From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2004 6:35 AM
To: Heritage
Subject: March 14th Greetings

"And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary."  Galatians 6:9

As sanctified children of the Most High, we are set apart from the world, therefore we are called to do good.  There is so much corruption in the world today that a Believer could so easily be drawn in, but we are not to lose heart!  We are to stand firm and not grow weary. In Psalm 73 we see the Psalmist's struggle with the prosperity of the wicked and all his possession until the Psalmist turned to God; as we see in the following verses.  I believe it is a picture of today and if the Believer takes his eyes off Christ he too could be easily seduce. (Read the whole Psalm.)

"But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling;
 My steps had almost slipped.
 For I was envious of the arrogant (boasters),
 As I saw the prosperity of the wicked."   Vs. 2-3
(This should be a caution!  Envy leads to bitterness and disaster.)

Describing the wicked:
"For there are no pains in their death;
 And their body is fat.
 They are not in trouble as other men;
 Nor are they plagued like mankind."  Vs. 4-5
(Vs. 6-12 goes on to give a vivid picture of the wicked.)

Now the Psalmist is seeing his own bitterness and self pity: "Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure,  And washed my hands in innocence;  For I have been stricken all day long,  And chastened every morning."  Vs. 13-14 (His heart is exposed and in God's loving kindness he was chastened! In God's love we, too, are disciplined (child trained).  I know we are all familiar with Hebrews 12:4-14; read it again.)

Fortunately the Psalmist did not speak his bitter thoughts out loud, but he turned to God as he tells us now: "If I had said, 'I will speak thus,'  Behold, I should have betrayed the generation of Thy children.  When I pondered to understand this,  It was troublesome in my sight  Until I came into the sanctuary of God:  Then I perceived their end."  Vs. 15-17 (The wicked are destroyed in a moment and utterly swept away.)

It was when the Psalmist sought God that he saw the demise of the wicked, he saw his own heart, and he saw the graciousness of God. "When my heart was embittered,  And I was pierced within,  Then I was senseless and ignorant;  I was like a beast before Thee.  Nevertheless I am continually with Thee  Thou hast taken hold of my right hand."  Vs. 21-23

The Psalmist has turned his eyes and heart away from the glitter of the world to the true treasure and he can now say: "Whom have I in heaven but Thee?  And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth.  My flesh and my heart may fail,  But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."  Vs. 25-26

Where are our eyes?  Are they on the things of the world or do we have that single eye on our Lord Jesus Christ who is our all in all?  The clearer our eye with its focus on Christ, the less we are attracted or distracted by the things of the earth.  It is with humble hearts that we gratefully thank our Heavenly Father for His indwelling Spirit who leads and guides in the path of righteousness.

Therefore we can say with the Psalmist:
"But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
 I have made the Lord God my refuge,
 That I may tell of all Thy works."  Vs. 28
Amen!