This is my beloved Son: HEAR HIM

"Blessed is the man that walketh NOT in the counsel of the ungodly, NOR standeth  in the way of sinners NOR sitteth the seat of the scornful." Psalm 1:1

Do you ever find yourself caught up with the counsel of ungodly men and listening to their ways?

Do you ever find yourself  walking alongside and partaking with  those that despise the law of God and walk in wickedness?

Do you ever find yourself in the midst of those that express contempt or derision and scorn those around you? 

My thoughts went to Psalm 1 while reading through the gospel of Mark. It was while reading the account of the Lord Jesus' transfiguration on the mountain before the 3 disciples, Peter, James and John... that I thought upon the verse,

" ... A voice came out of the cloud, saying, 

This is my beloved Son: HEAR HIM." 

Mark 9:7

Earlier in chapter 8 of Mark, we find the Lord asking the disciples a question,

" ... Whom do men say that I am? " 

Mark 8:27

There were all sorts of talk as who the Lord Jesus was...

Sometimes we can get so caught up with the world, and what people say...that our focus and thoughts can be misaligned... 

...we listen to ungodly counsel, 

...we find ourselves standing alongside wickedness, 

...and sit in the seat of pride and arrogance.

We may find ourselves not mindful of the things that be of God... but rather the things that be of men. (Mark 8:33)

God's beautiful reminder: This is my beloved Son: HEAR HIM.

Oh, that we would delight in the law of the Lord; and in His law meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:2)

Through the use and practice of God's Word... planted by the rivers of water... we can stand amidst the teachings of men...  his leaf shall not wither... and be able to have discernment from good and evil...  bringeth forth fruit in his season...so that in the end, whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

How wonderful that we have the LIVING WORD... to guide and direct us unto godliness.... and to eschew evil, to do good, to seek peace, and pursue it.

"Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." 

Psalm 34:14

Righteous Father, thank you for the reminder to hearken and obey your beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for your Word that is truth in an adulterous and sinful world. Help us to pursue peace and seek holiness that we may have confidence and not be ashamed at the coming of the Lord Jesus. 

May you be encouraged today to seek godly wisdom in the Word... that your way may be prosperous.

~Ellie

For thou didst it secretly...

" ... the LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die." 2 Samuel 12:13

Do you ever wonder how our sins affect those around us, and how it grieves the Lord God? I know we sin, and I know God is merciful. And I also know He forgives...

...but I thought upon the need to have a pure heart before the Lord. All these thoughts came upon me recently while reading the account of Abraham and Abimelech. 

If you remember, Abraham told Abimelech, king of Gerar, that Sarah(his wife) was actually his sister....  Now Abimelech takes Sarah, but God comes in a dream and warns Abimelech, that Sarah was the wife of another man(Abraham).

In the account, Abimelech stands clean before God and says that he knew not that Abraham and Sarah were husband and wife, 

"... in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands I have done this."

 Genesis 20:5

If you  continue reading the account in Genesis 20... you'll find the Lord God protecting Abimelech from committing sin before the LORD. 

" ... yea, I KNOW that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; 

for I also withheld thee from sinning against me; 

therefore suffered I thee NOT to touch her." 

Genesis 20: 6

You know, God knows our heart. But if we are honest before Him, He goes before us and protects us from evil and committing sin against Him.

I couldn't but think upon David and his sin with Bathsheba. We are aware of David's consequences. 

But then I thought, why didn't the Lord God protect him as well? 

And so, I went and read the account a bit more in detail and compared both Abimelech and David's situation in 2 Samuel 12.

In reality, the 2 situations are exact opposites. Abimelech was honest in his act... while David willfully sinned. (2 Samuel 12:12)

But it was while reading the account of David that I was overwhelmed with the consequences of our own sins. 

It isn't that we sin against the Lord...as if that wouldn't be enough! 

BUT... 

We give GREAT occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme! 

Our sins don't just affect us... but it affects those around us in ways that bring shame to the gospel. And the Lord tells David, 

" Howbeit, because by this deed 

thou hast given GREAT occasion 

to the enemies of the LORD

 to blaspheme..." 

2 Samuel 12:14

And if you look at God's goodness towards David, you'll find the LORD God providing David with all that he could ever want... and much more! 

David didn't lack...

"... I annointed thee KING over Israel,

I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul,

I gave thee thy master's house,

AND

thy master's wives into thy bosom,

and gave thee the house of Israel AND of Judah;

AND IF THAT HAD BEEN TOO LITTLE,

I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. " 

2 Samuel 12:7,8

And then we wonder why God is grieved with His people... and why He brings judgement!

But through it all... our LORD GOD... is still merciful... and still forgives!

AND David repents,

" I have sinned against the LORD." 

2 Samuel 12: 13

I, too,  find myself willfully allowing my flesh to take precedence in my actions... and my thoughts.... and despising His commandments.

How thankful for the Lord's reminder this morning... that my willful actions against a Holy God... not only grieves our LORD... but also gives GREAT occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme! 

Oh, heavenly Father, how thankful we are for your goodness towards us. We are undeserving of your unfailing love towards us. Make us to walk in righteousness and integrity of heart before your holiness. Forgive us our willful disobedience in despising your commandments.

May you seek the Lord's mercy today and  desire to live in holiness before a righteous God.

~Ellie

If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?

" Take heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye LOVE the Lord your God." Joshua 23:11

This past week I have been dwelling much on the importance of being right before God... of giving my best to a righteous and holy God.

The passage of Cain and Abel  was brought up in a recent Bible study and I went home thinking about it. I thought about Cain's offering, an offering that we know was displeasing to the Lord... 

.... and then I thought about Abel's offering... an offering consisting of his best, his firstlings and the fat thereof.

Seeing God's approval of Abel's offering, Cain became very angry. Why would God be displeased with his grain offering and not accept it? We would look at it and say, " Well, Cain did bring an offering, did he not?" 

Yes, Cain did bring an offering... but God was displeased with his offering. Why? Because God knew Cain's motives and heart. It wasn't his best... 

And yet we see God answering Cain with kindness,

"If thou doest well, shalt thou  not be accepted?

 and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." 

Genesis 4:7

How often I see myself trying to place the SELF above what is required of God. 

How often I see myself trying to "maneuver" my actions to be "pleasing" before God... and still come out looking like I'm obeying God. 

• The flesh is always concerned with "coming out on top and winning"... but God is concerned with a pure heart, a heart that is fully devoted to Him. 

• The flesh deceives us in thinking we "can get away with it"... but God knows and searches the motives of our hearts.

God surely tests us... and reminds us that we are to take heed-- that we love the Lord our God out of a pure heart.

Oh, how necessary it is for us to examine ourselves... that we be in the Spirit and not in the flesh. For if we do well, we shall be accepted of the Lord... and we will have nothing to fear.

" Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith, prove your own selves..." 

2 Corinthians 13:5 

Lord God... you are righteous and holy, create in us a clean heart and help us to seek after righteousness. May we be a pleasing aroma before you in Jesus Christ.

May you the love the Lord God out of a pure heart and offer your best to Him.

~Ellie