Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
Who God Guides
Pastor Scott
Thursday, May 08, 2008
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He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psalm 23:3
Proverbs 11:3-5 says, "3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. 4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. 5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness." What are you known for? What are the virtues in your life? Are you a good man? Do you have a teachable spirit? Are you ready to hear? How confident are you in your own perception? Do you assume that everything you think is correct? Have you learned over the years that you need counselors? I want as much perspective as I can get when I'm making any decision of magnitude. I want to hear from those who are truly concerned about my life.
Too many of us seek counsel from the people we think will agree with us. We have counselors based upon our preferences. We stay away from those who will tell us what we don't want to hear. We go to counselors who have the same vices that we have. We need more information and we need to hear the other side. We need to consider that possibly we could be wrong. The good man is the virtuous man, a seeker of truth and character. The good man delights in the truth. Don't you want to know if you're right or wrong? Is it more important for you to be proven right? Do you want your own will or do you want to know the truth? This is what the Psalmist means when he says, "The integrity of the upright shall guide them." One rendering for this word "integrity" is "the innocent." The innocent can hear the pure voice of God. The blood of Jesus can restore us to innocence! Obedience can restore you to that spirit of humility, meekness and purity. God's Word can cleanse you. If you'll pour this Word into your spirit, the innocence returns to your heart and you can hear from God. Stay pure. Stay separate. Remain holy in the midst of this generation.
This word "integrity" means a purity of heart that is agenda-free. It is a heart that is truly seeking, "Not my will but Thy will be done."
Proverbs 11:5 says, "The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way." That word "righteous" means to be in "right-standing" with God. There is the doctrinal (legal) righteousness and there is the actual righteousness through obedience. This righteousness means that you have done everything you know to do at this point. Then God will direct your paths.
It says in Psalm 25:9, "The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way." Is your character marked by a spirit of meekness? Or are you haughty and self-confident? Meekness is not weakness and it's not being mousy. A meek man knows where he stands among his peers. But meekness has to do with our perception and relationship to God. Moses was the meekest man in that generation, and yet he withstood the forces of the world, Pharaoh, face to face. He realized his limitations and incapability of delivering through his own strength. He was humbled in the wilderness. What did we learn in that last episode of God humbling us? We all get humbled, don't we? Some of us are under the pressure of the chastening of the Lord, and we're being humbled. Israel was led for forty years in the wilderness that God might prove what was in their hearts and humble them, the Scripture says. And one of the things we learn is that spirit of meekness. Meekness knows that we cannot do it in our own strength. But "I can do all things through Christ."
I've given up on myself. I know what I can do. I want to hear what God has to say. And I truly believe that if God is for me, nobody can be against me. I believe that the steps of the good man are ordered by the Lord. I believe that the integrity of the upright will guide them. What am I saying? I'm not in it for myself. I've been down that road. I've built my own kingdoms and I have cried out for God to tear them down and destroy them that I might be a doorkeeper in His house. What is your spirit today? Do you want to hear the voice of God? Do you want to live for the glory of God? God can guide the people who have this spirit of meekness.