Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Yes Friends, I couldn’t just walk away from the beautiful, inspirational Psalm 139 without using another Bit from it. (smile) And these verses today are soul searching ones which had Bruh David crying out to his God for answers to some serious questions that only the Lord could answer. But before we get into that, here are some more interesting words attributed to Renier Giustina Michiel: ‘The world improves people according to the disposition they bring to it.’ And that’s an awesome truth we all should be aware of my brethren! Whatever attitude or disposition we take into or show the world, it will just accentuate it. For example, if we go out with a sour attitude, rest assured that it’s not going to become sweet, but rather more sour. We all know the type who seem as though sucking lemons is their past time; always negative, griping, grumbling, complaining and expecting the worse. But if we face the world with an open, positive, strong, expecting the best attitude, it surely tends to get better, though we also have this other extreme personality; the one that’s just too sweet and treacly. Both extremes turn us off because life is neither all sour nor all sweet, but more a middle way, hopefully leaning towards the sweet, positive side. And Friends, everyday before we go out to face the big, wide, fearful, confusing, violent, back stabbing world, we need to check our inner self to see what’s happening in there, to ensure that we have the right attitude or disposition that will enable us to handle whatever comes our way, in a manner that will please the Lord. That’s what Bruh David was basically doing when he cried out; ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts.’ He wanted the Lord to do only what He could do; look deep inside him, read his heart, check out his anxious thoughts. To do like we do nowadays with our computers; use a virus scan to search for any unwanted, dangerous or detrimental bugs that would prevent them from working properly. Job expressed the same sentiment: ‘Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, (falsehood) or if my foot hath hasted to deceive; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity.’ (Job 31:4-6) Yes my people, Job is very concerned about his integrity, as we should be about ours. He felt that he was walking worthy of the Lord, and only asked that a well-balanced scale be used to judge him. Friends, do we feel the same way; that we’re walking worthy of the Lord, or at least trying to do that? I hope we do, because it’s the number one point on which we’re judged, both by society and our God. A Christian needs to ensure that his or her integrity is up to scratch, above board. It follows from the saying; ‘look after your character and your reputation will look after itself.’ My people, is our character worthwhile? Have we cried out to the Lord, as the Psalmist; ‘Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.’ (Ps.26:2) We need to do that every so often my people, to ensure that we’re walking in step with, and on the same path as Jesus. ‘And see if there be any wicked way in me.’ Don’t worry my Friends, if Jesus discovers any wicked or unwanted ways in you when He does that internal scan, He’ll find a way to let you know. And then, provided you’re really interested in improving your Christian ethic and walk, you can plead; ‘and lead me in the way everlasting.’ Bruh David pleaded for this several times. In Psalm 5, a prayer for protection, he cried out: ‘ Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. For their is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.’ (Ps.5:8-9) Oh Friends, we all know people of that ilk, for we haven’t changed since Bruh David’s time, possibly become worse. That’s why we need to cry out to God once in a while for guidance and direction, to be able to avoid the integrity killing traps the enemy continually sets up for us. Bruh David wasn’t ashamed to do it, even though he was a powerful earthly king. The important thing is that he knew his shortcomings, also who could fix them, and wasn’t afraid or bashful to cry out for help. My people, in this stressful, wicked world of ours, none of us can lay claim to not being unnerved at some time or other, therefore we need to make it a habit to regularly call on our God to do a virus scan within us, and weed out any destructive, wicked or detrimental thoughts, desires or attitudes we may be harbouring. There’s no need to be ashamed or afraid to ask with a sincere and penitent heart: ‘Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness sake, bring my soul out of trouble.’ (Ps.143:10-11) And Friends, if He reads our hearts and sees we’re serious, then He’ll certainly grant our pleas. Much LOVE!…a heart that’s sincere and true…is what the Lord’s seeking…in me and you…
Yes Friends, I couldn’t just walk away from the beautiful, inspirational Psalm 139 without using another Bit from it. (smile) And these verses today are soul searching ones which had Bruh David crying out to his God for answers to some serious questions that only the Lord could answer. But before we get into that, here are some more interesting words attributed to Renier Giustina Michiel: ‘The world improves people according to the disposition they bring to it.’ And that’s an awesome truth we all should be aware of my brethren! Whatever attitude or disposition we take into or show the world, it will just accentuate it. For example, if we go out with a sour attitude, rest assured that it’s not going to become sweet, but rather more sour. We all know the type who seem as though sucking lemons is their past time; always negative, griping, grumbling, complaining and expecting the worse. But if we face the world with an open, positive, strong, expecting the best attitude, it surely tends to get better, though we also have this other extreme personality; the one that’s just too sweet and treacly. Both extremes turn us off because life is neither all sour nor all sweet, but more a middle way, hopefully leaning towards the sweet, positive side. And Friends, everyday before we go out to face the big, wide, fearful, confusing, violent, back stabbing world, we need to check our inner self to see what’s happening in there, to ensure that we have the right attitude or disposition that will enable us to handle whatever comes our way, in a manner that will please the Lord. That’s what Bruh David was basically doing when he cried out; ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts.’ He wanted the Lord to do only what He could do; look deep inside him, read his heart, check out his anxious thoughts. To do like we do nowadays with our computers; use a virus scan to search for any unwanted, dangerous or detrimental bugs that would prevent them from working properly. Job expressed the same sentiment: ‘Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, (falsehood) or if my foot hath hasted to deceive; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity.’ (Job 31:4-6) Yes my people, Job is very concerned about his integrity, as we should be about ours. He felt that he was walking worthy of the Lord, and only asked that a well-balanced scale be used to judge him. Friends, do we feel the same way; that we’re walking worthy of the Lord, or at least trying to do that? I hope we do, because it’s the number one point on which we’re judged, both by society and our God. A Christian needs to ensure that his or her integrity is up to scratch, above board. It follows from the saying; ‘look after your character and your reputation will look after itself.’ My people, is our character worthwhile? Have we cried out to the Lord, as the Psalmist; ‘Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.’ (Ps.26:2) We need to do that every so often my people, to ensure that we’re walking in step with, and on the same path as Jesus. ‘And see if there be any wicked way in me.’ Don’t worry my Friends, if Jesus discovers any wicked or unwanted ways in you when He does that internal scan, He’ll find a way to let you know. And then, provided you’re really interested in improving your Christian ethic and walk, you can plead; ‘and lead me in the way everlasting.’ Bruh David pleaded for this several times. In Psalm 5, a prayer for protection, he cried out: ‘ Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. For their is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.’ (Ps.5:8-9) Oh Friends, we all know people of that ilk, for we haven’t changed since Bruh David’s time, possibly become worse. That’s why we need to cry out to God once in a while for guidance and direction, to be able to avoid the integrity killing traps the enemy continually sets up for us. Bruh David wasn’t ashamed to do it, even though he was a powerful earthly king. The important thing is that he knew his shortcomings, also who could fix them, and wasn’t afraid or bashful to cry out for help. My people, in this stressful, wicked world of ours, none of us can lay claim to not being unnerved at some time or other, therefore we need to make it a habit to regularly call on our God to do a virus scan within us, and weed out any destructive, wicked or detrimental thoughts, desires or attitudes we may be harbouring. There’s no need to be ashamed or afraid to ask with a sincere and penitent heart: ‘Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness sake, bring my soul out of trouble.’ (Ps.143:10-11) And Friends, if He reads our hearts and sees we’re serious, then He’ll certainly grant our pleas. Much LOVE!…a heart that’s sincere and true…is what the Lord’s seeking…in me and you…
SCRIP-BITS 