Rest in the Lord, even when your enemies prosper

[Jim]

Psalm 37:7
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

The ungodly prosper just as much as the godly, and many times more so.

A mans faith is not measured by his material property, though many churches would make you think otherwise, as the days by humanistic preachers seem to be preaching the philosophy of prosperity preaching.

I know it doesn't seem fair that wicked men, who bring wicked devices to pass seem to "have it all", but will they not die with their riches? Will they also not ever experience what it is like to rely on the Lord for their substance?

It is difficult for our flesh to not have a solution for something and have to wait on the Lord to have to supply it. We want to much control over things.

Whether it is money, sickness, hunger, or anything of that nature the Lord knows what we need when we need it. It is pleasing to the Lord for us to have to let your requests be made known unto Him, because it shows we are needy, and relying in Him.

So stop worrying about who has what and what you don't have. The wicked shall receive their reward, and I am sure you would never trade all the material possessions and money they have, for what they will too soon suffer.

Love and encouragement in Christ,

Jim

[Upholder]

Amen, Jim.
The world is full of people who have devoted their lives to the accumulation of earthly wealth, but have no time for the matters of eternity. To them, success is money, possesions, fame, influence, and the pleasures of the flesh. But none of this prosperity is of any lasting value. Even the richest of people will eventually die and go to meet their Maker, who said:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where theives break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where theives do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
(Matthew 6:19-21)

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
(Luke 12:15)

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
(Hebrews 9:27)

True prosperity is to have saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and to have the knowledge that no situation or circumstance can separate us from Christ's love.

[George]

Amen Brother Jim! When I take the time to stop and reflect on my life (which is not often enough) I realize that God has provided me with everything I need and a lot of the things I want.

My word, I have a place to live, I have plenty to eat, I have my pickup truck to get me around, I have wonderful doctors to care for me, I have a loving family who provide things for me in times of need and the list could go on and on.

Take a look at the Hollywood types. A lot of them have an incredible amount of money and have stored up countless treasures for themselves here on earth. Yet they are not happy. Their divorce rate and the resulting child custody disputes are out of sight. The Bible addresses it so well:

(1Jn 2:15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
(1Jn 2:16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1Jn 2:17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

The lust of the flesh is the things that make us feel good, the lust of the eyes are the things that look good and that often folks covet. The pride of life is us taking credit for the things we have and the things we are able to do. I sincerely believe that if we could have everything that made us feel good, everything that looked good to us and we took credit and felt good about ourselves because WE did it all we would not be satisfied. We would want more.

The only way a person can avoid such things is to be sincerely grounded in God. We must give God the credit for not only the things we have but also for life itself. Again the Bible addresses this very well:

(1Co 4:7) For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? (Emphasis mine)

What have we that we did not receive? All things are given by God. We may think we work for wages and benefits but if God were not there to provide those things how would we get them? We come into this life naked and without anything. We shall leave this life in the same condition. Therefore everything we have, we have been given of the Father.

In Christ,
George