Date: Wednesday June 13, 2012
Today's Chapters: Psalms 10-17
Message Title: Puffed Up People

Hello My Friend,

The word puffed means to advertise with exaggerated or false praise, to cause to become conceited, or blown up, swelled with air, to be inflated with vanity or pride. Did you ever get around someone who seems to always find something negative about your accomplishments, yet praises themselves constantly? That is an example of a puffed up ego, they pride themselves on trying to make it look like they have the better life than you without God in their lives. In reality, they are very unhappy, jealous of your success, and it drives them nuts that you still remain faithful to God no matter what they say to you. Remember, God is with us we will all be accountable before God. “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.” - Romans 14:11-13.

David went from one battle after another from the time he was anointed to be king when he was just a teenager. Saul, who was God's first anointed king sinned against God and David would one day take his place. Because of this thee was much conflict between Saul and David, so much that Saul wanted to kill David. David had a question for God, “Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” Then he proceeds to reason with God claiming that the wicked are the ones that need to be persecuted. “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.” - Psalm 10:2-6.

We cannot always run from conflicts, but we can stand firm in our faith. David's friends advised him to flee to the mountainous parts of the land of Judah to escape the danger which was threatening him. While David often did ask God where He was, he stood his ground and still trusted that God would work things out eventually. “In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” - Psalm 11:1-4.

There is not one Christian that does not go to God at one point and say, “Where are you God? I am in trouble and I need Your help.” All the time they are wondering why they are being persecuted for trying to do the right things when others who do wrong keep getting everything they want. While it may look like God is afar, He really is close by and there will come a time when they will not be so lucky. “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.” - Psalm 12:5-8.

We too have to be careful that we do not become puffed up in our good works for all have sinned and come short of God’s standard. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” - Psalm 14:1-3.

Therefore, we are all under the same judgment, until by God’s grace and our faith in Jesus Christ are we saved. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” - Romans 3:23-25.

Those who commit themselves to God’s care and submit themselves to God’s guidance will find a blessed portion in Him. If we have the pleasures of His favor, we should not fail to give Him the praise of it. David stresses just what God has saved him from. “Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” - Psalm 16:1-5,10,11.

It was the Lord Jesus, who in the fullest sense made the Father His portion, the Father’s glory His highest end and the Father’s will His delight. He who in soul and body was preeminently God’s Holy One was loosed from the pains of death because He, who was at all pointed tempted as we were, remained sinless. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” - Hebrews 4:14-16.

While we cannot always avoid the ones who are puffed up we can hold strong in our faith and keep doing what God wants us to do. We need not fear those who tempt, try, or test us because we have a bigger God on our side and if they would just let the air out of that ballooned head of theirs they too will have God on their side. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” - John 11:25,26.

Today's Prayer: God, Just yesterday I praised You for giving me the talents that I have, let me never forget that all the talents I have come from You and are to be used for Your glory. Thank You for all that You do to keep me safe, protected, and provided for, let me never forget that even when You seem far away that You are always near. When people try to tempt, try, or test my faithfulness to You, give me Your power, strength, and wisdom to remain true and not puff up their egos. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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