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“A heart at peace gives life to the body,  but envy rots the bones.” (Proverbs 14:30 NIV)

Envy has the power to destroy your life.  It will rot your bones, and cause you untold strife.  But a heart at peace gives life to the body.  We all suffer from envy.  Andy Stanley, in a message on envy years ago, helped me identify envy in my life.  I couldn’t find that message, but here is another one of his messages on envy that is just as impactful.  

Andy used this phrase:  “It must be nice.”  When you find yourself saying, “It must be nice…” about something, that is a sign of envy.  It must be nice to be married to that person.  It must be nice to have that job.  It must be nice to make that much money.  It must be nice to live there.  It must be nice to have such good kids.  It must be nice…  Envy has the power to destroy your life, but “It must be nice…” has the power to save it.  Identifying your envy can help you find peace in your heart.

Identifying your envy can help you find peace in your heart.

Envy is wanting something we don’t have that we feel we deserve.  In reality, we don’t deserve anything.  We don’t deserve to be born in America, we don’t deserve to have a democratic society that allows us freedom of religion and speech.  Those are gifts from God that He gave us, just by being born in the United States.  People around the globe are envious that we live in America.  And we in America are envious of those around us who we perceive have a better life than us.  Envy is a battle we all fight, but when we focus our eyes on Jesus, we’ll find peace.

Peace in our heart comes from being content with what we have, no matter what:

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:12-13 NIV)

Contentment can only come when we center our hearts on Jesus. We can find it through the strength Jesus gives us when we follow Him  When we follow Him, we’ll find His peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:6-7 NIV).  Instead of counting the blessings of others, we’ll count our own blessings.  We’ll be grateful for what we do have, instead of what we don’t have.  We’ll have peace that gives life to the body.

Question of the Day:

What have you said, “It must be nice…” about lately?

Further Reading: 1 Samuel 2:22-4:22 NIV, John 5:24-47 NIV, Psalm 106:1-12 NIV, Proverbs 14:30-31 NIV

“Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.” (1 Samuel 1:22 NIV)

Hannah, to me, is one of the unsung heroes of the Bible.  She was married to Elkanah, who had two wives.  Peninnah was his other wife, who had many children.  Hannah, on the other hand had none, “the Lord had closed her womb” (1 Samuel 1:5 NIV).   Peninnah lorded it over Hannah’s head that she had children and Hannah could not. For years, Hannah lived in misery:

“This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.” (1 Samuel 1:7 NIV)

Hannah never gave up.  She didn’t lose faith in God, even though she was unable to have children.  Instead, she persevered and pleaded her case before God:

“In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.  And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” (1 Samuel 1:10-11 NIV)

Hannah gave her greatest desire to God.

God granted Hannah’s request.  She named her son Samuel “Because I asked the Lord for him” (1 Samuel 1:20 NIV).  And when he was weaned, she left him with Eli at the temple, living up to her promise to the Lord.  God answered Hannah’s prayer, and she honored her commitment.  She would see her firstborn once a year when they went to the temple to worship.  She would lovingly make him a new outfit to take with her.  Hannah’s prayer is a beautiful tribute to what the Lord did for her, take a moment and read it here.  After she gave birth to Samuel, she had three more sons and two daughters.  God blessed her abundantly for her obedience.

Giving up what we most desire to God is a difficult thing, but the rewards are beyond measure.  When we release to God whatever our heart’s desires are, He does miraculous things.  Samuel has 2 books named after him in the Old Testament.  He records the story of David and Goliath as well as many others.  Samuel’s name has not been forgotten in thousands of years because Hannah gave to the Lord what she wanted most.

Hannah trusted God with her heart’s desire and He blessed her abundantly.  He’ll do the same for you if you will trust Him.  

Question of the Day:

What are you willing to give up for God?

Further Reading: 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21 NIV, John 5:1-23 NIV, Psalm 105:37-45 NIV, Proverbs 14:28-29 NIV

“May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” (Ruth 2:12 NIV)

If you want to be richly rewarded, stay the course.  Boaz is speaking to Ruth in today’s verse.  He has noticed her working in his fields.  Day after day, he watched her “glean behind the harvesters” (Ruth 2:3 NIV).  Gleaning is picking up the fallen grain that the harvesters leave behind.  This practice comes from the Levitical law:

“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:9-10 NIV).

