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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Monday, September 2, 2019
Today's Passage : Today's Passage:Envy of Prosperous and Wicked Men Bible Verse :Psalm 73 "T ruly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs in their death, But their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride serves as their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes bulge with abundance; They have more than heart could wish. They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; They speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walks through the earth. Therefore his people return here, And waters of a full cup are drained by them. And they say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?” Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches. Surely I have kept my heart pure in vain, And washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, And chastened every morning. If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children. When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me— Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved, And I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all Your works. " Message:
Seeing sinful, even wicked, people who are rich, beautiful, and in possession of many desirable worldly attributes and goods, is sometimes a difficult pill to swallow. This psalm does a wonderful job of explaining how to deal with envy of such people. The key lies in the transitional verse, “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me, until I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.”
We can see the timeline of God’s plan for our salvation when we read Psalm 73, for we go back in time, in a sense, when we read it. The Jew of 1000 B.C. did not have specific knowledge of Christ. As a preliminary to Christ’s coming, God took thousands of years to prove to humanity that compliance with His will was in their self-interest. Who can question His timing? We might take for granted the ultimate destructive power of Evil, and the beneficial work of Good, but it does not come naturally; it takes a long time to really learn.
King David, from
Macclesfield Psalter (c.1320) King David, from Macclesfield Psalter (c.1320) Many of the psalms, especially those written by David during his most stressful period, are a bit naive, in that they see the reward for obedience to God as the earthly destruction of Israel’s enemies and their own political triumph. Yet, we must remember, this seemed to be God’s promise to them. They had to learn, over a long time period, that they did not have the ability to follow God’s law, i.e. the Law of Moses. Yet in Psalm 73, we see a dawning knowledge of the importance of faith. The psalmist looks to something other than earthly reward. “My flesh and my heart fail,” he says. He is losing his strength and dying. Nevertheless, he pledges that “God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever.” He prays his understanding to God, that his salvation might come in eternity: “You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.” Still, we try to follow God’s law, not because our good actions will save us, but out of love for Christ and thankfulness for our salvation. We do not envy, because beauty, wealth, and life itself are fleeting. We store up our treasure in heaven, “where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” (Matthew 6:20) Meditation : Prayer : Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below, Praise Him above ye heavenly host, Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.......Amen |
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