physical

Upheld By The LORD’S Hand

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and He delighteth in his way Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with His hand.

Psalm 37:23-24

“The steps of a good man…;” we must understand what a good man is. It is the man or woman who walks in the steps of the LORD. It is not a matter of good works, it is a matter of the law of God being written in the heart. That happens in only one way, and that is by the cross of Jesus. For David and all Old Testament believers they were followers of Jesus Christ by grace through faith on credit, awaiting the coming of the Lord as the sacrifice for sin.

For the follower of Jesus today the payment for sin has been credited to our account, and we have received the righteousness of Christ, because He died for our sins.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD…” which since the righteous through Jesus Christ do walk in His steps we can also know that the LORD is delighted to see it is done in  us.

The thing about being a “good man” is that he can fall, but because he is the LORD’S the LORD picks us up, and He uphold us with His own hand.

This falling is not a physical falling, but rather a spiritual falling which can lead to a physical iniquity. The spiritual fall happens before the transgression. No one can fall so far away from God that God cannot pick you up. God loves His people, and He loves us too much to allow us to sin successfully.

 

Idols of the Heart

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“Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

‘Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face. Should I be enquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from Me through their idols.’ ” Ezekiel 14:1-5 (KJB)

In the United States of America we love our cars, our houses, our freedoms, and just about anything else including sports and education. We far too often give more attention to those things than we do to the One who created us; and who has provided our eternal salvation.

Remember Ezekiel, and those “elders of Israel” who came to him were in Babylon; captives of Nebuchadnezzar. These men were coming to ask the prophet to seek God for them, but God knew their hearts.

“Should I be enquired of at all by them?” Did you catch that question from the LORD? That gets me to thinking of what prayers God will hear.

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17

The broken heart is the one who realizes there is no help, no hope, no Savior but in the Lord. The contrite one is is one who is physically and mentally and spiritually collapsed. These are the sacrifices; the prayers God will hear.

The one’s who come to God in the pretense of worship, with feigned words and empty acts of reverence will not be heard.

Remember this. God knows your heart, and your mind. There is nothing about you that is a secret to Him.

Turn to the One [Jesus Christ] who died for your sins. Turn to the One who died on the cross, was buried and He rose again. Come to Him with a broken, contrite, and surrendering heart.

Christmas Day Ninety and Four

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

What do I want for Christmas today?

I thank the Lord everyday for His blessings; spiritual, physical and material; and what I want today and from this day forward is the heart and mind of wisdom from Him to enjoy what He has blessed me with for good, right, relationship, fellowship, and benefit to others, and to bless the name of the LORD.