 | | Psalm 17:3 "Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress."
Last time, we looked at the matter of a clean conscience. We learned that great confidence comes with a clean conscience. Psalm 17 also gives us help in practical ways to deal with our conscience.
There is a difference, however, between a clean conscience and a dead conscience. A man who feels fine with no remorse after robbing a bank does not have a clean conscience-he has a dead conscience.
Others have a hyperactive "conscience." What I mean is, some people live life in a fearful state of mind instead of allowing God to convince their heart and mind. There is a balance, but the bottom line is that God is the One who does the convincing.
First, notice that a clean conscience begins right now. A clean conscience at night begins in the morning; don't wait until five minutes after the lights go out. This morning is the beginning of this day. To have a clean conscience tonight means that I will have to do what is right today.
Second, notice that a clean conscience is developed by steps. Verse 5 says, "Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not." Notice that it is God's paths and my goings. You have a choice every day. Will you take your goings down the wrong path or down the right path? Often we think of the wrong path as evil, sinister, and wicked. But the wrong path is always in opposition to God's path. The question is, "Is this God's path?"
Every decision, every conversation, every word I have the chance to say-these are times to make right steps. Even the things I say are important when it comes to this matter of God's path. David said, "I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress." Consider the verse just two psalms later, Psalm 19:14-"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."
Finally, notice that a clean conscience ultimately rests in God. Psalm 17:7 says, "Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them." Did you notice that verse 7 is almost entirely a name of God?! David had a lot of people that did not like him. But if God is for you, you don't have to worry about everyone else.
The worst feeling in the world is not when people are against you; the worst feeling in the world is when people are against you and you know they are right. But you don't have to live that way. If you are right with God, there is a confidence in that. And confidence with a clean conscience begins right now-this morning.
The greatest confidence in the world is the confidence of a clean conscience. Whether or not you do great things today, you can do right things. And if you will, you can have the confidence that comes only from that.
| | - Revival services tonight in Starke, FL and Bradenton,FL | | | |
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