Psalm 36
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.
1 I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before their eyes.
2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.
3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
they fail to act wisely or do good.
I have always been concerned about my spiritual state, ever since I can remember. Most of the time, I would beat myself up for not being 'perfect' or for doing something I shouldn't have...and most of the time, my walk with Christ is centered around me.
But today, I am troubled in my heart by the wicked of this world. I discovered a website for 'ex-Christians' and spent a while reading posts on their forums. It was a group of people who had banded together to share their relief of having left the faith, and there were celebrations and diatribes over how free they felt having left the burden of following Christ behind them.
They called those of us who still seek Him things like 'brainwashed', 'under the delusion' and 'stupid'. As I sat reading the words, I was stunned to realize that once someone found Christ, they would ever leave Him. I had never felt so brilliant as I did the moment I prayed the sinner's prayer, and to be called stupid for it seemed...well...incredibly sad. How was it that the people making those comments felt free without the love of Jesus to keep them free from sin and death? How had they reduced my Savior, and me, to such pitiful relics of the past? I couldn't comprehend it, and my heart grieved for them.
Then I noticed an article about a group of students who just recently walked out on a speaker who was Bible-bashing and who had turned his venomous, hurtful words towards all Christians. Believe it or not, he was speaking as part of a campaign against bullying! When the young people walked out of his speech, he hurled profanity at them, mocking them and challenging them to return to listen to other parts of his speech, laced with sexual innuendo and graphic references to his live in lover. I wanted to stand up and yell "BRAVO!" to the young people who walked out and never returned to the display of "free speech" about bullying.
Standing up for God is hard sometimes. How clearly we forget that, living here in the United States. But it does seem to be getting harder for Christians to practice their faith as others turn and point the finger at our beliefs and blame us for every problem in the world.
My heart is ill at ease, and I have confidence in my God that He is an ever present help in our times of troubles. I have to turn my attention around from me, me, me, and start paying attention more to the wicked ways of this world.
I have to pray that God will help me reach out to evangelize more, to touch the lives of those who do not agree with my beliefs, and to reach those who have never heard why I walk with Jesus before. I need to pray for the wicked, and ask God to change their hearts from hard to loving.
Today remember that there is someone in need of your prayers for their repentance from evil. Pray for the wicked.
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.
1 I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before their eyes.
2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.
3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
they fail to act wisely or do good.
I have always been concerned about my spiritual state, ever since I can remember. Most of the time, I would beat myself up for not being 'perfect' or for doing something I shouldn't have...and most of the time, my walk with Christ is centered around me.
But today, I am troubled in my heart by the wicked of this world. I discovered a website for 'ex-Christians' and spent a while reading posts on their forums. It was a group of people who had banded together to share their relief of having left the faith, and there were celebrations and diatribes over how free they felt having left the burden of following Christ behind them.
They called those of us who still seek Him things like 'brainwashed', 'under the delusion' and 'stupid'. As I sat reading the words, I was stunned to realize that once someone found Christ, they would ever leave Him. I had never felt so brilliant as I did the moment I prayed the sinner's prayer, and to be called stupid for it seemed...well...incredibly sad. How was it that the people making those comments felt free without the love of Jesus to keep them free from sin and death? How had they reduced my Savior, and me, to such pitiful relics of the past? I couldn't comprehend it, and my heart grieved for them.
Then I noticed an article about a group of students who just recently walked out on a speaker who was Bible-bashing and who had turned his venomous, hurtful words towards all Christians. Believe it or not, he was speaking as part of a campaign against bullying! When the young people walked out of his speech, he hurled profanity at them, mocking them and challenging them to return to listen to other parts of his speech, laced with sexual innuendo and graphic references to his live in lover. I wanted to stand up and yell "BRAVO!" to the young people who walked out and never returned to the display of "free speech" about bullying.
Standing up for God is hard sometimes. How clearly we forget that, living here in the United States. But it does seem to be getting harder for Christians to practice their faith as others turn and point the finger at our beliefs and blame us for every problem in the world.
My heart is ill at ease, and I have confidence in my God that He is an ever present help in our times of troubles. I have to turn my attention around from me, me, me, and start paying attention more to the wicked ways of this world.
I have to pray that God will help me reach out to evangelize more, to touch the lives of those who do not agree with my beliefs, and to reach those who have never heard why I walk with Jesus before. I need to pray for the wicked, and ask God to change their hearts from hard to loving.
Today remember that there is someone in need of your prayers for their repentance from evil. Pray for the wicked.