Murder – Praying Pint

51.e. Wilderness – 15.k. “‘You shall open wide your hand”

Deu 15:9-11  Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Proverbs 4:23   Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Jeremiah 17:10    “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Matthew 15:19    For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

Mark 7:21-22    For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,  coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.

Proverbs 28:22    A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

Proverbs 21:13     Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

In the heart and mind resides the vilest of thoughts and intents. The output is in the form of action or the lack of action. These souls are bound for doing what is right in their own eyes, what pleases them, what gives them satisfaction or the chase after satisfaction, what gives them purpose, how they treat people, how they speak to people, and there is no thought of honoring or glorifying Jesus Christ. You might look at these people with disdain or disgust or hate or anger, and for some of their actions, we can see it this way. God does. He sees it all. The thoughts. The intents. The actions.

Scripture tells us that God is angry and wrathful over such people. It also says that He is withholding His wrath and anger so that all might come to the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, repent, believe, trust, obey, follow, and rely upon Him for the salvation of their souls. God’s grace, mercy, and love are showered down because that is His plan to offer redemption and salvation to every person ever born.

We see people who are worldly and follow the lusts of their hearts. We see boastfulness, anger, hate, arrogance, theft, jealousy, lying, unkindness, greed, immorality, etc…… God sees them much more clearly than we do. He sees their thoughts and intents before any action has been taken. And yet, He offers the gift of eternal life.

How should we view these people to whom we want to justly hate? With love. Everything we say about an evil and lost person above applies to us but by the grace and mercy of God. We do well to remember that and the needs of others. It can be some need, physical, material, monetary, or spiritual. If our eyes are open and our ears attentive we will hear and be led by the Holy Spirit with the right spirit within us to help this in need.

49.v. Wilderness – 14.a. “These words the LORD spoke”

Deu 5:7-22 “‘You shall have no other gods before me.

“‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image.

“‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain,

“‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.

“‘Honor your father and your mother,

“‘You shall not murder.

“‘And you shall not commit adultery.

“‘And you shall not steal.

“‘And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

“‘And you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’

“These words the LORD spoke

God, who by natural claim as well as by covenant relation was entitled to exercise supremacy over His people Israel, had a sovereign right to establish laws for their government. (Brown)

God wrote the Ten Commandments on stone tablets and gave them Moses to share with all the Israelites soon after they left captivity in Egypt. Moses reiterated them 40 years later in as the Israelites neared the Promised Land. Leaving captivity in Egypt meant establishing a new society. The law established healthy boundaries based on respect for God and other people rather than brute strength. The law given to Moses provided the foundation for a new Israelite society. Jesus called people to an even higher standard by obeying the commandments not only in their actions but also in their hearts. The initial commandments start with the relationship with the “Lord your God”. God told His people He was their Lord, Master, and Creator God. They should have no other gods, and they should not make idols. They should not misuse his name. The Sabbath bridges our relationship with God. God commanded his people to take the Sabbath for their benefit. God intended for his people to enjoy their relationship with Him and each other by valuing the Sabbath. The following commandments address our relationships with others. (Noyes)

As new creations in Christ, the law is not only our duty but also our delight. If we want to love Christ as he deserves and as he desires, we will keep his commandments. But the Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The way to find moral instruction isn’t by listening to your gut but by listening to God. If we want to know right from wrong, if we want to know how to live, if we want to know how to live in a way that honors and glorifies Jesus Christ and blesses our friends and neighbors, we’d be wise to do things God’s way, which means paying careful attention to the His commandments. (Deyoung)

Compare what society deems and approves as “OK” to commands of God. Abortion, greed, hate, pornography, divorce, LGBQT, retaliation, self-worth, self-reliance, etc…. all find root in rejecting and denying God, things of God, and the Word of God. If we neglect God’s Word and allow social media and news outlets to fill our minds it is no wonder there is little conviction in the hearts of those who confess Jesus as Lord with their lips but the Word of God is not in their hearts or minds.

43.b. “Wilderness” – 7.i. Sinai – “You shall not murder.”

Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.

Leviticus 24:21 Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death.

Deuteronomy 19:13 Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may be well with you.

Psalms 10:8-11 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

Proverbs 1:11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason;

Proverbs 1:18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.

Isaiah 26:21 For behold, the LORD is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.

