LEOs encounter people who are involved in all kinds of sin and they seem to always have an excuse for their actions. While most of their excuses are easily seen for what they are, we do occasionally meet the person who is able defend his actions in a way that is almost believable. With that in mind we can learn a lot from today's verse. In Psalm 36:3 David may have been speaking directly of his enemies, but we can't tell for sure. In any case, he is speaking of a person who is overtaken in sin. When he says his words are iniquity, he is speaking of a sin that is planned, not something that happened all of a sudden. Sin that we commit in a moment of decision is still sin and it needs to be confessed and forsaken, but sin that is planned is all together a different matter (sounds like the current direction of our country). David describes this persons words as deceit, which is speaking of the person trying to justify his actions, or defending his actions with an argument that on the surface sounds believable but is actually false and deceptive. When a person is overtaken in sin they are compelled to rationalize their behavior to others, and in so doing they are being deceptive. People may be easily deceived, but God is NEVER deceived. Instead, He sees right down to the very core of our being and sees not only our actions, but also our thoughts and motives.

Next David says " he hath left off to be wise, and to do good". The person he is describing may have had the appearance of being good, and of being under wise judgment, but then all together abandons it for sin and in so doing becomes unwise. How quickly a person becomes blind when they yield themselves to sin! Instead of deceiving others, they are deceived themselves. This is a dangerous position to be in because the person becomes completely governed by their wants, desires, and passions; and at this point ruin is usually not far behind.

This gives us a picture of a path that we will all hopefully want to avoid; but how do we keep from being the person described here? First of all we need to be sure we know Jesus as Savior. This could easily describe a person who may have had a moral life, and considered himself to be a Christian; but had never actually entered into a relationship with Christ. For the person who is saved, we can avoid becoming this person by daily renewing our minds. I say it often and must continue to say it; we MUST spend time alone daily with the Father in prayer and Bible study so that His Spirit can cleanse our minds and conform us to His image. It's a close personal relationship with Christ that not only gives us the strength to turn from sin, but this is where we also gain the desire to turn from sin.