Jealousy is an emotion of displeasure over someone else’s good fortune. Constantly comparing ourselves to others leads to discontent, resentment, and bitterness. If these negative emotions remain unchecked, they can poison our relationships. What’s more, they can eventually flare into suspicion, anger, and hostility.

This is what happened to King Saul. His jealousy caused him to distrust David, who had served him faithfully. Saul’s suspicious attitude led to hostility and irrational behavior—so much so that he hurled a spear at David while the young man was playing music (1 Samuel 18:10-12). Instead of being grateful for David’s loyalty and steadfast service, the king repaid him with animosity and death threats. As a result, David was eventually forced to flee and hide in the wilderness (1 Samuel 23:15-26).

Jealousy is not something to be excused or rationalized. Ask the Lord to examine your heart and show you if any of these symptoms of jealousy are present in your life.  If they are, confess them as sin and ask Him to uproot them from your heart. Then focus on God’s faithfulness instead of comparing yourself with others.

It all starts with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ provides a relationship with the Father and eternal life through His death on the cross and resurrection, see Romans. 5:10.

Romans. 10:9 promises, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." If you have not yet begun your personal relationship with God, understand that the One who created you loves you no matter who you are or what you’ve done. He wants you to experience the profound depth of His care.

Therefore, tell God that you are willing to trust Him for salvation. You can tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer:

Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive my sins and save me from eternal separation from God. By faith, I accept Your work and death on the cross as sufficient payment for my sins. Thank You for providing the way for me to know You and to have a relationship with my heavenly Father. Through faith in You, I have eternal life. Thank You also for hearing my prayers and loving me unconditionally. Please give me the strength, wisdom, and determination to walk in the center of Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.

If you have just prayed this prayer, congratulations!

You have received Christ as your Savior and have made the best decision you will ever make—one that will change your life forever!

Have you ever wondered what causes envy? On the surface, it may seem like simply a reaction that occurs when we want something another person has. But it actually goes much deeper than this: The real root is resentment that God hasn’t provided for us what He has given someone else.

Jealousy arises from a heart overcome by:

•  Greed. We become discontent with what God has given to us, and we want what other people have, believing that will make us happy.

• Selfishness. We compare ourselves to others, and instead of rejoicing with them, we focus on our own life and what we don’t have.

• Pride. Seeing the success of other people makes us feel inadequate, and in an attempt to build ourselves up, we belittle them and their accomplishments.

Jealousy and envy can cause great damage to relationships and spiritual health. That’s why it is important to act quickly, correcting such attitudes before they become a habit. At the first awareness of such a mindset, confess it as sin and acknowledge God’s right to bless someone else abundantly. Then express gratitude for what He has given you, and ask Him to help you rejoice with others He has blessed.

Contention can cause painful injury, especially when we feel misunderstood or wrongly accused. If someone speaks untruths about us, it seems as though salt is being poured into the wound. A typical first reaction is self-defense and an attempt to claim our rights, yet God’s Word teaches a different approach.

Contrary to our natural inclinations, the proper response to criticism and conflict is humility. In Psalm 7, David laments being persecuted but immediately asks the Lord to test his own heart and reveal if he has done anything wrong. Then, instead of taking matters into his own hands, he asks the Lord to vindicate him.

Romans 12:19 reminds us never to take our own revenge, but rather to leave vengeance to God. As Romans 12:21 tells us, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” In other words, we must leave the situation with God and trust Him to vindicate us in His time and way.

We should ask ourselves, Am I willing to check my own motives before pointing a finger or becoming defensive? Jesus said we’re to bless those who curse us (Luke 6:28). So let’s ask Him for the grace and humility to examine our own heart and trust Him to be our defender.

In today’s reading, David asked, “Where can I go from Your Spirit?” (Psalm 139:7). The more he pondered the possibilities, the more he realized the answer is “nowhere.” God is present everywhere and at all times. This reality causes people to react in one of two ways—some find it a great comfort while others are filled with dread.

People who don’t know the Lord may think that He’s always judging their every move. But for those of us who belong to God through faith in His Son, His continual presence is a great comfort. We never have to walk through trials and heartaches alone, and we have complete confidence that He’s always providing, protecting, and guiding us through life.

This truth should change how we live. Knowing that God is ever-present motivates us to think, speak, and behave in ways that glorify Him. It’s a reminder to stand firm against temptations and pursue holiness.

There’s never a single moment in which the Lord is not looking out for your best interests. Nothing slips past Him into your life by accident, nor does the enemy have even a nanosecond’s opportunity to destroy you. This is the security we receive as believers, so let’s rejoice in knowing God is always with us.

Many Christians struggle with doubts about their salvation. As they look at their failures, they question whether they’re truly saved. The apostle John wrote his first epistle to assure believers of their eternal security. Throughout the book, he gives three tests by which professing believers can evaluate themselves to see if they are truly in the faith.

1. The Word Test. Genuine Christians believe what Scripture says about Christ—that He is God’s Son, who came in the flesh to die for mankind’s sins.

2. The Witness Test. The Holy Spirit indwells true believers. They experience His transforming work, and He gives them a deep, abiding conviction that they belong to Christ.

3. The Walk Test. Christ’s life flows through His followers and will be evident in their words, attitudes, and actions. The sins they once loved are now repulsive to them, and obedience to Christ is the new direction of their life.

While we can’t be 100 percent certain about the authenticity of anyone else’s faith (Matt. 7:21), God doesn’t want His true children wavering in uncertainty about their own. That’s why John’s first epistle says, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13, emphasis added).

Do you doubt your salvation? Today’s passage says quite plainly that Jesus is “able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him,” since He’s always interceding for them in heaven (Heb. 7:25). Knowing this, let’s take a moment to understand what leads us to doubt—and then let’s counter each of those falsehoods with truth from God’s Word.

Sin makes us feel estranged from God, but His Word says that if we confess our sins, He will forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Legalism says salvation is maintained by obedience to manmade rules. Salvation, however, isn’t begun or sustained by works (Gal. 3:1-5).

Feelings can make us question whether we are saved, but they aren’t a reliable gauge of truth. Regardless of any doubts we sense in our heart, Scripture promises that Jesus will complete the good work He began in us (Phil. 1:6).

Satan is an accuser, who constantly reminds us of our sin and shame. But Paul assures us that no one can bring a charge against God’s elect (Rom. 8:33-34). 

Don’t let negative influences undermine your confidence in Christ’s ability to save and keep you forever. When doubts come, cling to these truths and boldly proclaim what the Bible says.

Modern culture encourages doing whatever comes naturally, but that approach leads only to self-centered, sinful living. In contrast, we as believers are told to make no provision for our natural or fleshly desires. This means we don’t place ourselves in the path of temptation or consider going back to the old sinful longings, attitudes, and habits that were ours before we knew the Lord.

When I was a young Christian, I heard talk about sanctification and “doing away with sin.” I mistakenly thought that when I was older, I’d have some kind of spiritual experience that would rid my life of wrong desires and thoughts. But that’s not how sanctification works. Instead, it’s a lifelong process in which God’s Spirit progressively transforms us into Christ’s image.

Even after three years in Jesus’ company, the disciples couldn’t live the Christian life on their own. They had to wait for the indwelling Holy Spirit, who gave them strength, guidance, and wisdom. That has not changed—it remains true that apart from Christ’s Spirit, we cannot overcome fleshly desires and live in obedience to God’s will.  But when we rely on Him instead of ourselves, He produces godly desires within us, empowers obedience, and transforms our character into Christ’s likeness.

Trouble is an ever-present reality in this fallen world, and there is no way to totally escape its grip. As believers in Jesus Christ, we usually turn to the Lord, praying that He will change the situation and release us from its clutches. That’s what Paul did when he suffered from what he called a “thorn in the flesh.” On three different occasions, he asked for it to be removed; however, the Lord’s final answer was that the thorn would remain.

The sufferings that the Lord allows in our life are given to us for His good purpose. The apostle’s thorn was designed to provide him with precisely what he needed—humility. The Lord likewise has care and concern for us, and His intention is for our benefit. When He says no to our requests for relief, He says yes to something even greater: His all-sufficient grace.

Perhaps you are in a season of adversity right now. Do you trust the Lord with your thorns, or are you trying to pull them out? Whenever God allows suffering to remain, He gives grace to endure it. Cooperate with Him and exult in His loving wisdom and sufficiency.

