SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
7/2/2012 7:39:47 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm 101 PT-2
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 101:3-8
Message of the verses: In the last SD we looked at several introductions to Psalm 101 and then looked at the first two verses of the psalm, and in today’s SD we will continue looking at Psalm 101. Dr. Wiersbe wrote the following at the end of his introductory comments on Psalm 101 “We could accurately call this psalm ‘Leadership 101’ because in it David spells out the essentials for successful leadership in the work of God.”
Discernment (vv. 3-5): 3 I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me. 4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know no evil. 5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure.”
The first part of verse three is a good verse to remember and to put on your TV, for we see many worthless things on our TV’s. Dr. Wiersbe writes “The heart and the eyes work together, for what the heart loves; the eyes will seek and find (Ecc. 2:10; Jer. 22:17).” Looking at worthless things means more than just seeing them with our eyes, but with our hearts also, so when one looks at this in the realm of leadership we would not want a leader whom we are under to think about doing things that are against what the Bible teaches. A leader who has an unbiblical vision is not the kind we desire to follow.
The things that David is writing about in these verses are not the qualities that one wants in a leader, and are not the qualities that we see in David. Although we know the sins that David committed, for they are right there in the Word of God for all to see, we also know that his heart was right before the Lord, for he was a man after God’s own heart. Who would want a leader with a perverse heart, or one who desires to do evil? Who would want a leader who desires to slander his neighbor? Who wants a leader with a haughty or arrogant heart? When we look at the life of Jesus we know that He was a humble man, and people came to Him for this very reason. The Pharisees were proud and haughty people, just the opposite of Jesus. Dr. Wiersbe writes that “faithless people are apostates, people who have abandoned God’s way for their own way and the world’s way.” I have heard the statement that a good leader always has to realize that they are second in command, and by knowing that they are second in command, means that they know that God is in command.
Decision (vv. 6-8): “6 My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; He who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me. 7 He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me. 8 Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, So as to cut off from the city of the LORD all those who do iniquity.”
“We have moved from the leader’s heart to the leaders eyes, and now we look at the leader’s will. The repeated ‘I will’ statements in the psalm give evidence of David’s determination to serve God and God’s people successfully and be a man of decision. He would not make excuse and he would not delay making decisions.” (Warren Wiersbe)
A leader has to make tough decisions and in order to make these decisions a good leader must have people around him to aid in making a good decision, and they must be people of good integrity, those who follow the Lord. I suppose that when we look at the leadership that surrounded David we could question the integrity of Joab, but even Joab did not want David to number the fighting men in Israel.
Dr. Wiersbe writes “Deception is the devil’s tool, and Satan goes to work whenever a lie moves in (2Cor. 11:1-3).” “1 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. 3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”
In the Eastern nations the kings would often give out justice in the mornings and so David promised to hear the cases in the morning and do justice after hearing the cases. What a far cry from what is going on in our country today when we look at the way it takes so long to hear cases and to execute justice.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Was David successful in doing all that was right to do? The answer is surely no, but David was a man who when confronted with the truth that he had done something wrong would not run from that truth, but would confess his sins and seek the Lord for forgiveness and that is a wonderful example to follow.
My Steps of Faith For today: I desire to continue to learn the memory verses that I have determined will be helpful in my walk with the Lord. I want to memorize them so that then I can meditate on them.
Memory verses for the week: 2Peter 1:1-4:
1. Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3.seeing that his divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakes of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
7/2/2012 8:51:45 AM
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