Green with Envy | Lesson 29

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. --I Timothy 4:8

[You're welcome to print and share this lesson - CLICK HERE]

Is the grass really greener on the other side of the fence? What is it to you if God chooses to work in a way that you don't like? What is it to you if God chooses to bestow his mercy and kindness on someone you may deem as unworthy? What is it to you when God is teaching you what HE wants?

Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.   -John 21:20-23

This response by Jesus always has made me smile.  As if my attitude resounded with go get 'em Jesus! -- yeah! take that!  It is easy to see this little whining out of Peter, or someone else; but do we recognize it in ourselves when we are doing it?

As we conclude with the warnings of Bunyan that expose the 10 top attitudes that can hinder our growth in the grace of the fear of God, we must remember it is the LORD by his Holy Spirit teaching us.  He teaches us line upon line and precept upon precept.  This is how the LORD teaches those who have ears to hear what the Spirit sayith to the church.

The Final Four (hehe) attitudes that we should guard against are as follows:

1. A murmuring and repining heart
2. A high and captious spirit
3. An envious heart
4. A hardening heart (at any time against the convictions to particular duties as to prayer, alms, self-denial, or the like)

These four attitudes are the most similar in nature; yet bare studying specifically as they are most dangerous.

 The temptation for man began way back in the garden of Eden when that old serpent the devil tempted Eve by deceitfully saying "Yea, hath God said?" (found in Genesis 3:1)

Yet, this most evil attitude started with Satan and caused him to be thrown out of heaven.

Reading the book of Job gives light to what our attitude should be when we encounter various trials and when things around us need answers.

 Lets look quickly at Job 22:21 - 22 Acquaint now thyself with him [God Almighty] , and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.  Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. 

DEFINE:

• MURMUR
• DISPUTING
• DISPOSITION
• GRUDGE
• REPINE
• CONTENT
• CAPTIOUS
• CYNICAL 
• ENTANGLE
• ENVY

After reading several times over what Bunyan said about guarding one's self against a 'repining' heart, I'm sobered by this truth.  Sobered by the realization that I've had this wickedness in my own heart.  We could say the current version of a repining heart uses the word WHY.

Why God? Why this way? Why is this happening to me? 

This sort of 'why' may begin as a sincere request for information; but when the answer is delayed or withheld, we tend to fret and find fault with God's ways.

We know that the children of Israel murmured against the LORD and the LORD dealt sternly with them.  We are reminded in Philippians 2:14 to Do all things without murmurings or disputings.

When men repine at God's hand, at his dispensations, and at the judgements that overtake them, in their persons, estates, families, or relations, that their murmuring tendeth to destroy fear [of God]; for a murmuring spirit is such an one as seems to correct God, and to find fault with his dispensations, and where there is that, the hear is far from the fear of God. --Treatise of the Fear of God, pg. 64

To help us guard against those dangerous final four attitudes, let's write out the cause and effect found in the following scriptures.  Briefly answer these questions to help you.  (The "IF" you do such and such, "THEN" such and such will happen.)

1. Is there sin addressed in these verses?
2. What does God say about it?
3. What can we learn by the bad choices or right choices in these verses?

LOOK UP:

• Isaiah 14:11-15
• Deuteronomy 17:19-20
• Genesis 3:1
• I Corinthians 10:10-13
• Numbers 14
• I Timothy 6:1-8
• Philippians 4:11-13
• James 5:9
• Proverbs 13:30
• Proverbs 23:17
• Romans 1:28-32
• Leviticus 26:13-21
• Proverbs 1:7
• Proverbs 28:14
• Ephesians 4:29-32

  For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. --I Timothy 4:8