“3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
10 There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die.
19 The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.
21 Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
31 The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,
but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.” (Proverbs 15, Selected Verses)
The way some professers of faith in Jesus Christ conduct their lives, you would think that they have the notion that God isn’t really paying attention to what they are doing or that he doesn’t care or that he will do nothing about it. And there are some people who are teaching that, when God forgives us our sins, he can no longer see when we sin against him, and that when he looks at us, all he sees is Jesus. But the NT teachings do not support that notion, for the NT writings have all kinds of warnings to those professing faith in the Lord, telling them that they must stop sinning.
For “the wicked” are not just those who make no professions of faith in Jesus Christ. The wicked are all those who make sin their practice, who habitually and deliberately and even premeditatedly sin against God and against their fellow humans. And many of them do profess faith in the Lord, but by their practices they deny him. For it is not what we profess that matters if it is not backed up with our actions. If our actions do not support our words, then our words are meaningless. For true faith is not in words only, but in deed and in truth. And only those of true faith have eternal life with God.
For, if we claim that we are in fellowship with God, but while we walk in darkness (sin), we are liars. And if we say that we know God, but while we do not obey him and his commands, in practice, we are liars. For Jesus Christ died that we might die to sin and live to his righteousness. And he died that we might live for him and no longer for self. And he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so that we will now honor him with our bodies (our lives) in walks of faithful obedience to his commands in holy living.
[1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Acts 26:18]
Sadly, there are many people who know the Scriptures, and perhaps have even taught the Scriptures, who are not living by the word of God, but who are still living by the flesh, just doing whatever their flesh dictates. Many of them are sluggards who live to please themselves and not God, and not to love their fellow humans, but to live for selfish desire. So, folly is joy to them who lack sense and who live to please self and not God. But God loves those who pursue righteousness, and their prayers are acceptable to God. For they walk in the way of the Lord, and they do what pleases him, in practice.
So, it is critical that we listen to the Lord and that we heed his counsel and that we make a practice of what is right and just and morally pure, in the power of God, by the grace of God, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ. For if this is how we live, and if this is what we continue in until the end, we will not die in our sins, but we will have eternal life with God. But those who ignore the Lord’s commands, and who go their own way, instead, will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of their professions of faith in Jesus Christ. For we must be doing the will of God to have eternal life in him.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Peter 1:15; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31]
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
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