Punished us less than deserved

Psalms 103:10  He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Daniel 9:18-19     O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.

Ezra 9:13     And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this,

Job 11:6    and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.

Ephesians 2:4-7     But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 45:6     that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.

Isaiah 43:25    “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

Micah 7:18     Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.

Jeremiah 31:34     And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

It is hard to understand the grace and mercy of God if we do not have a means to judge our sinfulness.

“I cannot overemphasize the importance of examining the Word of God. Examination requires the use of our minds, and the Bible exhorts believers to use their minds to honor God.” “If we fail to eat well-balanced meals on a regular basis, we will eventually suffer the physical consequences. What is true of the outer man is also true of the inner man. If we do not regularly feed on the Word of God, we will suffer spiritual consequences.” In order for us to apply God’s directions to our every-day lives, we must first listen carefully as God speaks to us personally through His Word. Like Samuel, we should say, “Speak, [Lord,] for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10, emphasis added).One of the most amazing aspects of Scripture is that it is alive and active, not dead and dull. Indeed, God still speaks today through the mystery of His Word. The Holy Spirit illumines our minds to what is revealed in Scripture. The Holy Spirit makes us “wise up to what is written, not beyond it.” (Hank Hanegraaff)

We do well to read His word and seek understanding, knowledge, and wisdom from it.  We gain insight into His holiness, our sinfulness, His power, our weakness, His truth, our lies, His peace, our anxiousness, His joy, our dread, His love, our lack there of, His promises and purpose, our disbelief and lack of direction.  His word is a lamp unto my feet and comfort to my soul.

By your blood

Psalms 103:4  who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

Psalms 34:22     The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalms 56:13     For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Psalms 71:23     My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.

Job 33:19-30     “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones,  so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite the choicest food.  His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.  His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death.  If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him,  and he is merciful to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom;  let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;  then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness.  He sings before men and says: ‘I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me.  He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’  “Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man,  to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life.

Revelation 5:9     And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,

James 1:12     Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

2 Corinthians 4:16     So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

To have sins forgiven is more important than physical healing.  What does it profit the soul to have perfect or good health if the soul is rotting away?  We tend to put blinders on when it comes to the health of our soul.  It is understandable why this can happen.  We can see and feel our physical state.  Our physical body is designed to let us know something is not right.  We feel pain.  We see the effects of something not being right.  Sometimes it is others who see it.  When it comes to our soul, how are we to know? The word of God.  In and through His word we are able to gain understanding of His holiness and our sinfulness.  His word is a light into our soul.  His word exposes the cancer that is eating away our soul.  His word brings healing to our soul.  Physical health has benefit for this life but spiritual health of our soul has benefit for eternity.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.”

“O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.”

Psalms 103:3  who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

Psalms 32:1-5    Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.  For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah  I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Isaiah 43:25     “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

Luke 7:47-48     Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”  And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Ephesians 1:7     In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Psalms 38:1-7   O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath!  For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me.  There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.  For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.  My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness, I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning. For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh.

Numbers 21:7-9     And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you.

Exodus 15:26     saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.”

Isaiah 53:5     But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Jeremiah 17:14     Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.

If our sin was exposed so all could see, what would people see?  If our sin were heavy weights and tied to our backs would we even be able to walk? If our sin was a brick tied to our feet and we were cast into water over our head would we ever be able to reach the surface for a breath?  If our sin was a sickness would we need life support?  The answer to these metaphoric questions depends on our ability to see our sin.  Many times I think we use a comparison approach to sin.  We look for someone else who, in our eyes, has worse sin than us.  We use this to look away instead of looking inward.  This is a lie fed to us in heaping measure by satan.  We easily latch on to this instead of seeking to know what is in our heart, mind, and soul that is offensive to God.  David wrote it this way: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” He asked God to reveal His sin to him so that he could live in such a way that honored and glorified God.  Start your day today asking God to reveal that which is not right in your life.  Then run with arms wide open confessing them to Jesus Christ and seeking to honor, glorify, worship, and praise Him for salvation and forgiveness of sin.

What is in your heart

“What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?”

“remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

Psalms 103:2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

Psalms 105:5     Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,

Psalms 106:7     Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.