1 Timothy 1:9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers,

1 John 3:14-15 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Jesus carefully explained the heart of this commandment. He showed that it also prohibits us from hating someone else because we can wish someone dead in our hearts, yet never have the nerve to commit the deed. Someone may not kill from a lack of courage or initiative, yet his or her heart is filled with hatred. (Guzik)

When God “set a mark upon Cain” (Genesis 4:15), He marked thereby His abhorrence of the murderer. The “seven precepts of Noah” included one which distinctly forbade the taking of human life (Genesis 9:6). In all countries and among all peoples, a natural instinct or an unwritten tradition placed murder among the worst of crimes, and made its penalty death. The Mosaic legislation on the point was differenced from others principally by the care it took to distinguish between actual murder, manslaughter (Exodus 21:13), death by misadventure (Numbers 35:23), and justifiable homicide (Exodus 22:2). Before, however, it made these distinctions, the great principle of the sanctity of human life required to be broadly laid down; and so the law was given in the widest possible terms—“Thou shalt not kill.” Exceptions were reserved till later. (Ellicott)

Thou shalt not do any thing hurtful to the health or life of thy own body, or any other’s. This doth not forbid our necessary defence, or the magistrates putting offenders to death; but it forbids all malice and hatred to any, for he that hateth his brother is a murderer, and all revenge arising therefrom; likewise anger, and hurt said or done, or aimed to be done, in a passion; of this our Saviour expounds this commandment, Matthew 5:22. (Benson)

The sixth commandment requires that we regard the life and the safety of others as we do our own. Magistrates and their officers, and witnesses testifying the truth, do not break this command. Self-defence is lawful; but much which is not deemed murder by the laws of man, is such before God. Furious passions, stirred up by anger or by drunkenness, are no excuse: more guilty is murder in duels, which is a horrible effect of a haughty, revengeful spirit. All fighting, whether for wages, for renown, or out of anger and malice, breaks this command, and the bloodshed therein is murder. To tempt men to vice and crimes which shorten life, may be included. Misconduct, such as may break the heart, or shorten the lives of parents, wives, or other relatives, is a breach of this command. This command forbids all envy, malice, hatred, or anger, all provoking or insulting language. The destruction of our own lives is here forbidden. This commandment requires a spirit of kindness, longsuffering, and forgiveness. (Henry)

Thou shalt not kill. Not meaning any sort of creatures, for there are some to be killed for the food and nourishment of men, and others for their safety and preservation; but rational creatures, men, women, and children, any of the human species, of every age, sex, condition, or nation; no man has a right to take away his own life, or the life of another; by this law is forbidden suicide, or self-murder, parricide or murder of parents, homicide or the murder of man; yet killing of men in lawful war, or in defence of a man’s self, when his own life is in danger, or the execution of malefactors by the hands or order of the civil magistrate, and killing a man at unawares, without any design, are not to be reckoned breaches of this law; but taking away the life of another through private malice and revenge, and even stabbing of a man’s character, and so all things tending to or designed for the taking away of life, and all plots, conspiracies, and contrivances for that purpose, even all sinful anger, undue wrath and envy, rancour of all mind, all malice in thought, word, or deed, are contrary to this precept, see Matthew 5:21 and which, on the other hand, requires that men should do all they can for the ease, peace, and preservation of the lives of men. (Gill)

You know the sings of the times when looting, destruction of property, violent demonstrations, killing, wounding, etc are not only tolerated but condoned, and when peaceful protests and public prayer for the unborn are deemed unacceptable, breaking the law, and deserving punishment. Abortion is murder. There is no love, mercy, kindness, or preservation of innocent life.

The professionals at Planned Parenthood will work to get you the services you need, whether or not you have insurance. Our staff can also let you know if there is financial assistance available for your abortion and other related costs, like transportation. If there’s no Planned Parenthood health center near you, AbortionFinder.org can help you find a trustworthy abortion provider.

Abortion funds may be available to help you pay for your abortion. Abortion funds may also offer help with transportation, lodging, childcare, and other resources you may need to access abortion. The National Network of Abortion Funds connects people with organizations that can provide financial and logistical support for people getting abortions in the U.S.

Just because the culture makes murder of the unborn legal does not mean it is in the eyes of God. We think it very wrong to kill born babies in ritual sacrifice. This is recognized by everyone of sound mind, and yet, the unborn are legally sacrificed day after day. Globally, over 70 million are killed each year, and over 500,000 in the US. In the US there are ~198 abortions per 1,000 live births. Changing the name from murder of the unborn to “Women’s Choice” or “Rights” to make it legal does not make it right in God’s eyes. It is murder of the innocent unborn baby.

