WHY SHOULD I BE AFRAID?

 

Ps. 27:1  The LORD is my light and salvation---so why should I be afraid?  The LORD protects me from danger---so why should I tremble?

     We fear the unknown.  When we don't know what to expect and there is a sense that it might cause us harm, we begin to get afraid.  Fear can cripple us to the point that we don't do anything.  It can also protect us so that we don't do something that would harm or endanger us.

     We learn to respect that which we fear.  We understand the danger to us if we don't and become cautious.  We stay alert so we don't put ourselves in harm's way.  We do all we can do to keep as safe as possible.  Fear protects us by keeping us alert and ready for whatever may be before us.

     A healthy relationship with God instills in us a fear of Him.  To fear the Lord involves a reverence and respect for Him.  We acknowledge who God is and humble ourselves before Him.  We don't take lightly God's holiness and justice.  We don't take lightly our need to present ourselves to Him with pure hearts.  We don't take lightly the fact that God holds us accountable for our sins.  We don't minimize our constant need for Him.

     In Christ we are no longer afraid of our standing with God because He is our light and salvation.  We no longer fear God's wrath because we know we can trust Christ to protect us as we draw near to God.  We understand that there is great danger to our souls away from Him so we stay as close to Him as we possibly can. 

     If fear grips your soul, turn to Jesus and wait before Him.  Abide in Him.  Let Him light your path and protect you.  Perfect love, Christ's love, casts out every fear. 

STAYING PURE BEFORE GOD

 

Ps. 26:4-5  I do not spend time liars or go along with hypocrites.  I hate the gatherings of those who do evil, and I refuse to join in with the wicked. 

     The Psalmist shows us a sure fire way to keep our souls out of trouble with God.  We stay away from those who would lead us into sin.  When we choose carefully those whom we spend most of our time with, we can avoid many of the pitfalls of sin.

     It is a waste of time to hang around with those who are liars.  You cannot trust those who do not have the integrity of heart to tell the truth.  You can be easily deceived by them.  Listen to them and you will find it difficult to distinguish that which is true from that which is false. 

     It is not a good idea to spend time with those who profess one thing and live another.  One can easily fall into the trap of justifying one's own sinful behavior by believing that if it's okay for someone who professes to have faith to do it, it's okay for us to do it.  It is never okay to do what you know God says not to do just because someone else is doing it.  Sin is sin and will always be sin even if the whole world does it.

     We can keep our souls pure before God by not hanging around where sinners hang around.  We should despise being in places where we know people are sinning openly.  It ought to shame us to be where sin is displayed and promoted.  When we hang around in the cesspool of sin, we will more than likely fall into it.

     A pure heart takes charge of his soul.  He refuses to compromise the truth.  He refuses to expose his soul to the ways of the wicked.  He surrounds himself with people who can help him stay pure instead of hindering him.  He just says "no" to sin and means it.

EXAMINE ME, O GOD

 

Ps. 26:2-3  Put me on trial, LORD, and cross-examine me.  Test my motives and affections.  For I am constantly aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth.

     Dare you do it?  Do you have the guts to ask the Lord to cross-examine you?  If not, what are you afraid of?  No sin escapes His notice.  He knows your thoughts and deeds.  It is better to welcome His examinations than it is to fear or resist them.  If you don't deal with sin now, you will deal with them later and later may be too late to do anything about them.

    What motivates you?  The only motivation a child of God should have is to honor Christ always.  We should determine in our hearts to please Him.  We should never let self be our motivation.  Life is about promoting and exalting Christ for as long as we live in this world. 

    Are your affections in the right place?  If you are longing for and loving the things in this world, your affections are in the wrong place.  The Lord, our God, must always be our first love.  To love anyone or anything more than God is spiritual adultery.  If you love Him, it will be evident in your priorities, how you live, and how you speak of Him.

     We should always keep our minds on how much God loves us.  Everything God does is an act of love.  Because He loves us He gives us standards to live by and we must do them.  We must determine in our hearts that we will always be governed by His revealed truth. 

    If you can't honestly say that you are living according to the truth and that you fear facing God's cross-examination of your heart, you need to get alone with God and let Him change you.  You need to confess all of your sins before Him and vow in your heart that you will obey Him.  You need to stay there alone with God until you know that your heart has been restored to a right relationship with Him.  You need to stay there until you know that it is God who moves you and it is God whom you love first and foremost. 

INNOCENCE AND INTEGRITY

 

Ps. 26:1  Declare me innocent, O LORD, for I have acted with integrity.  I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

     The Lord does not condemn those who act with integrity of heart.  We may not always get it right, but if we do what we do wanting to do what is right, God understands and honors our heart's intent.  He knows we are not perfect and does not hold that against us. 

