August 1, 2013 (Isaiah 65-66; Psalm 62; John 3)
From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:
Scripture: “Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life.” Psalm 62:10 NLT
Observation: God desires His children to trust Him. He knows what’s best and will bring about victory at the proper time and place. We must learn to submit all that we are completely and wait quietly before God. He must never become just the source of our hope, but He must become and remain our hope. He is The Rock, but is He your Rock? Salvation is found in Him alone, but is He your salvation? Too often people choose to make temporal things their god. The level of depravity some people sink to for material gain is unbelievable. Extortion, oppressive, or illegal exaction of money from another will never bring happiness or peace. If your hope is in stealing you will be discouraged and depressed. If wealth, or the desire to obtain it, becomes the center of your life you have left the straight and narrow path and have gone astray.
Application: When we hear an example of extortion it usually involves a person in authority abusing their power to oppress and extract money from another but this is not always the case. Many times average, ordinary people are guilty of extortion. By oppressive means many have exacted money from others using lies and deceit to obtain their apparent victory. Yet these actions are never successful in the end. You will never steal your way to success. If the only hope you have is extortion and stealing you are a miserable, unhappy person. Often time’s people stoop to such a low level because their desire and lust for material things has become their god. The increase of wealth is only a blessing if the increase was obtained righteously and given by God. Whether rich or poor God must never be removed from His rightful place in our lives as first and most important.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for this day. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me everyday! Thank You for Your word that instructs and encourages me to live a life that is pleasing in Your sight. Lord, You know those that have used extortion to exact money from me. Father forgive them, they understand not what they are doing. Open their eyes so that they can see the depravity they have sank to, show them mercy by offering them the opportunity to repent. In Jesus name, Amen!