35.v. “They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one”

Genesis 6:5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Psalms 14:1-4   The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.  The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.  They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.  Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD?

Romans 1:28-31   And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.  They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,  slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,  foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

Romans 3:9-19    What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,  as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;  no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”  “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”  “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”  “Their feet are swift to shed blood;  in their paths are ruin and misery,  and the way of peace they have not known.”  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Ecclesiastes 7:29   See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

Matthew 15:19     For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

Ephesians 2:1-3   And you were dead in the trespasses and sins  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—  among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Jesus said, as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. In other words, the conditions of the world before the coming of Jesus will be like the conditions of the world before the flood: Exploding population, Sexual perversion, Demonic activity, Constant evil in the heart of man, and Widespread corruption and violence. (Guzik)

Abundance of sin was committed in all places, by all sorts of people; and those sins in their own nature most gross, and heinous, and provoking; and committed daringly, and in defiance of heaven. (Benson)

God saw that every imagination, or purpose, of the thoughts of man’s heart, was only evil continually. God is described as about to alter His visible procedure towards mankind—from being merciful and long-suffering, He was about to show Himself a God of judgment; and, as that impious race had filled up the measure of their iniquities, He was about to introduce a terrible display of His justice. (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown)

It was not only the actions of man that were corrupt and sinful but their very thoughts were corrupt and sinful. It is one thing to, at the spur of the moment, be tempted and sin, do wrong, choose poorly, retaliate, speak falsely, do harm, lie, cheat, etc……, but to have a mind that continually thinks about and how to execute sin upon sin is a deeper rooted issue. “Free Will” given to man allows each of us to choose to honor and glorify God or not. God’s Word is clear, man’s hearts and minds not only lean toward doing wrong but they will continually devise new ways to do wrong. How is a person to overcome this inherent evil resided inside of their heart and mind? Being inherent sinful what choice is there to follow? If our hearts and minds, are filled with only the desire to satisfy sinfulness, how is it possible to change this spirit of sin with us? With man it is impossible! With God it is possible. Redemption, salvation, forgiveness, = restoration. How is this possible?

God has placed within the soul of each person knowledge of Himself.
God has reached out to mankind through His Word.
God has demonstrated His power and might through creation and other works and wonders.
God sent prophets to warn, teach, convict, and condemn sin and sinfulness, and encourage righteousness.
God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to redeem fallen man from sin.
God sent His Holy Spirit to abide in those, who by faith, humbly confess, repent, follow, obey, trust, and rely on Jesus Christ.
God creates in these a new heart. They are born again, a new creation. The old is passed away, all things are new.

With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. There is no person so depraved, so far gone, or so sinful that this grace, mercy, and love of God cannot save and create a new heart, born again, a new creation.

If God has in some way softened your ears to your heart and mind to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and you find yourself longing for peace, joy, and hope in your life, turn to Jesus and humbly confess, repent, follow, obey, trust, and rely on Jesus Christ. In doing this God has promised to forgive your sin and give you a new heart and make you a new creation and fill you with the Holy Spirit who will guide and direct you on paths that will honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

34.i. “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

Matthew 19:16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

John 6:27-28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

This man, like all people by nature, had an orientation toward earning eternal life. He wanted to know what good work or noble deed he could do to inherit eternal life. By asking this question he:

He believed in a future state; that there was an eternal life that might be inherited.
He was concerned to ensure that life to himself, and was more desirous of it than of any of the enjoyments of this life: thus he differed from many of his age and quality; for the rich are apt to think it below them to make such an inquiry as this, and young people, in general, are inclined to defer making it to some future period of their lives.
He had to believe that something must be done; some evils omitted, some duties performed, or divine injunctions complied with, in order to acquire it.
He was, or at least thought he was, willing to do what was to be done or to take the steps necessary to be taken for the obtaining of this eternal life. And surely those that know what it will be to enjoy eternal life will not fall short of its requirements and will be glad to accept it on any terms. (Benson)

He had attempted to keep all the commandments. He had been taught by his Jewish teachers that people were to be saved by doing something – that is, by their works; and he supposed that this was to be the way under every system of religion. He had lived externally a blameless life, but yet he was not at peace: he was anxious, and he came to ascertain what, in the view of Jesus, was to be done, that his righteousness might be complete. To “have eternal life” means to be saved. (Barnes)

