“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?”. To act justly means to walk uprightly with the teachings and precepts of the Lord in mind. We always have a choice as to how we want to present ourselves. There’s only one chance for a first impression. Your witness to others can make them or break them in some cases. There are people who look up to you and you’d want them to learn the better part of how you can be. Fake it till you faith it. We always start out dry in whatever our unwanted tasks may be, but after some time we really get into it knowing it’s the Lord’s will concerning us. There’s always a deep down desire to please God in our hearts, it’s just always being squashed by life’s struggles and issues. To love mercy we must be Christ inside minded. The Lord was merciful towards us when we were His enemies. We can let some things go and not yield to the temptation of going off on somebody. Show mercy and mercy will be shown back to you. Walking humbly is related to showing mercy. Can’t have one without the other. It is the meek that shall inherit the kingdom of God. The encouragement today is to basically get off our high horses of pride and get on the train of humility that leads to victorious living.

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad.” Anxiety and worry are the bad boys of hope. When we are dealing with thoughts that go against the word of God, it can throw us off course. The bible says, bring every thought into captivity to the scrutiny of God’s word concerning you (2Corinthians 10:5). If that thought doesn’t line up to what the bible says about you, then it’s from the dark side of influence. As we re-program our thought processes with God’s word, we begin to move into a faith led lifestyle which doesn’t include anxiety. All the “What ifs” or “Suppose this happens”, mentality will be moved to the back of the forefront of our decision making, because faith doesn’t care about tomorrow’s troubles. Anxiety weighs down the heart if you let it, but a kind word cheers it up. We must protect and guard our hearts at all costs. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak. If we are allowing bad conversations, with drama folk to be in our lives, then worry, and anxiety aren’t far away. What we constantly hear drops down into our hearts, and with much input of whatever we’re listening to, you will begin to speak it out of your mouth, good or bad (Matthew 12:34). Through this door anxiety can enter. There are many ways we can be tempted to worry, but it all starts with what’s being heard. Hanging around the right people can make a world of difference in our lives concerning not having anxiety and worry.

“And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” You’re doing great, don’t give up now. We all can get weary in doing good. In times of needing refuge from the struggles of life, there is help. The bible says come to me all of you that labour and are heavy laden (Matthew 11:28-29), and the Lord will give you rest. Our struggles and battles in life are not unknown to the Lord. When He says let us not become weary in well doing, that means we can do this. But not so easily without God’s help. All soldiers get weary from the battle and must recoup and regroup, but not give up or give in. Our strength comes from the Lord (Isaiah 40:31), and to utilize that help we must spend some quality time with Him. In those quiet times alone with the Lord, is where He can instill in us that which is needed to carry on in the fight of life. Once tapped into the Lord and His power, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. He leads us beside the still waters of peace and quiet. Once we’ve gotten what we need it’s time to continue the good fight of faith. Our work is not in vain, the Lord sees your good works and your effort in staying steady in doing good. “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in” (psalm 24:7-10). Stay encouraged, you’ve got great backing.

“So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).” Faith in the things of God comes by hearing the message of the Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel. Since it is impossible to please God without faith, it is the most vital thing to obtain as a christian. You had faith to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life, you believed without seeing. As we constantly meditate on God’s word day and night, we make our own way prosperous (Joshua 1:8). Then at one point our faith must be tested to grow more and more. It’s like a muscle, the more you use it, the more it grows. There is weak faith, strong faith, ever increasing faith, little faith, etc. It’s up to you which level of faith you want to be on. Trails in the life of christians come for many reasons. Sometimes there’s a self inflicted situation of trouble catching up with the bad seed you sowed against someone and you never made things right with that person. Then there’s the time when the word of God in you demands to be tested. Growth in faith comes from hearing the word and then putting it into practice in your everyday life against trials and crisis. God’s word covers all Issues of this life. The power of faith is backed by every word of God. The power of faith is released with your confession of God’s word concerning your specific challenge. Be careful what you hear, and say because faith works both ways for your good or for bad.