Gleaning is not easy work.  It’s scrounging in the hot sun for leftovers the harvesters have missed.  Boaz was a generous man, when he saw how hard Ruth was working, he ordered his harvesters to let her gather among the sheaves (Ruth 2:15 NIV).  Ruth had stayed the course, day after day.  As a result, Boaz noticed her and rewarded her work.  If you want to be richly rewarded, stay the course.

If you want to be richly rewarded, stay the course.

Boaz was a God fearing man, who rewarded Ruth out of his humanness.  God’s rewards are far greater than a lessened work load.  He, like Boaz, bases it on what we have done:

“God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.  But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” (Romans 2:6-8 NIV)

God isn’t expecting us to be perfect, He knows we’re not.  He does expect us to try.  He expects us to be like Ruth.  Each day, we do what we know to do. We center our thoughts on God by spending time with Him.  We do our best to be obedient to His desires.  We try to forgive, we try to pray for our enemies, we try to love our neighbor.  Some days, we may fail, but as long as we keep trying, that’s what matters.

God will bless you richly if you stay the course.  On those days where you don’t feel His presence, or are unsure of what to do, do what you know to do.  Trust that He is present even if you can’t feel Him.  Take the next right step. Stay the course and God will reward your efforts.

Question of the Day:

What do you need to do to stay the course today?

Further Reading: Ruth 2:1-4:22 NIV, John 4:43-54 NIV, Psalm 105:16-36 NIV, Proverbs 14:26-27 NIV

“But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”  (Ruth 1:16 NIV)

Ruth can show you how to follow God.  Ruth was a Moabite.  The Moabites were considered foreigners, they did not worship the same God as the Jewish people.  The Moabites came from Moab, who was the son of Lot and his oldest daughter:

“Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.” (Genesis 19:30 NIV).

Ruth’s heritage included incest.  Her story begins when she marries one of Naomi’s sons, which one we don’t know.  Naomi is in Moab because her husband moved his family there when famine hit Bethlehem.  After Naomi’s husband and sons die, all she has left is her daughter-in-laws.  One turns back, but Ruth refuses to leave her side.  When Naomi decided to go back to Bethlehem, Ruth went with her. 

Ruth didn’t go with Naomi because of her great love for Naomi, she went with her because of her great love for God.  Ruth was following God when she moved to Bethlehem.  Ruth can show you how to follow God.

Ruth can show you how to follow God.

For Ruth to follow God, she had to leave everything she knew.  She left her family, she left the land she had known her entire life.  Ruth followed God to a strange land where she was not welcome.  She followed Him to a place where she would depend on charity to live.  And because she did, she is named in the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:5-6 NIV, Ruth 4:13 NIV).  How did Ruth fall in love with God so deeply, she would go through all of that?  The answer is simple, Naomi.

Naomi is who introduced Ruth to God.  Through her example, Ruth saw God’s glory.  During the time Naomi lived in Moab she watched her sons marry, her husband die, then each of her sons die.  I am grateful I did not have her life.  The pain and heartache she endured is unbearable to think about from my perspective.  But not only did she go through such trying times, she did it in a way that made Ruth fall in love with Naomi’s God.  Ruth wanted to know Naomi’s  God so much, she would follow Him anywhere.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  Maya Angelou

Naomi followed God.  Ruth followed Naomi.  Ruth knew the right people to follow in her quest to follow God.  Ruth can show you how to follow God.

Question of the Day:

How can Ruth show you how to follow God today?

