I Better Mean What I Say

Psalm 101: ¹ I will sing of your love and justice;
    to you, Lord, I will sing praise.
² I will be careful to lead a blameless life—
    when will you come to me?

I will conduct the affairs of my house
    with a blameless heart.

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“You are sorry you got caught” the officer said to me in reply to my apology. Prior to being pulled over I quickly said “Oh GOD, Please, please, please don’t let me get a ticket!” The officer was right. I was not sorry for what I had done, but I sure was mad that I had to pay.

• There are times I don’t like justice.
• There are times I don’t want to sing praises because my heart is too hard.
• There are times I refuse to yield and end up with consequence rather than blessing.

One day as I was zipping down the road with a coworker, I was pulled over. After claiming my ticket, I sped off only to be pulled over a second time. Fortunately the second officer asked “Where are you going?” He knew the business we were visiting and let me go with a warning! “I better be careful” I said to myself.

• GOD has forgiven me for my sins but allows “crops” to grow where I sow seeds.
• GOD has forgiven me for my sins and wants me to plant seeds of life rather than death.
• GOD has forgiven me for my sins and HE desires that I enjoy HIS rules rather than getting mad at how HE works in my life.

Living sinless, or as the author says “blameless” is pretty difficult. I will inadvertently sin; BUT GOD wants me to stay away from sin anyway, not because HE will hit me in the head with a bat but because I love HIM. HE knows there is power in modeling my behavior after HIM. HE knows I should have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The more fruit I bear the more GOD blossoms in my life.

• Are you bearing fruit with your current behavior?
• Do you think GOD is after you in a bad way or a good way?
• Can you believe GOD loves you and wants you to delight in HIS way rather than pouting that you are not getting yours?
• Will you turn your anger into praise for GOD’s justice?

Past is Erased

Psalm 26: ¹ Vindicate me, Lord,
    for I have led a blameless life;
I have trusted in the Lord
    and have not faltered.
² Test me, Lord, and try me,
    examine my heart and my mind;
³ for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love
    and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.

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Enjoying my normal speeding routine, I ignored all of the posted limits. Eighty just felt right for my old junker. Something said “slow down” so I did. As I crossed the threshold of about sixty eight miles per hour I saw a cop turn on his lights. He pulled me over and asked the normal “admitting you are guilty” questions. I answered “Yes I know how fast I was going.” To my shock and surprise, he said. “Slow down” and let me go.

• All have sinned and I am part of that group.
• All fall short of the LORD and I fall short daily.
• All hearts are wicked who can know them, mine included.

If I say “I have no sin” I make GOD a liar. So How can the writer say “I led a blameless life?” What if I declared myself to be blameless and I am full of blame? GOD does something amazing.

• GOD says to me “I have removed your sins and forgiven you.”
• GOD says to me “I have cleansed you of ALL unrighteousness.”
• GOD says to me “MY grace is sufficient” meaning even my sin cannot exceed HIS grace.

Sometimes I pout and think I “deserve” something from GOD. I mean I have been “good” for ten minutes or so. Don’t I deserve extreme wealth, no problems and health that lasts forever? Quite the opposite, GOD said to me “You will have troubles but I will never forsake you.” Troubles come from my sin or someone else’s.

BUT GOD became a human and eradicated my sin. HE pardoned me of my past and erased what I did. HE lets me take advantage of HIM, but loves when I admit my sins and follow HIS ways.

• Do you think your sins are too frequent or big for GOD?
• Do you think GOD can’t possibly forgive me?
• Can you throw away those lies and believe that GOD’s grace is much larger than any sin you could ever commit?
• Will you believe that JESUS is the way to being blameless?

Blaming GOD

2 Samuel 6: ⁶ When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. ⁷ The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

⁸ Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

⁹ David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” ¹⁰ He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ¹¹ The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.

¹² Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.

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Finally at 12:30AM I went to bed after watching my racy show. This would be a normal day, I thought to myself. As I raced to the airport traffic was unusually thick entering the parking area. I cut it too close and watched the plane pull away from boarding area as I had arrived.

