Psalm 36:1 “ Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before His eyes. ESV

This psalm of David, as so many others, speaks to the heart and tells us how easy it is to let the evil ways of this world affect how we live.  As throughout all of scripture God speaks to us through His written word to help us understand and see how we are so blinded by the truth and have allowed the wicked ways of Satan to turn us away from God. 

Allow me to paraphrase the following 5 sinful conditions of the heart, as found in Psalm 36:1-4, that affect the heart, mind, and soul and lead us away from the loving, truthful ways of Christ.

v1  There is no fear of the Lord  To fear the Lord is have a reverent awe of who God is and what He does and to hate evil.   Proverbs 9:10  “ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight(understanding).”

v2  We flatter ourselves (pride) too much to detect or hate our sins.  Our pride tells us we will live however we choose, for we know better than God.  We believe that because Jesus Christ died for us and paid the debt for our sins, that we can live any way we see fit.  We think God will forgive us, no matter how we live.  God is very clear throughout all of scripture that He expects our obedience, our love, and to honor Him in all that we think, say and do. 

v3  Our words are wicked and deceitful.  We lie, deceive, get angry, criticize, slander, seek revenge, judge others, make excuses and gossip to get our own way or feel better about ourselves.

v3  We fail to act wisely or do good.  We choose to be right in our own eyes and believe and trust in human wisdom rather than the divine wisdom of God.  We seek to show others how knowledgeable and right we are and how wrong others are if opposed to our view.  Proverbs 8:33  “ Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.”

v4  We commit to sinful desires and do not reject what is wrong.   Instead of doing and following what God says is right, true and just.   We choose to live in total disobedience and rebel from God’s commandments.  We seek the worldly passions and sinful desires of what this world has to offer.  We value success, money, possessions, status, power, greed, pride, selfishness, lust, to name just a few.

The father of lies, ruler of this world, and master manipulator(Satan) has convinced many to pursue the desires of what this world has to offer, so reject what God desires and the truth of His faithful promises.  For as Christ Jesus himself said in John 8:44 “ You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he(Satan) speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”  NKJV (emphasis mine)

Let me leave you with two more verses to ponder and think about as it pertains to the sinfulness and wicked ways of the heart. 

Jeremiah 17:5  Thus says the Lord:  “ Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” ESV

Jeremiah 17:9,10  “ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it ? v10 “ I, the Lord, search the heart and test the mind to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” ESV

Let us be continually reminded of what Jesus Christ himself said in Matthew 12:30  “ He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”   My friends there is no middle ground when it comes to following and obeying Jesus.  You are either for and with Christ or you are against Christ.  Where do you stand ?

Allow and accept God into your life and enlighten your eyes to the unsearchable riches of His Love, Wisdom, Truth and Peace.

Start today – Don’t delay and change your life - Let the words of God speak to you and be filled with a peace and joy beyond measure. 

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