Further Reading: Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22 NIV, John 4:4-42 NIV, Psalm 105:1-15 NIV, Proverbs 14:25 NIV

“All hard work brings a profit,  but mere talk leads only to poverty.” (Proverbs 14:23 NIV)

Hard work brings profit.  But few people want to put in the hard work.  Staples sells an “Easy Button” for $8.87.  The fact they are able to make a profit from a button such as this, tells you people like to take the easy way out.  Staples is doing the hard work of marketing to a world who is looking for easy; they are making the profit.  But life isn’t easy,  No where in scripture will you find the promise of an easy life.  You will find plenty of scriptures that require hard work:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” (Colossians 3:23)

“Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” (Ephesians 4:28 NIV)

“Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.” (Proverbs 12:11 NIV)

Hard work brings profit, there’s no easy way.

When I was young, my family mowed the grass in the cemetery for our church.  My Dad would drive the riding lawn mower.  My brother and I would use the push mower to go in between the tombstones.  My Mom and older brother would trim with weed eaters.  This is how I learned hard work, with my family.  I was paid $20 for an entire afternoon’s worth of work, and I was ecstatic.  Not only did I feel rich, but I felt pride in the work we had done together as a family.

I can’t remember not having chores.  Saturday mornings were cleaning days.  I had to dust and clean before I could go out and play.  Every night my job was to set the table, and then do the dishes afterwards.  My first paying job after the cemetery was cleaning for a neighbor, Dale Duncan.  I would spend hours with her helping her with whatever chore she had for me that day.  I can’t remember not working in my life.  Hard work was instilled in me from an early age.

Hard work is not something to be feared, but rather embraced.  When we set about a task, work at it with all of our heart for the Lord, we will be profitable.   We will find satisfaction in the work we have done.  We won’t waste our time, we’ll maximize it.  We will feel God’s pleasure as we set about the task He has given us to do.  Whether mowing a lawn, dusting a cabinet or washing dirty dishes, all of them can be done joyfully for the Lord.  Hard work leads to profit, but mere talk ends in poverty.

Question of the Day:

What is God asking you to work hard at today?

Further Reading: Judges 19:1-20:48 NIV, John 3:22-4:3 NIV, Psalm 104:24-35 NIV, Proverbs 14:22-23 NIV

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV) 

God loves the world enough to sacrifice His Son for it.  He loves the sexually immoral, the drunkards, the liars, the murderers.  He loves all sinners enough to sacrifice Jesus, His only Son, on the cross.  If you were the only person on earth, Jesus would still have gotten on the cross.  God wants a relationship with you so badly, He’d have Jesus die for you. How much does God love the world?  Enough to give His only Son to save it.

Enough to give His only Son to save it.

Why do we need Jesus to have a relationship with God?  God can’t be in the presence of sin:

O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked. (Psalm 5:4 NLT).

If we think of God as light and sin as darkness, we can begin to understand.  When you walk into a dark room in the middle of the night and turn on the light switch, the darkness disappears.  You can’t have darkness and light together at the same time. In the same way, God’s light can’t be together simultaneously with the darkness of sin.  

Jesus is the light switch.  When we believe in Him, we are turning on the light in our lives.  We are trusting that He bore our sins for us, so we wouldn’t have too:

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 NIV)

God wanted a relationship with the world so badly, He sent Jesus to save it.  In our darkest hour, Jesus’ light is with us. But we can’t turn on the light without flipping the switch by believing in Jesus.  Each day, as we face new challenges, we have to access the power.

We have to strengthen the light by spending time with Jesus. We spend time with Jesus when we read His word, play worship music, spend time with His followers.  Each time we seek Him, we’ll find Him. Each time we draw closer to Him, we make the light shine brighter and brighter. Eventually, the only thing people will see in us is Jesus’ light shining through.

God loved the world so much, He gave His only Son to save it.  God loved you so much, He gave His only Son to save you. God’s light saves us from our sins.  He releases us from the bondage of past heartaches, and gives us a new way to live. Jesus is the light in our lives.

Question of the Day:

How strong is Jesus’ light shining in your life?

Further Reading: Judges 17:1-18:31 NIV, John 3:1-21 NIV, Psalm 104:1-24 NIV, Proverbs 14:20-21 NIV

“Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” (John 2:7-8 NIV)

Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine.  He did it for his mother. They were at a wedding in Galilee when the wine ran out.  Typically, these types of festivities would go on for days in this culture. Usually the best wine is served first, then cheaper wine when it runs out.  Jesus’ wine is the best there is:

“Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” (John 2:10 NIV).