GOD why are YOU doing this to me?! I screamed in my mind!  With the sunken feeling of reality, I booked the next flight, knowing the partner of the firm would be livid. He was!

• Sometimes when things don’t go my way I blame GOD.
• Sometimes when things are going wrong I blame GOD.
• Sometimes when I think things aren’t fair I blame GOD.

David wasn’t supposed to have the ark of GOD on a cart rather it was to be carried by consecrated people as a burden to their sins. David became angry at GOD for killing a person when in reality David was the cause. I can see similar situations in my life when I am mad at GOD but blind to the sin I’m doing in my life.

• GOD wants me to recognize my own sin and admit it ti HIM.
• GOD wants me to understand when I’m blaming HIM and focus on praising HIM.
• GOD wants me to control my contempt of HIM being GOD and thank HIM rather than blame HIM.

With my sin GOD doesn’t always react with punishment. If that were the case, I would have been wiped off the planet years ago. GOD sometimes punishes me and other times HE teaches me with grace, mercy and love. HE is to be praised, not blamed!

• Are you blaming GOD for your circumstance?
• Are you trying to control your situation too much?
• Can you let go of your situation and allow GOD to yield HIS fruit?
• Won’t you review your own life and give HIM areas that are holding you back from greatness?

It takes faith to get ahead

Genesis 17: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. ² Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

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Bad news just seemed to find its way to me one year.  It seemed like a blues or country western sad song where everything happened and I felt all alone. I can’t say that I was acting the way GOD wanted me to so I decided to try HIM out. For the first time in years I went to church and the message seemed to be directed at me.

I surveyed my problems after my church experience and do you know what? My problems seemed to double. Wait, I thought going to church would fix my problems. I wondered if I should continue following GOD back then.

• When I face difficult circumstances I want them fixed immediately or I start doubting GOD.
• When I face adversity in my life I want things to change or I start getting mad at GOD.
• When I face hardship I just want relief or I start blaming GOD for my condition.

GOD wants me to have unyielding faith through impossible circumstances.  At ninety-nine GOD said Abraham would be a father and his ministry was just beginning. GOD sees the beginning and end of my life and builds a plan for me that only I can execute.

• GOD says walk before ME faithfully and be blameless because MY SON has taken the blame.
• GOD says I am GOD almighty, with ME nothing is impossible.
• GOD says I will make my covenant between ME and you and HE developed a plan just for me.

When GOD makes a promise no one can stop it. HE has already poured out HIS blessings on me in spite of me.

• Are you in a difficult situation that seems like there is no way out?
• Does the future seem a little murky?
• Can you hear GOD’s message to you that HE loves you dearly?
• Won’t you believe HE can and will fix your situation, HIS way in HIS time?

Where does true godliness come from?

1 Timothy 3: ¹⁶ Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great:

He appeared in the flesh,

    was vindicated by the Spirit,

was seen by angels,

    was preached among the nations,

was believed on in the world,

    was taken up in glory.

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Trust is something that can be easily lost with me. I mean if a person is inconsistent with me then my trust level goes way down.  I know this is my defense but when a person wants to “win” my trust back, they have to “prove” they won’t do that thing again.

I wonder if I treat GOD the same way. Do I trust HIM or am I making HIM “prove” HIMSELF to be as faithful as HE says?

• JESUS appeared as a human.
• JESUS was blameless according to the HOLY SPIRIT.
• JESUS was seen by angels in HIS glory and humanity.
• JESUS miracles and teachings were preached throughout the nations and was believed all over the world.
• JESUS was taken up to heaven where HE is building a place for me.

Many times I want GOD to prove HIMSELF to me because I face situation after situation. I want answers and I want them immediately. Fortunately for me GOD is faithful and HE allows me to test HIM with my faithless lenses. HE says “try ME and you will not be disappointed.”

This act of faith on HIS part increases my faith in HIM. HE took the first step of love toward me and all I have to do is believe and “trust” that HE will take care of me.

• Have you lost your trust?
• Are you suspicious about something or someone?
• Can you increase your trust that GOD has the situation or person handled?
• Will you release whatever is holding you back and “trust” GOD today?