Ps 27:4
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. ESV
- What is your number one desire? If you could make one request of the Lord, what would it be? Lord, make me who you want me to be. Take me to the place, where you have been waiting for me. I want to meet with you face to face. I want to see you for who you are. I want you to change me more and more into your likeness.
- Moses glowed after meeting with you. I want to glow with your presence and love. I want a changed life that will reflect you. I want every part of you to be seen through me. My request is that my life would make You smile. Have your way in every part of me.
- As I read across this note from my last time through Psalms, I am stirred up again by this request. Then, I am reminded that my one wish can’t be granted by a genie or any one else. This is the result of making everyday choices to seek God first and honor him in all I do.
Gen 14:12
12 They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. (NKJV)
- Compromise, How did Lot end up here in a place that was so wicked? Gen 13:12 tells us he just chose the nicest valley and pitched his tent as far as Sodom. It was a process. It was never a large change, just lots of little steps. Eccl 10:1; a little ruins a Lot (CR for notes on compromise). Lot became something he never wanted to be. We are told in 2 Peter 2:7-8 that Lot was, at least, originally vexed by the sin of Sodom. Yet, we see him become completely messed up by Gen 19:8. Lot couldn’t see clearly any more. His own little choices had slowly warped his own vision. God, help me to see clearly and to walk in a way that is pleasing to you. Help to remove compromise from my life right away.
Gen 13:13
13 But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD. (NKJV)
- We, or I, tend to think of my sin as wrong, selfish, and sometimes against other people, but here, it says their sin was against the Lord. Prov 28:4; Rom 3:23; I am in a war, regardless of whether I want to be or not 1 Peter 5:8. My choices are for or against you. Lord, help me to honor you in the choices that I make.
1 Peter 4:1
So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you are willing to suffer for Christ, you have decided to stop sinning. NLT
- Phil 1:21;
- It may be harder to live for God, then to die for him. To die is a choice. To live for God, you have to keep choosing. How are we doing at making the choice every day to put God first? Rom 12:1
1 Peter 2:11
11 Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls. NLT
- Our own desires can be at war with us, trying to take us down a path of destruction.
- We are in a war, whether we like it or not. Our every choice is an act of war against the other side. Do you know who you are fighting for? Are your choices fighting for the side you want to be on? Prov 14:2; 1 Cor 10:21;
- Vs 24; God set us free, so we could live differently.
Gal 5:17
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ESV
- If our spirits and our flesh are at war, then, we advance one of them with each choice. Who have my choices been advancing? Proverbs 28:4 tells us that our choices ether contend or praise the wicked. God, help me to live for you and to oppose what you oppose.
John 16:3
3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. NKJV
- John 15:21; Once again we see their actions are dictated by what they know. If my life is an overflow of what is in my heart Prov 4:23, all I know, believe, and desire determines what I will do. What am I filling up with? My choices and what I meditate on today are what determine what I will do tomorrow. Ps 119:11 states that he has hidden God’s word in his heart that he may not sin against God. He chooses what knowledge he would be full of today, so when he was confronted with a choice later, the overflow will determine his steps. Have you made a deliberate choice, on what you will fill up on? Prov 4:23 tells us to guard our heart. Prov 15:14 NLT tells us that the wise feed on truth while fools feed on trash. Prov 18:15 tells us that the heart of the prudent acquires knowledge. What are you feeding on? Rehoboam never set out to do evil. He just floated along wherever the wind blew him and therefore made bad choices. 2 Chron 12:14. Are you floating along or have you made a choice on what you will be full of? What will direct your steps?
Mark 10:47-48
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” NKJV
- The blind man, Bartimaeus heard and was filled with faith. His faith produced action and his actions produced criticism. Between his hearing and his receiving, there was an obstacle of the opinion of those around him. His seeking a miracle was, to them, an unnecessary disturbance. We don’t hear about the man at the gate, beautiful in the gospels, though he was lame from birth. Opportunity came but he must have sat only begging for alms from the crowds that followed on the many times that Jesus had passed by his way. Will I do what is expected and acceptable or will I seek the miracle in spite of the opposition? Lord show me your promises in your word and don’t let me quit because of what others may think.
- Every one has an opinion; but you are the one that will reap the reward or suffer for your actions. Every one wanted him to stop, it was more convenient for them. His choice had the power to change his life, and our choices have power to change our lives.
Matt 18:6
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. NKJV
- Today this verse makes sense. I have recently heard several people’s stories and it honestly hurts to hear it. It hurts because I don’t have a time machine because no matter what I do, I can’t undo the past. I can tell them things to live a different future but I can’t make choices for people, it is up to them to make and walk out some hard choices. These stories all seem to have something in common. All the stories have a villain. At some point in the story you see a character (or characters) that show up and then things start heading south. Someone beats them, someone lies to them, someone takes advantage of them, someone sets a horrible example, and someone hurts them in one form or another. I hear the story and want to travel back in time to before the moment to stop people. I actually would like to inflict large amounts of bodily injury upon the villains. I hear the stories and so many of them sound alike. It is the same lies, the same people, the same anger. I read this verse and it feels good to know they will pay. But then I think some of the villains know they are the villain in the story, some are just so focused on themselves they don’t have a clue that their choices are destroying lives all around them. God, I ask that you would open up their eyes and draw their hearts to you. Let them find a new life in you. May they see the impact they have had on others. May they repent, leave it all behind, and find your forgiveness. Lord, help me and everyone who reads this to see not only what impact our choices have on ourselves, but what affect we have on those around us. We want to live lives that draw people to you. Have your way in us.
- We are held responsible for the influence we have on others. James 3:1 tells us leaders have a stricter judgment. Matt 18:6 seems to imply that we will each give an account for our leadership, and what we did with it. Prov 26:8 talks about the fool who wastes the opportunities God gives, yet even worse many use them for harm which is what Matt 18:6 speaks of. Ezek 33:2-6 speaks of the responsibility of the watchmen.
- God help me to use my influence wisely. Help to lead people closer to you. I don’t ever want to mislead people. Help me point my life toward you.
- Causing others to stumble Rom 14:20; 1 Cor 8:9;
Hos 7:14
14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me. ESV
- They were not after God but after grain and wine. Gashing themselves was common practice of Baal Worship 1 Kings 18:28. They were not out to serve God but themselves. Their god was themselves and their own stomachs Phil 3:19. Are you after God or an easier life? God or a genie? Matt 15:8; Mark 1:12-13;
- Where did the “easy life” Christianity start? Who said it was going to be easier? I agree that God is smarter then me and I know that He loves and has a great plan for me. I know in the end that He does know what is best for me but I know that will include making some rough choices. I know that though it won’t be easy it is worth it. I know that I have decided I want to live for Him whatever the cost. So often we find Christians that are “fair weather Christians” because they think it is suppose to be easier. They just want God’s help to do life their way. When God’s way looks tough and another way looks easier the “fair weather Christians” will take the easy way. There are always short cuts. I think that most temptations are shortcuts or “easy ways out”. Doing it God’s way is work but in the end it is worth it. Short cutting in the end costs us greatly. Are we living for God or trying to just get God to help our living?
- Prov 28:9; Matt 20:20; 1 Tim 6:5; 1 Peter 3:7;
