"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE HOPE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE HOPE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU"

Proverbs 23:17 “Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.”

Proverbs 23:18 “For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.”

(Taken from today's reading in The One Year Bible 9/17/14)

Some explanatory thoughts, application, questions and a prayer:

There are many things in life that can distract God's child and disturb the peace God has for them.
And in this Proverb Solomon gives us simple, sound wisdom as to the hope God has for us.
This is a favorite passage of mine, and I pray that God brings true and lasting blessing into your soul through it.

1. We are instructed by God not have to envy sinners.

Proverbs 23:17 “Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day”

Envying sinners is something that can happen to us.
Envy means to become jealous, and angry.

Isn't it odd that the very person we used to be, and are glad that we are no longer that person can become the persons we are jealous of?
Why is this?

I think it's simply when we get our eyes off the Lord and start looking at people, and it's easy to become jealous of them.
Those sinners may look as if all is well with them, and that they are having a grand time.
They may in fact enjoy pleasure, as sin is a pleasure, but only for a season.

So, God tells us not to be jealous of them.

2. We can be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.

Proverbs 23:17 “Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.”

Here we are told what to do.
This is God's direction for us.
Instead of being jealous of sinners, we are told to do something else.

We are to be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.
What does this mean, and why ought we do to it?

It simply means to always continue in the fear of the LORD.
The fear of the LORD is the starting point day by day for wisdom and knowledge.

Now that we are christians this is how we can live, and enjoy the blessings of having our hearts towards God.
God is who we are going to see face to face one day.

Sinners whom we might be jealous of now, will sadly never see God's face.
They will remain in outer darkness forever.
We will be in Glory forever.

3. We are certain of the hereafter.

Proverbs 23:18 “For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.”

Here God takes us beyond the present into the "hereafter" or the reality after this life.
The what comes after this life if you will.
It's called the "hereafter”.

The hereafter means the future we have ahead of us.
And we are told that we can be certain that we have a glorious future ahead of us.

4. We are also certain that our hope will not be cut off.

Proverbs 23:18 “For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.”

The hope we have of being with Christ is not going to be cut off by anyone or by anything.
Our hope will not be disappointed.

God has promised eternity with Him to all who come to Him through faith in Christ.
The sad truth for sinners is that they also have a future ahead of them.
And it's true that they will certainly be separated from God forever.
Oh how terrible the thought.

5. The point God is making in these verses.

It's a simple one.
And, it's this.
It's worth living for God now because it's going to pay off.
Don't be tricked by what you see around you.
But keep your eyes on the Lord.
He is going to see you all the way to heaven
You will meet God face to face in the hereafter, in the next life
It's worth it in this life to live for the next life.

Some Questions:

1. Do you ever find yourself looking at unbelievers and thinking they have it so good, I'd like to have what they have?

2. Isn't it interesting that once our eyes are off the Lord, we can fall prey to deception and lies?

3. Can you remember how glad you were to be saved, and think of it now, that you might look at the unsaved and be jealous of them.

4. The remedy, the way to live is simply laid out here for us isn't it?

5. We are in this life now, but do you know that the next life is coming, and you will see God and He will welcome You into glory.

6. Will you take a moment to really think through how true it is, that it's worth living for God now in light of where you are going in the end?

A Prayer:

Father, You have been so good to us, words fail to express it. Thank You that we can be delivered from our own sinfulness and get our eyes and life right with You. Lord, You know that in our right minds it's foolish to envy those who have no hope. But we must admit it does happen to us from time to time. Father, You are living right now in the "hereafter”. We are in the "here" at this time. But Your plan for us is to bring us from "here" to the "hereafter" with You. Thank You for the hope we have. And thank You for the promise that our hope will not be cut off. You will see to that. You promise to keep us till we are in safe and sound in heaven. Oh what a glorious hope we have.
May we enjoy the truth of it day by day, and all through the day, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia