Jesus IS Better

Jesus IS better!

But do we live like that is true? Do we live in such a way that communicates to the world around us that all we need is the presence of God in our lives in order to be fulfilled?

In the Psalms, we find King David expressing that he is satisfied in God's presence. Not in riches, or glory, or worldly possessions, but in God alone. God calls David "a man after His own heart," and David loved God greatly, but David messed up so bad so many times. He wandered from God and spent a great portion of his life living just how he wanted, but He always turned back to God. He learned that the presence God is better than anything else in this world.

"As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness."

Psalm 17:15 NKJV

"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Psalm 16:11 NKJV

How is it that we can come into the presence of God today? Through Jesus Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 2:9, Paul explains that we cannot even fathom with our human understanding what God has in store for those that love Him. Philippians 4:11-19 portrays Paul as one who has found the secret to being content with whatever he has in life no matter if it is little or much.

What's his secret? It is knowing that as long as we have God's presence, we have all that we need and we "can do all things through Christ" who gives us strength.

So, what is it that keeps us from applying this assurance to our own lives? What keeps us from this peace? There are many things, but one, in this age of technology, stands out from the rest.

ENVY.

We are crowded by images and videos of "perfect" people doing "perfect" things. Social media has completely ruined us.

In Proverbs 14:30, the Bible says that jealousy (envy) is rottenness to the bones.

What does dead flesh do as it rots? It breaks down slowly over time, emitting the gaseous odor of decay as it does so. The smell of rot attracts the scavengers who then come and pick the flesh apart until it is gone and nothing but dry bone remains. Dry bones which eventually turn back to dust.

Envy does this to us. To our spirit. Envy is a disease that rots us to the core until the stench of decay follows us around like a black cloud of death and despair. Envy twists us, until we are so unpleasant to be around, so zombified by our own lusts that we wonder through life mindlessly seeking to satisfy the desires of our flesh. But we don't have to. We have a choice to make. Jesus or the world. God's way or our own way. The eternal or the temporary.

"After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot rule the eternal."

Max Lucado When God Whispers Your Name

Seeking our own way in life with selfish ambition and bitter envy (James 3:14-16) rots us. Wanting what someone else has and hating them in the process because you can't have it will blind you. It's like picking the blinders of disbelief back up and putting them on voluntarily. What use are you to the kingdom of God if your mind is so consumed with the ways of this world that you forget your purpose in it? Our purpose as believers is to spread the message of the Gospel, offering hope and life through Jesus Christ to those who are still lost.

Envy robs us of that purpose. Envy lies and says that what God has given us already is not good enough. Envy steals the joy we can only find in Christ. Jesus is better than anything else we can find here, so why do we spend so much time pining over things not meant for us?

As believers, we are in this world, but not of it (John 15:18-19), and we are called to be different (Romans 12:1-2). But as women, it is so easy to get stuck in the comparison trap. Social media has made it easier than ever to be bombarded by envy-inducing images. How can we be happy with our life when everyone else looks like they have it so much better? We allow the lie to deceive us. By our own selfish desires, we follow envy into the snare of temptation where we are lured into sin. But it is just that, a lie, and Jesus is better!

Sister, let me remind you, the grass is not always greener, and you have far more important things to do than compare your life to the lives of others. We must train ourselves to "take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). Instead of being envious of another, we should be happy for them, pray for them, and then pray for ourselves that we would not fall victim to envy and jealousy. Let us turn our eyes to Jesus instead. Why? Because Jesus is better!

Jesus paid our sin debt with His life, so to believe the lie that what we have is not good enough is a great insult to His sacrifice.

"Anytime you feel jealous or envious, you reject your uniqueness. It's a criticism of God's plan for you."

Rick Warren

Jesus is all we need to be fulfilled, if only we would come to believe that. How can we? By remembering that we have been bought and paid for and set apart for a greater purpose. We are to seek first God and His kingdom. Seek first the presence of God in our lives and let everything else be a byproduct of our being God's beloved children.

Let us remember that all we need in this life to be satisfied is Jesus. All we need to feel safe, loved, seen, heard, (fill in the blank), is Jesus. Let us pray today that the Lord would help us live like we believe that; that He would, through us, shine His light into the lives of others, and that we would help others to see that Jesus is better!

Stay humble, stay hungry, and keep choosing the good portion!