If we live long enough, we will all face the day when we won’t be able to ride up-slope. We’ll be wanting a smoother gaited horse and a softer mattress. There’ll be nights when sleep will be hard to come by and harder to hold on to. It’s all part of the cycle of life.”
–Lou Bradshaw (Buttercup Meets Cain)
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”
–Hebrews 12:28(NKJV)
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I trust that the Lord touched you in a special way this Easter season. My, my, it’s so good to know that the Lord looks after us and cares for us. We’d sure be in an awful fix if He didn’t. No hope, no future, no direction, but with Him we have all those things. Hope is there, the future is brighter and eternal life is secure, our very steps are ordered by Him and the Holy Spirit is our guide. Now for a look at the rest of Psalm 19 (HCSB).
7 – The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.
8 – The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up.
9 – The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous.
10 – They are more desirable than gold—than an abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey, which comes from the honeycomb.
11 – In addition, Your servant is warned by them; there is great reward in keeping them.
12 – Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.
13 – Moreover, keep Your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule over me. Then I will be innocent and cleansed from blatant rebellion.
14 – May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
My friend, if you’re not in the Word of God, get in it. It is your life. It is what guides us day-by-day. It is how the Holy Spirit directs our footsteps and speaks to us. His Word is perfect and trustworthy no matter what may be going on in our life.
“I lay my sins of Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God
He bears them all and frees us from the accursed load.
I bring my guilt to Jesus, to wash my crimson stains,
White in His blood most precious, till not a spot remains.”
–Horatius Bonar
If we believe what God said is true and trustworthy, the opinions of others do not matter. If we believe God’s Word and truly trust Him, He will guide us and give us insight to life and that more abundantly. Follow His commandments, in fact, Jesus said, if you love Me, keep My commandments. They are not to be thrown out, or picked apart, or given your opinion. They are to follow.
Do you harbor sin in your heart? David was concerned about sins of the unknown–sins that were in the heart that he didn’t know about. Perhaps this is how people do things that they would never think they would do. The heart is deceitful, so David wanted it taken care of as well as deliberate sins. Do not follow the way of evil; do not let sin rule over your life.
Listen to yourself sometime, listen to those around you. Are you not concerned about the words that are spoken, about the deeds that are committed? Our lives, our thoughts, our words, our actions should all be acceptable to the Lord. Or do we get used to it, become complacent or calloused to the things that go on around us and even in our own lives?
Then David closes with that all powerful, all wonderful concept of the Redeemer. If you truly accept Jesus as your Redeemer then the whole person has been redeemed. Let the Holy Spirit start working on you to let your complete life be acceptable to Him. Ponder the words of G. Campbell Morgan this morning.
“If our Rock were not our Redeemer, we would be without hope. If our redeemer were not our Rock, we might be afraid. Let us never forget that our redemption has in it the strength of the Mighty One.”
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Today in the Texas Revolution: Santa Anna is captured.