Are You Lame Today?

Are You Lame Today?

What is the condition of your feet? Does that sound like a silly question? Well, it is not. The true condition of your feet determines your walk with the Lord - whether or not you are walking on an even or smooth path or tripping and stumbling along the way.

Psalm 26:12 says - "My foot standeth in an even place..."

Psalm 26:1 adds - "...therefore I shall not slide."

Hebrews 12:13 says - "And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way..."

In this message, we would like to compare and contrast Psalm 26 with Hebrews 12 and glean a very important lesson from the Holy Spirit that is applicable for us today.

In Psalm 26, David spoke of his foot standing and not sliding. The writer of Hebrews spoke of the foot being - "turned out of the way."

What caused David's foot to stand? What kept him from sliding or backsliding - if you will - in his walk with the Lord? When we examine the entire Psalm, we get our answer.

a) David walked in his integrity.

Psalm 26:1 says - "...for I have walked in mine integrity..."

In other words, he "walked the walk" and did not just "talk the talk." He walked in utmost sincerity and uprightness before God and men. He did not work evil against his neighbor in any way, shape, or form.

b) He trusted in the Lord.

Psalm 26:1 says - "...I have trusted also in the LORD..."

In all of his ways, he leaned on and relied upon Jesus.

c) He placed himself under God's scrutiny.

Psalm 26:2 says - "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me: try my reins and my heart."

He did not want anything to stand between him and God. Therefore, he cried out to His Maker to put his heart and life through the strictest and most rigid examination possible. He desired to be tested as metals are tested in order to determine their value and worth. He asked God to "prove" him. This is the testing which is done by smelting. Lastly, he cried out for God to "try" his "reins" and "heart." These referred to his inward part which consisted of the mind and the soul and were the seat of all his affections and desires.

d) He regulated his life by God's Holy Truth.

Psalm 26:3 says - "...and I have walked in Thy truth."

He embraced God's Word and applied its Truths to his daily living.

e) He did not associate with the wicked.

Psalm 26:4-5 says - "I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evildoers; and will not sit with the wicked."

The "vain persons" were those who were false, hollow, pretenders, and hypocrites. They had no sincerity of heart or soberness of life. All they were after were fun and games.

The "dissemblers" were those whose real intentions, purposes, plans, designs, and character were hidden and concealed from others.

The "evildoers" were those who opposed God and His laws and caused confusion and hurt to their fellow man.

David had nothing to do with such company.

f) He strove to keep himself pure.

Psalm 26:6 says - "I will wash mine hands in innocency..."

Washing the hands was an emblem of holiness, piety, and purity. David kept a close watch over his entire life in order to keep himself pure before God.

g) He loved to be in the Presence of the Lord.

Psalm 26: 8 says - "LORD, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thine honour dwelleth."

He loved to be in the place where the Lord was manifesting His Holy Presence.

Because David resolved in his heart to live holiliy, uprightly, and godly before the Lord in following all of these seven principles -

walking in integrity

trusting in the Lord

undergoing God's strict and rigid examination

governing His life by the Word of God

not fellowshipping with the unfruitful works of darkness

striving to enter the strait gate and walk the narrow road

and abiding in the Presence of the Lord

- he was able to confidently proclaim - "My foot standeth in an even place..."(Psalm 26:12).

Unfortunately, not every Christian is able to testify as David did.

The Book of Hebrews instructs us that there are those who have "feeble knees" which need strengthening. Their feet are "lame" and "turned out of the way"(Hebrews 12:12-13). What does this mean? Why are they "feeble" and "lame"? What caused them to be "turned out of the way"?

We saw in Psalm 26 that David's foot was sure because he walked in integrity of heart before God and men. Is it possible that feebleness and lameness come from letting our guard down and allowing compromise, worldliness, and sin to enter our hearts and lives?

It is an understood Biblical fact that Faith and Holiness strengthen one's walk - enabling one to go steadily in a straight path without wavering and wandering.

King Solomon verified this fact in Proverbs 4:25-27 - "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."

Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus - the author and finisher of our Faith;

watching our every step and how we are walking and living our lives;

not compromising or twisting the Truth in any way, shape, or form;

and keeping all sin out of our lives -

these all work together to keep us on the straight, even, smooth, and level path.

Proverbs 26:7 informs us that - "The legs of the lame are not equal..."

Hebrews 12:13 admonishes us - "And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way..."

A "lame" man cannot walk an even, plain, or smooth path. He will be constantly tripping and stumbling along the way. In order to walk the straight and narrow path before God and men, he must get rid of his lameness.

Hebrews 12:13 says - "...let it rather be healed." If he doesn't, his lameness will cause his foot to be - "...turned out of the way..."

Proverbs 4:27 instructs us to - "Turn not to the right hand nor to the left..."

Is this how you find your walk with the Lord today?

Are you one whose "legs...are not equal" because you are "lame" through some weakness in your life - due to sin or compromise? (Proverbs 26:7) Are you having much difficulty standing in an "even place" (Psalm 26:12)? Do you find yourself sliding from one sin to the next, going after one idol then another, or chasing after one vain and lustful desire then another?

The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to - "...make straight paths for your feet..." (Hebrews 12:13). This is similar to the word that King Solomon gave in Proverbs 4:27 - "...remove thy foot from evil." Otherwise, that which is "lame" will definitely and most assuredly cause you to be "turned out of the way." You will "slide." You will stumble. You will fall.

What is the Holy Spirit showing you through this message? Is there an area in your life where you have allowed your feet to become "lame" ? You cannot honestly say - like David - that your foot stands in an "even place." You feel like the lame man in that your legs are not "equal." You find yourself stumbling, tripping, and falling in your walk with the Lord. You are not walking in the Victory of Calvary. Rather you are feeling condemned every day because of the lameness that you allowed through sin and compromise.

That which is defective in you must be healed, or it will cause you to backslide on God and lose your salvation. It is that serious! Sin is deadly!

Today, why not cry out to God to cleanse you of all sin and waywardness? He will heal you...restore your soul...and make you every whit whole.

You no longer have to live under condemnation. You can be set free today by the Power of His Holy Word.

Obey the Holy Spirit and watch and see all that He will do for you.

Like David, you will once again be able to testify -

"...I shall not slide...My foot standeth in an even place..."

May God Bless His Word.

Connie

Home | Truth Index