1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,
and that seek him with the whole heart.
3 They also do no iniquity:
they walk in his ways.
4 Thou hast commanded us
to keep thy precepts diligently.
5 O that my ways were directed
to keep thy statutes!
6 Then shall I not be ashamed,
when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart,
when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
8 I will keep thy statutes:
O forsake me not utterly.
Comments by Joan Boney
Blessed (divinely favored and protected by God) are those who "seek HIM with the whole heart" ... those willing to be changed from their own way and their own desires ... even giving up that which they want ...
Jesus taught His disciples to pray: "Thy will be done ..."
We pray this and we mean this when we pray. All prayer should be done with the whole heart, willing to stop our own way, listening to the voice of God when HE speaks those "gentle thoughts" showing HIS will in that which we have prayed.
Also following HIM even when we aren't praying about the issue.
God would turn us and save us from the shame of our own way. We must set our heart to hear HIM.
Prov. 1 ... 2 To know wisdom and instruction;
to perceive the words of understanding;
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtilty to the simple,
to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning
; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
... 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
... 23 Turn you at my reproof:
behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you,
I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation,
and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind;
when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer;
they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge,
and did not choose the fear of the Lord:
30 They would none of my counsel:
they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,
and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them,
and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely,
and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
We see set before us blessings and curses.
We bring blessings upon ourselves when we hear the Spirit of God and choose to turn ourselves away from conflicting plans and choose to go in HIS way.
We bring curses upon ourselves when we hear the Spirit of God and fail to heed what HE says to us.
But beware of your own lusts for the apostle says ...
James 1 ... 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin:and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
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God says:
Psalm 32 ... 8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding:
whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
God speaks to us by HIS Spirit but God does not force us to follow those instructions given by HIS Spirit. We have a choice. But we are warned by God what will happen if we choose to go in our own way and reject the Spirit of God.
And if an angel speaks to us, we are strongly warned to obey HIS voice.
Exodus 23:21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for MY name is in him.