Psalms 106:21     They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,

Deuteronomy 8:2-4     And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.  And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.  Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years.

Deuteronomy 8:10-14     And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.  “Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today,  lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them,  and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied,  then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,

Deuteronomy 32:6     Do you thus repay the LORD, you foolish and senseless people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you?

2 Chronicles 32:25    But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.

Isaiah 63:7    I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

Jeremiah 2:31-32     And you, O generation, behold the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, ‘We are free, we will come no more to you’? Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

Luke 17:15-18     Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;  and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.  Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

 

David said, “remember” and “forget not, the benefits and mighty works of God” .

Moses said, “take care lest you forget”, and “is this how you repay the Lord for all of His benefits?”  ” “Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today,  lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them,  and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied,  then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God,

Once again it is recorded another way in Jeremiah, “Yet my people have forgotten me days without number

We all need reminders.  Remember to humbly serve, praise, honor, follow, and obey God.  Do not forget His grace and mercy in your time of plenty.  Do not forget His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.  Do not forget to seek and desire His whispers of guidance into your heart and soul.  Do not lean on your own understanding.  Open the door to your heart and soul wide open to His plans and purpose for your life.  Yes we all need reminders of encouragement to the steadfast awesome power, might, and love of God.

All that is within me

“ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Psalms 103:1-5   Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalms 104:1    Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

Psalms 146:1-2     Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Psalms 57:7-11    My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody  Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn  I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.  For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

Psalms 86:12-13     I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.  For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Note these comments on this Psalm from Charles Spurgeon:

“We should attribute it to his later years when he had a higher sense of the preciousness of pardon, because a keener sense of sin, than in his younger days. His clear sense of the frailty of life indicates his weaker years, as also does the very fulness of his praiseful gratitude.” David understood that true worship was something deeply inward, of the soul. It is not just about outward forms or expressions, but also about something real from the soul. “Only a holy man can delight in holy things. Holiness is the terror of unholy men; they love sin and count it liberty, but holiness is to them a slavery.” “David selects a few of the choicest pearls from the casket of divine love, threads them on the string of memory, and hangs them about the neck of gratitude.”

 

Establish the work of our hands

“so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”

Psalms 102:28  The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

Psalms 22:30-31     Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;  they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

Psalms 45:16-17     In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth.  I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

Psalms 69:35-36      For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

Isaiah 53:10    Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 59:20-21     “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD  “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

Isaiah 65:22     They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

Psalms 90:16-17     Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

“Establish the work of our hands” I think much of the time we think about this and only apply it to our jobs.  We ask God to bless us in what we do.  We try to find meaning and purpose in what we do.  There will be no blessing from God if we are pursing our own path in life.  We should not take a job anywhere if we are not confident this is where God wants us.  We will find no purpose in life if we go our own way, seeking what ever it is to please us.  Purpose in life and blessings in life come from being in God’s will and seeking to honor and glorify Him.  Seeking to hear His quiet small voice leading you in family and work will light your path and allow you to see blessing and give you purpose.  How can we expect to give our offspring and generations to come anything to hang on to if we are not clinging to, relying on, and trusting in, and proclaiming the mighty glorious power, love, grace,  and mercy of God.  We don’t have to look very deep into our society / culture to see that our lack of commitment and complacency toward humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God has terrible results upon our children and the next generation.  Our life can be one filled with purpose and blessing if we would seek Him alone with our heart, mind and soul.

New heavens and new earth

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”

Psalms 102:26  They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end. The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

Isaiah 34:4     All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree.

Isaiah 66:22     “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain.

2 Peter 3:7-12     But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.  But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,  waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!

Revelation 20:11    Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

Revelation 21:1    Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Have you ever heard someone say “Live like there is no tomorrow”?  What are they really saying?  For some this would translate into “Party Time” and give no thought of the ramifications their actions would have on them or others.  Why not?  They assume all will end and there is nothing beyond this life.  No eternity.  No judgement. No God. No Heaven. No life after death.

For others, who believe, they may see this as so important they contact all family and friends they can, knowing they have little time, and tell them of God, eternity, judgment, life after death,  Good News of Jesus Christ, and salvation, new heaven and new earth, life eternal.  By the way this is how we ought to think – like there is no tomorrow.