Jesus knew this man’s heart and spoke to him where his heart and mind could understand. We know that no one inherits eternal life by works, no matter how moral and grant they might be. To sell all and give all to the poor will not yield eternal life. With this in mind and reading this passage, Jesus is exposing to this man what is hindering him from surrendering all, covetousness, self-worth, and self-reliance. The young man declared that he had kept the law. That law required, among other things, that he should love his neighbor as himself. It required, also, that he should love the Lord his God supremely; that is, more than all other objects. If he had that true love for God and man – if he loved his Maker and fellow man more than he did his property, he would be willing to give up his wealth to the service of God and of man. Jesus commanded him to do this, therefore, to test his character, to show him that he had not kept the law as he pretended, and thus to show him that he needed better righteousness than his own.

Such is the life of many, loving this present world and what it has to offer. Many hear the call to repentance and salvation but the love of what this world has to offer more than eternal life in Jesus Christ. It is not as though they don’t desire eternal life but rather their love of something other than Christ keeps them from repenting and surrendering all at His feet. Many will not even show a bit of remorse over the decision to reject this offer of eternal life. They just simply cast it out of their mind giving it no further thought. Many will try to do enough good and wrongly think it is good enough to inherit eternal life. Many will even teach such. With such thoughts, the eye of the needle is very small and their attempts to enter through it with these thoughts of being good enough make them the size of a camel trying to enter. It is impossible.

The eye of the needle, as it were, is reserved for those who humbly repent, turn away from sin, and the love of this worlds pleasures and offers, surrenders, follows, trusts, and relies solely on Jesus Christ.

33.k. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Matthew 15:10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Isaiah 55:3    Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;

Titus 1:15    To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

Isaiah 60:21   Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.

Isaiah 56:10   His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

Isaiah 28:9-10   “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast?  For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”

Proverbs 10:32   The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse

Jeremiah 17:9   The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Revelation 21:27   But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

In the heart and mind of every person resides the root of their intents. Lust, anger, hate, envy, lies, gossiping, selfishness, self-worthiness, and self-reliance seeds are planted, rooted, watered, cultivated, and harvested within the heart and mind and manifest in thoughts, words, and actions that reveal a person’s path in this life. When the gospel of Jesus Christ is rejected the fertile ground within our hearts and minds will raise and harvest crops that do not honor and glorify Jesus Christ. When the Word of God is rejected and neglected the harvest is surely not God-honoring or glorifying.

We don’t have to be around people very long to see what is planted and being harvested within their hearts and mind. Their words and actions reveal their intended harvest. How is a person to know what it is that is planted, growing, and being harvested from within their hearts and minds? The Word of God will lay wide open a person’s heart and mind, exposing the thoughts, intents, and actions stemming from within. Without the Word of God it is clear – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Human discernment apart from God’s Word will never understand the thoughts and intents of the heart. Their understanding is blind and deaf because there is nothing planted from which good crops can be harvested in either thoughts, words, or actions. Oh, they can do good things according to cultural and social norms, but the intent is self-serving, not God-honoring and glorifying. People will blindly accept their life without God in it and give no thought to their eternal destination. As they age and approach the time in their life where death is closer than their birth, they may give some thought to death and eternity. They may ask themselves; where is my eternal destination? Are heaven and hell real? Have I been good enough to be allowed into heaven? These questions all reveal a heart and mind that has never humbly repented, surrendered, believed in, and trust Jesus Christ for their forgiveness, redemption, and salvation. The good news is that it is never too late, nor is a person too old, nor is a person too unforgivable. Jesus Christ came into the world to save the sinners. He died on the cross, bearing all their sins so that they might have eternal life if they would just humbly repent, surrender, believe, trust, and rely on His sacrifice alone and apart from any good works they may have done. It is in this humble repentance, surrender, belief, trust, and reliance in Jesus Christ that a person is born again and eternal life promised. These lost souls will find rest for their souls and peace of mind for their hearts.

I have seen the intents of the hearts and minds of “Christians” revealed in their words and actions. We are not immune to the seeds of destruction being planted, rooted, and harvested in our lives. These seed thoughts are being planted all the time by what we read, what we watch, what we are exposed to, and what we allow to reside in our hearts and minds. Paul addressed this very clearly when he said; “take every thought captive”. We are to be able to discern what is right, holy, good, pure, and acceptable. How can this be if we neglect and become complacent with the Word of God? God’s Word is the seed, fertilizer, and water for all that is right, true, holy, good, and acceptable. Discernment is a result of desiring and seeking God’s Word with the intentional choice to know what is right, true, good, pure, holy, and acceptable for the single purpose of being able to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do.

