Read part 2 and part 3.

New Year’s profession to follow in the blameless way.

In the early 80’s I heard a brother, Des Evans, share on this passage as a devotional with a small group of brothers in Dallas, Texas. From that time on I have begun the New Year professing and reflecting on how to be faithful and accountable in walking it out.

David professes a standard to walk by in his relationship with the Lord. This is not a self help list or a self improvement adjustment. Nine times he says, “I will carefully attend to keep me in the blameless way.” When I meditate on these, it is a good way to measure my walk by the Holy Ghost standard found in His Word.

David holds true to his relationship with the Lord in singing. declaring God’s nature, and His worthiness to be praised. He sings of the mercy and justice of God—God the judge of all mankind and man’s way. As he does all through the Psalms, he implores us to sing to the Lord, sing praises.

Paul writes in Ephesians 5 concerning being spirit filled: singing psalms, hymns, singing in the spirit, making melody in your heart. David says “I will sing” some 13 times in his Psalms. He declares the greatness and awesomeness of His Lord and God.

We read in Psalm 59:16: “I will sing of thy power, yea, I will sing a loud of thy mercy in the morning; for thou has been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.” He follows up in verse 17: “unto thee, O my strength, I will sing; for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.” In Psalm 75:9 he sings: “I will declare forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.”

These are just a few examples of his heart’s awareness of his Lord and who He is. The first priority of David—his “I will”—is to sing to the Lord. I will sing praises and for David, the praises of God will be continually in his mouth.

To be continued…looking into this passage for the New Year. Sing Praise!

–Keith Curlee, president

Psalm 101

A Psalm of David.

I will sing of mercy and justice;
To You, Lord, I will sing praises.
I will carefully attend to the blameless way.
When will You come to me?
I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.
I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
A perverse heart shall leave me;
I will know no evil.
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy;
I will not endure one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart.

My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me;
One who walks in a blameless way is one who will serve me.
One who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house;
One who speaks lies shall not maintain his position before me.
Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
So as to eliminate from the city of the Lord all those who do injustice.

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“Joy to the world the Lord has come, Let earth receive her King.”

— Isaac Watts

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What a great song of confession and admonition in this great Christmas Carol. The call to the earth and all that dwell therein. “Let earth receive her King!” This declaration aligns itself with the word of God: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, and they that dwell therein.” It is the truth of the creation and its creator God, and the redemptive price paid by King Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain. He holds the deed to all the earth and all its inhabitants. He is the King of the whole earth.

So we sing, joy, joy, exceedingly great joy to Him who all glory is to be given. Whether all that dwell therein acknowledge or receive Him, the deed is written and certified and signed in His blood—paid in full.

Joy, joy, unspeakable eternal joy forevermore.

-Keith Curlee, president

There is a Christmas song that declares how wonderful this time is every year—and it is wonderful. This year we decided to have the outside of our house decorated by a service. They provide the lights and come and decorate the outside of the house. They then come take them down; for older people how wonderful. As I drive through the neighborhood at night, it is so uplifting to see darkness being dispersed, as those who celebrate the light begin the celebration by lighting up their homes.

However one believes it is undeniable: the birth of the only begotten Son of God who was born in the fullness of time.

The darkness is dispersed and the airwaves are filled with carols, declaring that the Light of truth has come to all of mankind. Joy to the World, the Lord, the Light, has come. The heavens declaring the glory of God. Let earth receive her King. His Kingdom of His marvelous Light. Not only reminding us of the Light of the world, which He is, but His great light shown in the hearts of every believer who has come to Him.

In the beginning darkness covered the face of the deep, and God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” As we begin this time of declaring the birth of the Christ Child, may every heart be filled with His marvelous Light. May His face shine upon us now and forevermore. Glory to God in the Highest!

Keith Curlee, president