GET TOGETHER- IT IS ALWAYS BETTER WITH HIM

Ps 84:10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

A couple of Fridays ago while I was teaching at a discipleship ministry that is primarily targeting people that have been caught up in substance abuse and addiction, I shared with them about a time that something very traumatic happened to me and our family. I told them although it was a very hard day, it was still better than any day that I had ever experienced before becoming a Christian.

That might sound strange. Did I hurt that day? Yes, I did? Did I have lots of questions that day? Yes, I did. Did it take some time to grieve and mourn what happened that day? Yes, it did.

On the other hand, I have often thought about how I would have reacted if I had not been walking with Jesus Christ and had not been filled with the Holy Spirit. In my old days I would have tried to numb the pain with drugs, or alcohol. But praise God that there is a Comforter that is with us when we experience terrible situations.

Now let me shift gears here a little bit. Wickedness is marketed, approved of and exalted in our culture today to a greater degree than I have ever seen it in my lifetime. Television commercials and television shows are designed to appeal to the sinful nature of humanity. All sin comes in one of these three categories: 1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world. (NKJV)

The tents of wickedness are made to look so glamourous. The world will try to convince us that if we are not dwelling in the tents of wickedness that we are just not with it. This is not a new thing. Adam and Eve fell for it. Ge 3:4-6 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”¶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

King David a man after God’s own heart even fell for it after he took his eyes off the Lord. 2Sa 11:2-4 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” T hen David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. David would repent of his sin, but he also suffer some very serious consequences from his act of sin. His one night in the tent of wickedness had some very serious ramifications. Thank God that he repented and was restored and would get to enjoy the blessings of being in the House of the Lord.

As I mentioned earlier, we live in a culture that can make sin look more glamorous than at anytime in human history. And yet it is still the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, and the lust of the flesh that will try to draw us into the tents of wickedness.

There will be times in our walk with the Lord that the enemy will attempt to entice us to come into the tents of wickedness. Remember that it is better to be a doorkeeper in the House of the Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. One day in His courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I have dwelt in the tents of wickedness. I can honestly tell you that what the psalmist says here is so true. I would not exchange the most challenging day that I have ever experienced as a Christian for the temporary pleasures of sin that at once so controlled my life. We can look to these words from David as an assurance for those who have been born again by faith in the precious blood of Jesus Christ Ps 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.”(NKJV) Now since when we can dwell there why would we want to ever dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Let Us Pray

Lord Jesus we thank You that You are with us in the most terrible situations, but You work for good in them. We also thank you that we can experience the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Take any and all desire that any of us would have to even sample what is in the tents of wickedness.

In Jesús Name

Amen

Love you all! Let me say this there have been so many awesome days with the Lord that only when we get to Heaven will there be time to share each and everyone of them. But praise God we will have that time! Love you all!

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston