Beginning Again

Psalm 19:12-14 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the mediation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

As I read this Psalm this morning, my heart cried out in agreement with David's words! Oh how I want to cleansed from "secret faults" or sins that I am unaware that I'm committing. In fact, I want the Lord to make me aware of them. I want to cease all sin, if it is possible to do so.

I also do not want to give in to the presumptuous sins, the ones I know I'm committing. There are times each month when it is easy for me justify a bad temper or ill nature. I don't ever want to justify sin. I can also justify harsh words sometimes, by saying "I was provoked! It's so-and-so's fault!" But the truth is, it is my fault when that happens. I control my tongue, not so-and-so.

Psalm 19:14 is my husband's life verse and it should be mine, also. 99.9% of the sin I commit is either thinking bad thoughts or saying hurtful words. I want to defeat that sin, but I can only do so with the Lord's help. May all the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart to be acceptable to the Lord. What is it they say? "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step"?

I begin -again - today.

Painful Words, Painful Wounds

Proverbs 26:22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

I completely understand this verse. For the past year, maybe a bit more than that, we've been dealing with talebearers. In modern lingo: Liars! Their lies have been spread around so much that there's no way to tell with whom it originated. And it hurts. Deeply. I have struggled with my flesh, wanting to right the wrongs, to defend myself, to tell them off! Then, the Lord says to me, "Whoa, girl! Think about that! You'd be just like they are; you'd be stooping to their level." My flesh says, "Oh yay! That will feel so good! Let's do it!" Then the Lord says, "No, that will just add more sorrow to your life in the long-run! Think about how Jesus answered liars, He opened not His mouth! You want to be like Him don't you? If you react that way, that's not being like Him at all!" Reluctantly, I force my flesh to do the right thing, but it's no fun!

But the damage has been done; the wounds are there. The next time I hear the lies, the scab is ripped off those wounds and they bleed anew. The cycle repeats itself. So far, I've heeded the Lord's prompting and not retaliated. But it's a fight. Have others wounded you with their words? Here are some verses that help me deal with those times.

Is. 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 

Prov. 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

Prov. 24:10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. 

1 Pet. 5:7 Casting all your care upon him: for he careth for you.

Luke 6:31-34

31  And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 

32  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 

33  And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 

34  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 

Psa 64:1-10

(1)  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

(2)  Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

(3)  Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

(4)  That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

(5)  They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?

(6)  They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

(7)  But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

(8)  So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.

(9)  And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

(10)  The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

I apologize for the lengthy post today, but this really encouraged me. I needed these words today. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to write all of this out. It has really helped me.