November 1, 2019

November 1
Running with Jesus  

Acts 17:5  But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar …..

     Jealousy is a big word! It is resentment because of another's success.  This leads us to bitterness and that leads to anger and that can lead to murder.  Paul was preaching and it began to attract a large group and the other teachers got mad and caused a riot.
     Jealousy destroys families, friendships and lives. Rather than being excited over lives being changed self got in the way and personal desire. I have counseled with women who were jealous and built things up in their mind that was not true of their spouse and drove their spouse away from them. Jealousy is another tool of Satan to cause trouble. Remember Cain killed Able over his offering to God. Jealousy is a killer. We must guard our hearts of jealousy.
     Look at all these synonyms for jealousy: anxious, apprehensive, attentive, begrudging, covetous, demanding, doubting, emulous, envious, envying, grabby, grasping, green-eyed, grudging, guarded, intolerant, invidious, jaundiced, mistrustful, monopolizing, possessive, possessory, protective, questioning, resentful, rival, skeptical, solicitous, suspicious, vigilant, watchful, zealous. Now let's look opposite at the antonyms of jealousy: confident, content, satisfied, trusting, unresentful. Now which state had you rather be in?
                 

Father, search our hearts today take out jealousy and put trust into our hearts. Let us be grateful when others prosper and be an encourager not a rioter. Show us blind spots we might have that need to be brought to light so we can live free and spirited.

Tomorrow: Are you a "Jason"?

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015