Despising a Vile Man
Psalm 15:1-4
Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;
and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,
who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
We live in a world of opposites, don’t we? What is right is often ridiculed as being wrong, antiquated or intolerant and what is actually wrong and sinful is celebrated and exalted as the standard to follow. Scripture tells us we should despise a vile man, yet this world will tell us that word is strong and should have no place in our lives. “Tolerance” is the word of the day.
So what exactly IS a vile man? A vile man is one who rejects or spurns the Lord. It is the opposite of one who accepts Jesus (1)
And what does it mean to despise? Strong’s defines this as holding in contempt, to disdain, not honor or admire (2) Consider a court of law. When someone speaks out against the judge or dishonors the trial process, they are held in contempt of court. “Contempt of court, also referred to simply as “contempt”, is the disobedience of an order of a court. It is also conduct tending to obstruct or interfere with the orderly administration of justice” (3). Someone who is in contempt is not honored or celebrated, they’re reprimanded. Yet, this world celebrates those in contempt of Christ- those who go against His rules of justice and righteousness.
But God tells us this:
We should hate sin and hate anything that is contrary to God, “To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” Proverbs 8:13
We are called to stand for the Lord, “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13
We are called to defend our faith, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter3:15
We are strangers here and should be seen as in this world, but not of it, “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” John 17:14-16.
We need to live as we are called, and not embrace the sin around us, but be separate, “ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17)
We can’t be followers of Christ and approving of, celebrating, excusing or tolerating things that go against God and His word. That’s being double-minded and will lead to instability in our faith (James 4:8).
And if we’re followers of Christ, we must stand by our commitment to Him, not waffle or wither when opposition comes (and it will) we must stand by our oath and be faithful to our commitment to God. (I Peter 1:6-7)
Finally, we need to honor those who fear the Lord. But we must be watchful and careful because there are many who claim to fear God, yet they use His word and His name to do ungodly things. Discretion must be at play here and we need to be cautious we’re not lifting up those who are doing sinful things and hiding behind their ego, their knowledge of Scripture and their ability to manipulate others. Friends, those would be considered vile men because they are not serving God, but themselves. Just because they are popular doesn’t mean they are Godly.
There is so much to ponder in Psalm 15:4. Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters despise anything that rejects or stands in opposition to God and His word. We’re not called to be tolerant of sin. We’re called to stand for Truth. Then, pray that our sons and daughters have discretion to know and discern who truly is a follower of Jesus and that they do not misplace honor that should not be given. Finally, pray that they would stand firm in their faith, not turning back on their commitment to God but keeping their conviction, even in the face of opposition, persecution and trial.
“Father God, Sovereign of the Universe, You chose us according to your foreknowledge for sanctification through the Holy Spirit for obedience to Jesus. Give (name) strength and conviction today to hold to that commitment to follow Christ. I pray that You would help (name) to be uncomfortable with sin. When something is wrong- contrary to Your word, I pray that (name) would turn away, not defend it and not celebrate it. Give them integrity to stand for Truth even in the face of opposition. Give (name) the ability to love others as Jesus loves, but disdain the sin and the rebellion that is present. I pray You would also give (name) discretion to know the difference between someone who simply spouts scripture versus someone who lives it out. Lord, help them to follow You, not people or preachers or teachers. Lord, we know this world will continue to worsen and sin will continue to corrupt. Satan’s time is short and he’s doing all he can to destroy. Lord, protect (name) from the enemy. Keep them from being influenced by sin and evil. Guard them in Your love and strength so they will stand in the day of salvation (1 Peter 1:3-9). I pray this all in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing, friends.
H3988 - mā'as - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3988/niv/wlc/0-1/
H959 - bāzâ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h959/niv/wlc/0-1/
Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). Contempt of court. Legal Information Institute. Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contempt_of_court
Psalm 15:3 Slanderous Words
Psalm 15:1-3
“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?”
“The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;
and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,”
As we work through Psalm 15, praying each verse, we’re learning what God says about those He welcomes to live in His presence, and isn’t that what we desire for our sons and daughters? We know that God desires those whose walk is blameless, who do what is righteous and who speak truth (the opposite of slander) from their heart. They need to know God’s word and live by it. Psalm 15:3 continues by adding that those who are welcome to live in God’s presence should have no slander on their tongue- they set a guard on their mouth.
Slander is a wicked thing. We see it in the world around us, and most recently in a trial between celebrities. Untruths spread to damage another, to get ahead, to inflict hurt in return for hurt. That’s not how we’re called to live. Yet, that’s the example set by the world today. Our sons and daughters need to rise above it.
Have you heard of toothpaste words? Just like toothpaste squeezed out of the tube cannot be put back in…words spoken out cannot be retracted. Oh, you can try, but once said, those words are out there and will continue to make their way around, despite your best efforts to recall them.
Untruths willingly and eagerly shared to intentionally damage another's reputation are toothpaste words; they’re slander and it’s just wrong. When our kids were little, we monitored what words they used and corrected them when they said something unkind or rude. But, now that they’re adults, we just can’t control what they say. That’s true, but we can set an example and we can gently speak to them, adult to adult, about their words.
