Focus: Proverbs 23:17-18 - KJV
17. Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
Proverbs 24:14-20
A sinner is someone who lives his life devoid of God and His commands. He is constantly opposed to godly injunctions. For some sinners, most of the time, they are not brazenly openly opposed to God, but their entire beings are about how not to obey God albeit pretending to be godly. They cut corners to be rich not caring who is shortchanged or affected thereby; they engage in inimical and horrible practices albeit secretly to ensure they attain positions which make them feel on top of the world. They do not fear God.
The tendency for the ordinary man is to see the sinners apparently on top of the world and envy him, wanting to be like him at least in wealth or standing, not knowing the nefarious things he had done in the secret to attain what he has. Meanwhile, the Lord has good plans for the ordinary man laid up for him that will surely come to being. Especially that, when the expectations of the ordinary man meet with the will of God, it will surely come to pass and nothing can prevent its happening. Hence, it becomes very wrong for someone who lives in the fear of God to envy a sinner or what he has acquired by sin.
The Lord is therefore, saying to us today, since we are unable to prejudge anyone as being a sinner, that we should not envy anyone at all. Reason being that everyone is presumed a sinner and fallen short of the glory of God until otherwise stated by God. Hence, no matter how anyone acquires his acquisitions, we are not to envy them since the Lord’s plan for our lives will surely come to being particularly when we know that His plans for us are of good and not of evil to bring us to an expected end.
SOLUTION: Let us continue to live in the fear of the Lord without coveting that which anyone has. Covetousness may lead to envy which may bring corruption. That takes us to the place of sin and make us not different from the sinner.
Please pray:
· Give thanks to God for the grace of salvation which makes us no longer sinners but operators in the righteousness of Christ.
· Ask God to please help you to be contented with the things the Lord has given you
· Pray that you will never be enticed to the wealth of the sinner at any time.
· Ask God to please meet your expectations quickly so that it is never cut off
· Let God know specific things you are expecting today
If you are blessed by this post, kindly share with your contacts, as well as others, that they may be blessed also. Thank you and may God bless you abundantly as you do so, in Jesus’ name.
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