Prayer is not optional for a Christian. In fact, Jesus considered it essential, even for Himself. Though He was God’s Son, He still took time to be alone with His Father in prayer. His disciples saw this and asked Him to teach them how to pray. The prayer Jesus taught them is a model for every believer. It shows us how to:

•  Come with a focus on the heavenly Father. When you praise the Lord, your mind lets go of earthly concerns and centers on His desires and glory.

•  Surrender to Him as Lord and King. The goal of prayer is not to get God to do what you want but to align your desires and requests with His will. Such prayers are the ones He promises to answer.

•  Approach the Lord with a humble, dependent spirit. Recognize that He is the one who provides for your needs and sustains your life.

•  Seek His forgiveness and protection from temptation. Ask God to uncover anything unholy in your life and replace it with righteousness.

Developing a consistent prayer life takes commitment. Daily activities will crowd out time with the Lord unless you reserve a segment of each day to pray.

In troubled times we may begin to think that God doesn’t care or has forsaken us, but that’s not true. If we’ve trusted Christ as our Savior, He promises never to desert or abandon us (Heb. 13:5). No matter how we may feel, God is always with us.

As great as this promise is, we have yet another foundational truth on which to rely. We can fully trust whatever our Savior says because “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). He doesn’t save us one day and then abandon us later. Jesus said, “Everything the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37). He affirmed this same truth, saying that no one can snatch us out of His or the Father’s hands (John 10:28-29).

If we think that the Lord has suddenly abandoned us, we are walking by sight and not by faith. The reality is that we are the ones wavering, but Jesus and His promises have not changed. He is present, providing for our needs, and working for our good in every situation.

We live in a world that is bound by time and characterized by change. Weather fluctuates, seasons come and go, governments are established and overthrown, houses are built and eventually torn down, technology keeps advancing, and human beings are born, age, and die. We are so accustomed to these cycles that we may be tempted to think about God in this same way, but He stands apart from time and is not subject to change.

The Lord’s immutable nature is the foundation for our faith. If we believed that God’s attributes or preferences, like man’s, could fluctuate, we’d have no assurance of His love, salvation, or grace. Thinking that at any moment He might decide to cancel His promises and cast us off is contrary to everything He says in His Word. Yet many professing Christians live with this fear as they frantically try to live up to what they think the Lord desires.

A solid faith foundation is laid by studying and believing what the Bible says about God. Any time we veer from these truths by relying on what we think, feel, or hear others say, we’re on shifting sand. God’s unchanging nature is the solid rock of our confidence in Him.

I’ve walked with the Lord for more than seven decades now. I have read the Bible from cover to cover, preached thousands of sermons, and written pages and pages of study material. But let me tell you: In spite of all that, sometimes I still get scared.

When fear begins to sink in, I pray harder, study longer, and read my Bible more closely. I decided long ago that I would not let apprehension stop me from doing what God calls me to do. However, before I can take a stand against fear, I have to admit it is there. That’s the key to conquering feelings of anxiety.

I imagine you, on occasion, may feel frightened too­—whether of failure, ridicule, loneliness, or something else entirely. There is no shame in admitting you’re afraid. In the Psalms, in fact, King David makes this confession several times! (See Psalm 34:4; Psalm 55:4-5.) His confessions are often wrapped in prayer, acknowledging the Lord’s power over his fears and his enemies. And these are examples we can follow.

That same power is available to you today. God wants to cast out the fear and doubt in your life. Are you willing to go before Him today and say, “Lord, I’m afraid of ... ”

We like to believe we’re in charge of our life, but when trouble inevitably comes our way, we’re reminded that’s not true. Yet even in times of difficulty we quickly try to regain control. In an attempt to put all the pieces back together, we may resort to manipulating circumstances or people, devising strategies, or using our own efforts to fix matters.

Helplessness is one of the means God uses to break pride and produce humility. This was certainly true in Nebuchadnezzar’s life. He was a very proud Babylonian king whom God humbled through the loss of his reason. He came out of the experience a changed man who worshipped and praised the Lord, recognizing that God alone controls everything in heaven and on earth.

