I love Psalm 27. The activity is tremendous. I always relate it back to the stories my parents told me of my great-grandparents and how they shaped a wilderness into a home for family, a place of work and a place to rest! Many people today love that they can just buy a home and move in. People are happy to shop for furniture and appliances they might desire and just spend money rather than to carve out timbers for walls in a log home. I remember stories of family moving to make a homestead in a barren land. They moved to find a place, to work with their hands and to make a difference in a new land. They had heart for the unknown and it was experienced in life both on the plains and in the southwest.
What
applies here is a heart’s desire! The heart wants what it wants. And does not
our heart have the light of Christ in it? In thinking of David, we are told he
had a heart for God. 1 Samuel 16: 7 “Do not look at his appearance, or at his
physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man
sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the
heart.” Then.... V. 12 And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one.”
Only with a
hearing heart will we discern. From the
book of Proverbs, we find in chapter 3, that the Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
and by understanding He established the heavens; 20 By His knowledge the depths
were broken up, and clouds drop down the dew.
Okay, God’s
wisdom is His tool. It is His possession and He uses it in wonderful ways. His
knowledge will break up the depths of our heart that must be removed to
actually hear Him speak. And when He
speaks, He keeps our foot from being caught. We walk safely in His way. We do
not stumble. We are not afraid and when we lie down at night our sleep is
sweet. We are not to be afraid of sudden terror nor of trouble
from the wicked when it comes; For the LORD will be our confidence, And will
keep our foot from being caught.
Hearing God
is paramount for living. Going into that "new land", God gives specific instruction. And we are to discern the difference of what is God and
what is of the world. The “simple”, considered the empty-headed is void of good sense and he goes his own way
daily. But those who have heard God, received His salvation has found God in
the new, for the old life is gone. The Lord has
prepared a place for us…and we must know what it looks like and how to operate there!
Proverbs
7:4-12 Amplified Bible 4 Say to skillful & godly Wisdom, You are my sister,
& regard understanding or insight as your intimate friend--- 5 That they
may keep you from the loose woman,
The KJV
speaks of the loose as the “strange”…2114…”zoor”…profane……from the adventuress
who flatters with & makes smooth her words. 6 For at the window of my house
I looked out through my lattice. 7 & among the simple (empty-headed &
empty-hearted ones, I perceived (discerned)
among the youths a young man ( a son) void of good
sense. …8 Sauntering (
without hurry or effort) through the street near the [loose woman’s] corner;
and he went the way to her house. 9 In the twilight, in the evening; night
black & dense was falling [over the man’s life]. 10& Behold, there met
him a woman, dressed as harlot & sly & cunning (sly) of heart. 11 she is
turbulent & willful; her feet stay
not in her house; 12 Now in the streets, now in the marketplaces, she sets her
ambush at every corner.
Those with
a guarded heart have their own agenda. When the man or woman is not committed
to the wisdom of God, then they are “meat” for him who is ready for any
commotion, any noise and finding mostly those with no sense who speak openly in arrogance and only opinions. This person has a “religion” but speaks lies
with flattery. This person who sets ambushes for others is the one on the hunt
for anyone vulnerable to their speech, loud restless movement, including that
of suggestive clothing and scents for appeal. The world always holds out great
“things” but in them is only emptiness, vanity and no life.
Jesus came to bring light and salvation. And in the darkness He, the Light would bring strength to people’s lives. Jesus came to awaken the dead out of a bad existence. Jesus brought the "new" and we can have them when willing.
In Psalm 27 there is a rescue from danger. Light came to dispel that darkness. And one thing dispelled would be him who devours the innocent without cause.
Psalm
27:1-14 NKJV The LORD is my light and salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is
the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came
against me to eat (devour) up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and
fell. 3 Though an army may encamp against me my heart shall not fear; though
war may rise against me, in this I will be confident. 4
One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the
house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD,
and to inquire in His temple 5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide
me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His
tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set my
upon a rock. 6 And now my heard shall be lifted up above my enemies all
around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle, I will
sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. 7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my
voice! Have mercy also upon me and answer me. 8 When You said, “seek My face,”
My heart said to you, “Your face, LORD I will seek.” 9 Do not hide Your face
from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger, You have been my help; do not
leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother
forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me. 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD
and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. 12 Do not deliver me to
the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such
as breathe out violence. 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that
would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the
LORD; Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say on the
LORD!
