My Preacher always will write, "Always Remember Psalm 1". Psalm 1 has some amazing truth to it, and it is a great section of scripture to memorize and meditate on. God is always in the dividing business, dividing the goats and sheep, wheat and chaff, lost and saved, those walking in the spirit and those walking in the flesh, Godly and Ungodly, hell-bound and heaven-bound. I was reading it today and God gave me a little nugget that I wanted to share. Verse 1 says, Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. That is a powerful truth. I thought I was doing that well. I refuse to pay a shrink $150 to listen to my problems and give me ungodly "blame your parents for your problems" counsel. I didn't listen to CNN for who to vote for. I wouldn't go to a Priest to find out how to be saved. I wouldn't ask a Hindu what it means when Jesus said he is the only way. I won't go to Hollywood to learn how to raise a family nor go to a divorcee for marital advice. And I wouldn't ask an Ex-Church member for advice when I am having a disagreement with someone at the church house.
Here though is where this verse took on a whole new level. The Bible says in Isaiah 55:8 that "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord". Proverbs 3 says to lean not on your own understanding. Galatians says to walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Jesus shall be called wonderful, counselor, all Mighty God, Prince of Peace. The Bible says to hold every thought captive and cast down imaginations. And Jesus said, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies;" (Matthew 15:19).
Isaiah 55:7 says Let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord,and he will have mercy upon him. Jesus said He is the TRUTH. Jesus said you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
Back to that first verse in Psalm 1, Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. God was showing me that while it is good to separate from all ungodly counselors like those above, it is even more important to not walk in my own counsel. The Bible says the heart is deceitful ABOVE ALL THINGS AND DESPERATELY WICKED. The world says follow your heart. The Bible says if you trust your own wicked heart you are a fool.
All the things that come out of my heart that are not Godly need to be rejected. My pity parties, anger, bitterness, hurts, feeling rejected, "lust, greed, envy," pride, covetousness, thoughts how horrible I am and thoughts how wonderful I am, thoughts of quitting on God, thoughts of hopelessness, thoughts of self righteous indignation, fantasies, wicked ideas, hatred, thoughts of running from the problems. I need to reject those thoughts that seem natural in times of stress and hurt just as I would reject the counsel from ungodly influences above. My worst enemy is within. It seems we don't have as much concern over that ungodly counsel and that is the one that has the most influence over us.
I must keep my mind on him, and know that God will keep me in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee. I must keep my heart clean and keep short accounts with God. I must confess my mental failures and not obey the thoughts that come unless I filter them through God's word first. I must stay in the Word and meditate on it to cleanse my heart and cleanse my thoughts. I must yield to God and want his will over my own. And I must fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith.
If I am thanking God instead of whining about things that seem unclear or unfair, and have a heart of worship, I will have a heart that desires Him more than things that I want. I must count the cost and see it is worth it to be a clean vessel. God can use us if we are clean, thankful, and yielded. My thoughts say I can't. God says not only "You can," but "I will do it through you.". I say it is too hard. Jesus says there is nothing too hard for me and my yoke is easy. I say this world is too far gone and it is too late to do anything. God says the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. I say no one is interested. Jesus says If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto myself.
Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. Often the ungodly is myself. Praise God for showing me that. I must let this mind be in me, the Mind of Jesus, instead, (Phil ; 2: 5-8) I made up my my mind, by the grace of God, to want his instead.
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