Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 15:1-5
Ps 15:1-5
1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? 2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart 3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, 4 who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, 5 who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
1 John 1:5-7
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Jesus said that not everyone who calls him Lord is truly his disciple. Paul warns of those who go out preaching and teaching in the name of Jesus but who are only seeking to make a name of themselves or who are gratifying their fleshly desires instead of seeking the will of God. While we may not be able to know the motives of others (as God knows), Jesus said we can know a tree by its fruit.
Paul says we are to walk worthy of the gospel by which we are called. This does not mean we live in perfection but that we are in constant fellowship with our Lord and continue to receive his forgiveness. Our goal is perfection – to be like Jesus in all things. We seek to have the mind of God. This means his will is first and foremost in our lives and is our only determination of what is right and what is wrong. This mind set leads us to be what he wants us to become.
We are ever growing spiritually. We forget what is behind us (whether good or bad) and press on toward the goal of heaven. The best we have done deserves no merit and the worst is forgiven so we let it go. This growth requires Bible study, much time in prayer, wisdom from God and putting it into practice in our lives.
Heavenly Father, thank you for revealing your unspeakable holiness and your perfect righteousness to me in your word. Give me greater respect for your word and a stronger desire to study and know it. I always need your wisdom to properly apply it in my life. Help me remember that my understanding may be wrong so it is not the standard but only you and your revelation can be that. Cultivate in me a pure and honest heart that sees others better than myself and seeks to serve you by serving them. Please be with those who face trials, suffering, sickness and pain and give them your healing, peace and joy. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
