“From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way" [Psalm 119.104 NASB]
This verse is similar to [Psalm 119.98] where David's wise and godly conduct frustrated and defeated the evil plans and machinations of the enemy.
We often talk, among ourselves, especially those of us who been wrongly influenced and led astray, about the desperate need for the ministry of discernment in our churches.
In his lifetime, David encountered many situations of conflict, confusion, uncertainty and volatility. Through the truth of God's word, he grasped with both hands the discernment and insight necessary to enable him to come through safely to the other side.
Like Christian in Pilgrim's Progress, many evil paths and false ways often surround and entice us to try them. How would we define "false ways?" These are usually found in our own hearts, and they are also the many openings and opportunities which men promise and very often never see the light of day.
We often get frustrated at the restrictions and limitations which frequently surround our footsteps. It is usually then that some good-intentioned people come along with positive words and with confirmation from other religious people to back them up, ask us to join them on a new venture.
Have you ever spent a lot of time, energy, talents and money on a task, which after a long time of preparation, never even left the landing strip - or crash landed after taking off?
How can we avoid these diversionary tactics and, at the same time, stay on the right path? By studying and meditating on God's word David received the confirmation to stay where he was and let God bring to pass all that was in His mind when He had called him.
How do we know what to do? There are usually two weaknesses, which often cause us to make the wrong decision. The major one is our own heart and the accompanying factor is our eyes. You may well ask, "How do you know this to be true"?
Lot's heart had gone astray before his eyes ever saw Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham on the other hand had his heart set on God and his eyes were trained to look upward.
When we get enticed to leave where we are, it may just be possible that God is dealing with a minor weakness in our lives, which if we do not learn to subdue or annihilate, will eventually become a major liability in the days to come.
The "false ways" for David were everything which took him off of God's operating table where the Master Surgeon was paying attention to his inner man. Just what was God after? " … Godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment" [David McArdle]
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