“Honor (esteem and value as precious) your father and your mother–this is the first commandment with a promise–[Exod. 20:12.] That all may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.” Here’s another step towards having a longer life. To honor your father and mother can be difficult for some. If you’ve grown up in a family that has no honor about or in anything, honoring anyone is a problem. You’ve learned how to be dishonorable as a lifestyle growing up. Maybe your parents were not honorable people. But all of our negative background, bad environment, and up bringing in general can be remoulded into an honorable life with the Lord’s help. The teachings and precepts of God won’t change because you’re too lazy to work the word of God in your life. There is always a way of escaping all life’s struggles by living the life God intended for us to live. But it takes some work on our part. The constant warring between our flesh and our spirit will not be over until death. It is vital to learn how to fight using the words of the bible. Therein lies the power to resist temptations and to gain the strength to go forward in victory over being hurt. We must honor our father and mother to have a long life on the earth.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.”
David is speaking to God here about creating in himself a pure heart. What’s a pure heart in a spiritually dead person’s life. Before Jesus came and sacrificed His life for sin, no one had a truly pure heart in God’s eyes. Now David was the apple of God’s eye, but he was not a born again christian back then. When we go through the heart change of becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus, we receive a new heart, spiritually alive to God. What was the pure heart David wanted God to create in him. It all comes down to sin, wrong doings. David did some dastardly things before God, and he knew it was wrong. But God knew David didn’t have the power to resist sin like we can today. A pure heart back in the day was different than a pure heart today after the work at calvary. I believe David longed to walk uprightly before the Lord but his struggle was constantly a bit much, because he was still spiritually dead to God. Because of the sin nature in mankind in the old testament, they could never have what we have today thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord.

“But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].” These are the fruits of the new recreated human spirit, not the Holy Spirit. When we are talking about fruit, that implies growth. The Holy Spirit is already perfect and has no need for growth. We have much need for growth in this area. We must unlearn all our flesh has learned from birth. Our flesh means our body appetites and our emotions that have ruled us. The fruit of our human spirits are the attributes of the Lord’s character and His holiness. All the fruit of the spirit lay on the bed of love. Without love, none of them would have the power to be expressed or to shine. As we renew our minds with God’s word, we begin to understand how all these things work together. It is a fight of faith we can win. Spirit against flesh has always been the internal battle we must conquer to be free, to be in a position to grow, and to live the victorious life the Lord has promised us.

“Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” The Lord wouldn’t command us to be strong and courageous if we weren’t able or didn’t have the wherewithal to do so. His command is based on us understanding the power we have within us. Being strong in the Lord and in the power of His might is our portion as christians (Ephesians 6:10). We can overcome fear by walking in a greater dimension of the love of God planted in us at the new birth. Perfect love or mature love drives out fear (1John 4:18). We are in the army of the Lord which is indicative of being soldiers, battles are always coming. Learning how to fight is vital for not only our survival, but to advance the Kingdom of God on planet earth. Our enemy the devil searches throughout all the earth to seek who he can devour. He knows those who are prepared for battle and those who are not. But we have a champion to follow who already gave the devil a Holy beat down in hell. Learn how our Champion Jesus fought the devil and follow His lead (Matthew 4:1-11). Knowing for yourself He lives in you gives confidence we can be strong and very courageous.

“IF THEN you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” This verse tells us of our heavenly position with Christ. It also keeps us informed of where to put our affections and our focus in life. We are in this world but shouldn’t be of it. Once our hearts are fixed on this world’s ways and desires, that will take us off course for the Lord’s plans for us. He wants us to not be pulled away from our rightful position in heaven while still living on earth. Once we put our affections on this world our hearts are pulled away from God’s way of living and your God given purpose, which doesn’t include loving this world. To set our hearts on things above we must be in constant fellowship with the Lord. Our lifestyle should be conducive to that of how Jesus lived on earth. He stayed in prayer, and made no moves of any kind without checking in with His Father God. He left the example for us to follow. But if we don’t know the life of Jesus on earth, we will subconsciously follow this world’s way of how to live which takes you further away from the Lord. Purpose to follow the Lord and your heart will be fixed on things above.

“THE Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. [Rev. 7:17.]” This verse is well known by many. It is David making his declaration that God will take care of him and will supply all of his needs. The shepherds that watch over sheep are to feed, guide, and protect them. This is what the Lord does for His sheepfold of christians. And sheep (christians) know His voice and will respond to Him, and Him only. The voice of a stranger they will not follow. We must learn to hear the Lord’s voice so we can distinguish His guidance from all the other many voices in this world. He leads us beside the still waters, which is indicative of peaceful surroundings. The Lord is also our strength and our shield. When the wolves come (trials, crisis, trouble) He has already made a way of escape. As we live, move and have our being in Christ Jesus, we find that place of refuge, comfort and restful peace. We become confident in knowing we are under His umbrella of protection. When we sheep go astray from the fold, we can more easily fall into diverse temptations. There is less guidance, and protection once we go off the beat and path of the Lord’s designated pasture we’re supposed to be in. The Lord is our Shepherd, let Him lead the way.