The master of the banquet didn’t know the wine had been made by Jesus.  He missed the miracle. But Jesus’s disciples didn’t. This is what made them first believe:

“What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:11 NIV)

Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine.

Within the church, there has been much controversy about drinking alcohol.  Some people believe that if you follow Christ, you can’t drink. I do not understand where this belief came from because creating wine is what caused His disciples to first believe.  I believe if Jesus created it, then we are allowed to partake of it. The problem isn’t having a drink, the problem is drinking in excess:

“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1 NIV)

The problem with alcohol, it’s addictive.  Alcoholism is a real disease. It changes the brain, people aren’t able to control their actions.  According to Healthline, if a person can’t go extended periods without relying on alcohol in some form, they typically have an addiction.  However, the world has also proven that a glass of wine a day is beneficial to our health.  So what is the right answer to this dilemma?  Paul gives us the answer in his letter to the Corinthians:

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.” (1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV)

Each person has to make the decision on their own about drinking alcohol.  For me, the answer lies in this question: Does my need for alcohol come before my relationship with God?  If the answer is yes, alcohol has got to go.  Alcoholism is a disease. We need help overcoming it, just like any other disease.  If alcohol is taking the place of God in your life, seek help to overcome it. Here are two options: Celebrate Recovery and Alcoholics Anonymous. Don’t let alcohol steal God’s joy from your life. 

Question of the Day:

Does your need for alcohol come before your relationship with God?

Further Reading:Judges 15:1-16:31NIV, John 2:1-25 NIV, Psalm 103:1-22 NIV, Proverbs 14:17-19 NIV

“The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.  (Proverbs 14:16 NIV)

When you stop and think, you won’t fall for fake news.  Fake news is intentional misinformation that is spread across news outlets, especially social media.  People fall for it all of the time. I fall for it. A few months ago, there was a fake news article about a leading pastor in the country.  The article said he had signed a contract worth millions with another prominent pastor. I believed it, hook, line and sinker. I wasn’t a fan of this pastor, so it didn’t take much for me to think he would do something like this.  I didn’t stop and think, I just believed. As a result, I fell for the story. My husband did not, he spotted the fake news immediately and corrected me. My husband stopped and thought. When you stop and think, you won’t fall for fake news.

When you stop and think, you won’t fall for fake news.

Fake news existed in Jesus time as well:

“Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees — religious leaders who say there is not resurrection from the dead.”  (Luke 20:27 NIV)\

The Sadducees were like me, they had a preconceived notion about death and resurrection.  I had a preconceived notion about the pastor. Because we had preconceived notions, we both missed the truth.   Jesus was not fake news. Jesus overcame death and was resurrected, but since the Sadduccees didn’t believe in that, they didn’t believe in Jesus. 

Fake news tells you Jesus doesn’t exist, real news tells you He does:

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)

The Sadducees questioned Jesus about death and resurrection when they went to talk to Him, Jesus told them the truth (Luke 20:27-38 NIV).  The problem was, they didn’t want to hear it.  Jesus is trying to tell us the truth, but like the Sadducees, we don’t want to hear it.  

We don’t want to put God first in all things, we don’t want to love others as we love ourselves (Mark 12:30-31 NIV).  We want God to be available when we want Him to be.  We want to love the people we want to love, not the ones we don’t.  But when we do believe the truth, our lives will be filled with His peace that surpasses all understanding. (Phil. 4:6-7 NIV).

When we put God first in all things, He gives us what we need to love everyone.  When we ask Him to let us see people as He sees them, He does. He shows us their heart, their hurts, their brokenness.  And then He shows us how to love them.

Question of the Day:

Which do you believe, fake news or truth?