Do you want to discern what is in your heart, continually expose it to God’s Word with an expectant mind that God will reveal it. David had such a heart – “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

31.r. “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you”

Matthew 7:12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Luke 6:31    And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

Leviticus 19:18  You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Jeremiah 7:5-6   “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another,  if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow,

Zechariah 8:16-17   These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;  do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.”

Ezekiel 18:7-8   does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, does not lend at interest or take any profit, withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man,

Micah 6:8     He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Malachi 3:5   “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

Romans 13:8-10  Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.  For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

1 Timothy 1:5   The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

None but he whose heart is filled with love to God and all mankind can keep this precept, either in its spirit or letter… It seems as if God had written it upon the hearts of all men, for sayings of this kind may be found among all nations, Jewish, Christian, and Heathen.” (Clarke)

“Oh, that all men acted on it, and there would be no slavery, no war, no swearing, no striking, no lying, no robbing; but all would be justice and love! What a kingdom is this which has such a law!” (Spurgeon)

Love of self, (who we are, what we do, how we think, what we say) is wrong when it places self above all others. Jesus has just spoken about loving your enemies, being careful how you judge others and not-self, giving to the needy, not being anxious about things in this life, seeking God in faith, and now finishing it with “do onto others as you wish them to do onto you”. We often judge others by their acts and not their intent, and yet we examine ourselves by our intent. When we repent of doing wrong to someone we want them to forgive and forget it. Yet, we feel justified to do the opposite when we have been wronged. Is Jesus Christ honored and glorified by how we treat others and what we think about them? Am I allowing God’s Word to lead and direct my thoughts, actions, and words toward others? Do I dwell on the negative thoughts about others that first pops into my head or am I able to recognize it as a wrong thought and cast it out and replace it with kindness, brotherly love, gentleness, generosity, and peaceful thoughts? If we would have hearts, minds, and souls that desired in all things to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, it is then we would begin to understand the depth of “do onto others as you wish them to do onto you”.

30.i. “To make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days”

2 Timothy 3:1 But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!

Daniel 10:14    and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

2 Peter 3:3    knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.

Philippians 2:21   For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:29   They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,

Proverbs 6:17   haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

1 Timothy 6:4    he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,

Jude 1:19   It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

“We should note what the hardness or danger of this time is in Paul’s view to be, not war, not famine or diseases, nor any of the other calamities or ills that befall the body, but the wicked and depraved ways of men.” (Calvin) We should be able to discern when the last days are; or at least when world conditions are like the Bible described they would be in the last days. Apart from the second Advent of our Lord, the world is more likely to sink into a pandemonium than to rise into a millennium.” (Spurgeon) Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day because they did not or would not understand the meaning of their times: Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times (Matthew 16:3). It is possible that Jesus would have the same rebuke for some Christians today who are unaware of the last days and the soon return of Jesus Christ. (Guzik) People are told to love themselves unconditionally and that such self-love is the foundation for a healthy human personality. We don’t need to be encouraged to love ourselves; we naturally have such a love. Neither should we be taught to hate ourselves. This love of self is the foundation for all the depravity that follows. (Calvin) The moment a man makes his own will the centre of life, divine and human relationships are destroyed, obedience to God and charity to men both become impossible. The essence of Christianity is not the enthronement but the obliteration of self.” (Barclay) The love of money is nothing new, but today people have the ability to pursue our love of money like never before. Boasting, pride, and blasphemy are nothing new; but today, they seem far more prominent than ever. Today boasting, pride, and blasphemy are apparent everywhere, especially among the celebrities that our cultures idolizes. Men have always told hurtful lies about other men; but today, in media and in politics, slander has been elevated to both big business and big money. In politics, candidates routinely and knowingly distort their opponent’s positions, just to make their competition look bad – and they don’t feel bad at all about the lying if it helps them get elected. In media, editors and news directors serve as prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner to innocents who are wrongly suspected – and usually refuse to apologize when they are proven to be wrong. In our self-obsessed world, people feel very free to have a “salad bar” religion – they pick and choose what they want. They feel free to be very “spiritual,” but sense no obligation to be Biblical. People who do the things on this list are not only common today but they are often also our cultural heroes. The simple responsibility of Christians is to turn away not only these attitudes, but also from the people who do these things.

