The scripture is so practical when it comes to teaching us how to live our lives in ways that are significant and influential, and that will bring blessing to others.
When reading Psalm 37, the first bit of advice we get from the scriptures is “FRET NOT”. Do not Fret. The word “fret” means to be excessively worried or agitated, constantly anxious , upset or disquieted emotionally.
“1Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.”
Psalms 37:1-2 NKJV
Don’t fret or became envious because of someone who does evil. The idea is that they seems to be getting away with it and prospering. We know that what they are doing is wrong, I can see that what they are doing is evil. Their agenda is obvious to everyone, but it seems like they carry on in their wickedness and their crooked ways and they just seen to be getting away with it, and there are no consequences for them.
But the scripture says: Don’t fret, don’t be upset, don’t be worried about that because fretting only does harm. Let’s read verse 8
“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.”
Psalms 37:8 NKJV
Fretting will harm you. It will rob you of your peace, and can even be harmful to your health. Don’t envy them. The scripture says that envy can bring rottenness into your bones.
“A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.”
Proverbs 14:30 NKJV
Doctors, scholars and scientists have proven what the Bible says. There are connections between physical diseases and your feelings and emotions. Envy, anger, worries, lack of forgiveness can produce diseases in your body.
Here some diseases doctors say that our feelings and emotions can cause: hair problems, stomach problems, neck problems, back problems, heart problems, allergies, rheumatism, ulcers, constipation, arthritis, itching, migraine, sleeplessness, and cancer.
Let’s read another version of proverbs 14.
“If you have peace in your mind, your body will be healthy. But if you are jealous, it will eat away your body.” Proverbs 14:30 EASY
Unfortunately even believers are experiencing anxiety, worries, envy. This is why you and I have to live by faith, trust the Lord and rest in Him.
True Faith in God brings us rest, peace and emotional and physical health.
I have decided to cast all my cares on God. I leave stuff with God. If something’s bugging me, I get on my knees, and roll my burden onto the Lord and I leave it with Him. It’s a much better way to live.
Fretting or worrying only cause you harm.
I know there are some of you here, who are excessively worried. You’re fretting, concerned, and disquieted over this and that. How can you tell when you’re worried? Just listen to your speech. You don’t stop talking!
The scripture says: Do not fret. (In any occasion), Especially because of the workers of iniquity. Those that carry on in evil.
9 “For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more.”
Psalms 37:9-10 NKJV
“But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”
Psalms 37:11 NKJV
One day the wicked will have to pay their bill! God has a way of turning things around so just trust in Him and you will have abundance of peace.
Let’s see what the Bible says about the wicked and the righteous.
“And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the Lord, have spoken and have done it.””
Ezekiel 17:24 NKJV
So don’t fret over evil people or over what they’re doing. Even when they seem to be prospering in their ways. Don’t be envious of them because God can flip things around very quickly.
“He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.”
Luke 1:52-53 NKJV
Hannah (that was Samuel’s mother) in her prayer to the Lord after God had answered her prayers said:
“The bow of the mighty is now broken, and those who stumbled are now strong. Those who were well fed are now starving, and those who were starving are now full. The childless woman now has seven children, and the woman with many children wastes away.”
1 Samuel 2:4-5 NLT
In the book of Esther, Haman, who once planned to kill the Jews , he ended up being hung on the very gallows he had made for Mordecai.
“So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.”
Esther 7:10 KJV
On that day which was supposed to be the day of death and defeat of the Jews was turned into one of Israel’s greatest victories.
Another one was the wicked Jezebel (the wife of King Ahab, king of Israel) who murdered, schemed and plotted and in the end she was thrown from a window by her own servants and devoured by dogs. (2 King 9:33)
Herod, who killed James, jailed Peter and persecuted the Church, he was eaten by worms and he died. (Acts 12:23) and the examples go on and on and on.
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4 NKJV
Everything that was written, was written to teach us, so that we could have hope. That hope comes from the patience and encouragement that the Scriptures give us.
These stories should be remembered when you feel like giving up or cutting corners and following the way of the wicked because it seems like right now they are prospering, they are getting ahead. I’m following God’s way but I’m falling behind, im doing worse…
Whenever you’re tempted to take short cuts, stop and think, remember these stories and the Lord will fight for you.
Years ago, I was then a brand new christian and I was in college. I was preaching and talking about God to others students when a student started coming at me, his nickname was “Foot in the Grave”. He came at me very angrily and he humiliated me in front of the other students. He had a tube of toothpaste and spread all the toothpaste on my face and everyone laughed and made fun of me. I didn’t fight with him, I just said him: My God, defend me!
