Never Alone…

 20 My son, keep your father’s command,

And do not forsake the law of your mother.

21 Bind them continually upon your heart;

Tie them around your neck.

22 When you roam, they will lead you;

When you sleep, they will keep you;

And when you awake, they will speak with you.

23 For the commandment is a lamp,

And the law a light;

Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,—Proverbs 6:20-23

The sin spoken of here in Proverbs 6 is specifically adultery, but the word of God bound to our hearts is effective against any sin. When we roam, it will lead us; when we sleep, it will keep us; and when we are awake, it will speak to us.  Oh my goodness, just reading those words lightens my heart. I am not alone.  God goes with me on my journey....keeping me, leading me and speaking to me.  

Beloved, receive the implanted word with meekness...which means without argument.  Allow it to penetrate and keep your heart. The word of God sanctifies.

“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). 

Sanctification is the process by which those of us who believe are transformed into the likeness of Christ. The means God uses to do this is His word. 

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.—Hebrews 4:12

Beloved, we are never alone. God’s Holy Spirit lives in us and is with us wherever we go.  He is our Helper, our Comforter, our Advocate, our Counselor and our Strengthener.  The truth He brings to our hearts will be as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.  The Word of God is our weapon against the sin that so easily ensnares us and against the deceit of the world.  

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.—1 John 1:5-7

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—Ephesians 6:14-18

For Surely There is a Hereafter…

 Do not let your heart envy sinners,

But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;

For surely there is a hereafter,

And your hope will not be cut off.—Prov 23:17-18

If you are anything like me, you might find yourself as you go about your day focusing on and caring about things that have no eternal value.  All the world is truly a stage and very often we can get caught up and entrapped in its trappings. We forget truth and begin to live as the non believers around us...for ourselves and not for God. 

Beloved...don’t envy sinners...sin brings nothing but despair and death.  Instead, be zealous for the Lord all the day long. For surely there is a hereafter and our hope will not be cut off. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.  Lay aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking. Desire instead, the pure milk of the word and grow in His grace and knowledge as you meditate on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy.  

Oh Father! Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things and revive me in Your good and right way.  Oh, that I would be wise!   May my soul follow hard after You and may Your right hand uphold me.

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.—Colossians 3:2-4

1 Do not fret because of evildoers,

Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.

2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,

And wither as the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;

Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself also in the LORD,

And He shall give you the desires of your heart.—Psalm 37:1-4

Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,

Who delights greatly in His commandments.—Psalm 112:1

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.—1 Corinthians 9:24-27