There was a small book I read written by Brother Lawrence.  While he was out tending his garden the question was posed to him, “what would you do if you knew the world would end tomorrow?”.  He replied, “I would keep tending my garden.”  Brother Lawrence explained why.  He said he absolutely knew that he was doing God’s will and purpose.  He lived continually in the presence of God.  He sought nothing of his day but only to that which God was leading.  He sought to hear God’s leading and then, by faith, acted upon that.  He stayed in close contact with God through His word and in prayer.  Brother Lawrence only wanted to do what God had purposed for His life.  The world did not influence his actions, God did.  The world did not give him satisfaction, God did.  We all would do well to seek to know and understand God’s purpose for our life and then, by faith, always take action accordingly as His quiet small voice of leading is directing us.

Be Creator wise

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

“(For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)”

Psalms 102:25  Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.  They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away

Job 38:4-7     “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.  Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?  On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,  when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Proverbs 8:23-36     Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.  When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.  Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,  before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.  When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,  when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,  when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,  then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,  rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.  “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.  Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.  Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.  For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD,  but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

Jeremiah 32:17    ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Hebrews 1:10-12     And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;  they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,  like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

There are those who read these scriptures with an eye towards it being a fable or myth or hope of the unwise.  Yet to those who have had their heart, mind, and soul refreshed, it is the ultimate basis for their belief.  It guards their heart, mind and soul.  Their eyes have been opened from darkness and the light of His creation is seen.  Each day new mercies are seen.  Each day their spirit is refreshed.  Each day brings forth a new and continued revelation of how great and awesome is our God.  Each day there is hope for tomorrow.  Each day has purpose and meaning.  We have a choice each day to live in and thank God for having revealed Himself to us through His creation.  Read these scriptures again with eyes wide open to see our Creator and the wonder of His creation.  “Hear instruction and be wise.” “Listen to me.” “Nothing is too hard.” “By Your great power.” “Work of Your hands.” “Your years have no end.” “You are the same.” “Be wise.” “You laid the foundations.” “The builder of all things is God.” “In the beginning God create.”  Are you hurting – run to the Creator.  Are you lost without purpose – run to the Creator.  Are you lacking peace and joy – run to the Creator.  He says “Come to Me all who are heavy with burdens and I will give you rest” and also “Behold I stand at the door and knock, he that opens the door, I will come to him.”  Be Wise.!!!!!

People yet to be created

Psa 102:18  Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:  that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,  to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die,  that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise,  when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

Psalms 71:18    So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalms 78:4-6    We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

John 20:31     but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Romans 15:4     For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:11     Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction

2 Timothy 3:16-17     All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Write it down so that there is a record for future generations.  These generations then can be told and read of the Awesome Power, Love, Promises, Might, Saving Grace, Mercy and Holiness of God.  This scripture is not something from the mind and thought of mankind, but from God,  and speaks of that which brings purpose and direction to our lives this side of eternity.  It shines light into the darkness of lost hearts and souls.  It brings hope to the lost.  It brings the good news of salvation.  It brings praise, joy, and humbleness to those who choose to serve, honor, follow and obey the Creator and Author of all there is and will be.  Scripture has been given to us so that we can grow in our knowledge and understanding of the one and only true God.  It has also be given so that we are able to share it with others.  Blessed are the feet of those who bring good news.

Integrity of heart

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Psalms 101:2  I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.  A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.

Psalms 119:106    I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules.

2 Chronicles 31:20-21    Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.  And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

Genesis 18:19    For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice

Deuteronomy 6:7    You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

1 Kings 11:4    For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

2 Chronicles 15:17     But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days.

Isaiah 38:3     and said, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

When David came to royal power, he didn’t say: “Now I can live the good life.” he said “I will ponder the way that is blameless. He understood that the sense of God’s presence was connected to obedience.  1 John 1:6-7: If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  David understood life had to be real in his conduct within his own house.  You must not gauge your worth by what the outside world thinks and says about you.  David knew that one measure of a righteous life was what one chose to set before the eyes. There are many wicked things to set our eyes upon, and the lust of the eyes is a lure of this world.  Keep your heart, mind and soul tuned to God’s word with a deep desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey.  Learn to know the ways of God and purpose to choose to walk in them.