11.u. “There is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.”

Nahum 3:1 Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder— no end to the prey! The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, hosts of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over the bodies! And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whorings, and peoples with her charms.

Ezekiel 22:2-3   “And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then declare to her all her abominations.  You shall say, Thus says the Lord GOD: A city that sheds blood in her midst, so that her time may come, and that makes idols to defile herself!

Ezekiel 24:6-9    “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose corrosion is in it, and whose corrosion has not gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece, without making any choice.  For the blood she has shed is in her midst; she put it on the bare rock; she did not pour it out on the ground to cover it with dust.  To rouse my wrath, to take vengeance, I have set on the bare rock the blood she has shed, that it may not be covered.  Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.

Habakkuk 2:12    “Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity!

Zephaniah 3:1-3     Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city!  She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she does not draw near to her God.  Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning.

Isaiah 42:24     Who gave up Jacob to the looter, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned, in whose ways they would not walk, and whose law they would not obey?

Hosea 4:2     there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

Nahum, proclaiming God’s Word against Nineveh, reveals the heart and soul of that city and the people who lead it. Lies and plunder and killing are used to charm their people into thinking what they are doing are good, right, and without consequences. Nineveh is not alone in these acts of defiance as recorded over and over again in scripture. When God is removed from the hearts and minds of young and old children and adults their hearts will turn to what seems right in their own eyes. When God is removed who is to say what they are doing is wrong when the masses are charmed into joining in and believing the enticements of their lies. Their satisfaction and sense of well being come from blindly following their leaders. When the fear of God and worship of Him is willfully abandoned false hopes and self-assurance/reliance will take firm root. No warnings seem to have been listened too. No plead to repent and turn away from their sinful actions will be listened too. No urgent need will be seen. God is just and His justice is always right and true. His anger, wrath, and judgment will not be withheld. Our responsibility as children of God is to be proclaimers of the Good News of Jesus Christ. God’s Word will never return void. Sometimes it will be used by the Holy Spirit to convict a person into repentance and the love and worship of God, and sadly it will also harden a heart into hate and defiance of God. The point is we are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ and proclaim the Love of Jesus Christ. We may never see the fruit of our discipleship but fruit there will be. Currently, we can see some of the moral character of our nation crumbling before our very eyes. When more and more people demand God be removed from school, work, and government what can we expect? Likewise, when more and more Christians proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ there is hope and we can expect God to do mighty work in our country.

1.s. You did well that it was in your heart

2 Chronicles 6:7 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless, it is not you who shall build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. And there I have set the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with the people of Israel.”

2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

We see David had it in his heart to build a house for God. David was embarrassed by the fact that he was living in a fine palace and God was not. So, David purposed in his heart to save and set aside money, purchase materials, and design that which he purposed in his heart to build for God.

Don’t pass over “you did well that it was in your heart”. It is in the normal heart to lead and keep us focused on self and away from God.

Jon Bloom writes – “The truth is, no one lies to us more than our own hearts. No one. If our hearts are compasses, they are misguiding compasses. They don’t tell us the truth; they just tell us what we want. If our hearts are guides, they are more than likely lying and want to convince us to above all else please self. They are not benevolent; they are pathologically selfish. In fact, if we do what our hearts tell us to do, we will pervert and impoverish every desire, every beauty, every person, every wonder, and every joy. Our hearts want to consume these things for our own self-glory and self-indulgence. No, our hearts will not naturally lead us in the direction of God. We need to be saved from our hearts natural desires.” “Therefore, don’t believe in your heart; direct your heart to believe in God. Don’t follow your heart; follow Jesus. Note that Jesus did not say to his disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled, just believe in your hearts.” He said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” “So, though your heart will try to shepherd you today, do not follow it. It is not a shepherd. It is a pompous sheep that, due to remaining sin, has some wolf-like qualities. Don’t follow it, and be careful even listening to it. Remember, your heart only tells you what you want, not where you should go. So, only listen to it to note what it’s telling you about what you want, and then take your wants, both good and evil, to Jesus as requests and confessions.”

Intentionally choosing each day to be heart, soul, and mind, focused on honoring God will change the way you see each moment that passes before you, each thought that comes into your mind, and every action you are planning to take. Stay in His word and let it fill your heart and mind with more understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ.