Prayer – Victorious living. Lord, help me to live a victorious life for You! I’ve read over and over that I need to trust You…and You will help me. Please give me my heart’s desire to commit everything I do to You. Please give me wisdom and understanding that I would “be ready” as You have taught. Be ready? For what? The end of time…for reaching out to the unsaved…for helping those in need…for what? I don’t want to worry, but I am concerned for the health and safety of my family, friends, neighbors, and those in my community. Help us all to make good decisions.
Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land. Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone. The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity. Psalm 37:1-11 (Read Psalm 37:12-40.) (Underlined for emphasis.)
Meditate. Consider the cycle of Victorious Living.
This Psalm was written as an acrostic, like so many other Psalms, but it does not translate into English in an acrostic fashion.
How can I live a victorious life? A successful life? In 1971
Pastor Earl G. Lee wrote a book, “The Cycle of Victorious Living” based
on Psalm 37. Start with no worry—no fretting. Jesus instructed His followers in
the Sermon on the Mount…don’t worry.
So don't
worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble
is enough for today. Matthew 6:34
The next steps are:
Commit –
Trust – Delight – Rest
These are all centered around The Lord. Picture a circle
with four spokes: Commit, Trust, Delight, Rest. In the center of the wheel is
The Lord. A person can move through the cycle of victorious life…and anytime they
worry or fret, it puts them out of the cycle. Worry is a debilitating, and sidetracks
anyone from living a victorious or successful life. To get back on track...back to the Lord, one simply has to commit, trust, delight and rest in the Lord. Keep the Lord at the center of your life...and it will be a godly life.
The LORD
directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm
37:23
The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
Which way will you go.
Boots on the Beach - South Carolina.
Before I was introduced to the cycle of victorious living, I thought of this passage as a “Trust Sandwich” because Trust is on each side…the top and bottom…like two pieces of bread. The meat, tomato, and lettuce of the sandwich are the elements: Commit-Dwell-Delight (from the NASB translation).
How can I live a victorious life?
By Trusting in the Lord.
So do not
throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it
brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue
to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. Hebrews
10:35-36
By Committing your way to the Lord.
Commit your
actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3
By Delighting in the Lord.
Praise the
LORD! How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his
commands. Psalm 112:1
By Being Still in the Presence of the Lord…Resting in the
Lord.
"Be still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be
honored throughout the world." Psalm 46:10
A victorious life is one lived for the Lord…with humble commitment to the King of kings, Lord of lords, our Savior—the Rock and Redeemer of our lives. It is only by the grace of God that we can live a victorious life…in our Lord. In His mercy, He reveals Himself to us. If you want a victorious life in Christ—ask Him to give it to you.
Verse of Salvation ~ For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. Zephaniah 3:17
Memory Verse of the Week ~ "You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14
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