Wretchedly Deceive Themselves

It is easy to want to give up when wickedness encircles us. At times we want only a peaceful existence unattached to the world. We who know Jesus as Lord and Savior long to be with Him in glory. David felt this way many times and he wrote in particular about one wicked man who went to Saul to tell him David’s whereabouts. David minced no words in his condemnation:

    “Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah. You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, and uproot you from the land of the living. Selah (Psalm 52:1-5)

Evil will not go unpunished is what David is writing and he prophesies the destruction of this wicked man. But David also writes of Christians’ vindication:

    “The righteous also shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, ‘Here is the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.’ But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will praise You forever, because You have done it; and in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good. (Psalm 52:6-9)

We need not fret when it seems the rats are winning the rat race for we know God is in control and that our King is on the throne. And for these wicked people in our country who are trying to destroy it, as David prophesied the end for Doeg the Edomite so can we have confidence in our Lord that righteousness will prevail. Read what our old friend Matthew Henry wrote of Psalm 52:

    “Those wretchedly deceive themselves, who think to support themselves in power and wealth without God. The wicked man trusted in the abundance of his riches; he thought his wickedness would help him to keep his wealth. Right or wrong, he would get what he could, and keep what he had, and ruin any one that stood in his way; this he thought would strengthen him; but we see what it comes to! Those who live by faith and love dwell in the house of God, shall be like green olive trees there. And that we may be as green olive trees, we must live a life of faith and holy confidence in God and His grace. It adds much to the beauty of our profession and to fruitfulness in every grace, to be much in praising God; and we never can want matter for praise.”

God is in control; yesterday on the Rush Limbaugh show Sharron gave God the glory for her victory; she called it a miracle. The wise of this world never saw Sharron coming and when they even mentioned her it was to say she didn’t have a prayer. Oh but she had much prayer and trusted in its power to move a Mighty God. And still the wise of this world have not caught on nor will they:

    “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

Have you wretchedly deceived yourself? Have you believed all you have and are is because of you? Don’t be a fool for the Bible says that one day all will give glory and honor to Jesus Messiah:

    “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

All will come to confess Jesus Christ as Lord, but where and when will that happen…and will it be too late? Under the earth will be too late because although there are no dead unbelievers, they are still condemned to eternal damnation should they not confess Christ as Lord before they leave earth.

Have you confessed Christ as Savior or are you still wretchedly deceiving yourself?

I pray you make the decision to follow Christ today!

And I pray that all of you have a very blessed weekend and please remember to go to church on Sunday.

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

If you’re receiving these devotionals for the first time and would like to receive them on a regular basis, please click here and use “Please add to Devotional List” as the subject.”

    Copyright © 2010 David Jeffers

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,