"Like Clockwork"

"Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgments." (Psalms 119:164)

  Although we have some pretty strange practices, whether it might be the direction we might turn, not stepping on lines, or saying, "God Bless You," after someone sneezes, this practice of praising God seven times a day is a real thing; at least it was in David's day. It is believed that they would praise Him twice in the morning before devotions, and then once after; and twice in the evening before reading, and then twice after. Seven is thought of as the number of completion, so it was for Peter as he asked Jesus, "How many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Seven?" Thinking he might have hit the nail on the head, he was not even close; because Jesus replied, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." Personally, I would like to try and praise the Lord at least as many times a day as I might sin; at least that might be my intention. But, if truth be told, it might depend upon my mood and whether or not I might feel offended by someone, or whether or not I just want some sympathy; or, believe it or not, whether I might just feel like I want to enjoy my sin for a little while. You know, the point in time when David sinned with Bathsheba, it was the time when the kings went out to war; and where was David? he was hanging back in Jerusalem feeling like getting a little naughty! How to powerful men of God fall? "Eclairs in the refrigerator," that is how! Actually it is two part, action with a reaction; the first part is storing up something that you do not intend to use, the second is putting a condition on a chance to use it. The first part is the act of taking something you know that you should not partake of, and putting away, just because you don't want to throw it out. The second, is the reactionary part; where you know you are not meant to go there, but if there is a parking spot in just the right place, then it is meant to be. Stop! Don't let the enemy take advantage of your weakness! If you store up the opportunity to sin, you will create on opportunity to sin; and guess what will happen? the enemy will play right into your plan. Just like clockwork, all the gears will fall into the right place, and you go boom; down for the count. (No pun intended.) If you want to talk about responsibility, the bigger they are, the harder they fall, does not just apply to literal giants. You know what else is so amazing, is God's righteous judgments...

"After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, "Praise the LORD! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. His judgments are true and just. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the murder of his servants." And again their voices rang out: "Praise the LORD! The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!" Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshipped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried, "Amen! Praise the LORD!" And from the throne came a voice that said, "Praise our God, all his servants, all who fear him, from the least to the greatest." (Revelation 19:1-5) NLT