     Now if we deliberately don't do what is right, that's another story altogether.  There is accountability for those sins we deliberately sin against God.  We are held responsible for willful sin.  If you are a child of God and deliberately sin, are you not being spiteful towards Christ?  It is defiance and should God let you get away with it?  Of course not. 

     There is no condemnation for those who have an unwavering trust in the Lord.  This means that we don't fall into the trap of relying on our own wisdom or understanding or that of others.  We turn to the Lord and listen to what He says.  We acknowledge Him in all we do.  We seek to obey Him because we love Him.   

     When our hearts are firmly set on the Lord, we know all is well with our souls and there is a peace that governs our lives that holds us steady and makes us strong.  Satan may try to cast doubt on our souls but we stand firm because God declares us innocent.  It matters not what Satan thinks or what people think; it only matters what God thinks about us.

     Live with integrity of heart, trust in the Lord without wavering, and all things will be well with your soul both now and forever.

UNFAILING LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS

 

Ps. 25:10  The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all those who keep his covenant and obey his decrees.

     The Lord does not lead everybody.  He doesn't get involved in the lives of those who have nothing to do with Him.  In order for us to have God be our guide through life, we must do our part by keeping His covenant and obeying Him.  We must deliberately choose to engage ourselves in a relationship with Him.  We must act like God is our Father.  We must strive to live holy lives.  There is no wiggle room on this.  In order for the Lord to be in our lives, we must partner with Him and obey Him.

     The Lord leads with unfailing love.  Be assured, everything God does in us is done out of His love.  We don't always see it or understand it, but it is.  God has only our best interests at heart.  He knows what is best for us and does what is necessary for us to achieve it.  His love compels Him to discipline us when we need it.  It compels Him to convict us of sin as we need it.  It compels Him to correct our thinking and actions when necessary.  It compels Him to keep us from getting too comfortable and complacent in our life in Him.

     The Lord leads us with unfailing faithfulness.  In all things at all times you can count on God to be true to His character and nature.  He never ceases to be anything less than perfect in all He does.  He is faithful in His love.  He is faithful to His Word.  He is faithful to fulfilling His plans for our lives.  He is faithful in ministering to our every need.  He is faithful in helping us make it home to heaven to be with Him for all eternity.

     Blessed are those being led by the Master's unfailing love and faithfulness.

THE LORD IS GOOD

 

Ps. 25:8  The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.

     Some get it and some don’t.  The Lord is good.  He always has been, is now, and forever will be.  The Lord cannot be or do anything less than good.  If it appears like He is less than good, then we need to reexamine our definition of what good is.  The problem is not that God is not good, it is that we don’t understand properly what God’s goodness is.

     God is absolute perfection.  He is incapable of doing anything wrong.  He always does that which is good.  We can relax and rest in Him because we know that He will always do what is good for us.  We may not always recognize it as good, but it is because God is the one watching over us and directing our paths

     God cannot do wrong.  If He could do wrong, He would not be God.  We must always know that whatever God does is good, whether we understand it or not.  Give thanks to the Lord for whatever He brings your way because He knows you best and what is best for you whether you think so or not. 

     Trust in the Lord and you will never be disappointed.  He will always show you the proper path to get on if you wander away from Him.  He will not let you get away.  He will always find you and lead you back to the way you should go, because God is good all the time.

ALL DAY LONG TRUST IN GOD

 

Ps. 25:5  Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in you.

     Do you?  Do you put your trust in God all day long?  Or, do you trust Him only when you think about it or when you need something?  Trust is the fruit of an endearing relationship.  We can only trust those whom we really know well.  The better we know someone, the more confidence we have that they will not let us down.  If you don't know God well, you will waver in your trust of Him.  If He is able to save you, He is able to keep you and help you each step you take.

     Trust is an attitude we live by every moment of every day.  It is giving ourselves over to the Lord and letting Him take responsibility for our lives.  It is not fighting Him for control.  It is letting Him guide us.  It is accepting His words as truth and learning from Him how to live by them.  It is letting go and letting God govern our steps.  We cannot pick and choose when we will trust the Lord.  It is the way we live all the time. 

     Do you trust the Lord enough to learn anything from Him?  There are so many things He wants to teach us along the way, but we must be willing to be taught.  Are you a student of the Word and the ways of God?  Are you eager to learn more?  Do you long to know more about this great salvation that is ours in Christ?  I pray that it is so.  I pray that it is so.