Tag: Wicked

I will instruct you

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”

Psalms 119:133  Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

Psalms 121:3   He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

Psalms 17:5     My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

1 Samuel 2:9    “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.

Psalms 19:13    Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

Romans 6:12-14     Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.  Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Romans 7:23-24     but I see within me another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Sin, unchecked, will attempt to gain and hold dominion in our life. First it may be in a small or seemingly insignificant area, but that dominion will grow in size and strength until our spiritual life is in serious compromise. Many today want to direct their steps by something else, anything else other than the word of God.

· “Direct my steps by my feelings.”

· “Direct my steps by my lusts.”

· “Direct my steps by my friends.”

· “Direct my steps by my parents.”

· “Direct my steps by circumstances.”

· “Direct my steps by fate.”

· “Direct my steps by my comfort.”

The word of God is our light, path, knowledge and understanding, living water, and spiritual food.  Through His word we hear whispers of His voice leading, reproving, convicting, confirming, teaching, instructing, encouraging, and giving us hope, building our faith, peace, joy, love, and changing our passions and love for this world to a  Love of Him, and a heart desire to honor, glorify, worship, serve, follow and obey.   This is fueled by time in His word. Great and precious promises are given to us in His word.  These are given to us so that through them we will grow more in our faith and live more abundantly for His plan and purpose, not ours.  We do well to spend time in His word and not so much time in our own pursuit of satisfaction apart from it.

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

The Light of God’s word

Psalms 119:105   Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules.  I am severely afflicted; give me life, O LORD, according to your word!  Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O LORD, and teach me your rules.  I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law.  The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts.  Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.  I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.

Proverbs 6:23    For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

Ephesians 5:13    But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,

2 Peter 1:19     And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,

Psalms 19:8     the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;

Psalms 43:3     Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me;

Psalms 18:28     For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.

Job 29:3    when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,

We can know, as we walk the road of life, the word of God will make our steps clear.We would not know where to step without the guidance of God’s word. It is possible to walk the path of life not knowing where our steps fall.  We don’t know if our foot will step on good ground or dangerous ground; we are not self-aware. God’s word will be a lamp to our feet. Simply said, the Bible should help us walk the way God wants us to walk. Think of all the different words we use to describe how a person walks: stroll, saunter, amble, trudge, plod, dawdle, hike, tramp, tromp, slog, stomp, march, stride, sashay, glide, troop, patrol, wander, ramble, tread, prowl, promenade, roam, traipse, mosey, and perambulate. Just as different words show that there are many different ways to walk, God’s word has many different ways to light our paths.

How are we to walk? “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” – “they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness” – “and to walk humbly with your God” – “walk in the light as He is in the light”.  None of these are possible without the light of God’s word lighting our way.

“Thus is our passage in a dark and perilous way irradiated by the lamp and light of the word. But except the lamp be lighted – except the teaching of the Spirit accompany the word, all is darkness – thick darkness. Let us not be content to read the word without obtaining some light from it in our understanding.” (Bridges)

“One of the most practical benefits of God’s word is guidance in the acts of daily life; it is not sent to astound us with its brilliance, but to guide us by its instruction.” (Spurgeon)

The word of God is light and brings light; it doesn’t make things darker or harder to understand. It is a book of LIGHT.

His plan and purpose for our life

Psalms 119:71  It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Psalms 119:67    Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.

Psalms 94:12-13     Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law,  to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.

1 Corinthians 11:32    But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

Hebrews 12:10-11     For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

“I, for my part, owe more, I think, to the anvil and to the hammer, to the fire and to the file, than to anything else. I bless the Lord for the correctives of his providence by which, if he has blessed me on the one hand with sweets, he has blessed me on the other hand with bitters.” (Spurgeon)

“ ‘I never’ – said Luther – ‘knew the meaning of God’s word, until I came into affliction. I have always found it one of my best schoolmasters.’” (Bridges)

“Yet we must guard against the misunderstanding that seasons of affliction automatically make one better or godlier. Sadly, there are many who are worse from their affliction – because they fail to turn to God’s word for wisdom and life-guidance in such times.”

“Very little is to be learned without affliction. If we would be scholars we must be sufferers. . . . God’s commands are best read by eyes wet with tears.” (Spurgeon)

“By affliction God separates the sin which he hates from the soul which he loves.” (John Mason)

Even trouble can be good if we allow it to teach and grow us in wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the word of God and His holiness.

“the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.” It is a continuing change worked by God in us, freeing us from sinful habits and forming in us Christlike affections, dispositions, and virtues. It does not mean that sin is instantly eradicated, but it is also more than a counteraction, in which sin is merely restrained or repressed without being progressively destroyed. Sanctification is a real transformation, not just the appearance of one.”

“Regeneration is birth; sanctification is growth. In regeneration, God implants desires that were not there before: desire for God, for holiness, and for glorifying God’s name in the world; desire to pray and worship; desire to love and bring benefit to others. In sanctification, the Holy Spirit “works in you, both to will and to work” according to God’s purpose, enabling His people to fulfill their new, godly desires”

Finding God’s will and purpose for our life will take us on many paths of His choosing if we but desire to follow.  Sometimes we can get a bit sideways and in looking for His plan and purpose we loose sight of Him.  I know this seems a bit confusing but I recently heard it preached this way;  Instead of asking God to show you His purpose and plan for you life first – Seek to know and understand Him more.  Instead of putting your want for His plan and purpose for your life defined and laid out – Seek to honor, glorify, worship, and praise Him first.  Seeking/desiring to know and understand more and more of His holiness with a heart, mind, and soul deep commitment to honor, glorify, worship, praise and serve Him will open our eyes to His plans and purpose.

Therefore it shall be a witness against you

Psalms 119:57   The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words.  I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.  When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies;  I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments.  Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law. At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules.  I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts.   The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!

Psalms 16:5    The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

Psalms 73:26     My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalms 142:5    I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

Lamentations 3:24     “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

“Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.”

Joshua 24:15     And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Deuteronomy 26:17-18     You have declared today that the LORD is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice.  And the LORD has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,

“You are my portion, O Lord: These are the words of a satisfied soul. The Psalmist is satisfied with the portion received, and that portion is the Lord Himself.”

“The Lord Himself is satisfaction to the Psalmist because God has come to him through His word. It isn’t as if the word of God was in one place, and the Psalmist must go another place for experience of and satisfaction found in God. He can say, “You are my portion, O Lord, and I have received that portion as You meet me in Your word and I live it out.”

“He is an exceedingly covetous fellow to whom God is not sufficient; and he is an exceeding fool to whom the world is sufficient. For God is an inexhaustible treasury of all riches, sufficing innumerable men; while the world has mere trifles and fascinations to offer, and leads the soul into deep and sorrowful poverty.”

“A close connection with God that receives and enjoys Him as one’s portion also receives strength to keep His words.”

“But if we take the Lord as our portion, we must take him as our king. . . . Here is the Christian complete – taking the Lord as his portion, and his word as his rule.” (Bridges)

“I have said; I have not only purposed it in my own heart, but have professed and owned it before others, and I do not repent of it.” (Poole)

Do you ever take notice of how active God’s word is in your life, where you actually reflect on it at the end of the day?  It is easier to notice if time is spent in His word with a heart deep desire to humbly serve, honor, praise, glorify, follow and obey Him.  Being filled with His living word will satisfy the darkest soul and give light to their day.

Secretly serving God is not an option.  Publicly professing and owning it before others is a basic foundation for commitment and service to Him. Scripture adds to this where it says words of faith without deeds (action) is dead and are nothing more than a clanging noise.

Active faith has proclamation/profession and action.  I wait for the Lord, I hope in the Lord, I trust in the Lord, I rely on the Lord, I believe in the Lord, I believe in eternity, I believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I know I have been forgiven, I honor the Lord, I hope in Him alone, I love His word and application in my life, I keep His word, I listen for His whispers of guidance…….. All of these are proclamations and have no meaning if there is no active influence in the actions of the person proclaiming them.

Your promise gives me life

Psalms 119:49  Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.  This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.  The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law.  When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD.  Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law.  Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning.  I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law.  This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts.

The Psalmist understood that God could never forget His word. Speaking in the manner of men, this was a plea for God to fulfill the promises stated in His word. God wants His people to plead His stated promises back to Him in prayer.  “This is, as Augustine said of his mother, ‘bringing before God his own hand-writing.’ Will he not remember his word?” (Bridges) “When we hear any promise in the word of God, let us turn it into a prayer. Spurgeon said that he often carried with him a small book of God’s promises (“Clarke’s Precious Promises”) “If God’s word to us as his servants is so precious, what shall we say of his word to us as his sons?” (Spurgeon)

The Psalmist understood that his trust and hope in God’s word should not be credited to his own spiritual greatness or genius. It came because God worked in him to hope in His word. The word of God is worthy of such hope. When recalled how faithfully and powerfully God’s word had brought him life in the past, he found comfort in his present affliction.

