Statutes – Page 7 – Praying Pint

That I may live and keep your word.

Psalms 119:17 Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments. Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.

Isaiah 29:10-12 For the LORD has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers). And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.”

Isaiah 29:18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.

Isaiah 32:3 Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will give attention.

Isaiah 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

Matthew 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

John 9:39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

2 Corinthians 3:14-18 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Ephesians 1:17-18 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

This is true a love of God not desiccated by study but refreshed, informed and nourished by it.”

The Psalmist didn’t need new revelation; he needed to see the revelation that was already given. He didn’t need new eyes; he needed to see with the eyes he already had.

“In order to keep God’s word, must we not pray to understand it? What then is this prayer? Not – give me a plainer Bible – but open my eyes to know my Bible. Not – show me some new revelations beside the law – but make me behold the wonders of the law.” (Bridges)

There are wondrous things in Scripture; but they can only be seen when the eyes are opened by God.

It also means that not everyone sees the wondrous things in God’s word, but that when one does see them, they should regard it as evidence of God’s blessing and favor.

God has given man a sense of wonder, and there are certain things that prompt it. The new and unexpected can cause wonder; the beautiful and great and cause wonder, and the mysterious and unknown can cause wonder. We can say that God has provided for this sense of wonder by giving us His word. The Holy Spirit can make us alive to the Bible, and constantly see things that are new and unexpected; things that are great and beautiful; things that are mysterious and unknown. It is a shame to many Christians that they look for their sense of wonderful to be satisfied without looking to the Word of God.

Think of all there is in the Bible that you don’t see. Think of all the wonder, all the treasure that is there, but you don’t see it. You can see such things, though you can’t see everything, and sometimes you will think you see things that are not really there. Yet those who see more than you are not necessarily smarter or better; their eyes are just more open.

“If we want to see wonderful things in the Scriptures, it is not enough for us merely to ask God to open our eyes that we might see them. We must also study the Bible carefully. The Holy Spirit is given not to make our study unnecessary but to make it effective.” (Boice)

Oh that my ways may be steadfast

Psalms 119:1-8 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!

Survey and polling data constantly demonstrate that those who live lives in general conformity to God’s standards are happier, enjoy life more, and are more content. Yet the illusion remains for many that a defiled life is more “fun.”

We need God to show us the way to a happy life, and it is centered on being undefiled in the way. “The reason we are not happy is that we sin, and the main reason we sin as much as we do is that we do not know the Bible well enough. . . . Apart from being instructed by God, human beings do not know how to achieve happiness.” (Boice)

We wouldn’t know what a pure life was without God telling us. Certainly, some aspects of a pure life are revealed in human conscience and known widely among humanity. Yet there are other aspects of the pure life that we learn only from the Word of God.

“To enjoy this beatitude a holy walking must become habitual. This sacred exercise is very different from sluggish piety. ‘Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord.’ A man may sit down in the road without soiling his skin or fouling his apparel, but that is not enough. There must be progress – practical action – in the Christian life; and in order to blessedness we must be doing something for the Master.” (Spurgeon)

Keep means doing, not only hearing. “Neither is it enough that we understand or ponder God’s precepts, but we must practice them, if we would be happy.”

“Blessedness is ascribed to those who treasure up the testimonies of the Lord: in which is implied that they search the Scriptures, that they come to an understanding of them, that they love them, and then that they continue in the practice of them. We must first get a thing before we can keep it. In order to keep it well we must get a firm grip of it: we cannot keep in the heart that which we have not heartily embraced by the affections.’ (Spurgeon)

Yet, we do not miss the emphasis on the heart. “God is not truly sought by the cold researches of the brain: we must seek him with the heart. Love reveals itself to love: God manifests his heart to the heart of his people. It is in vain that we endeavour to comprehend him by reason; we must apprehend him by affection.” (Spurgeon)

“Without You I can do nothing; my soul is unstable and fickle; and it will continue weak and uncertain till You strengthen and establish it.” (Clarke)

“Unto all thy commandments; so as not to be partial in my obedience, not to allow myself in the practice of any known sin, or in the neglect of any known duty.” (Poole)

I will keep Your statutes: This was a promise to keep – in the sense of guarding – the statutes (huqqim), the engraved, inscribed, written word of God.

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.

The rock of my salvation

Psalms 89:26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’ And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips.

Matthew 26:39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Luke 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

John 11:41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.

John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Hebrews 1:5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

Psalms 18:46 The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation—

Psalms 62:2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

2 Samuel 22:47 “The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,

Isaiah 50:7 But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

Isaiah 59:21 “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.”

The rock of my salvation. We have times we seem to experience being broken and unable to see blessings, joy, peace, and hope. Life happens and is going along fine and then out of the blue it is upside down. The rock of my salvation, my refuge, my strength, my hope, my joy, my peace, my defender, my power, my help, and my guidance are all words used by men who looked to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit in times of trouble. These men chose to keep in the presence of God at all times. Keeping close to God and seeking His help is easy in broken and confusing times of our life. Shouldn’t we want to desire to be close to God at all times living to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him? Holding on to God’s hand through life is so much easier than running off into things alone. Listening to His whispers of guidance each day and staying in communion with Him will keep our heart, mind, and soul focused with hope, joy, and peace.

Let me hear in the morning

“True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.”

“I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth,”

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”

Psalms 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

Psalms 5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.

Psalms 25:4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.

