Psa 37:1-9 A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
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.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
Aren’t these reason enough to give praise and worship to God? And to Jesus, Our living Lord and Savior?
As we watch those who do not believe, or even know God, but live their lives the way they choose, we can see that although they may live long and seem to prosper upon the earth, they will not benefit from the gifts and pleasures God has instore for those who do follow His way: the crowns, the blessings, the joy, the peace, the desires of our heart; good night sleep; and more besides! Those that do not follow Him just don’t get these things!
Read John 5 (all) carefully.
It is my opinion that the only reason these men were accusing Jesus was because they were jealous of Him. They wanted everyone to obey THEIR laws, not God’s. (Remember rebellious Dathan?) They only put on a show of “godliness”, yet disobeyed God’s Word in their lives. As Jesus said, they knew the words Moses spoke about Jesus, but would not believe that the very same man he spoke of was actually standing before them!
The man whom Jesus healed was so excited, that when he saw Jesus later that day in the temple, he recognized Him and went to tell the Jews who questioned him. Maybe he was thinking that they too wished healing.
~~~~~
James 1: 2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience.
So what about all the problems that come upon us? Are we just supposed to ”take them with a grain of salt?” Yes. Do we have to like it? No. But these things come to us for one thing and one thing only: Discipline; to teach us. As we go through these divers temptations, and faithfully stand in obedience to God, He teaches us to discipline ourselves, and thus we grow in His grace, in Patience and self control.
For example: We have a choice of what we will watch on television, right? Our discipline directs us as we flip channels to see what is on, and if it does not have God’s approval that we know of, we should not watch that program. Same thing with the internet.
We learn from all our experiences bad and good. When we come through each situation, we can give God all the glory.
Rom 8:28-31 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose – which comforts us and makes our calling sure. For this we can give Him all the glory, and can loudly shout, “Halleluja anyhow!”
Hab 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
The soul that is lifted up (full of pride) is not upright… not Godly. Those who love God, will live by the faith that God gives them.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
As we put our faith into practice, we become. We become righteous, just and worthy, The just shall walk by the amount of faith God has given them. This is why we must continually and constantly love and trust God.
Matt 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
As tiny as a mustard seed. That is the amount of faith we need. God has measured out to each and every one of His, the exact amount of faith each person needs. No more. No less.
We can’t be sarcastic with our faith… wanting more than we can do. That is not
God’s way. Our faith gives us exactly what we need, when we need it. No more. No less. It is all according to what God’s will for us is at that time.
Pro 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7-8 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
In all we do, when we acknowledge Him, the reward is, He shall absolutely direct our path; our way of living and again we can shout, “Halleluja anyhow!”
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Jesus IS the truth. It is He who makes us free!
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (the word men was added much later.)
(c) 1999 Anna M. K. Hazen
Trusting in God’s Promises: A Joyful Reflection
In Psalm 37, David, with a lively spirit, encourages us not to be troubled by those who seem to thrive on the wrong side of life. His exhortation to us is clear: “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away” (Psalm 37:1-2). Can you believe it? All that scheming and deceit, and they’re as temporary as yesterday’s leftovers! Instead of fretting, we’re invited to “trust in the LORD and do good” (Psalm 37:3). Honestly, isn’t it much more fulfilling to root for the side that’s already won.
When we delight in the LORD, it’s like finding a treasure chest of joy! Who knew that serving Him could feel so liberating? He promises, “He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). It’s not as if God’s a genie, but He does have a knack for providing us with joy that rivals our wildest expectations. So while the world chases after fleeting pleasures, we get the joy of seeing our hearts aligned with what truly satisfies us.
Now, let’s talk about patience. Waiting on God can feel like being stuck at a traffic light that just won’t change. But wait! The promise that “those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land” (Psalm 37:9) speaks to the joy of knowing that good things come to those who wait—like that unexpected inheritance that shows up when you least expect it! You can almost hear the angels cheering us on, saying, “Hang in there, you’re almost at the finish line!”
In John 5, we find the healed man rejoicing after a miraculous encounter with Jesus. He boldly tells everyone about his healing, providing all of us with a reminder: When God does something amazing in your life, share it! Imagine him running around town, “Did you hear? I can walk now! Who’s got two thumbs up and is walking? This guy!” Our stories of God’s goodness are like a highlight reel of His faithfulness. They uplift not just our spirits but the spirits of those around us!
Life can throw curveballs that leave us questioning everything—sometimes we feel like we’re in a sitcom, surrounded by chaos. But instead of letting our troubles script the narrative, we can choose to embrace them. These moments shape us, teach us lessons we never knew we’d need, and refine us much like a finished diamond emerges from the rough stone. Our struggles are not wasted; they’re a part of His divine plan, crafting us into who we were meant to be.
The verse in Romans 8:28 lifts our spirits higher: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” This assurance is like having a backstage pass to God’s grand production—everything in our lives is woven together for His ultimate good. We’re reminded that “the righteous will live by faith” (Romans 1:17) as we confidently move forward, trusting that God’s not only has the map He IS the map (John 1:1); even when we can’t see the road ahead.
Let’s not forget the beauty of acknowledging God in every area of our lives. He’s not just Savior on Sundays – Jethro Tull says, “He’s not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays”; He’s the daily navigational system for our lives (Proverbs 3:5-6). The call to lift Jesus high is filled with the kind of joyful anticipation that makes us want to shout from the rooftops. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself” (John 12:32). What an incredible promise! Picture it: as we lift Him up, others are irresistibly drawn to the joy and hope He brings.
Let’s keep our spiritual lamps filled and our hearts expectant, ready for His glorious return. The King is coming, and all who trust in Him are promised a joyful eternity. This truth ignites an uncontainable joy within us and compels us to lift our voices in celebration: “Hallelujah, He saved the best for last!”✨