Tag: Heart

In His word

Psalms 119:137   Righteous are you, O LORD, and right are your rules.  You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness.  My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words.  Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.  I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts.  Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true.  Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.  Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.

Psalms 19:7-9     The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;  the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;  the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

Nehemiah 9:33     Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.

We might say that God’s written word is an incomplete display of His character and nature; that is, there is more to God than what we can receive from His word. But what we do have in His word is accurate and properly displays to us who He is.

We might say that the God who actually exists is not different than His written revelation to us. He is greater than what can be comprehended through His written word, but He is not different than what is revealed to us through that word.

God’s words are especially helpful for establishing that He is very faithful. We often judge a person’s faithfulness by seeing if their words and their actions match. Along with other believers through the centuries, the Psalmist could say that the words of God and the actions of God were and are consistent, and show Him to be very faithful.

“Trust in the reliability of God’s word is directly proportionate to one’s trust in the Lord himself.” (VanGemeren)

“The Bible mirrors the character of God. Anyone who cares about knowing what is righteous and wants to act righteously should study the Bible.” (Boice)

Zeal implies energy and action. The appreciation of the Psalmist for the word of God was not passive. The living and active word of God brought forth a living and active response from the Psalmist. “Thus we see every man is eaten up with some kind of zeal. The drunkard is consumed with drunkenness, the whore-monger is spent with his whoredom, the heretic is eaten with heresies. Oh, how ought this to make us ashamed, who are so little eaten, spent, and consumed with the zeal of the word! . . . Oh, what a benefit it is to be eaten up with the love and zeal of a good thing!” (Greenham, cited in Spurgeon)

My flesh trembles

“You reject all those who stray from Your statutes, For their deceit is falsehood.”

Psalms 119:120  My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments.

1 Samuel 6:20     Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God?

Hebrews 12:28-29    Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,  for our God is a consuming fire.

Philippians 2:12    Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Isaiah 66:2    All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

2 Chronicles 34:27     because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants,

2 Chronicles 34:21    “Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

The Psalmist considered the righteous judgments of God, he looked to his own life and understood that it was more in the hands of God than the works of man. He used God’s word as a measuring line for viewing thoughts and actions of his own life.  He realized condemning judgements come upon those who reject and stray from His word and the principles revealed in them.  He understood that without a heart, mind, and soul deep desire to seek and know God, longing to please Him, yielding to His leading and directing, humbly serving, and obeying Him – man is prone to desires that are not God honoring.  He knew God’s judgements against man for their neglect and complacent view of His word and application in their life.  He knew that just below the surface of every heart is a desire to serve self first rather than God.

How are we to know God apart from His word?  How much more patience will God have on us for being complacent and neglectful?  How are we to know what pleases God, apart from His word?  How are we to know what displeases God, apart from His word?  Neglecting the His word, that is ever available before us, gives no excuse for not knowing.

The world has a way of distorting our perception of what it means to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey God.  Through His word we find what is pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God.  We have a choice each day to seek and serve and obey His leading.  I just don’t see how we do this without the continual feeding of our heart, mind and soul with His word. We ought to tremble at the thought of how complacent our lives have become, how much time we neglect thought of Him, how many times we are even listening for that quiet small whisper of leading from Him.

“It is only as we tremble before the exalted and holy God that we will ever see the world and its distorted values to be the empty things they are. If we do not tremble before God, the world’s system will seem wonderful to us and consume us pleasantly.” (Boice)

Incline my heart

Psalms 119:112  I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.

Psalms 119:36     Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!

Psalms 141:4   heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies!

Joshua 24:23    He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.”

1 Kings 8:58    that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers.

Philippians 2:13    for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, to the very end: The theme is once again emphasized. The Psalmist would never forsake God’s word; never stop reading, learning, meditating, and especially obeying it.

“Observe where he begins his work – not with the eye – the ear – the tongue – but with the heart.” (Bridges)

“The believer feels that every step is dangerous; this is why he cried out fro the lamp to his feet and the light to his path. With every step dangerous, how can he ever hope to endure forever, to the very end? Because the same God who lights and sustains him for one step can do it for every step, to the very end.”