Psalms 25:12 Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

Psalms 27:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path

Psalms 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.

Psalms 119:73 Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

Psalms 143:8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD! I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

Job 34:32 teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

John 6:45-46 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

Psalms 119:30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me.

Jeremiah 32:38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them.

Matthew 6:23 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The call to us is to have a heart, mind, and soul that desire God and to serve Him in a way that honors and glorifies Him. Notice the heart of the men in scripture who comment on their want to be led by God. Teach me, show me, lead me, guide me, deliver me, show me, and instruct me. How are they different than the way we are looking at God. It appears they had a deeper desire and longing to honor and glorify Him. Our lives seem to be so much easier than theirs. Technology allows us many benefits that were not part of their daily lives. The ease in our life made by travel, communication, medicine, heating, cooling, freezing, computers, clothing……. should make us more thankful and grateful for God allowing industrialization and technology to flourish. We seem to think this is all done with the hands and mind of man. All of this seems to have moved us further and further away from God to the point He is a second thought in times of trouble rather than the first thought. There is so much in our culture that says “you don’t need God” but the fact remains we do. What does it mean to have a heart, mind, and soul desiring Him? Read these scriptures again and see where others before us have put God in their lives. The importance of this should not go unnoticed. Seek Him, Desire Him, Honor Him, Worship Him, Listen to Him, Follow Him, and Obey Him.

Teach me

“True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.”

Psalms 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

Psalms 5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.

Psalms 25:4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.

Psalms 25:12 Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

Psalms 27:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Psalms 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.

Psalms 119:73 Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

Job 34:32 teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Having the right mindset is key to fearing God and seeking His way for your life. How many times can you give stories on people who have the mindset they can figure it out themselves and do not ask to be taught? It is easy to fall into the trap believing the current amount of biblical knowledge and understanding is all that is needed when things seem to be going fine and without many issues. This easily leads down a path of complacency and neglect. Note these scripture references; “Teach” me – let me “Hear” – make me “Know” – give me “Understanding” – “lead” me – He will “Instruct”. The heart, mind and soul of these people were humbly seeking God. They did not necessarily set time aside to give thought to God and about God, but rather this was their mindset foundation and permeated every second of their life. With this foundation their mind, heart, eyes, and ears were open and actively seeking to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God’s purpose in and through their life. Trying to please God with our own purposes on our own path takes us further away from God rather than closer. Desire, seek, and choose to be led by Him.

Gentle and lowly of heart

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

John 13:13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Romans 15:5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1 Peter 2:21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

1 Peter 3:17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

1 John 2:6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Psalms 119:1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!

What does it take to live in harmony? We are encouraged and given endurance from God to imitate the example of Jesus Christ, being lowly of heart and gentle in spirit. We ought to walk in His ways being diligent to know, understand, follow and obey His precepts. Because of our sinful nature, this is a battle everyday and culture tries to convince us that being good is good enough, being better than most is good enough, that we are not doing what is legally wrong so we are good enough…… It is not about being good enough but rather being in Christ. Needless to say our battle is not on the outside but on the inside within our souls. Feeding our souls with His word and having a heart deep desire to humbly serve honor, follow and obey Him will have a positive affect against our sinful nature and influence of our culture. Be an example of Christ and a reflective light of His grace, mercy, and love.

Be Strong and Courageous

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Zechariah 8:9 Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

Joshua 1:6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.

1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed

1 Chronicles 28:20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

Isaiah 35:4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Haggai 2:4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

Being strong in the Lord requires us to have faith. To not have Fear requires us to have faith. To be courageous requires us to have faith. Doing what the Lord would have us do requires us to rely in, cling to and trust in Him. No matter what our circumstance is God is bigger. No matter how big the problem is God is bigger. No matter how tough the situation is God is mightier. Our God reigns. Think about what is in this verse from Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.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,

Integrity

“O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.”

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”

Psalms 25:20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

Psalms 121:7 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

Psalms 71:1-2 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!

Joel 2:26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!

Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them

Acts 24:16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.

Psalms 18:20 The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt. So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

Psalms 7:8 The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.

Psalms 26:11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.

Having strong moral principles and being honest deserve some thought. How do we judge our moral principles (integrity)? By what standard do we use or should we use to know our moral compass has the right heading? If the culture of our society says murder is ok would we have moral principles if we agreed with this? One example; Worldwide 40-50 million living babies in the womb are killed every year. Do our moral principles say this is wrong or right? It is critical to understand what we base our principles on. It can get very confusing. Social media at our finger tips can easily play into defining our moral stance. Where do we find solid ground? How do we stay grounded and not moved? God’s word says that His laws have been written on every mind and heart. For the most part we know wrong from right but for some reason we seem to want to define our own wrong and right – we justify it in our mind. If we question our stance, as it may be contrary to what God is speaking to our heart, we search out others who think the same and then justify our stance on like minded people. David said he the ways of the Lord, and God’s rules and statutes were never put away. He kept them before himself. Writing them on his heart and mind, meditating on them when the sun rose and set. God’s word is truth – if you don’t start here you will never have a basis on which to stand that has eternal benefit. Every person gets to decide if they will believe in God, believe He will judge every man, believe there is nothing hidden from God, believe He alone has salvation, believe God will lead and direct them, believe God will protect them, believe God will be their salvation on the day of judgement, believe there is both heaven and hell, believe God will hear their prayer, believe God is living and ever present, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO BASE THIS ON HIS WORD.