March 30, 2021

"Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.” Ps 17:5 KJV

Whenever I read the Psalms, I am often challenged (as I/we should be) by the boldness of David’s remarks… for example,

“Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing;” Ps 17:3 KJV

The thought of my saying this to the awesome, Just, and Righteous God of all the Universe… Who knows my every thought from afar, and knows my every work and selfish motive from my earliest moment of responsible thinking and doing… causes me to stall in my tracks. My thoughts turn to lightning and fire falling from above to snuff out my audacity and self-inflicted ignorance of holiness and fearfulness regarding Who it is that I am addressing. Perhaps some of you catch on to the concern I have in considering myself worthy of such an opinion of myself.

Then the still small voice of Yahweh’s Holy Spirit speaks to my heart… telling me that it is not my righteousness that sustains me and presents me acceptable to a Holy and Just and Righteous God. It is made possible by the remarkable gift of grace and love that Yahweh provided me in the person of Yeshua (Jesus), who purchased my insurmountable sin debt and cleansed me from my despicable condition and washed away my guilt and iniquity by the Blood of the Lamb…

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor 5:17 KJV

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” 1 Peter 1:18-21 KJV

This Spring as the new life of the earth’s flowers and trees turn green and bud and bear their God designed beauty and fruit… as believers, we celebrate the Passover and Resurrection of the “Lamb of God,” who by Him, because Christ has made us blameless and righteous, new creations, before a Holy God, we can enjoin David in saying...

“Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing;” Ps 17:3 KJV Because… like Paul, we can say:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Gal 2:20 KJV

Shalom… John