If you ever struggle with jealousy like I do, here are notes from scripture and commentary I read today.
James 3:14-16 "But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your hearts, don't brag about being wise. That is the worst kind of lie. For jealousy and selflessness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and motivated by the Devil. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind of evil."
Wisdom is determined by actions of peace and goodness. It is easy to be drawn into wrong desires by the pressures of society and sometimes even by well-meaning Christians. We can be drawn into desires of what we want and don't have and become competitive. Seeking the Lord's wisdom delivers us from the need to compare ourselves to others and to want what they have.
When our words are motivated by Satan, they are full of:
Bitter jealousy
Selfish ambition
Earthly concerns and desires
Unspiritual thoughts and ideas
Disorder
Evil
When our words are motivated by God and his wisdom, they are full of:
Purity
Peace
Consideration for others
Submission
Mercy
Sincerity, impartiality
Goodness
As our pastor says about life; "Rejection is God's protection."
Lord, I ask your forgiveness because I struggle with this. Wisdom comes from You. Please help me to be content and keep my eyes on Jesus. Help me to be a peacemaker and not desire my own way. You have been so good to me. Anything you say "no" to is for my own good. Anything you say "wait" to, is for a reason. Please help me to abide in You and stay humble within your divine plans.
We are "beloved" to God
Psalm 108:1-6 A song. A psalm of David. "My heart is confident in You, O God; no wonder I can sing Your praises with all my heart! Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank You, LORD, among all the people. I will sing Your praises among the nations. For Your unfailing love is higher than the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May Your glory shine over all the earth. Now rescue Your beloved people. Answer and save us by Your power."
Thank the Lord that He is willing and able to save us if we will confess our sins and invite Jesus into our hearts.
I love the way that David starts this Psalm out with confidence in God. Abiding in the Lord by being faithful to & submitting with certainty. He wakes up with a joy and thanks God. He sings praises and thinks on the unfailing love of His heavenly Father. God's love is what draws us to Himself. He is so much easier on us than we are on our self or others.
God is worthy of much glory and our life is to be about making His greatness known. The world tells us about how we are suppose to strive for our own glory but its really not about us. We are sinners saved by God's grace. He has beautiful and full lives planned for us. He wants us to be strong in Him thru trials. He will give us peace and rest if we turn to Him.
The word "beloved" sticks out to me. "Beloved" means dearly loved such as a husband or wife. I also think of a best friend or children as beloved. We serve such a wonderful, loving Father. I feel like God wants us to strive to love all people as His beloved.
Thank the Lord that He is willing and able to save us if we will confess our sins and invite Jesus into our hearts.
I love the way that David starts this Psalm out with confidence in God. Abiding in the Lord by being faithful to & submitting with certainty. He wakes up with a joy and thanks God. He sings praises and thinks on the unfailing love of His heavenly Father. God's love is what draws us to Himself. He is so much easier on us than we are on our self or others.
God is worthy of much glory and our life is to be about making His greatness known. The world tells us about how we are suppose to strive for our own glory but its really not about us. We are sinners saved by God's grace. He has beautiful and full lives planned for us. He wants us to be strong in Him thru trials. He will give us peace and rest if we turn to Him.
The word "beloved" sticks out to me. "Beloved" means dearly loved such as a husband or wife. I also think of a best friend or children as beloved. We serve such a wonderful, loving Father. I feel like God wants us to strive to love all people as His beloved.
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