Several years ago the Lord convicted me that even though I read the Psalms each Bible read-through, I needed even greater familiarity with them. So I began an aggressive Psalms reading plan in addition to my normal, daily Bible reading. I have come to LOVE the Psalms and how it affirms the Old and New Testament truths in a beautiful personal, poetic style. 

One brief example was from reading Psalm 106 last week. Recently, I highlighted in Seriously how God commanded Israel against mingling with the nations because it would cost them their children. I did not use this verse, but when I read it after that Seriously I saw how it affirmed what happened when Israel ignored God’s command to destroy nations.

“They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance” (Psalms 106:34-40).

Did you notice the progression? Mingled, learned, served = cost them their children. 

Each time I read in Psalm 106, it breaks my heart to think of the Christian families who are following a similar path to Israel. God’s people are the same through the ages. He said be separate otherwise you will become like them. What about you and your family? Are you separate from the world, or do you fill your eyes and minds with what entertains the world? Are you on that destructive path?