Seize the Moment – Day 1157
Pray Honestly!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, May 18.
Have you ever wondered why Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 are nearly identical? Spurgeon explained the repetitive nature of these two psalms:
The evil nature of man is here brought before our view a second time, in almost the same inspired words. All repetitions are not vain repetitions. We are slow to learn, and need line upon line. David after a long life, found men no better than they were in his youth. Holy Writ never repeats itself needlessly, there is good cause for the second copy of this Psalm; let us read it with more profound attention than before. If our age has advanced from fourteen to fifty-three, we shall find the doctrine of this Psalm more evident than in our youth.[1]
If you are tempted to call the language of total depravity hyperbole, granting David a poetic license to illustrate his point, but not really believing his doctrine, then you are deceived by the very seductions of your flesh that you are discounting. David is not making an exaggerated statement; rather, he is accurately diagnosing our human condition. The mortal taint of sin is incurable by man’s vain efforts; sin is a universal struggle – all people wrestle with their own self-will, the flesh, as Psalm 53:1-3 diagnoses:
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,” they are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; there is no one who does good. God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God. Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
Seize the moment and pray Psalm 53, meditating upon your absolute need for a Savior – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
God bless you!
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YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.