NOTES FROM MONDAY’S LIVE BROADCAST:
There are all kinds of jealousy, There’s the jealousy over a significant other. Which I’ve experienced it as the victim of jealousy early in mine and David’s marriage, where he used to drive me crazy assuming everyone in the world was someone special to me. If a complete stranger said hello, David was asking me 20 questions about where I knew them from, who they were, why did they say hello if they didn’t know me. It was a insane. So I hated it to the point where I was not going to be jealous and drive anyone else crazy.
Then there’s jealousy over the Jone’s. Not Johnny and Gloria, but Jone’s in general, meaning friends and neighbors that you constantly try to keep up with. If they have three cars, you need three cars. If they repaint their house, you put on new siding. Not only are you keeping up with them, but you’re one upping them.
I don’t have time for that either. I do well to function in life and keep my kitchen up. I’m not worried about competition with other people. My competition is with me. Can I do better than I did yesterday. That’s my goal.
But… what about jealousy of people with a better life. A life that seems so less complicated than mine. And top top it off. They’re not even nice. Those people I truthfully have a problem with. So I do identify with jealousy from that prospective. Perhaps you have all, one or none. If it’s none, then you can judge me. If it’s jealousy at all, i hope todays podcast puts it in perspective for you and I both.
My first point is
A SLIPPERY SLOPE
Psalm 73:1-5 KJVS
[1] Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. [2] But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
This Psalm was written by Asaph the music director at the temple. Not doubt a passionate guy about a lot of things as most artists are. But obviously someone notable to God, else God would not have used him to write books of the Bible.
He has a relationship with God and understands that God is good! To those of us with a clean heart, and we know it’s clean by the blood of Jesus, nothing by our own goodness, we understand that too. Our lives are far better than we deserve… but…
That doesn’t stop us from pondering other stuff. Life why that person has the beautiful home, family, money in the bank and seemingly has it all, but is as wicked and nasty as the day is long.
I’m not jealous of nice, rich people. I will celebrate their wealth and goodness. I love it when nice people get stuff. But over the years I’ve acquired a deep rooted disdain for people who have money and goodness and if I were in charge of the world, they would not. I think about it a lot because I’ve been in a jam a lot. Most of which was self inflicted. So it adds salt to my wound when I see Joe Smoe, or Jane Smane, not having to struggle.
To the point I understand Asaph when he says, I was on a slippery slope. That kind of thinking will get you into trouble.
It is for certain
A SLOTHFUL THOUGHT
An epic waste of time. Asaph goes on to confess:
[3] For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
So now I don’t feel quite so bad, because even a guy that God put in charge of writing scripture, had issues with wealthy nasty people.
So where did i get the word slothful?
Hebrews 6:12 says
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
We have to remember that there’s a difference between Old Testament thinking and New. In Old Testament times they were often rewarded right on the spot by God for the goodness. Such as David and Solomon. But we are in the age of grace. And our inheritance that truly matters is no longer to be laid up here on earth but rather in Heaven. So the writer of Hebrews is saying, don’t waste your time following the world, but rather if you want to envy someone, be a fan of someone who has it spiritually together.
For the record, that’s not me.
My third point is
A SLEIGHTFUL WAY
[4] For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. [5] They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Sleightful is deceptive as in a magicians sleight of hand.
Ephesians 4:14 speaks about it like this.
That ye henceforth be no more tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive.
I think we often by into the prosperity gospel lie. That if we live for Jesus, He’ll reward us accordingly. Or with a jet. I know that’s not right. But when I’m struggling in life, I really want it to be right. Why am I tired, broke and sick and the Smoes and the Smaynes are living like kings and queens?
Please don’t tell me that I am the only one who is so vain.
But all of that brings me to my last point.
A SLIM CHANCE
This is where the rubber meets the road.
I recommend that you read all of Psalm 73, but the summation of Asaph is in verses 27-28:
For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy words.
Asaph figures it out. And I know it’s true. I just need the more than occasional reminder when I’m in the throws of a pity party.
In Luke 18:25 Christ’s words are convicting:
For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
My struggles have given me an identity with a lot of other people. I know far more struggling people than rich. So when Asaph says he’s declaring all of God’s words, I think he’s accepting the responsibility of a minister of the gospel to remind himself as well as others that this life is a mission, not a vacation. And those that are living in a carnal perpetual vacation and taking no responsibility for their spiritual life are headed down a path of destruction that is not for the child of God.
Last night’s church service at Victory was a praise and worship session. Testimony, scripture reading, songs. All the goodness of God packed into an hour and a half. Lots of struggling people praising God. And the sweetness of the Holy Spirit being blessed by it, left not a dry eye in the house. I totally understand Asaph. I can so easily get off focus and forget how very blessed I am to be a child fo the King!
I hope my story of the green eyed monster in me, helps you to understand that we can all relate to being very flawed. But in Christ Jesus we have the peace of knowing someday there will be an inheritance that we cannot even wrap our minds around down here.
Heaven is going to be awesome. Are you ready. Do you know my Jesus?
K – HE knows you. From before you were born, He knows you.
N you need Him. Because He’s the answer to every problem you have in life.
O – He has opened Heaven up to you. He says in John 14, I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there ye may be also. And then He goes on to say,
W – I am the way.
Only through the understanding that you are a sinner, you need a Savior, and Jesus is the One. He died on the cross so that you wouldn’t have to experience Hell and so that you could have a relationship with Him.
K
N
O
W
Your ticket to heaven!Paid in full. But you have to claim it