The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 10:5a,
"His ways are always prosperous..."
Just who is this man, whose ways are always prosperous? Don't we all want to be prosperous? Maybe we should emulate this man to become prosperous ourselves?
As it turns out, this man rejects God. In verses 3-4 we read of him, "He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God."
Were we to assume that all prosperous people were blessed by God, we would be wrong. Many prosperous people reject God. It isn't that God does not bless his own at times. I'm certain he does. On the other hand, many of God's people who are devoted to him experience quite the opposite: poverty.
There are many examples of God's devoted people living in poverty. Consider the Jews in Jerusalem who had embraced Jesus in Paul's day, "Now, however, I [Paul] am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord's people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord's people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings." Romans 15:25-27.
Just because a person is poor, it is no indication that he might not be a very devoted believer in Jesus Christ. Perhaps much more so than any of us!
Don't get sucked into that "Prosperity Gospel"! It is false teaching!
Likewise, just because a person is rich, although he/she may have the blessings riches might bring, it is no indication that he/she might be blessed by the Lord at all. Consider what Asaph observed in Psalm 73, "But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills." Psalm 73:2-5. Yet, note his further observation, "When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their [the prosperous that reject God] final destiny. Surely you [God] place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies." Psalm 73:16-20.
Asaph's conclusion in the matter should be ours, "Those who are far from you [God] will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." Psalm 73:27-28.
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know..
"His ways are always prosperous..."
Just who is this man, whose ways are always prosperous? Don't we all want to be prosperous? Maybe we should emulate this man to become prosperous ourselves?
As it turns out, this man rejects God. In verses 3-4 we read of him, "He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God."
Were we to assume that all prosperous people were blessed by God, we would be wrong. Many prosperous people reject God. It isn't that God does not bless his own at times. I'm certain he does. On the other hand, many of God's people who are devoted to him experience quite the opposite: poverty.
There are many examples of God's devoted people living in poverty. Consider the Jews in Jerusalem who had embraced Jesus in Paul's day, "Now, however, I [Paul] am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord's people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord's people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings." Romans 15:25-27.
Just because a person is poor, it is no indication that he might not be a very devoted believer in Jesus Christ. Perhaps much more so than any of us!
Don't get sucked into that "Prosperity Gospel"! It is false teaching!
Likewise, just because a person is rich, although he/she may have the blessings riches might bring, it is no indication that he/she might be blessed by the Lord at all. Consider what Asaph observed in Psalm 73, "But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills." Psalm 73:2-5. Yet, note his further observation, "When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their [the prosperous that reject God] final destiny. Surely you [God] place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies." Psalm 73:16-20.
Asaph's conclusion in the matter should be ours, "Those who are far from you [God] will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." Psalm 73:27-28.
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know..
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