Better To Have Little With Fear For The Lord, Than To Have Great Treasure & Inner Turmoil
Keep A Joyful Attitude
PROVERBS 15:15-19
“All the days of the afflicted are evil, But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, Than great treasure with trouble. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a fatted calf with hatred. A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention. The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, But the way of the upright is a highway.
”Proverbs 15:15-19 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/pro.15.15-19.NKJ
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We cannot always choose what happens to us, but we can choose our attitude toward each situation.
Paul tells us the secret to a happy heart is to fix our thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right , and pure, and lovely, and admirable. He says, “Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise (PHILIPPIANS 4:8).”
This was Paul’s secret to remain positive and joyful as he suffered persecution, imprisonment and every trial and challenge he faced.
His consistent joyful attitude, gave him peace of mind and brought many of his persecutors to the Lordship of Christ.
There’s Good News my beloved, his secret to contentment and peace of mind can be yours to help you as you face the struggles of daily living.
Examine your attitudes and then look at what you allow to enter your mind and the things you choose to dwell on.
The devil is never far away to whisper into your ear, self-pity, fear, anger, rage and all kinds of negativity. His aim is that not only do you bath in negativity and self-pity, but you also speak it over yourself, your marriage and relationships, your career, your finances, and your future, that your life becomes cursed and miserable.
Negative over by yourself or others can be a curse on your life, the truth Is, what we speak is either a curse or a blessing (JAMES 3:10), for “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Proverbs 18:21 NKJV
“So then, my beloved, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
James 1:19-20 NKJV
We all take in spiritual food through the media, but sadly much of it is fake and untrue.
Much of the news platforms are now platforms for proper gander designed to inflict false information and fear and division on behalf of our corrupt governments.
The devil uses the same strategies whether speaking with whispers directly into your ear, or through the fake news media.
He targets our souls, our mind, will, and particularly our emotions, to take us away from the truth that we believe his lies.
My brethren, it is time to test and approve everything.
Therefore, be careful of what you take in.
It is often difficult to discern what we hear and read, to know whether it is from God or an opinion of man, or a lie from the pits of hell.
Rather than the words brought, test the source, for unless it’s from Jesus, it shall profit you nothing.
He is the only truth to be relied upon and the only way to our Father in heaven (JOHN 14:6).
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”
I John 4:1-3 NKJV
Make time for daily prayer and worship, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:25 NKJV
My brothers and sisters in Christ, be ready for Christ return.
The path of the upright is not always the easiest path (15:19), but look at the alternatives.
Hatred (15:17), dissension (15:18), and laziness (15:19) bring horrendous problems that the upright person never have to face.
By comparison, with an abundance or not, his or her life is a smooth level road because it is built on the solid foundation of God’s love and truth.
The result is peace that surpasses all understanding that guards our hearts and minds through Christ (PHILIPPIANS 4:7), and joy in the Lord which is our strength (NEHEMIAH 8:10).
As we approach the day of Jesus return, we believers are going to face all kinds of temptations and growing persecution; life is not going to get easier.
But like Paul, stand strong on the promises of God and hold fast a positive attitude by taking every thought captive that it doesn’t influence your mind or tongue into a frenzy of uncontrolled speech, attitudes, and ungodly actions.
“Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”
II Corinthians 10:1-6 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
