Choose Wisdom Over Worry - Accept the Wise Counsel of the Lord

The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy,

To slay those who are of upright conduct.

Author's note: The following meditations are drawn from the heart of David's prayers in the Psalms. They have been gently paraphrased to help you reflect more deeply on God's Word and His unchanging character.

Don’t let a prosperous sinner get you upset, and don’t be jealous of what they’ve gained through their degenerate dealings. They may flourish for a moment like new grass after rain, but they wither just as quickly, their success fading like a cut flower.

Instead, have faith in the Lord and do honorable things. Settle your heart in the land He has given you and feed on His faithfulness. Learn to enjoy the simple pleasures, the little things He provides. When you dedicate yourself to the Lord, He will plant His own desires within your heart.

Dedicate each day to the Lord the moment you arise from your bed. Ask Him for guidance, and He will gladly guide you. Trust Him completely, and watch as He expands your righteousness. Stay calm, and don’t let the prosperity of others bother you. You might be upset because you don’t think they deserve it, but remember that God measures value according to standards beyond the world’s. So, rest in the Lord; wait patiently for Him. Get honest with yourself and uncover the cause of your anger. Dig down to the root and yank it out, leaving nothing behind, for anger only leads to pain.

For a time is coming when a door will close on the wicked—slammed in their faces and bolted from the inside. They will be cut off. But those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. For now, there is a time and place for the wicked, but someday their time will come to an end, and their place will be forgotten. When that day arrives, the humble will inherit the earth, and the peace of the Lord will saturate everything.

Fact: Evil cannot abide good, like darkness in the bright sun. They are natural-born enemies—the wicked of the world plot and scheme against the righteous, gnashing their teeth in hatred. But the Lord laughs, for He knows their plans have failed to account for the end game. He sees that their day of judgment is coming.

The wicked have drawn their swords and bent their bows, their machines of war lubricated and ready to destroy all that is good. Their orders are clear, but their plans will backfire. Their engines will sputter and die, their bows will snap apart, and their swords will pierce their own hearts. The battle is won before it begins.

Better is the little of the righteous than the extravagance of the wicked. The efforts of evil will weaken and break, but the Lord sustains the faithful, no matter what! He favors our spirits throughout eternity.

The Lord watches over the lives of the blameless, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times when wickedness reigns, the faithful can stand proud. God’s Word will keep them well-nourished while His enemies slowly starve. For the wicked will perish; they will stand withered and crushed like unruly chaff, and like smoldering vapor, be diffused by the four winds.

Evil consumes without regret; goodness contributes in the same way. The wicked borrow and never repay, but the righteous give generously. Those blessed by the Lord will inherit the land, but those He has cursed will be excised and exorcised, getting their wish to be detached from Him forever.

There is a rhythm in a walk that is synchronized with the Father; our journey follows the path of His delight. And though a faithful man sometimes stumbles and falls, he will not be cast headlong, because the Lord’s hand always retrieves him. He steadies us and returns us to His path.

My years have revealed much, but I have yet to see the honorable dishonored or their children begging for bread. Of this I am sure: A Good Father never abandons His child. They are always generous and lend freely, and their children are a blessing.

Make a lifetime resolution to turn from evil and place human compassion in your heart. Dwell in a place of kindheartedness forever. For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake His faithful ones. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off. The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it for all time.

The speech of a godly man carries a power that is not set to any natural frequency. The supernatural spirit of the Living God is connected to his words; they bypass ears and minds and go straight to the heart. His mouth utters wisdom, his tongue speaks what is, and the law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.

The evil wait in dark corners, thinking they’re unseen, looking for the righteous to slay. But the faithful have a vigilant protector. The Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

Trust in the Lord, your God. This is the way we are to live. Hold tightly to His Word and stay humble. He watches our progress and prepares something extraordinary. Wait for Him, and He will exalt you to inherit the land. You will see it when the wicked are destroyed.

I have seen a wicked and ruthless man, flourishing like a well-rooted tree in its native soil. But he soon passed away and was no more. Someone asked, "Hey! Whatever happened to the heartless one?" Though I looked for him, he could not be found.

But watch for the blameless man. Keep an open eye for the one who is upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. But, by all means, accept the wise counsel of the Lord. Know this: All sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off, set adrift forever in a sea of terror, absent from the presence of the Lord.

But someday, there will be a gathering of saints. The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; He was, is, and forever will be their strength in times of trouble. He was, is, and forever will be their Deliverer. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they entrusted Him with their lives.