Do you love life and wish to see good days?

Today is the Sixth Day of the Biblical Week. It is Preparation Day. Let us finish all our work for the week, tie up all loose ends and prepare to enter into a time of Sabbath Rest starting at sunset this evening.

On this Preparation Day, I am reminded by 1 Peter chapter 3 to guard my words, to refrain from speaking evil, to turn away from evil and do good, and to seek, nay, even pursue peace.

The Apostle calls upon the disciples to do this if they "would love life and see good days".

1 Peter 3:10 - 12  WEB  World English Bible

10 For, 'He who would love life, And see good days, Let him keep his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.

11 Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And his ears open to their prayer; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.'

Verses 10 to 12 in the above passage is a quotation from Psalm 34:12 - 16a in the Masoretic texts (Psalm 33:13 - 17a in the Septuagint), as shown below:

Psalm 34:12 - 16a  KJV  King James Version

12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, . . .

Psalm 33:13 - 17a  LXX  Septuagint Brenton

13 What man is there that desires life, loving to see good days?

14 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

15 Turn away from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

16 The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer:

17 but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil, . . .

I wrote about this passage briefly in my devotional blog last October, link below:

• Do you desire life and love to see many good days? (03Oct21)

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us, as many as would love life and would see good days, keep ourselves from speaking evil and from deceit. Then the eyes of the LORD will be upon us, and his ears will be open to our cry.

Bitter jealousy and selfish ambitions are earthly, sensual, demonic

A lesson I learned today from my reading of the Epistle General of James comes from chapter 3 where the Apostle tells us that if we harbour bitter jealousy and selfish ambitions in our midst, we do not have the wisdom from above. Instead, we are living a life that is "earthly, sensual, and demonic" (verse 15), and our jealousy and ambition brings about confusion and evil deeds (verse 16).

In contrast to such confusion and evil, the wisdom that comes from above is described as pure, peaceful, gentle, reasonable, merciful, impartial, and without hypocrisy. (verse 17).

When we do away with bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, we sow the fruit of righteousness in peace.

James 3:14 - 18  WEB  World English Bible

14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth.

15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.

16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us beware of harbouring bitter jealousy and selfish ambitions in our hearts and among our brethren. Let us instead sow the fruit of righteousnness in peace. Let us be makers of the peace of God.

I will never leave thee nor forsake thee

This afternoon in my reading from the Epistle to the Hebrews, I am reminded to bravely free myself from the love of money and to be contented with what I already have.

Hebrews 13:5 - 6  WEB  World English Bible

5 Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, 'I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.'

6 So that with good courage we say, 'The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What will man do to me?'

Hebrews 13:5,6 above quotes promises and prophecies from Joshua 1:5 and Psalm 118:6 (Psalm 117:6 LXX), as shown below:

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Joshua 1:5  KJV  King James Version

There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Psalm 118:6  KJV  King James Version

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

Psalm 117:6  LXX  Septuagint Brenton

The Lord is my helper; and I will not fear what man shall do to me.

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The connection between the call to be free from the love of money in Hebrews 13:5 and the promise by God never to forsake Joshua, along with the affirmation by the Psalmist that God is always on his side, is not very obvious. I wrote my thoughts on this "not so obvious" connection about thirteen years ago in my devotional blog, link below:

• Not so obvious (26May2009)