08/13/12 - Jeremiah 10 - 13

S - Jeremiah 12: 1 - You are always righteous, O LORD, when I bring a case before you.  Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does he way of the wicked prosper?  Why do all the faithless live at ease?  2 You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit.  You are always on their lips but far from their  hearts.  3 Yet you know me, O LORD; you see me and test my thoughts about you.  Drag them off like sheep to be butchered!  Set them apart for the day of slaughter!  4 How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered?  Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished.  Moreover, the people are saying "He will not see what happens to us."

O - My child whom I love, today I want to tell you . . . you are my child and I am going to take care of you.  You do not need to worry about anything else.  If I want to allow someone who is "evil" to be successful and powerful, what concern is that of yours.  Are you concerning yourself with the things of my world or the things of THE world.  If someone is making more money than you but does not love me, don't worry about it.  Your main issue is to live for me during the time that you have on earth.  You never know, some of those people may end up coming to know me and becoming one of my big supporters (remember Zacchaeus?).  So you worry about you serving me and let me worry about everything else!

A - What am I worrying about when I see others who are more "successful" than me.  Am I not one of the richest men in the world already.  I have a family that loves me.  I have a job that I enjoy.  I have a beautiful home that the Lord has graciously allowed me to live in.  My wife has a wonderful job that she enjoys (most of the time), and she is good at it.  I have more than most people in the world right now.  And what's more, I am going to live forever with Him in heaven!  Could I ask for more?  So, the next time I see someone who is successful by the standards of the world, or someone who is making more money than me (even at my own job), I will thank my God for all of the blessings that He has already given me, and for all of the blessings that He will be giving me in the future.

P - Heavenly Father, forgive me for my sin of envy and greed.  Forgive me for looking outward at the things of the world and not looking inward at the blessings that you have given me.  Thank you for all  of the things that you have provided for me, a beautiful home, a great job, enough cars for me to even loan one out from time to time, a loving family.  WOW, how could I ever look at anyone else and wish that I had what they have?  I love you and praise your name for everything that you have done for me.  Help me to be continually thankful for all that you do for me.  Help me to be able to recognize that nothing that I have is because of me but it is all because of you.