sinai, and Israel was to follow and teach his ways to others. Yeshua, the Messiah and the living Word, embodies the will of the Father. The Spirit of God leads and guides the followers of Yeshua into all truth, enabling them to observe all God's instructions. In his teaching to his emissaries, Jeshua confirmed the importance of Torah by saying, "If you love me, you will keep my commans" (John 14:15). The Lord's law is linked to a loving relationship with the Messiah. It's about loving him and doing what he says in faith and trust.

“You are only truly happy when you walk in total integrity, walking in the light of God’s word.” (TPT)

Looking with new eyes

To be somebody
is not only to explore
virgin territory or unknown places
but to look with new eyes
- look from new perspectives
- look with new perception
- look with new expectancy
- look for new insight
to the old and known world
to discover the virginity
and the hope for a new beginning
in the midst of corruption and decay
and than seize the moment
to make history
in our own little world
knowing that the great achievements
is the sum of all the small deeds of faith

By faith we can see
the impossible become possible
and the invisible become visible
and the world changed to a better place

Celebrating life

To be somebody

is to celebrate birthdays, wedding-days,

Christmas, Easter, Whitsunday

or any other special days

and New Year with great joy!

It is to make use of all circumstances

to celebrate and rejoice

in the rich life from God!

It is to rejoice in being

uniquely created in the image of God,

rejoicing over all our gifts and talents

enjoying life to the full!

Life itself is the greatest reason for celebration

Only when I am alive

I am somebody

Suffering loss

To be somebody

Is to suffer loss with dignity and trust

• the loss of a son who dies
• the loss of friends who turn out to be no friends
• the loss of sleep or rest
• the loss of health
• the loss of memory
• the loss of peace of mind
• the loss of a poem as the pc crash

Losses come in many forms

some are deeply personal and painful

some can be hurting but helpful

some are very dramatic and domestic

some are instant and intense

To be somebody

Is to embrace loss willingly by faith

Because you are looking forward

For something greater and better

When you have seen the Invisible

The losses in the corruptible world do not matter any more

Text: Erling Thu (c)

To be somebody is to take advice

To be somebody
Is to be humble enough to take advice from others
To listen to the insights of my elders
To follow the wise counsel of the experienced servant of God
To be willing to change my mind
To make new decisions going a new direction

To be somebody
Is not to compromise my vision or calling
But to find better ways of achieving my destiny
Through taking good counsel from godly persons
Committing myself into the hands of God

Only the one who really is somebody

is big enough to take advice

Text: Erling Thu (c)

Song of the clouded dawn

Not every dawn is colourful or beautiful. Some dawns are clouded and dull. Sometimes the mornings are heavy and dark. But the dawn always bring light. Even a clouded dawn bring light. The new day may be rainy and stormy. Dark clouds are covering your abode. It is not always easy to rejoice, but we don't need to be filled with joy to come before God. We can come as we are.

It is a good thing to make it a habit to conduct a morning watch before the face of God. We can call on God to listen to our passionate prayer. "Lord, can't you hear my groaning? Don't you hear how I am crying out to you?" At each and every sunrise I  will let God hear my voice. Even on the clouded dawn I will sing to God. Every morning I will make it an habit to bring my sacrifice of prayer to my God. Whether the dawn is sunny or clouded I will lay out the pieces of my life on the alter. And I will wait for your fire to fall on my heart. I need your fire each and every day of my life.

 

Psalm 65:1-4

O God in Zion, to you even silence is praise!
You are the God who answers prayers;
all of humanity comes before you with their requests.
Though we are overcome by our many sins,
your sacrifice covers over them all.
And your priestly lovers, those you have chosen,
will be greatly favored to be brought close to you.
What inexpressible joys are theirs!
What feasts of mercy fill them in your heavenly sanctuary!
How satisfied we will be just to be near you!

Psalm 65: 1-4 Passion Translation

I am somebody when I have learned to listen

To be somebody is to listen carefully,

to other people, to their worries and views.

To be somebody is to listen lovingly,

to a little child and a shabby street singer.

To be somebody is to listen wondering,

to the singing bird and the voice of thunder.

To be somebody is to listen intently,

to the sound of nature and the voice of God.

To be somebody is to listen with your eyes,

to see what the Eternal one is saying now.

The dream that keeps me going

I have been asked to try to describe what is motivating me and what keeps me going in the ministry. The simple answer is that I am sustained by the Word of God, compelled by the Love of God and empowered by the Spirit of God. The word of God is saying:

To be somebody is to seek and find

- to receive much more than respected.
I was seeking to hear the voice
- I found a person.
I was seeking guidance
- I found a Shepherd.
I was seeking the will of God
- I found friendship with the Son.
I was seeking understanding
- I found the life-giving Spirit.
To be somebody is to seek and find God
- who is LOVE - Eternal and Boundless!

The creative word

In the beginning was the creative Word.

The creative Word was with God

And the Word was God.

The Word proceeding from God

Is the only Son of God.

He was in the beginning with God,

Everything was created through him.

Nothing, not one thing, came into being without him,

He spoke, and it was done.

He commanded, and it stood fast.

The world appeared at his word.

By faith we understand that the whole universe

Is created by the word of God.

By faith we understand that the visible things

Came into existence by the spoken word of God.

By faith we are beginning to grasp something

Of the power of the spoken word.[1]

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[1]  John 1:1-3; Psalm 33:9; Hebrew 11:3

From weakness to strength

The Word and the Spirit take me from weakness to strength

Through the mystery of the strong faith;

When I am weak, then I am strong!

Because the power of God comes to prominence and works best

When I see how helpless I am on my own.

Separated from Christ I can do nothing!

Separated from Christ I am lost!

But, Hallelujah; Christ came to me,

Christ found me and called me to himself.

Now nothing can separate me from God’s love.

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2 Corinthians 12:9-12; John 15:4-5; Romans 8:35-39

Let thousands flowers blossom!

Let thousand flowers blossom!
Let tens of thousand different plants flourish!
Let hundreds of thousand seeds sprout, and grow to become a vast forest!
Let the followers of Christ become numerous as the sand on the seashore.

Let the disciples of Christ fill the earth as the stars fill the winter-sky.
Let the believers excel in expressing love in practical and down to earth deeds.
Let the covenant community explode with creativity!
Let the church of Christ come to fullness!