In the
verses of 4-6 we find the Lord has deployed a camp around us. In this is the
presence of the Lord. It is God’s presence where fellowship is seen. And in
that is the man or woman secure. To abide in His presence and to hear Him speak
truth ….will keep us secure in His arms. I know of people who have moved from
church to church to find the safe church and it is the building not on the main
highway but hidden in the back of a neighborhood, behind some big trees and next to a pasture. To them, this is their security. But here the
security is different! Church attendance might be a 100 percent, but how about
the heart issue. Has one surrendered to be faithful to the Lord, doing what He
said do but also to avoid associations with such people that be murderous to
your living for God? The secure will only be secure in God alone and not by any structure or group of people!
We are to
be around the Lord, stand in His presence, led by His love for us that He has a
place prepared for us and it certainly comes by obeying Him! Can we be
distinguished from those who are the worthless, that is, they follow the world
and have no hearing for God, nor do they have any thought for His holiness nor His truth. They have no place for
Him as they had no place for Jesus in Bethlehem on the night of His birth.
The Innkeeper had much room for those paying to get rooms for the night who came to pay their taxes, but had no room for the birth of a child. Oh so true, even to the individual who goes through the rigorous routine of that schedule and not experience the suddenly from God who has a new life, a new way of living from the old existence!
Are the malicious witnesses hanging close to your doorway? Do they stand close to feel their breath on your face or next to your ear? David certainly knew about this and he would be king. But David had confidence in the Lord and he withstood the threats of those out of vengeance against him. He would encounter a king who would sit ready to through a spear through him. He would find those who would hate him because he took the throne. Those who loved Saul and wanted his reign to continue will bring out those who desire to sling mud and belittle him who would be kind. Bribes in David’s time is no different than we have seen in the last few years of this nation. Anything to do with bribes will corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely is well documented in the history of world government.
David had a
heart’s desire for God and it is made clear as we read of him and the history
of his family. David kept the firing burning in prayer to God and he would wait
on His word to move him. Many today move on a word from their neighbor or the barista at the coffee shop. But truly only God should move us!
Matthew 15:
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts (reasoning's, disputing &
designs) such as murder, adultery, sexual vice, theft, false witnessing,
slander & irreverent speech. 20 These
are what make a man unclean & defile [him]; but eating with unwashed hands
does not make him unclean or defile [him]. Living righteously comes from the
heart: keeps us from irreverent speech. It comes through faith in Jesus that is
guarded by God’s love. Righteous actions appear in the born again believer:
that new life reborn in Christ Jesus.
Again the heart wants something, and if it is not filled with God, then it is filled with the world.
Proverbs
4:23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard,
for out of it flow the springs of life.
Prov. 18:2 amplified Bible….. A [self-confident] fool has no delight in
understanding but only in revealing his personal opinions & himself. No opinions please: God’s thoughts only
NKJV of
Proverbs 18:2 reads: a fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing
his own heart. A fool….has no excitement
to have God’s understanding. They regard opinions, they regard the caprice, the
arguments of their own held opinion…living by impulse! Have you seen someone just leave work to go do something else? What about the man or woman who is leading a group of people and in the middle of the meeting leave to go fishing?
Prov. 9: 6 Leave off, simple ones [forsake the foolish &
simpleminded] & live! & walk in the way of insight &
understanding. We do not walk by their
ways or their speaking….ruled by God’s Word.
We must
live in God’s wisdom. We must forsake the foolish ones and their foolish ways.
Proverbs 14:33-34 Amp. Bible 33 Wisdom rests [silently] in the
mind and heart of him who has understanding, but that which is in the inward
part of [self-confident] fools is made known. 34 Uprightness & right standing
with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area & relation) elevate a
nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
God loves
those who listen and obey Him. He lifts our head above our enemies. He brings
us to honor. He brings us to joyful shouts in whatever situation or trial may
be occurring in our lives. He is for us and will not forsake us. Psalm 3:3 But
You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
Our
significance is not found in any position, nor in another person, place or thing. It is found
only in our relationship with the Father who planned for us! David found an
honor in worshiping the Father in the wilderness. He found the strength to face
the lion and the bear to protect the sheep in his care. In his beginning with
God, he found favor because of a right heart for God. And finding that is
everything to having a life filled with the strength of God, to rule and reign
in His peace and not be found wanting or as the fool!
Now it is your turn. Will you choose to worship the Lord in His presence and experience the humility of that honor when God lifts you to be in the position He destined you for? It is your move and will you move for His glory and to His plan?
New teaching at: Voice of Prayer
Seasoned With Salt
