Tag Archives: Psalm 19:12-14

Which Mirror Are You Using??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #286

10 Sunday Nov 2024

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, A Witness--Good or Bad???, All Sufficient God!, Faithfulness, Perseverance, SIN, Sin IS the issue

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Which Mirror Are You Using???   A Word from THE WORD!!! #286

We all like to check our appearance in the mirror, making sure everything is straight, and nothing out of place.  There’s nothing wrong with that, but when our attention is on the glass mirror, we may be forgetting to check the spiritual mirror to be sure we are walking with God, for God and in the way God wants us to go. We are living in a culture that wants to camp out on God’s “love” without taking into consideration that God has a standard, and it hasn’t changed.  In fact so often people will ask, “Where does it say that in the Bible?” (that I can’t do such-and-such) as an excuse for their inappropriate behavior.  Well, it does say this in the Bible:

“Jesus Christ

the same yesterday,

and to day,

and for ever.”  Hebrews 13:8

God has never changed, and He never will, nor will The Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; and usually the things that people don’t think are in the Bible, are simply undiscovered by them, because they want no accountability to God.  But we will all give an account, either to The Lord Jesus before the Judgment Seat of Christ to answer for our deeds done or undone for Jesus, or we will stand before the Great White Throne judgment, where the lost will bow before the God they have rejected and receive their fate with no opportunity of grace.

James gives us a good picture of this.

“Wherefore lay apart

all filthiness

and superfluity of naughtiness,

and receive with meekness

the engrafted word,

which is able to save your souls.

22 But be ye doers

of the word,

and not hearers only,

deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word,

and not a doer,

he is like unto a man

beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself,

and goeth his way,

and straightway forgetteth

what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,

and continueth therein,

he being not a forgetful hearer,

but a doer of the work,

this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you seem to be religious,

and bridleth not his tongue,

but deceiveth his own heart,

this man’s religion is vain.

27 Pure religion

and undefiled

before God

and the Father is this,

To visit the fatherless

and widows in their affliction,

and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”   James 1:21-27

How do we stay “unspotted from the world”. It ain’t easy, but it is doable.  But only God’s way!

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh…

…. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is

love, joy, peace,

longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,

faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:

against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ’s

have crucified the flesh

with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Portions of Galatians 5:16-25

It takes commitment, devotion and a reliance upon Jesus to keep walking in The Spirit (the indwelling Holy Spirit imparted to all who are born again); and we are to be a doer of the word, not just a hearer—as my mom used to say, “in one ear, and out of the other…” or will we live what we claim to believe?!  Scripture talks about presumption, so let’s consider our lives in that mirror of God’s truth.

“Who can understand his errors?

cleanse thou me from secret faults.

13 Keep back thy servant also

from presumptuous sins;

let them not have dominion over me:

then shall I be upright,

and I shall be innocent

from the great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth,

and the meditation of my heart,

be acceptable in thy sight,

O LORD,

my strength,

and my redeemer.”  Psalm 19:12-14

Being “acceptable in thy sight” is the key—pleasing to our Lord!  Looking in His mirror of The Word!  Peter writes about presumption.

“But chiefly them that walk after the flesh

in the lust of uncleanness,

and despise government.

Presumptuous are they,

selfwilled,

they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”    2 Peter 2:10

In closing, just a couple of questions.  If we were to be judged solely by our speech, would people know that we love Jesus and are born again?  Does our speech draw people to our Redeemer or do they wonder why we speak and behave in the way we do.  Are we being true testimonies of Jesus or presumptuous imitators?  Food for thought for our week.

“Let your speech be

alway with grace,

seasoned with salt,

that ye may know

how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6

Amen and Amen!!!

Conforming or Being Transformed??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #49

25 Friday Nov 2022

Posted by in Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Approved Unto God, Are you ready?, Conformed or Transformed?, Conformed to HIS image, Consider Your ways, Examine Myself?, Eyes that SEE HIM, God's provision, God's ways are not our ways, Greater is HE that is IN US!, Holiness, Holy, Holy Living, Holy Spirit, IN Jesus!

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Conforming or Being Transformed? A Word from THE WORD!!! #49

A simple but profound question for each of us on this day after ‘Thanks-giving’–‘Black Friday’ to many shoppers–decorating day for some, yet perhaps we ought to make it a day for some soul-searching.  Have we allowed so much of the world into our hearts, that we have forgotten the admonitions of scripture to be not only “holy” before God and man, but “wholly” devoted to The One who saves, redeems, and transforms us day by day (when we will cooperate) into the image of Jesus (See Romans 8:28-29). I think Paul says it best.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies

a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed

to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.

3 For I say,

through the grace given unto me,

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself more highly

than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God hath dealt

to every man

the measure of faith.”  Romans 12:1-3

It saddens my heart that so many around us, many who claim the name of Jesus, are so calloused to the corruption of the world.  We no longer seem to take any regard to the words we use–no matter how crass, vulgar, or hurtful to others they may be; and the word “prove” simply means to display before the world a transformed life–reflecting the grace, glory, and power of our LORD!  Just because a word or phrase is popular, doesn’t mean that it should come out of “my” mouth–the Psalmist says it pretty concisely;

“Who can understand his errors?

cleanse thou me from secret faults.

13 Keep back thy servant also

from presumptuous sins;

let them not have dominion

over me:

then shall I be upright,

and I shall be innocent

from the great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth,

and the meditation of my heart,

be acceptable in thy sight,

O LORD,

my strength,

and my redeemer.”  Psalm 19:12-14

Even as Paul stated so clearly in Romans 12, we are to be “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”!  The call for holiness in the lives of God’s own, is replete throughout scripture, yet we seem to have relegated it to an “optional” selection for living a Christian life.  I don’t think that God sees it that way.  He loves us, calls us, saves us, by faith through grace, and equips us for HIS service, yet we seem to have forgotten what “service to The King” ought to look like. Peter calls us to remember the cost of our redemption–Jesus’ own blood–how long will we disregard the price paid for our salvation?

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind,

be sober,

and hope to the end

for the grace that is to be brought unto you

at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children,

not fashioning yourselves

according to the former lusts

in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy,

so be ye holy

in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written,

Be ye holy;

for I am holy.

17 And if ye call on the Father,

who without respect of persons

judgeth according to every man’s work,

pass the time of your sojourning here

in fear:

18 Forasmuch as ye know

that ye were not redeemed

with corruptible things,

as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation

received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb

without blemish

and without spot:” 1 Peter 1:13-19

We are “redeemed…with the precious blood of Christ…”!  So, my challenge to each of us is to spend some time today examining our own heart and asking God to reveal to us what HE sees.  Not measuring with the world’s yardstick but with God’s Word–both the written Word-the Bible–as well as The Living Word, JESUS, who has given us HIS precious Holy Spirit, to guide us “into all truth”!  Will you join me today in the pursuit of holiness?

“Search me,

O God,

and know

my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see

if there be any wicked way in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

May Jesus Christ be praised through us as we:

“Let the words of my mouth,

and the meditation of my heart,

be acceptable in thy sight,

O LORD,

my strength,

and my redeemer”!

And remember there are little eyes and ears watching and listening to what we do, way more than just what we “say do or don’t do”!

Amen and Amen!!!