Man without God has a “heart condition” that he cannot cure using his own power and ingenuity. This condition is not new. Genesis 6-8 reveals that at one time man had become so vile and wicked that God killed the entire human race with the exception of Noah and his immediate family–eight souls. The condition did not change over time. Later the Lord would say that “the human heart (mind) is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” (Jer. 17:9). Evil is the natural state of man apart from God, which is where the vast majority of mankind finds itself today on the spiritual level. This is not the state of mind/heart that God wants man to possess during his time on earth. For this reason He arranged for His most prized creation to have access to His Rule Book known as the Holy Bible (Hebrew for Book). Through His instruction manual He tells man how to change from what he is to what he can become. For those who recognize their need for such a change, God’s instructions, IF OBEYED, will shape lovers of God into “a holy, royal priesthood, a chosen generation, a holy nation, a peculiar people” (1 Pet. 2:5,9).

King David understood this and wrote about how to develop a heart toward God in Psalm 101. It is believed that he wrote the Psalm not long after King Saul was killed and he (David) had been elevated by the Lord to be the King of Israel–God’s Chosen People. In his heart-felt writing he describes the virtues and characteristics necessary for in order to be a king. Though he probably did not realize it, he was also describing the attributes of those whom God would designate as “kings and priests” (Rev. 1:6) in His New Testament Church which would arise during the final centuries of the final age of the world which began with the founding of the church in 31 A.D. We are living in the end of the final (Laodicean) age of the church that He describes in Revelation 3:14-20. As He points out in that passage, the professing church during this Laodicean age is in dire need of a new heart/mind. In Psalm 101 the Lord used King David to tell us how to develop a heart that is perfect toward Him (God)–the only kind of heart that will be allowed to enter the Kingdom of God upon His (Christ’s) return to earth. Read The Kingdom of God and The True Trinity. Key words–Kingdom and True respectively. Christendom’s true saints are those who, like King David, are people “after God’s own heart.” We will now study Psalm 101 where we are given specific instructions as to how to develop such a heart. Impossible? In the Scriptures the Apostle Paul told a group to “have the mind (heart) of Christ” (Phil. 2:3). He told another group that they had the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16). It is only by having the same mind as Christ had that we can “walk as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6) which we must do in order to join Him in the Kingdom of God.

In Psalm 101:1 we find David telling His Lord: “I will sing in praise of (your) mercy and judgment. Unto You, O Lord, I will sing.” David had been through many trials, tests and tribulations on his way to the kingship of the world’s mightiest, most powerful nation. In this verse he confesses that it was not by his own power or abilities that he had risen to such a great position. In his songs he praises God for His mercy, judgment and divine favor He had shown him. Here we find the first lesson on how to develop a heart toward God: ONE MUST DEVELOP A SUBMISSIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE ALMIGHTY. This is the beginning point of the true saint’s walk with God.

In Psalm 101:2 we find David focusing on his own personal conduct. David confesses that God will uphold him before the people only if he (David) walks “with a perfect heart” in his private life. David had to walk with a perfect heart in the privacy of his own home where he was out of sight and sound of the public. It is more difficult to be holy at home than at the ball game. David had two personas to deal with–private and public. He had to obey God’s Law and do so with a pure heart in both his home and the public arena in order to rule all Israel in the way that pleased God. He is telling us that: GOD WILL ONLY ALLOW THOSE WHO RULE THEMSELVES WELL PRIVATELY AND PUBLICLY TO RULE OVER OTHERS. This includes having authority over angels whom His obedient saints will one day judge (1 Cor. 6:3).

In Psalm 101:3 David acknowledges that remaining true to God keeps the lover of Truth in a state of constant warfare with the forces of evil. Here he writes about making sure that he “sets nothing before his eyes” that God calls wickedness or that can cause wickedness to arise. He states that he hates the things that wicked people embrace. He fears that such things would “cling to me.” He uses the expression very effectively. David knew that if we deliberately allow anything sinful to occupy our attention, that sin will “cling” to our thoughts. Everything begins with a thought (Jam. 1:11-16). Relative to drugs, addiction is the result of repeated use. This truth also applies to the thought process. In this world of instant information, sin is just a click away. Some sinful sights and sounds are unavoidable. Just going to the store can expose one to sin. As much as possible, we must keep as much of the world’s vileness from entering our minds where it tends to remain where it continually attacks its host. This is spiritual warfare at its most generic. This is ground-level, “hand-to-hand” combat at its most basic. Satan expertly uses television and the internet to addict people to what he wants them to watch and hear. Having been a t.v. addict in the past, I understand what he does and how he does it. I also understand the situation of the victims. Never underestimate the power of Satan. My heart hurts when I see my family and loved ones embracing his offerings for hours each day. Remember that leaven leavens the whole loaf. The lesson for verse 3 is: IN THIS SIN-SATURATED WORLD WE MUST FIGHT CONTINUALLY TO KEEP OUR MINDS PURE. The enemy will tell you that all is well, that sin is natural and that you need only to repent occasionally in order to remain in good standing with God. The fix, the father of lies (Jn. 8:44) assures his victims, is in–the Great Fixer’s death guarantees it.