I went to my apartment, I was so sad, I said to God : God what’s wrong? I’ve given my life to you, I’m living a pure life, and now I’m here with a face and hair full of toothpaste, I was humiliated! It was not right! They don’t care, they’re not thinking about You, and here am sad while they are there having a laugh.
2 weeks later, this guy came to my apartment to ask me for forgiveness. He said that his life had been ruined in the past two weeks and that he had just been expelled from the College that same day.
He asked me: What did you do? Did you curse me? I said no! I don’t curse anyone.
I told him: The problem is that you made fun of the wrong person! I don’t need to get into fights, but God had His justice! I told him: Repent from your sins, and maybe God can change these circumstance. In the end this guy was never accepted back in college.
When you get angry or jealous, when you are attacked and do not forgive people, you will become emotionally ill and will also develop physical diseases.
You have to forgive not because the aggressor deserves it. You forgive because you need to take the “Poison of bitterness” out of you!
When you don’t forgive, it’s like you’re taking poison yourself while expecting for the other to die.
You might be humiliated, mistreated, people will speak ill of you, they will criticise you.
“For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.”
Psalms 37:9 NLT
You must always consider the end of the wicked and of the righteous specially in the light of eternity. They will soon be cut off. So we have to look at things in the light of eternity.
“I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil. But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them! Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.”
Psalms 37:35-37 NLT
Our greatest rewards is in eternity.
God is a God who rewards us in this earth too. I expect things to happen in this life time. But I also expect troubles, persecution, hardship. But keep in mind that very earthly loss will be more than made up through heaven’s gains !
Every loss you have on earth will be compensated through gains in heaven!
Eternity is the great equaliser.
There are some people that may have more than you, they are richer than you and they reject God, and carry on in evil. They call evil good and they call good evil, and they try to legislate evil.
My beloved ones, the time will come, you will look for them and they will be no more. They won’t be found. They will be gone.
Let’s go to the next point of this message that is verse 3
“Trust in the Lord, and do good”
Psalms 37:3 NKJV
Trust and do good! Continue to do what is right and keep trusting in God, even when it seems like the cheaters and the evildoers are prospering.
Keep living by the Word. Continue to do what is right because It is always right to do what is right.
Don’t compromise. Don’t start taking shortcuts and violating your conscience and your character to get ahead.
Any success will be very short-lived if you do it that way. And you will pay a price that you really can’t afford to pay.
Young people, listen me: don’t start sharing your bed just to get a partner because Gods way seems to be taking too long. Don’t compromise.
Don’t accept shortcuts, or don’t use lies because Gods answer is not coming fast enough.
Don’t accept the world’s standard, don’t walk illegally because all pay dearly for doing something wrong.
Trust in the Lord do good, keep doing right even if it seems like you are not getting ahead.
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”
Galatians 6:9 NLT
If you have been faithful until today, don’t get tired of doing what is good because your harvest is coming!
Keep loving, keep serving, keep in the ministry, stay faithful, continue giving your tithes and offerings in the house of God. Stay generous. Keep on being gracious. Continue to trust God while you’re sowing your seeds of goodness. Your harvest will come.
You will reap a harvest if you don’t give up! In due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.”
Psalms 37:3 NKJV
Trust in the Lord and do good and feed on His faithfulness. It was not promised we’d live in a palace and be banqueted every day!
But He promise me a place to live and that my needs would be met.
Conclusion:
– Maybe you are living anxious, worried, jealous. God is calling you to live by faith, trust in the Lord and rest in Him.
– True Faith in God brings us rest, peace and emotional and physical health.
– You need to throw all your worries onto God. Surrender your burden to the Lord and rest in Him.
– Remove all anger and indignation and bitterness from your heart and forgive the people who have hurt you. Because this bitterness can destroy your health and your emotional life.
– Do not follow the path of the wicked, continue to live a holy life that pleases God.
– Don’t accept shortcuts and don’t use lies. Don’t accept the world’s standard, don’t walk illegally, walk in truth.
Trust in the Lord, keep doing the right thing, even if it seems that you are not moving forward.
Keep loving, keep serving, keep in the ministry, stay faithful, keep giving in the house of God. Keep on being generous. Continue being gracious. Continue trusting in God and sowing good seeds. Your harvest will come!
May God bless you