Psalm 18; 26; 41; 101; 111 & 119
How would you like to be rewarded by GOD for your obedience? Well you can, because GOD promised “he/she who comes to GOD must believe that HE IS and that HE Is a Rewarder of those who seek HIM.” (Heb. 11:6)
It takes time, however, what you do know from the Bible, you must believe what GOD has said. Once you do that, don’t let go, don’t stop. Do not neglect GOD’s Word for anything. Forget being in right standing with people because when you are in right standing with GOD it’s automatic that right standing with people is inevitable. Always stay on guard, don’t allow temptation to win over you, don’t allow self to think more of who you really are. What do I mean with that? It can become easy to think that you are incapable of doing anything wrong, you begin to view yourself incorrectly. It’s a wise thing to always take inventory of you. However, never think that you are no longer capable of doing what the flesh wants to do. It’s only by the Word of GOD and the confession from our mouth which is the Word of GOD that we refrain from sin.
Come to a place with GOD where you lean; rely and trust in GOD regardless of our circumstance. Do not doubt. As we grow in the Grace of GOD we must ask GOD to examine us. This is the beginning of just inventory among us. We must also rely on a person that we can without reservation talk openly to. Who we can come clean and not fear that we will be unjustly judged by that person because of the sin we commit. We are drowning in sin so the last thing we need is for someone to beat us up. We need to be loved on; we need to be spoken to in a truthful manner yet without argument. You want someone who will have the compassion for your heart to stop what you are doing and will be a help in showing you to live and talk right.
In this decision that we make we must acknowledge that we can no longer spend time with those people who are having the same challenges in their life that we want out of. We must deny phone calls; invites to their homes or events. Yes, we must distance ourselves from them and allow GOD to replace them with men and women who really do have a heart for GOD. Spend time at CHRISTian concerts; plays; activities. Being a CHRISTian is a lot of fun. We sin because sin is fun. I hate it when church folk bend into a life of misery. If you attend dances; parties; listen to music; going to sport events why should you stop? It’s the type of events that you need to stop. You don’t need to stop attending dances nor do you need to stop doing every dance that we do. There are CHRISTian dances with great CHRISTian music. You stop doing dances that simulate sex and dance in a manner that does not show disrespect to you or others. I’m of the Classic Motown generation; Stax; the Philadelphia sound and so on. I look for music in the CHRISTian arena that fit that mold that I am attracted to. You young people are attracted to rap/hip hop, do you know that there is CHRISTian music that fit that genre? Well there is. CHRISTians are not to be deprived of fun. LORD I’ve gone so far off the track. Okay let’s get back to Psalms.
Your enemies can not triumph over you when you are sold out to GOD. When you got saved from hell and death you got a membership card. Most of us don’t know this and if we do we don’t use it or take it with us. There was a commercial many years ago by American Express the actor Karl Malden would say don’t leave home without it. We have a membership card that is better in so many ways than the Amex Card. When our flesh tries to rise up against us we are to pull out our membership card which is called the Faith Card and pronounce GOD’s Word to your enemy. What is your enemy? Sickness; disease; poverty; joblessness; lack of education; immoral sex acts; lies and so on and so on and so on. We are set in the Presence of our LORD GOD forever.
Behave wisely. What does that mean? Well, let me tell you a story and then I will ask you. Where is the wisdom?
You watch TV; you listen to the warnings; you may see what this does to people. Yet, you know more than anyone else and you neglect all that you have seen on TV; all the warnings that you have heard and the destruction that you have seen on others. What is it? Drugs, you are introduced to drugs. Maybe at first you turn it down but then come the time because of your curiosity and the pressure that you are feeling from you’re so called friends you try drugs. You try drugs purchased from someone you do not know. You try drugs that you really don’t have any idea what is in it. Let’s be real, are you a chemist are you testing any of the drugs in a legal lab to see what is possibly in it? You may know exactly what is in it or what you are actually taking, yet what about the idea that you can overdose and die; get hooked; begin to do things that you never thought that you would do. Now tell me, where is the wisdom?
Got another, you have been told about remaining a virgin until you marry. Sounds old fashioned I know but let me tell you it’s worth it. Maybe one of the reasons we don’t remain virgin men/women is because we really are not being given an explanation that is worth holding on to. Also if the adult that is telling you to keep yourself until marriage is being loose you will not hold that person credible. Okay, if when you were young and you were told to [man/woman] remain a virgin until you are married because you want to give your husband or wife something that no other person can say that they have ever had from you before. Would that have made a difference to you? If you were given an example by your parents/guardian about sexual purity, would that have made a difference to you? To the man/woman who was molested and from that outcome you now live a life of homosexuality, had that not happened to you, would you live your life as the Man/Woman GOD had created you to be? To the man/woman who listened to the voice of the devil and convinced them that they are actually the opposite sex than what they see in the mirror and what everyone else see, so you live your life in homosexuality. Yet you are unhappy in every way with the exception maybe when you are defiling your body with a person you were not designed to be with sexually. Where is the wisdom?
You want to be around people who speak words of encouragement to you and about others. You don’t want to entertain anyone who is deceitful in their ways.
GOD is a supplier; HE knows what you need. GOD does not suffer from Alzheimer’s; dementia or old age. HE remembers HIS promises to you. HIS hands are filled with truth and justice which are always at work on your behalf. GOD is stable and HE is established forever more.