If you love God worldly things won’t have much appeal. I John 2:15-17, TLB. “Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God; for all these worldly things, these evil desires—the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance—these are not from God. They are from this evil world itself. And this world is fading away, and these evil, forbidden things will go with it, but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever.” Don’t copy the popular fads of this world. Romans 12:2, TLB. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how His ways will really satisfy you.” You cannot enjoy worldly pleasures and be a friend of God. James 4:4, TLB. “You are like an unfaithful wife who loves her husband’s enemies. Don’t you realize that making friends with God’s enemies—the evil pleasures of this world—makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy the evil pleasure of the unsaved world, you cannot also be a friend of God.” What kind of activities are wrong? Galatians 5:19-21, TLB. “But when you follow your own wrong inclinations your lives will produce evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group—and there will be wrong doctrine, envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Live as though your home were in heaven. I Peter 2:11, TLB. “Dear brothers, you are only visitors here. Since your real home is in heaven, I beg you to keep away from the evil pleasures of this world; they are not for you, for they fight against your very souls.”
ALLOW THIS QUICK REFRESHER TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
The prodigal followed the soul-wasting life by “riotous living” Luke 15:13 “After a few days, the younger son gathered his possessions and left for a country far away from home. There he wasted everything he had on a wild lifestyle. To “live soberly, righteously, and godly” in this world, is to prove we know the grace of God. Titus 2:12 It trains us to avoid ungodly lives filled with worldly desires so that we can live self-controlled, moral, and godly lives in this present world. The believer in Christ is declared to “live” because of Christ (“by” means “because of”), hence the Christian life is from the Lord. John 6:57 The Father who has life sent me, and I live because of the Father. So those who feed on me will live because of me. The justified “live by faith”. Romans 1:17 God’s approval is revealed in this Good News. This approval begins and ends with faith as Scripture says, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.” As the Lord’s own, we are responsible to “live unto the Lord” Romans 14:7–8 It’s clear that we don’t live to honor ourselves, and we don’t die to honor ourselves. If we live, we honor the Lord, and if we die, we honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. To “live in the Spirit” is to evidence we have life from Him. Galatians 5:25 If we live by our spiritual nature, then our lives need to conform to our spiritual nature.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT, HOW ARE YOU LIVING? ALLOW THIS WORD FROM GOD TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
Exodus 19:5 says: If you carefully obey me and are faithful to the terms of my promise, then out of all the nations you will be my own special possession, even though the whole world is mine. This verse was spoken to Israel at Mount Sinai, but its message still resonates deeply today. Here’s how it applies to us: Key Themes and Modern Application 1. Conditional Covenant and Obedience • Then: God invited Israel into a covenant relationship, contingent on their obedience. • Now: While salvation through Christ is by grace, our intimacy with God and fruitfulness in His kingdom still hinge on obedience. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). • Application: We’re called to live in alignment with God’s voice—not out of legalism, but out of love and devotion. 2. Treasured Possession • Then: Israel was chosen to be God’s special people. • Now: Through Christ, believers are grafted into this promise (see 1 Peter 2:9). We are God’s “chosen people, royal priesthood, holy nation.” • Application: This identity calls us to live distinctly, reflecting God’s character in a world that often forgets Him. 3. God’s Sovereignty Over All Nations • Then: God reminded Israel that all the earth is His. • Now: This truth anchors us in a chaotic world. No matter the political or cultural climate, God reigns. • Application: We can trust His plan and live boldly, knowing we belong to the One who owns it all. 4. Preparation for Encounter • Exodus 19 is full of preparation—washing, consecration, reverence. • Application: We prepare our hearts to meet God through prayer, repentance, and worship. It’s a reminder that God’s presence is holy and transformative.
I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS QUICK REFRESHER TO BE HELPFUL.
Verses That Warn Against Envy • Proverbs 14:30 – “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” • James 3:16 – “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” • Galatians 5:26 – “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” • Ecclesiastes 4:4 – “And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” • Romans 1:29 – Lists envy among the marks of a depraved mind. Verses That Encourage Transformation • 1 Corinthians 13:4 – “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” • 1 Peter 2:1 – “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.” • Proverbs 23:17 – “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.” • Titus 3:3 – Reflects on past lives: “We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.” How to Overcome Envy • Cultivate gratitude and contentment. • Focus on your unique journey and calling. • Celebrate others’ blessings as evidence of God’s goodness.
ALLOW THIS QUICK REFRESHER TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
John 3:16 God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. 1 John 4:9 God has shown us his love by sending his only Son into the world so that we could have life through him. 1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the payment for our sins. Romans 5:8 Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God’s love for us. 1 John 4:16 We have known and believed that God loves us. God is love. Those who live in God’s love live in God, and God lives in them. OUR GOD LOVES US.
THINK ABOUT HOW WE WOULD BE WITHOUT THE LOVE OF GOD. LET US THANK GOD FOR LOVING US.
1 Corinthians 15:33 “Don’t let anyone deceive you. Associating with bad people will ruin decent people.” Proverbs 13:20 “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” 2 Timothy 2:16 “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” Matthew 24:4 and Jesus answered them, see that no one leads you astray.
BE CAREFUL WHO YOU ALLOW INTO YOUR CIRCLE, CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS CAREFULLY. LIVE A GODLY LIFE AND BE BLESSED BY GOD. ALLOW THIS WORD FROM GOD TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
Trust in God rather than self for guidance. Proverbs 3:4-6, TLB. “If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” Trust that God’s ultimate purpose for your life is good. Romans 8:28, NIV. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” The first principle of problem solving is to get the facts. Proverbs 18:13, TLB. “What a shame—yes, how stupid!—to decide before knowing the facts!” The second principle of solving problems is to be open to new ideas. Proverbs 18:15, TLB. “The intelligent man is always open to new ideas. In fact, he looks for them.” The third principle of problem solving is to hear both sides of the story. Proverbs 18:17, TLB. “Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight.”
What does the Bible say about daily prayer? Prayer is the very breath of the Christian life. It is how we reach out to talk to our Lord and Creator. But frequently, this is an often neglected activity. Be honest, are you praying daily? Do you see prayer as something that you need daily? Have you been neglecting God in prayer? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray continually.” Colossians 4:2 – “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Luke 18:1 – “Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Psalm 18:6 “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” James 5:16 – “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Mark 11:24 – “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Prayer is one of the most intimate and powerful ways to connect with God, let us pray continuously to our God. He is listening and will answer.
Confession prepares the way for forgiveness. It’s in the Bible, I John 1:9, NIV. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Confession makes success possible. It’s in the Bible, Proverbs 28:13, TLB. “A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.”
Key Themes and Modern Application
Verses That Warn Against Envy
Verses That Encourage Transformation
How to Overcome Envy
