My daily journaling from God’s Word. SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. Today’s journal comes from reading Psalm 119.  (I taught Psalm 119 yesterday, so I’m taking a break from Romans). 

Scripture

“From your precepts, I get understanding; therefore, I hate every false way.” –Psalm 119:104

Observation

The writer of this Psalm  LOVED God’s commandments and HATED the false ways. He had both emotions and so must we. If we don’t HATE error, do we really love truth?

Application

As a Christian and member of American culture, it is difficult to HATE something. We are taught not to judge others’ beliefs/ideas/teachings. Tolerance says we can disagree but not hate. I even once thought, as a very young Christian, that I shouldn’t hate the devil!

But I must hate the devil and his ways. Just like I would never want to ingest rat poison, I must reject the teachings that would poison my soul. I must see where false ideas lead and, in light of those consequences, HATE the destructive deception of sin. And, in a culture where “tolerance”has robbed us of moral courage, I must help other believers learn to “love righteousness” and “hate sin.”

Here are some “false ways” we must hate and battle against….

• whatever undermines the Bible
• whatever robs our Creator of His glory
• sexual sin: porn, adultery, fornication, homosexuality
• false religion/false theology
• hypocrisy-especially among Christians
• the love of money, power, reputation

Prayer

Father, I am in a spiritual battle. I love Your Truth-the positives it brings. But help me to see how destructive the false ways really are. Satan makes his deception so appealing, but it really isn’t. It’s poison to the soul. Let me not be passive toward Satan’s lies. Might I hate him and his ways with the same fervor that I love You and Your Truth.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.