Further Reading: Judges 13:1-14:20 NIV, John 1:29-51NIV, Psalm 102:1-28 NIV, Proverbs 14:15-16 NIV

“Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret,  I will put to silence, whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,  I will not tolerate.” (Psalm 101:5 NIV)

Yes, God knows everything you do.  That is the short answer. People want God with them, when they want God with them.  For instance, a soldier in a fox hole under heavy fire wants God with him. However, that same soldier, celebrating after the battle is over in a neighborhood bar with a woman whom he’s paying for her attention, doesn’t want God with him then.  But God really does know everything, and He still loves us. Even when we are at our worst, His love for us is unwavering. God knows everything because He created everything. Does God know everything in your life? Yes He does.

God knows everything because He created everything.

Somewhere along the way while I was single, I heard about the “Eye” theory.  Someone challenged me to imagine that my future husband was with me all of the time.  Would I feel comfortable if he knew what I was doing at that moment? I remember how that challenge really made me think about what I was doing in my life.  Because of that challenge, I started to think differently. I started to ask myself this question: “Do I feel comfortable telling my future spouse about what I’m doing today?”  I gained a new perspective by asking myself the right question.

We can expand that theory to our relationship with God.  Instead of asking if I can tell my spouse, instead ask, can I tell God?  When we make that shift, we will find we start to make better decisions about what we are doing with our time.  When we start asking ourselves the right questions, we’ll get the right answers.

When we find someone hard to love, we can ask God to show us how to love them.  Instead of talking bad about them to other people, we can talk to God about the situation and let Him give us a new perspective on it.  I, just like everyone else, have people that are very difficult for me to deal with. In fact, without God’s presence in my life, I wouldn’t be able to deal with them.  God is the one Who guides me in those difficult relationships. He helps me set up healthy boundaries that enable me to love them. Sometimes that love is done from afar, but it is still love.

God does know everything about your life.    It’s okay that God knows everything. His love for us isn’t dependent on our actions, it’s dependent on His.  Even when we are at our absolute worst, Jesus still died for us. Does God know everything about your life? Yes, He does.  And that’s ok.

Question of the Day:

Do you believe God loves you just as you are?

Further Reading: Judges 11:1-12:15 NIV, John 1:1-28 NIV, Psalm 101:1-8 NIV, Proverbs 14:13-14 NIV

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12 NIV)

The right way to go is following behind Jesus.  I’ve talked about the production of “Jesus” the last few days.  The reason is because it was so well done in my opinion.  I love Jesus in the show. He was always smiling. Wherever He went He was smiling and loving people, with ease.  The only exception is when the Temple was turned into a marketplace. Jesus got mad then, and even in that moment, He did not sin.  If you want to know the right way to go in your life, follow Jesus.

If you want to know the right way to go in life, follow Jesus.

Jesus’ disciples were always following along behind Him as they traveled.  Sometimes one of them would walk beside Him as they were discussing something.  But they couldn’t all walk beside Jesus at one time, the majority of the time they were following Him.  And when they were following Him, they were going the right way.

What does it look like to follow Jesus today?  The same way it looked for the disciples. The difference is, they had Jesus in person to follow.  We have Jesus’ example to follow through the words written by the disciples after His death. We have John’s words of his experience following Jesus.  We have Peter’s words, Mark’s words, Luke’s words, Matthew’s words. We can get to know Jesus through the words of those who followed Him closest.

Influencers is a term in today’s world which means someone on social media who has a large following.  Because they have a large following, they influence the people who follow them. When people follow someone on social media, they read their posts, they look at their pictures and they watch their videos or live events.  They do this so that they can learn everything about the person they are following. The more the person likes the influencer, the more they will do all of those things.

Jesus is our influencer.  The Bible contains posts from His followers.  People who knew Jesus intimately and want us to know Him in the same way.  Jesus’ followers lead us straight to Him in all things. They give the glory to Him, not to themselves:  

“This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.” (John 2:11 NIV)

The disciples saw Jesus’ glory first hand.  When we follow Him, we’ll see it too. We can follow Him, just like the disciples did.  One step at a time. If you want to know the right way to go in your life, follow Jesus.

Question of the Day:

Who is the influencer you are following in your life?

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Further Reading: Judges 9:22-10:18 NIV, Luke 24:13-53 NIV, Psalm 100:1-5 NIV, Proverbs 14:11-12 NIV