Good morning, all!
Father, we pray that You would reveal Your purpose for our life, that we would see why You have us where we are and what we are called to do. Give us purpose and direction, give us strength and passion, give us great vision so that we would see heaven and we would declare how wonderful You are, Amen.
Psalm 139
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thine enemies take [thy name] in vain.
For THEY speak against You God without faith and thy enemies take Your name for granted.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
You know I hate THEM, O Lord, THEM that hate Thee? Am I not broken hearted with THEM that come against Your truth?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
I hate THEM without prejudice with complete hatred, I see THEM as my enemy too.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Search in me, O God, and look into my heart; test me and know what I’m thinking:
24 And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
And see if there be any of THEM that are wicked in me, and LEAD me in the only way to a life that is EVERLASTING.
Bottom line
Do you know THEM?
[Mat 5:44 NIV] But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Like the God of love would hate people or expect us to hate people? Yeah, maybe if we lived on Pluto. The THEM is the ones that dwell inside of us, the only enemy God has is the LIES that wreak havoc on His children. We should hate THEM just as God hates them NOT people. David speaks out against THEM and tells God he hates them so much that his hatred is PERFECT, what is perfect hate? It means that we have NO reservation or doubt regarding the absolute elimination of these enemies because they are a snare, also known as a stumbling block. Now right after David makes this declaration to God, what is his prayer? He asks God to look inside of him NOT people in his life, his heart and his mind…same place he expects God to find these enemies. David asks God to TRY me, put him to the test. What might that look like? A heart unchecked by faith might produce an enemy outside of you, that bible calls that deception. Remember the serpent deceived Eve, how do you know you’re deceived? Well, she believed the lie. When you and I believe there’s an enemy outside of us, we are deceived, we should pray as David, search my heart and my thoughts. Why ask God to search them? Well, He hates those enemies as well and if He hates them too, He will FIGHT against them for us, so THEY are eliminated. God searches our heart…the seat of emotions and our thoughts…our will. If we’re honest with ourselves our emotions will usually influence our will, how we choose to live. Here’s the problem with that lifestyle, it leaves NO room for God, NO room for faith. Follow, have you ever disliked a person that you now like? Or the opposite you liked but now you dislike? Your feelings influenced your thoughts, the state of that relationship CHANGED…also known as a false way. David’s prayer was for God to lead him in the way EVERLASTING…it does NOT change. I believe the enemy within…his feelings…were lying to him. Maybe when Saul was trying to kill him, his feelings were saying one thing when God says something else…like I don’t know…FORGIVE him. His prayer was lead ME in the way that is everlasting NOT changing, God never changes and when we live by faith that doesn’t change either. What changes? Our FEELINGS, our WILL…THEY are the enemies that lie to us.
[Rom 1:25 KJV] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Who CHANGED God’s ETERNAL truth for the lie…my fleeting emotions and I worshipped them…if you listen to them, you worship it…it has that much power in your life, more than the CREATOR…God. Okay stay with me now, David asked God to KNOW his heart and his thoughts and scripture says God has NO evil or darkness in Him. So, for God to KNOW David’s heart and thoughts is to say to know LOVE and FAITH. Call me crazy but perhaps the Creator of the universe KNOWS the purpose for which He created our heart and mind…LEAD us Lord into the way everlasting that will NOT change…LOVE & FAITH.
Point to Ponder
What is the biggest lie? [Mat 14:31 NLT] Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” We DOUBT God’s love and His salvation, the verse says Jesus IMMEDIATELY saved…really doesn’t leave any room for doubt.
Let’s live by faith, In Him Phil
Faith – Family – Friends
