Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what is made, so that men are without excuse.

A story was told of a man who made it his life’s purpose to seek after truth but when he found it, he turned and walked away and followed the sinful desires of his heart.  This is the story of the men that Paul describes in Romans chapter one.  Paul’s purpose was to present the gospel of God to all, but not all believe.  As we go forth on our journey in this life, we must realize that all men and women will be without excuse on the day of judgment.  We must present the simple truth of the gospel as Paul writes in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

What happens to those that reject the gospel and does not put their trust in Christ the King?  Their life becomes their own, they become the one who controls every aspect of their life. They become wise in their own eyes, but their hearts become darken and they become fools before God.  God then gives them over to the sinful desires of their hearts.  To me this means God steps out of their life. 

Paul describes this person in Romans 1:26-32 “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,backbiters, haters of God, spite fullest, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

Another story was told of a man who life’s purpose was to seek after truth, and when he found it, he realized his sinful ungodly nature.  But he also found the way of salvation offered by God’s gift of salvation to mankind through his son Jesus Christ.  He could now be made righteous by placing his faith in God’s son.  This was why he now lives a daily lifestyle that reflects Christ in him as our hope in glory.  This was the decision that Paul made on the road to Damascus.  If we follow Paul’s example then we should also walk in the spirit and see a life that will reflect the fruit of the Spirit “love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  The saints that have taken God’s gift of his son Jesus will strive to live a life that has been crucified to the flesh with its affections and lusts; and live in the Spirit.  Was Paul states in I Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold all things become new.”  There are only two ways.  As in Psalm chapter one there is the way of the Righteous or the way of the wicked.  Which story will reflect your life?  The choose is yours.

Choosing the right path

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law, he meditates day and night. 

This was probably one of the first psalms that Paul learned at an early age.  Paul probably knew this opening Psalm and realized how important the law of the Lord (the way) was in Jewish life.  He probably believe he was protecting the law of the Lord as he was traveling to Damascus to arrest any man or woman who belong to the Way.  Act 9:1 “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples” reveals how much he believed they represented the way of the wicked.  Yet on this trip Paul is confronted by the very one who made the claim that he was the way, the truth, and the life.  In Acts 9:5b Jesus reveals to Paul who he was really standing against, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutes:  it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”  Jesus revealed himself to Paul as the way of the righteous revealed in Psalm one.   

Acts chapter nine as well as Acts chapters twenty-two and twenty-six Luke gives us three accounts of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus.  In verse five of chapter nine Luke paints a picture of what all mankind must face at some point in their life.  Do we repent from our ungodly ways and remain on the path of ungodliness, or do we repent and turn toward the way of God?  This decision rest on what we believe about Jesus.  Is he the Savior of the world, or just a figure from history?  We must all face this kicking against the pricks in our life.  Our conscience (pricks) must wrestle against the truth that we are ungodly and not the god-like creation that God formed in the garden.  All of us are in need of a Savior, the one who could pay the price for our sinful nature.  Once we accept this gift of salvation and come to the realization that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light then we can start the journey of delighting daily in the law of the LORD, and meditating on it day and night.

In Acts 26:15-18 Paul describes his encounter with Christ not only as his need for salvation but also as his call to make him a minister and a witness to preach the gospel the Gentiles.  The purpose of his message was to open the eyes of all who hears, and to turn them from darkness to light and from Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiven of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that in Christ.  Before this encounter Paul as a religious leader of the Jews was protecting his religion from the false teaching of Jesus as the promise Messiah.  In I Corinthians 15:9 Paul writes “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”  He justified his actions as protecting the faith.  This encounter with Christ open Paul’s eyes and caused him to turn from his wicked ungodly ways, which he had in the past justified as godly. 

So, when I read and study Romans 1:18-32 about the wrath of God being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness, I have came to the realization that all of mankind fall in this group.  Christ was the gift of God to the world to open the eyes of all mankind to their ungodliness and unrighteousness and provided us the way to turn from darkness to light.  So, then we accept Jesus and let the Spirit of God work in our lives, God will make known his wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption unto us.  This is revealed to us by his Spirit that we might know the truth that is given to us freely by God.  So as Christ stated in Luke 13:5 ” I tell you, Nay:  but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish.”  God has provided the way; we must choose the path.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

As I take my daily walks I look around and marvel at all the wonders around me.  I am amazed at how the plants spring forth from the bare ground into beautiful flowering plants, or how the bare tree limbs shoot forth their buds and then into leaves with the changing of the seasons. Like David stated Psalms 8:3,4a “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou are mindful of him?” I also have the same question when I realized that the God of this entire universe cares for even a small part of His creation such as me. 

Here in Hebrews 11:3 I realized that knowing Jesus as my Savior I have a better understanding of the world around me.  Instead of trying to explain how this world was created I just enjoy the peace that I have deep in my heart by knowing the one personally who framed the world around me.  Christ gave us the example of the lilies in Luke chapter twelve of how great his power is in this world.  As they grow, they toil not, they spin not and yet that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of them.  So, as I look around at this creation the answer of how it can into being is simple; God spoke, and it happened.

Ecclesiastes 12:12-14 And further by these, my son, be admonished:  of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.  For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.

Solomon started his writing of the book of Ecclesiastes with the purpose of giving his whole heart to seek out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven.  I have a note in my Bible as a starting point to study the book of Ecclesiastes that reads: “As you study Ecclesiastes remember David was a man after God’s own heart, he wanted to know God.  Solomon focus on himself to try to understand the workings of all things done under heaven.”   Solomon saw God as the judge of the world, but to David God was his shepherd, his redeemer, the one that looked after him an guide his paths.  So, as you study the scriptures are you looking to gain an understanding of all things that are done under heaven, or like David who’s desire was to be a man after God’s own heart.  Paul’s words in Philippians 3:10 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” reflects was the same desire as David had of knowing God personally.