Tag: prosper

Almost Stumbled

“but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.  Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Psalms 73:1   Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.  For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.  They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.  Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.  Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.  They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.  They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.  Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.  If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.  But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.

Jeremiah 12:1  Righteous are you, O LORD, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

Psalms 37:1   Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers

Proverbs 3:31    Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,

Proverbs 24:1     Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them,

Hosea 7:2     But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.

Zephaniah 1:12   At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.

I copied this from a commentary on this chapter of 73 Psalms.  “We have in these verses a good man’s temptation. In every age God’s people have asked whether God can possibly know all that is taking place on the earth, and if He does know, why He allows evil to prosper. The dark spirit who is ever at our elbow whispers that we should have done as well, and better”  It surely rings true if not for the questions of “does He know” and “why does He allow” surely for listening to the whispers of Satan into our ears and becoming envious.  We must recognize these whispers and fight them with the word of truth.  Paul in his letters once wrote “I have learned to be content in having little and having much.”  We do well to be content knowing and humbly serving God.  We have so many distractions pulling at our heart and soul it is only those who desire and commit to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey who will find true peace and rest this side of eternity.

They Scoffed

“They said to God, ‘Depart from us,’ and ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’”

“For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.’”

Malachi 3:14  You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’”

Job 21:14  They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.  What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’

Psalms 73:8  They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.  They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.  Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.  And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”  Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.

Zephaniah 1:12    At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.’

Daniel 5:20  But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.

How hard is it to act like the God we serve is alive and in control when there is so much scoffing.  So many have made a choice to reject Him and proclaim it foolishness to believe in Him.  Yet to those who have believed in Him, who cling to Him, who rely on Him, and who trust in Him, they find power, strength, rest, peace, hope and love.  They are not defeated by those scoffing but rather set their heart and mind more so on God.  Who knows what will happen even tomorrow.  How many people have left their home only to never return do to an untimely end of life.  How many who have said in their heart tomorrow I will start trusting in God only to find tomorrow never came.  They are standing before God and hear “depart from me for I never knew you”.  These are those who are cast into hell and torment forever.  Today is the day of salvation and the day to make a choice to serve Him with all your heart mind and soul.  Do not wait  a moment longer to start humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying Him.  Be a light unto the scoffers and a ray of hope to those lost.

You looked for much

“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;  then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”

“But a firstborn of animals, which as a firstborn belongs to the LORD, no man may dedicate; whether ox or sheep, it is the LORD’s.”

“ Out of all the gifts to you, you shall present every contribution due to the LORD; from each its best part is to be dedicated.”

“For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,”

Malachi 3:6    “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts.     But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.  Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.  I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.

1 John 3:17   But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?  Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

1 Corinthians 16:2    On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

Haggai 1:9     You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.

Giving is one of the blessings God allows us to share.  He supplies and then tells us to set aside the first of it and be prepared to give it to our church and those in need.  Yet scripture is clear on man’s heart.  We choose to serve ourselves first and God and others second with what is left over.  However God expects us to give first.  Many go through life without knowing the true blessings that comes from a heart desire to humbly serve God through giving.  We are not to give out of our excess but out of what comes in first.  The guide for us is to give 10% to support ministry (our church) and then above this offerings of thanks, and then contributions for those in need. (those special needs that others have and that God is leading you to give towards.) You can hear His whispers of guidance in giving if your heart is set to listen.  If we follow this guidance with a single purpose in our heart to honor Him, blessings flow.  Purpose to give of your firsts.

Sin

“I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.”

“Do not forsake me, O LORD! O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!”

Psalms 51:3  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

Job 31:33   if I have concealed my transgressions as others do by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

Proverbs 28:13   Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Psalms 32:5   I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Psalms 38:15  But for you, O LORD, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

2 Corinthians 7:7   For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

1 John 1:8  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

There is nothing like having done something wrong to a person and being forgiven.  How much more so with the Creator of all heaven and earth.  We can sin knowingly and unknowingly.  Knowingly when we hear God’s quiet small voice speaking to our heart and mind and we deny it, or even worse we choose to close our heart and mind to His voice and leading.  Knowingly, when we choose not to stay in His word and unknowingly when that word of warning, direction, or command is not planted in our heart and mind.  Choosing to neglect His word does not give us, by any means, an excuse.  Set time apart each day to read His word, listen to His quiet small voice, and humbly serve, honor and obey.

What to Confess

“If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

“Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.”

“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.”

Psalms 32:1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.  I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.  Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.

Luke 11:28  But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Revelation 22:14  Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

2 Corinthians 5:19  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Jeremiah 31:18  I have heard Ephraim grieving, ‘You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf; bring me back that I may be restored, for you are the LORD my God.  For after I had turned away, I relented, and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh; I was ashamed, and I was confounded, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.

Hosea 7:14  They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.

Lamentations 3:8  though I call and cry for help, he shuts out my prayer;

Luke 16:15  And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Jeremiah 2:35  you say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’ Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’

1 John 1:8  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Proverbs 28:13  Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Psalms 38:18  I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.

Psalms 51:3  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

There is much for us to learn about sin.  Throughout our lives we continue to learn how we sin against God.  That is, we do, if we stay in His word and seek to follow Him.  How do we know if we sin if our heart, mind, and soul is focused on what our culture says is acceptable, permissible, and lawful if we are not feeding on God’s word with a desire to humbly serve, honor and glorify Him.  Don’t we sound a lot like those who do not confess, do not acknowledge, try to conceal, or say I am innocent of sinning against God?  Do we think we can plead ignorance when God’s word is so readily available? Certainly not.  Look at those who cry out to God and have not acknowledged their sin before Him.  “He shuts out my prayer”.  Scripture says if we confess our sin He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Believing in Christ also means following Him and following Him means we want to know how to serve, honor and glorify Him, and this means we want to know our sin, confess it and do it no more.  Do you want to grow closer to God?  Ask Him to show you your sin while you are reading His  word, while you are thinking about His word, and while you are living out everyday.