Choosing to incline your heart is the beginning, committing to it for every step, of every day, of every moment requires fuel for that commitment.  The Psalmist new something about the natural heart – it is not inclined to God.  It is inclined to self, self interests, and self reliance.  Choosing to humbly honor, glorify, sever, follow and obey to the very end will require fuel for the heart, mind and soul.  God’s word to the very end.  Let it overflow your thoughts and actions.

This hymn calms my heart and puts a softness to this journey with Christ:

I come to the garden alone. While the dew is still on the roses. And the voice I hear, falling on my ear. The Son of God discloses

And He walks with me. And He talks with me. And He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there. None other has ever known

He speaks and the sound of His voice. Is so sweet the birds hush their singing. And the melody that He gave to me. Within my heart is ringing

And He walks with me. And He talks with me. And He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there. None other has ever known

I’d stay in the garden with Him. ‘Tho the night around me be falling. But He bids me go; through the voice of woe. His voice to me is calling

And He walks with me. And He talks with me. And He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there. None other has ever known

I acknowledged my sin to you

Psalms 119:25   My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!  When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes!  Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.  My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!  Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law!  I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me.  I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame!  I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!

Psalms 71:17     O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

Psalms 78:4     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.

Psalms 32:5     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.

Psalms 38:18    I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.

Psalms 51:1-19    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.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.  Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.  Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.  Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.  O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.  For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.  Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;  then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

“Can each one of us now say, in this sense, ‘I have declared my ways’ to the Lord? For this should be done, not only at our first coming to him, but continually throughout the whole of our life. We should look over each day, and sum up the errors of the day, and say, ‘I have declared my ways,’ — my naughty ways, my wicked ways, my wandering ways, my backsliding ways, my cold, indifferent ways, my proud ways.’” (Spurgeon)

Sin seems to find new and creative ways into our heart and mind. None of us are immune to it.  None can stand before God and declare I have no sin. Turning a blind eye to God’s word, leading, whispers of teaching, warning, insightful revealing of His word should give no sense of calm to our soul.  Neglect and complacent approach to His word allows a thick cloud to form over wisdom, understanding and knowledge of God, His holiness, and our purpose – “To humbly serve, honor, follow and obey.”

God’s word speaks to the heart and soul of those who will listen.  It has the power to open our eyes to holiness and sin, forgiveness and renewal,  weakness and power, sadness and joy, helplessness and courage,  anxiousness and peace, wisdom and understanding, humbleness and pride, all for the purpose of knowing, serving, honoring, following and obeying God.

LORD will be a light to me

“This I know, that God is for me.”

Psalms 118:6  The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Psalms 27:1-3   The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?LORD will be a light to me; of whom shall I be afraid?  When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.  Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

Psalms 46:1   God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalms 46:11     The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalms 56:4    In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

Psalms 146:5     Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

Micah 7:8-10     Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.  I will bear the indignation of the LORD because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication.

Romans 8:31    What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Hebrews 13:6    So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Darkness to light. When we experience darkness and there is no light for us to see, we are concerned about what we might walk into and what might be in front of us.  Are we going to walk into a wall or off of a cliff?  Life’s trials can give us the same concern, fear, and worry as being in darkness.  We don’t see what is around us or ahead of us.

I thank God for His word of encouragement.  “When I sit in darkness, He will be a light to me.” “He is my helper.” “He will bring me out to the light.” “God is our fortress.”  “God is very present help in trouble.” “LORD will be a light to me.” “God is for me.”

The way of his own heart

“Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?”

Psalms 107:17  Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;  they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.  Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!  And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

 Psalms 14:1   The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good

Psalms 92:6  The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever;

 Proverbs 1:22   “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?  

 Proverbs 7:7    and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense,

 Psalms 38:1-8    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.  I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

 Isaiah 57:17-18    Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.  I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, 

 Jeremiah 2:19     Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

Foolish, simple, backsliding, lacking sense, hating knowledge, and no fear of God all speak of the condition of man and the potential to forsake God.  I sometimes wonder if much has changed in mankind.  Our sinful nature is always sticking its ugly head up into our lives.  Some of these verses were written over 2500 years ago and yet they seem to apply as written for today. Think of the technology today that draws us away from seeking, speaking, following, praising, and listening to Him.  iPad, iPhone, computer, smart TV, and easy transportation all are used to fill our lives.  It does not take long for them to erode our walk with God.  Busyness and technology quickly lead us down a path of complacent neglect and is no excuse.  It takes a fully committed heart, mind and soul to seek, follow, honor, listen to, and obey God.  Do you want to hear His whispers of guidance? – Read His word.  Do you want to find purpose and satisfaction? – Read His word.   Are you tired of seeing everyday as just another self centered meaningless non-fulfilling day?  Read His word.  In His word we find promises of hope, joy, grace, mercy, eternal life, forgiveness, peace, rest, power, strength, and His steadfast love.