In Psalm 101:4-6 David writes about his desire to eliminate from around him those who would try to draw him into the world. David kept no company with the wicked, which included those who participated in gossip or who were proud. He would not allow such people to participate in his court. He knew the leaven principle. He looked to make friends with those who were faithful to God’s precepts and Laws, who strove to “walk in a perfect way.” That probably narrowed down the field considerably. The lesson from this passage is: GOD’S PEOPLE DO NOT TOLERATE THOSE WHO TREAT SIN CASUALLY; THEY CULTIVATE FRIENDSHIP WITH THOSE WHO SHARE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.

Psalm 101:7: We live in a world filled with liars. Man has drifted so far away from God that lying has become not merely accepted, but expected, and in some cases, exalted. Years ago I read that Russians will believe a lie even when they know it is a lie if it states what they want to hear. America, and the Western world has followed in the intellectual and religious footsteps of the Bolsheviks. David said: “He that practices deceit will not dwell in my house; he that tells lies will not remain in my sight.” Satan’s lies have become the foundation stones of the largest religion on earth–Christianity. This ministry is dedicated to informing that religious group of the errors of their ways and that Satan has deceived them (Rev. 12:9).

Psalm 101:8: In my series titled “Scorched Earth” I wrote about the attitude one must take in order to defeat Satan and his disciples, both human and spirit. Perfection, which we are commanded to strive toward and arrive at, is a lofty goal, but a necessary one. Anything short of perfection is not acceptable. Jesus not only demanded perfection of Himself, He demands it of us (Rev. 3:21). He had no advantage over us. Therefore, we have no excuse for failure. Forst place is the only acceptable result of our walk in this life. Second place is like kissing your sister. Those who are satisfied with less than perfection are sister-kissers. Paul stated that all salvation seekers “run the race,” but that only one wins the prize. Everyone else looses. Unlike man’s races, there will be no participation prophies. In verse 8 David makes a rather radical statement when he writes: “I will early destroy all of the wicked in the land ….” He would early on kill off those who refused to obey God. By using the word “early” he let the reader know that getting rid of the nation’s sin problem was Job One on his agenda. This is the attitude we must have in order to rise to where God is calling us. Read “Come up Hither.” Key word–Hither. The lesson for verse 8 is: SOMETIMES ONLY RADICAL ACTION WILL CLEANSE OUR PRIVATE WORLD OF SATAN’S INFLUENCE. Years ago God spoke to me about my addiction to television whose programming is based almost entirely on sin–sinful people doing sinful things. Because I obeyed Him, He took away from me all desire for entertainment. Having become un-hooked, I am free to spend more time in His Word. I do not miss the sports and cop shows to which I was once addicted.

God hates both the sin and the sinner (Ps. 5:5) because the sinner (Law-breaker) hates both Him and His Son (Deut. 5:9/ Lk. 10:17). Harsh words, indeed. But not nearly as harsh as the curses the Godhead has promised to pour out upon those who do not obey Their Law. Read The Voices of God. Key word: Voices. Here one will read about God’s “voice” of wrath with which He continually afflicts mankind because they refuse to obey His Law. Wars, crime, natural disasters such as storms, floods, droughts, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanos, fires, etc., financial disasters, sickness, accidents, invasions, etc. These are some of the punishments with which God afflicts sinning man, including churchman who, because he refuses to obey God, is placed in the same category as the rest of the world and is therefore treated the same.

Time is running out for mankind. The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord will soon be upon us. If you have not done so already, turn from the world and its ways. Reverse course, embrace God and His Law and walk as He instructs in His Holy Bible. There is no other way to avoid what is coming–soon. L.J.