Psalm 4:2

O sons of men, how long will my honor and glory be (turned to) shame? How long will you (my enemies) love worthless (vain, futile) things and seek deception and lies?

Sin leads to blindness to the truth. A person can be fully convinced to sin and feel justified just as much as a person who feels they missed the mark and need to be saved. They both believe strongly in something, but one is convicted of the error, but the other has a hardened heart that cannot see. God can open the eyes of the spiritually blind as we pray for the lost. 

Psalm 4:1

Answer Me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have freed me when I was hemmed in and relieved me when I was in distress; be gracious to me and hear (and respond to) my prayer. 

Prayer has power. We cannot always see what is going on in the spiritual world around us, but Jesus can. When we pray according to the biblical word and using our authority, Jesus can hear and answer our prayers. The key is not to remain silent but to use our authority and call on the name of Jesus. 

Psalm 2:10-11

Now therefore, O kings, act wisely; be instructed and take warning, O leaders of the earth. Worship the Lord and serve Him with reverence (with awe-inspired fear and submissive wonder); rejoice (yet do so) with trembling. 

We can serve many things that bring us little benefit, but God is the only one who can break down all the barriers. It takes focus, time, and dedication, discipline and love for God to maintain a relationship with Him. The rewards of a relationship with God bring more to us than we to Him. God loves us more than we can comprehend.

Psalm 1:5-6

Therefore the wicked will not stand (unpunished) in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord knows and fully approves the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish. 

The Lord knows the way of the righteous and approves of it. The wicked will be punished unless they turn and repent for their ways. Our goal is to keep our focus on the word and God intently. The more we fill ourselves with the wisdom of the word, the easier it will be to tread on any evil influences that come our way. 

Psalm 1:4

The wicked (those who live in disobedience to God’s law) are not so, but they are like chaff (worthless and without substance) which the wind blows away.

The bible tells us clearly that the path of sin leads to destruction. Sin builds an empty life that searches for fulfillment in all the wrong things. We are to build ourselves up to avoid the pitfalls and see the reward of faithfulness. When we become strong in the Lord, we are able to hear and lead those around us when we remain faithful to the word. 

Psalm 1:3

And he will be like a tree firmly planted (and fed) by streams of water, which yields it fruit in its season; it leaf does not wither; and in whatever it does, he prospers (and comes to maturity).

When we choose to follow God, not grudgingly, but with enthusiasm we will flourish.  We create a barrier against evil influences that try to dissuade us from the goodness of God. Knowledge of the word and the ways of God is power when we know what is rewarded and what brings failure. 

Psalm 1:1-2

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked (following their advice and example). Nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit (down to rest) in the seat of scoffers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law, he meditates day and night. 

God gives us a clear path to follow that keeps us away from sin. When we transgress by following along with people who have turned away from God we lose our blessing. We are to practice our faith and meditate on the word. When will fill up with all that is good in the word, we leave no room for sin to enter. 

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. 

Has our faith grown enough from knowledge and experience that we never doubt we can move the mountain? Or are we a work in progress, needing Jesus to bring peace to our hearts? Jesus gave us His peace and told us not to be troubled or afraid. We can turn to and rely on Jesus, whether our faith is developing or being practiced, and find peace. 

Mathew 11:28-30

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened (by religious rituals that provide no peace), and I will give you rest (refreshing your souls with salvation). Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me (following Me as My disciple) for I am gentle and humble in heart, and You will find rest for your souls.

There is a difference between religion and relationship. Jesus came to this earth to remove the barrier posed by soulless rituals and to create a direct connection to our hearts. Only when a person has peace through Jesus and salvation can they feel a connection to God. The born-again spirit opens the door for Jesus to enter and bring rest to the soul.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

This is a faithful and trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful (true to His word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself. 

We will have good days and bad days, strong days and weak days. We will still be called to increase our faith through the trials. God remains faithful to us through it all, and He is removing obstacles that we will never have to see. We are to be diligent and keep walking closer to God, and He will move closer to us.