DCLM Higher Everyday 11 May 2024 — The Wickedness Of The Wicked
Topic: The Wickedness Of The Wicked
Text: Psalm 7:8-11
8The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.
10My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.
11God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
Key Verse: “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins” (Psalm 7:9).
Message
“It is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and good people who have learned the great secret of life. They have found a joy and wisdom which is a thousand times better than any of the pleasures of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are Christians… and I am one of them.”
The above quote is taken from the famous letter of Bishop Cyprian of Carthage to his disciple, Donatus. In the letter, he contrasted the characteristics of two groups of people living on this earth – the wicked and the righteous. The wicked are exceedingly wicked, darkened in conscience and decadent in their deeds. The righteous on the other hand are upright in heart and sound in their principles. The psalmist, in our text, agreed with this classification. Where do you belong? Are you among the righteous or do you belong to the wicked? The choice is yours.
Quote: The wicked are exceedingly wicked
Challenge: Christians have overcome the world.
Prayer for today: Lord, keep my feet from wickedness.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