There is no specific prayer for help. Instead, there are “statements by the writer that he trusts what God has written in his law and will continue to love it and obey its teachings. It is a way of acknowledging that suffering is common to human beings.” (Boice)

All should remember that the word of God gives life, hope, comfort There was specific comfort in remembering Your judgments of old, O Lord. So we are comforted and strengthened in hope as we remember how God has dealt with men and circumstances in the past. “The grinning of the proud will not trouble us when we remember how the Lord dealt with their predecessors in bygone periods; he destroyed them at the deluge, he confounded them at Babel, he drowned them at the Red Sea, he drove them out of Canaan: he has in all ages bared his arm against the haughty, and broken them as potters’ vessels.” (Spurgeon)

Does it ever seem like you run to God’s word in time of need, trials, testing, trouble, and then when reflecting back on your life you see how you kept it at arms length in times of blessing?  Does this even make sense to act this way?

Imagine a good friend who you reach out to in times of stress and trouble.  They are always there for you and help comfort you through that time in your life.  They make time for you.  They listen to you.  They encourage you.  They help in many ways.    Now fast forward to the other side of valley you have walked through.  Times are better and you, with the help of your friend, are back on your feet again.  What kind of person would we be considered if, at that point, we stop speaking to our helpful friend?  What kind of person would just use this helpful friend in times of trouble and not in times of blessings?

Do we do this with God?  Do we seem Him as an ATM with an unlimited “Help” card that we can use at will?   He is worthy of so much more.  He wants to be Lord of our life.  He wants us to see His mighty hand, steadfast love, and awesome power in both times of trials and blessings.  He wants us to willingly and with a longing heart want to hear His quiet small voice.  He wants us to do His will.  He wants us to trust His plan and purpose for our life.

If you are in a time of trial, turn to Him.  If you are in a time of blessing, run faster to Him each day.  In all things give thanks.  At all times Honor God.  Do not forget He is worthy of all praise, honor, glory with our absolute humble service and obedience – ALL OT THE TIME

I have chosen the way of faithfulness

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

Joshua 24:15     And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Proverbs 1:29   Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,

Luke 10:42    but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

John 3:19-21     And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.  But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

John 8:45     But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

1 Peter 2:2     Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation

Deuteronomy 11:18-20     “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,

If we are to be kept from sin, it must be by the grace of God exercised through the teaching of his Word.” (Boice)

“Men do not drop into the right way by chance; they must choose it, and continue to choose it, or they will soon wander from it.” (Spurgeon)

The fact that  we have free will in “Choosing” our thoughts, actions, and what we say, means we have more than one path in life to pick from.   “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter.” The wide gate and broad road are all decisions we make.  These choices are decided upon what is influencing our heart, mind, and soul.

Our sinful nature has many “non-God serving, honoring, following, and obeying thoughts and actions to pick from – “Wide Gate” “Broad Road“.  Paul says to take every thought captive.  Our sinful nature has a way of throwing some very non God like thoughts into our head.  Being able to discern that it is not God honoring and taking it captive means we have something to compare the thought against.  “God’s word”.

We are not going to stop all of these thoughts from popping up, but what we do with them we can.  Why does God tell us to “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,“?  So we can recognize these non-God honoring, serving, following, and obeying thoughts captive in and through His word.

Pride, hate, selfishness, lust, greed, self-reliance, anxiousness, worry, all have ways of manifesting themselves in reactionary thought.  Having God’s word in our heart, mind and soul – meditating on it in the morning and evening, teaching it through out the day to our children, giving thought to it with the purpose of honoring God at all times will reduce the non-God honoring thoughts and keep our heart, mind and soul from choosing to walk through the wide gate and broad road.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress

Psalms 112:6  For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.  He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.

 Psalms 62:2    He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

 Psalms 62:6    He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

 Psalms 125:1   Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

 2 Peter 1:5-11    For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,  and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.  Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 Proverbs 10:7     The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

It is one thing to say God is my rock, my fortress, and I will not be shaken but, it takes great care to keep from being side tracked.  Sometimes we pray without trust in God and His plan, His purpose.  Our walk with Him will yield more peace, joy, hope, love, and rest if we would but fully trust in Him alone.  Christ prayed this way, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”  For certain this life will throw us many trials and troubles.  Money, family, relationships, employment, etc…. will at sometime hit us hard.  It is in these times we find true peace and rest when it is in His hands.

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.