Think about your response when you are powerless to change a bad situation. Do you blame God or praise Him? Do you submit to whatever He allows or try to find your own way out of it? Or are you like Nebuchadnezzar, whose life was transformed by increased understanding and reverence for the Lord? Weakness is an opportunity to rely on almighty God and see how He will work out His good plan and mature you in the process.

Most of us have experienced frustration when it comes to personal issues. But what do we do when we are frustrated and the roadblock comes from God Himself?

Sometimes God uses frustration to get our attention. It can help us think about things we wouldn’t otherwise consider and perhaps redirect our path toward something new or different. So when you are harried by feelings of anxiety or restlessness, don’t rush to bury or escape them. Instead, consider them internal signals, as if your conscience is saying, “It’s time to turn inward, listen, and process your feelings.”

Rest assured, if these stirrings are from God, they will not go away, and when they recur, we need to give Him our undivided attention. We will begin to see that He loves us enough to send something very specific to set us on a new path with Him.

It is an honor to have our sovereign Creator invested in our personal life–so invested, in fact, that He may frustrate us in order to show us a better way. At the end of the day, it’s all because of His great love and His commitment to conform us to the image of His Son.

Is there something from your past that continues to stir up feelings of guilt? Unless you rest in God’s complete forgiveness, you won’t experience the fullness of His divine grace.

If you feel ashamed but don’t know why, the problem could be a false sense of guilt. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin so we can repent and be free. But guilt that persists with no specific cause comes from the devil. Ask the Lord to cleanse of you of any false guilt today.

Another source is legalistic teaching. Many people have been taught a distorted version of the gospel and think, I’ll never measure up. For example, the religious leaders of Jesus’ time followed a code of man-made rules, and they communicated the idea that “unless you do this, God won’t accept you.” Righteous deed by righteous deed, they tried to earn the Lord’s acceptance—and sometimes so do we. But this legalistic view always becomes an enslaving vicious cycle.

Remember, Jesus came to liberate us. The Bible says that when you are set free by Christ, your freedom is complete (John 8:36). It’s time to let His grace cleanse you from any shame. Ask the Lord to help you walk in this truth—and enjoy unhindered fellowship with your Savior.

Did you know painful situations never mean that God doesn’t love you? To believe otherwise is to heed the voice of the Deceiver. Think about it: Did Jesus’ suffering indicate that the Father didn’t love the Son? Of course not.

There are hardships in life we can’t always explain, but they can never cancel out or diminish God’s love. Realizing divine love is unconditional brings us ...

Joy. How wonderful to know that, whether you’re awake or asleep—no matter what you do or don’t do—the Lord’s love for you never changes.

Freedom. You don’t have to measure up to some standard in order to be accepted. Since God’s love isn’t based on your performance, you’re freed from trying to earn it—which isn’t possible anyway.

Security and assurance. You can always depend on the Father’s unfailing care, even when you have failed. He will never leave you, and His Spirit within each believer is evidence of His constant presence.

If you’ve ever watched the ocean, you know that its waves keep rolling onto the shore. Sometimes they crash with unbelievable force, and other times they’re gentle. Either way, they can’t be stopped! Likewise, there’s nothing you can do to stop almighty God from loving you.

There’s something refreshing about a cool shower after a hot, humid day spent working outside. All the filth and sweat is washed away, dirty clothes are replaced with clean ones, and you feel like a new person. Imagine having this kind of experience spiritually every day when you bow in prayer to confess your sins and receive cleansing. The weight of guilt is lifted, and you come away restored to the joy of your salvation.

Last week, we learned about David and Bathsheba. Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of confession after having sinned against the Lord in connection with Bathsheba. In Psalm 32, which scholars believe also stemmed from this transgression, David speaks of the physical and spiritual turmoil he experienced when he tried to hide his wrongdoing and refused to acknowledge his sin (Psalm 32:3-4). After he finally humbled himself in repentance, the Lord forgave and cleansed him and removed his burden of guilt and shame (Psalm 32:5).

Confession is a privilege and a refreshing spiritual “shower” that renews us in our relationship with the Lord. We come away cleansed of sin, relieved of guilt, renewed in our love and commitment to Christ, and filled with joy and hope.