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Keep Me from Sinning, Lord
Andrea Lende • November 2, 2020
Psalm 19:12-13
Keep Me from Sinning, Lord
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Keep-Me-From-Sinning--Lord-elufk7
Psalm 19:12-13
“Who can discern his lapses and errors? Clear me from hidden [and unconscious] faults.”
“Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then shall I be blameless, and I shall be innocent and clear of great transgression.”
King David prays the Lord will keep him from sin.
He prays the Lord will keep him from being over-powered by sin.
He writes about the errors we all have but are unaware of.
He prays the Lord will keep him from those unconscious wrongdoings.
How can God protect us from things we do not consciously know about?
How can God keep us from sin?
Well, David had just written about God’s glory in the heavens.
He wrote about the magnificence of the sun and stars and how God is the maker of these things.
He writes about the perfection of the Lord and that His law is right and just.
His precepts or rules are right, and they illuminate us.
They change our hearts and alter our behavior.
As David thinks on these things, he sees how powerful they can be and are to be desired above all.
As we meditate on the Lord, our hearts, minds, and souls are changed.
Our behavior is altered.
We start yearning for God’s will instead of our own.
We prefer the Lord over ourselves.
His will is perfect for us.
So, as we give the Lord praise and meditate on His glory, we continually change.
The Lord can change us without us hardly noticing.
He doesn’t offend us.
He doesn’t strong arm us.
He loves us into change.
He enfolds us in His love and we just want to be better and do better.
Today I choose to meditate on the Lord’s goodness knowing that He is changing me as I spend time with Him.
May you find the Lord changes you in love and keeps you from sin.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for loving me as only You can love me. Thank You for Your tenderness that touches my spirit and makes me want to be better and do better for You. Thank You for keeping me from sin, Father. Thank You freeing me from the bondage of sin. Help me continue to long after You and seek Your ways. May You fill my spirit with Your Wisdom. Help me discern more of what is around me, Lord. Help me see the good and lean towards that instead of evil that tries to steal my heart. May my heart always be Yours, Lord. Fill me with more of You so there is less of me. Fill me with Your love so I may love others as You do. Help me become the person You desire me to be, Lord. Help me serve those around me without hesitation and with much joy. May Your joy fill my soul. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM always with you, My child, and will continue to fill your spirit with My Spirit.
Response: Thank You, Lord, as I cannot do as You ask without You.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.