You will seek me and find me

Psalms 107:4  Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in;  hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.  Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

 Deuteronomy 8:15    who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock,

 Deuteronomy 32:10     “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

 Ezekiel 34:12     As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

 Numbers 14:33    And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness.

 Judges 15:18-19     And he was very thirsty, and he called upon the LORD and said, “You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”  And God split open the hollow place that is at Lehi, and water came out from it. And when he drank, his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore the name of it was called En-hakkore; it is at Lehi to this day.

 Lamentations 2:19     “Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street.”

 2 Corinthians 12:8-10    Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 Jeremiah 29:12-14     Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

 2 Corinthians 1:8-10    For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

There is no changing in God.  He remains the same, creator, mighty, awesome in power, steadfast love, grace, mercy, and long-suffering toward His creation, mankind.  Life would tell us there is little that changes for mankind as our nature would experience – pleasure, pain, purpose, satisfaction, toil, trouble, sickness, death, life, joy, anger, pride, humbleness, laughter, bitterness, praise, judgmental, forgiving, and crying.   We try to find much of our way in this life apart from God.  Apart from trusting in, relying on, clinging to, and giving thanks to Him.  Even when we think we are walking each day with Him, we limit what we think He can do.  Scripture has been given to us so that we might know Him more, understand Him more, love Him more, rely on Him more, trust in Him more, run to Him faster, listen to His quiet whispers of guidance more, seek Him more, and believe in Him more.  He never changes.  He is the same today and forever.  Spend time in His word. Seek Him and you will find Him.  Sometimes we need someone to just encourage us to run to Him.  It seems so obvious but many times it is the last thing we do.

Stubborn and rebellious

“Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.”

“Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.”

Psalms 106:6  Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.  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 78:8    and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

 Leviticus 26:40    “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me,

 Numbers 32:14    And behold, you have risen in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel! 

  1 Kings 8:47     yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’

 Ezra 9:6-7     saying: “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.

 Nehemiah 9:16     “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.

 Daniel 9:5-8     we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.  We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.  To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame,  

Acts 7:51-52     “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

Stiff-necked, open to shame, not obeying, turned heart, walking contrary, resisting, not listening, unfaithful spirit, rebellious, and stubborn, all speak of the conditions of man in relationship to God when neglect and complacency creep into everyday life.  Some how cares of this world, pride, and lust close our heart, mind, and soul to God.  Everyday is a choice to open up to the leading of the Holy Spirit and hear the quiet whispers of God that leads us to humbly serve, honor, glorify, listen to, follow, and obey Him.  His word is gives light in darkness, guides our path, and is full of wisdom, power, truth, encouragement, strength, and hope.  Feeding on His word gives food to our heart and soul.  It keeps us ever learning of His awesome power, might and steadfast love to those who choose to humbly serve and follow Him, and His fierce anger and wrath to those who choose to live each day for their own purpose, their own gain, their own wants, their own pleasure, and their own honor without regard of God.  How do we know of sin, or if we are pleasing God, or if we are leading our children (the next generation) away from God, or if we are doing things contrary to His will, if we are committed fully each day to serving Him and His purposes, not spending daily time in His word, and not listening for and to His whispers of guidance.  How are we to know of our sin and get to a place in our heart and soul where we are ashamed and confess, if His word is not feeding them?  Through His word we find purpose for living each day.  Apart from His word we see only that which leads us astray and on a very slippery slope away from Him.  How can we understand God’s grace, mercy, and love if we have no understanding of sin? How do we know the need for forgiveness if we have no understanding of sin? How can we have an understanding of sin and what is pleasing and unpleasing to God apart from His word? How do we have a hope for eternal life apart from His word.  How do we know our sins are forgiven apart from His word?  Forgiveness is given to those who have had their heart and mind opened by God’s word and see their sinfulness and need of forgiveness and then believe in and trust in and cling to and rely on Jesus Christ.  Their hope of eternal life with Christ is build on nothing else.

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.