Friends, we live in an information-saturated world where everyone ‘speaks their truth’ and fights for the right to be heard. Yet, “when words are many, sin is not absent” Proverbs 10:19. We are called to a higher standard as believers.
What sets a believer apart? Their life, their actions and their words. Words carry weight and we need to be cautious how we use them. Yet, if we choose to slander, we’re sending conflicting messages to the world around us. On one hand, we speak the truth of Scripture and on the other, we share untruths that damage others. We need to love our neighbor, not use words as a weapon against them.
James 3:9-12 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
We might think that only happens ‘in the world’ but friends, it’s in the church, it’s in the small group, it’s in the friend group. It’s in Christian media and comes from Christian leaders. We need to hold ourselves accountable and to God’s word. We need to not be a party to the conversation. We need to step back and encourage others to speak truth that encourages others.
Unfortunately, many believers fall into the habit of sharing ‘hearsay’, sometimes thinly disguised as a ‘prayer request’ or shared out of ‘concern’ for a brother or sister.. But there’s a fine line between prayer requests and toothpaste words. And when we fall into that habit,, we run the risk of being known as a gossip, as someone who betrays another with information that is damaging and we become someone who is untrustworthy.
Ultimately, someone who slanders another is not respecting that other as one made in the image of God. Would we dare slander the Lord? Heavens, no! Then why would we be comfortable sharing untruths about one of His image-bearers?
Let’s pray Ephesians 4:29 becomes a guidepost in our lives and in those of our sons and daughters. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
“Father, I ask that You would be glorified in my words today. Put a guard on my mouth and stop me from speaking things I should not. I pray for (name) today that they would set boundaries on what they choose to invest in when it comes to conversations and words. Lord, give them discretion in what they believe about others. Help them to cling to the Truth of Your Word and rise above the harsh words, deception and ill-intent of others. Lord, let them always treat others as fellow image-bearers, even if that other has words and actions that are ungodly. I pray that (name) would be a light and would live and speak with integrity so that they are trustworthy and honest, representing Jesus well in a world that needs Him so desperately. In Jesus name I pray, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Truth and Lies- Know the Difference
Today, in America, we celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s a time to pause, gather with family and friends, feast on traditional foods and family favorites, and be thankful. I’m thankful for all of you who faithfully follow Join the PAC Prayer! What started as an occasional ‘encouragement’ to others on Facebook has grown into a global community of parents and loved ones praying for their sons and daughters. It’s an amazing community of brothers and sisters in Christ and a powerful, praying force!. It is a joy to connect with you and to see God moving and working. I’m grateful for the opportunity to encourage you and pray that God uses each of us to impact others for His Kingdom! From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!!
1 John 2:21-26 “I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life. I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.”
Smooth talkers. We see them everywhere. Years ago, they were often called ‘Snake Oil Salesmen’ because these people would peddle remedies that were acclaimed to cure every ailment. Most often, however, it was a concoction of colored water that did nothing but cost the buyer precious money that they couldn’t really afford to spare. Fast-forward a century and the snake oil salesman became the used car salesman, telling the buyer whatever he needed to hear in order to sell the car. Deception and falsehoods were all part of the game. Integrity was not part of the job description. Today, smooth talkers are not just limited to the used car lot. You see them on TV, you find them at your front door selling utility plans, you also find them in church or other ministries. Friends, these people are not out to point you to Christ, they’re out to gain followers who will financially support them in the way they think they should live. They are slick, smiley, appealing, and peddle a message that is just a bit ‘off’ from scripture, but close enough to fool the unwary.
John warns us that we need to be mindful of the truth. Yes, we know what scripture says, but are we paying particular attention to what that individual or ministry says and how it aligns with scripture? If something is a little ‘off’ that’s a big indication that something is not right. Don’t dismiss the stirring of the Holy Spirit in your heart, friends!! If you feel uneasy in your spirit, it’s likely there is something very wrong with the message you’re hearing. Be alert!!
Satan has the mighty power to deceive. And he does. If he deceived the only two humans living, who daily walked and talked with God in the garden, face to face, imagine what he can do today?! We have to be on our guard. It doesn’t matter how genuine someone sounds or how friendly and caring they are. It doesn’t matter how many followers they have.. If their message is not scriptural, it’s deception and we need to run the other direction!!
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters cling to the truth of scripture and weigh everything they hear against the Truth. “No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.” Let’s pray that what they’ve heard from the beginning remains in them and that God’s Word continues to stay rooted in them, deepening their knowledge and understanding of Jesus.
“Father, my heart’s desire is that (name) would remain true to Your Word and the authenticity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Guard them against the deception that is so prevalent around us. Holy Spirit, help (name) to be sensitive to Your promptings and I ask that You would give them pause when they hear a message that is deceptive. Give them Godly discretion to know when a ‘good-sounding’ message is not Biblical. Give them swift feet to walk away from those people and ideas that would draw them away from Christ. Thank you for the Truth of Your Word and that it is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. I pray that (name) would have a strong desire each day to spend time in Scripture, learning about You, gaining wisdom and understanding that would protect them from the enemy’s lies. Thank you for Your love and protection, Lord. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.”