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“I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (Psalms 16:8).
A powerful lesson we learn from this text is if we put God before us we will not be moved or shaken. If God is first in our decisions, thoughts, and actions then our way will be secure. Notice how this is such a practical lesson.
If God comes first in my decisions, then I will want to seek His will. I will ask, “What does God say about this matter?” I must strive to only do what God tells me (Luke 6:46; Matt. 7:21; Jer. 37:17). To put God first in my decisions I must know His Word. Jesus said the truth would make us free (John 8:32; John 17:17). Paul encouraged us to study God’s word to be approved by Him (2 Tim. 2:15). How does someone put God before himself in every day decisions if he does not know God’ s will? He cannot. Therefore, it is imperative for me to study God’s Word so that I can make godly decisions.
If I am going to put God before me, I must put His will into my thoughts. Paul taught us to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-5). Christians must think on godly and upright things (Phil. 4:6-8). The only way we can put God into our thoughts is to put His righteousness into our minds. The Psalmists said, “Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:10-12). In every situation we should ask, “How would the Lord want me to think?”
When we truly put God into our decisions and thoughts then we can have safety. The Psalmists proclaimed, “He is at my right hand I shall not be moved ” (Psalm 16:8). The only way we can proclaim the same today is if God is at our right hand in everything we do. Have you put God before you? If you are not a Christian, we would encourage you to obey the gospel. To become a Christian you must Hear God’s word (Rom. 10:17), believe in Jesus as God’s Son (John 8:24), repent of past sins (Luke 13:3), confess Jesus as the Son of God (Rom. 10:10), and be baptized for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38). May God help each of us to put Him before us!
Ben Bailey