Psalm 73 tells a story to which many of us could relate. It deals with envy and how the author, started down the path to envy, but realized the mistake.

Verse 3, “For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives, their bodies are so healthy and strong.” Isn’t it difficult sometimes to see people who are obviously not living godly lives, and everything seems to be just fine and dandy for them. At the same time we are doing our best to follow God’s will, but scratching and scrimping to get by. His questions, just like ours, verse 11, “Does God realize what is going on?” and 13, “Have I been wasting my time? Why take the trouble to be pure?”

Then he stops and realizes how wrong this line of thought is. verse 21, “Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was torn up inside…but even so, you love me! you are holding my right hand! You will keep on guiding me all my life with your wisdom and counsel…..Whom have I in heaven but you? And I desire no one on earth as much as you!”

How silly it is for us to worry about the prosperity of others. God gives us all that we need if we trust him. Finally in verse 26 he says, “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”

Earthly prosperity will never satisfy the longing God built into us that can only be satisfied by our relationship with him. Our true joy comes from being connected to God and keeping our life anchored in him and his teaching.

Dear Lord, Thank you for being there for us when we need to be reminded of what is important. Help us keep our focus on you and you will give us the things we need in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

“Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.” Psalm 34:9.

This is one of the many verses in the Bible that tell us to fear God. Many people have a difficult time with the concept of fearing God.

God loves us all and wants us all to be saved. 1 Timothy 2:4 writes, “God our savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”

Why would we fear this God?

CS Lewis describes this in the Chronicles of Narnia, describing Aslan the Lion, who represents God in the Story, like this:
“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”…”Safe?” said Mr Beaver …”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

We are to fear and love God, like a child would his/her powerful and loving earthly father. The child respects his father’s abilities, and knows that his father has absolute power over him, but also knows that his father would sacrifice everything for him.

Dear Lord, if we just recognize your awesome power, how could we not fear, but if we could just recognize how much you love us, we would follow your will. Help us know your power and love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Matthew 27:54 writes about the crucifixion of Jesus, “The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

I imagine even though it was a gruesome task, the Roman Soldiers crucified many people. The verse specifies that it was a Roman officer, rather than just an ordinary soldier that made the comment. As an officer he would have been more senior and had more experience. Crucifying someone would have been a routine event for him.

But this event was much different, so much so, that the Bible history makes a point of recording the officer’s words, “This man truly was the Son of God.”

Dear Lord, we will never know what it was like to be there that day Jesus Christ was crucified, but through faith, we are saved by the result. For this we thank and praise you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

You may have heard it said, that “We are God’s hands here on earth.”

1 John 4:12 says it like this. “But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”

When we love God, and love others, we become a path God can use to show his love to others, through us.

Verse 15 goes on to say, “All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.”

Dear Lord, As believers we know that you live in us, Help us let your love work through us and touch all those we encounter. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Some people are tempted into believing they have strayed so far from God’s will that they cannot be forgiven and reconciled. This is a lie the devil puts in their minds.

God tells us through Isaiah 44:22, “I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.”

We need only accept the gift of Grace that God has given, to return to him. He saves us. Paul tells us in Romans 8:39, ” nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Dear Lord, Thank you for your Grace. Help those who feel beyond forgiveness to know that you are waiting for their return. We must only accept your gift. In Jesus’ name. Amen.