Present yourself

“And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules,”

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Psalms 78:72  With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.

Psalms 101:1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music.  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.  Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.  I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.  No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.  Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.

Isaiah 11:2    And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.  And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,  but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

In Psalm 101 David says he will ponder the way that is blameless, he will not set his eyes on anything worthless, and he will hate the work of those who fall away. Why does he want to choose to live this way?  Because of the place God has in His heart, mind, and soul.  If we choose to live this way we will need to have God’s wisdom, knowledge, discernment,  and understanding. To walk with God each day and desire and purpose to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey is not something that comes easy to us.  Placing God first in all we do and think takes discipline and commitment.     Fighting the sinful nature of self purpose and choosing to replace it with God’s purpose will give meaning, hope, peace, love, joy, strength, power….. this side of eternity.

The Wicked Prowl

 

“I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.”

Psalms 12:8
On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

Proverbs 29:12
If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.

Hosea 5:11
Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because he was determined to go after filth.

Job 30:8
A senseless, a nameless brood, they have been whipped out of the land.

Psalms 101:5
Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure  I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.  No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.

Proverbs 29:12
If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.

On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man. This should not be a shock to us that the world is in such a state.  People tell lies, seek filth, listen to lies, practice deceit, and have arrogant hearts.  When I read these verses I am encouraged to pray for leadership of our country.  It is not uncommon for them to be in the company of people listed above and my prayer is for them to have discernment in clearly knowing the intent of those who surround them each day.  That they are able to hear God’s leading and willing to obey.  That their ears are closed to falsehood and they are able to with stand attacks from those in opposition. God open their eyes, ears, and heart to see you and fill them with desire to know and serve you.