Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Tuesday, February 24, Psalm 34:14

Samek: "Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it."

"Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it." (1 Peter 3:11 ESV)

It doesn't happen automatically. It takes a lifetime of learning. It's called sanctification.

But don't confuse it with justification. For one who repents and puts their faith in Jesus, a new birth occurs (Romans 10: 9-10, John 3:3-8). And that birth is not because of you, it coincides with a direct calling from God (John 6:44) and a renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). The Lord draws one to Himself, and their eyes are opened. Their state is revealed before their eyes and they realize that they are completely lost and twisted with sin, bound in a nature that always desires sin (Romans 7:23-24).

And with this devastating realization they cry out "Lord, be merciful unto me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13). He is merciful, and saves them. Nothing can be done on their own to save themselves, only by putting themselves upon the mercy of God (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Suddenly there is a new nature! (2 Corinthians 5:17). Suddenly we have this loathing for sin, and a desire to please God. We turn and run from the darkness and into the light. We seek the things of God, and it leads us straight to the Bible. We look for people with like burdens as we and find them in the church (Ephesians 4-5). And we work together, hand in hand, heart in heart to depart from evil, to do good, to seek the peace of God and to pursue it. (1 Peter 3)

In weak moments, in times of pride, we forget our dependence sometimes and fall flat on our faces (Luke 15). But we have brothers and sisters who pick us up (Romans 12), and most of all, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, never leaving nor forsaking us, and put us back on the right path (Hebrews 13:5-6).

So we press on, departing from evil and doing good, seeking peace and pursuing it. We are "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before", and we "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

We do it, not to build points, but to please the One who has already given us victory. "I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12b).

Victory is sure. And for a believer, the term "easy believe-ism" is not in their vocabulary, because they love their Father and hate evil. Their eyes have been opened; their natures have been changed. They pursue good because He is good. They seek peace in Him, for He is our peace (Ephesians 4).

And we are in school here, in the wilderness of this world, learning to comprehend the Light we were given, which the world neither knows nor can understand (John 1, John 17). And we are studying to receive our "working diplomas" in order to reign with Him forever. Terms like doctors "practicing medicine" are good terms for believers "practicing righteousness", for, though we are already proclaimed righteous, we are practicing, reviewing and learning more and more about what we have been given.

David could only see through the eyes of faith. God used his Seed so that we could see in Whom we put our faith. And if this is causing a yearning in your heart, He is calling you today. Depart from evil and do good. And since there is nothing good in you (Romans 3), you can only rest in His goodness. He sacrificed for you, so you can be justified freely, and be given a new nature and learn how to do good.

Only in Christ will you find peace (John 16:33). Pursue Him today.

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

*KJV used*

Memory Helps

Samek:

"Depart from evil, and do good;
Seek peace, and pursue it."

You are at a crossroad. There are two signs pointing in opposite directions. One says "evil", and the other says "good". You "depart from evil and do good". On that path, you see a cross far ahead, and on it is written "real peace". You run like crazy to pursue it!

"Depart from evil"/ Seek peace"

"and do good"/ "and pursue it"

I use my friend "TeRry" as my memory character for verses 14 (T=1, R=4, vowels fillers). I envision him riding that "Singing MaRe" up to that cross road, and "high-tailing" it toward the cross to "seek peace and pursue it". They are singing the verse as they move along. (Singing = Psalm, MaRe = 3-4). This way I link Psalm 34:14 to the verse.