Psalm 23:1-3

The Lord is my Shepherd (to feed, to guide and shield me), I shall not want. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still and quiet waters. He refreshes and restores my soul; He leads me in righteousness for His name’s sake.

God will lead us where we need to be if we are willing to follow. Our current circumstances are changeable when God gets involved, as we are open to His guidance. God is more than willing to restore our souls and bring us the relief we need. We must believe that He can and will in faith.

Hebrews 13:5

Let your character (your moral essence, your inner nature) be free from the love of money (shun greed-be financially ethical), being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you!”

Greed will not gain a foothold when we trust God for our provision. A clear understanding of the Word written about God’s promises toward us removes the doubts. We are to trust and be trustworthy, and God will reward our faithfulness as He is faithful to us. 

Psalm 11:5-6

The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and His soul hates the (malevolent) ones who love violence. Upon the wicked (godless) He will rain coal of fire; fire and brimstone and dreadful scorching win will be the portion of their cup.  

God is love, and who He is and what He represents is opposite to the wicked. The wicked will have no portion with God. God will put out the lamp of the evil, and they will receive punishment for their deeds. 

Proverbs 28:21

To have regard for one person over another and to show favoritism is not good, because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.  

God instructs us not to be a respecter of persons and to show favor because of wealth, skin color, relationship, and position. God can see the heart of man and judges by the heart. Man judges by outward appearance, which does not mean the person deserves favor. 

Proverbs 24:19-20

Do not get upset because of evildoers, or be envious of the wicked, for there will be no future for the evil man; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.  

In troubling times, when the darkness of evil increases, the Lord reminds us that there will be punishment for the sinful man. God knows the end from the beginning, and the wicked will have no future. Keep our eyes focused on God; He will comfort, protect, and strengthen our hearts. 

Proverbs 15:10

Be He loves one who pursues righteousness (personal integrity, moral courage and honorable character). There is severe discipline for him who turns from the way (of righteousness) and he who hates correction will die.

It takes courage to pursue an honorable character. It means we will maintain our integrity even in the face of temptation or pressure from friends or family to compromise our faith. God loves and will reward those who pursue righteousness even in the face of opposition. The rewards for staying true to God’s commands are more significant than any reward the world could offer. 

Proverbs 11:25

The generous man (is a source of blessing and) shall be prosperous and enriched, and he who waters will himself be watered (reaping the generosity he has sown).

A person willing to give doesn’t fear losing what they give away—fear of never having enough and not trusting in God as the provider will stop people from giving. God loves a giver who knows and trusts in Him and will bless a giver. The first step is trusting in the Lord and understanding the tithe and giving.

1 John 1:7

But if we (really) walk in the Light (that is, live each and every day in the conformity with the precepts of God), as He Himself is the Light, we have (true, unbroken) fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, His Son cleanses us from all sin (by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations).

Doing our best to keep close to Jesus daily keeps us away from sin. We don’t lose our focus or our way with worldly and only temporarily satisfying things. The light of the Word will remove the dark thoughts and struggles from our minds. Jesus will help us avoid and stay away from sin. 

John 3:16

For God so (greatly) loved and dearly prized the world, the He (even) gave His (One and) only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him (as Savior) shall not perish, but have eternal life. 

Our salvation turned us from a life of sin, and now we have Jesus as an example of avoiding sin. God’s love for us bridged the gap through the sacrifice of Jesus to bring us back into fellowship with Him. We no longer have to live a life in sin; if we do miss the mark, we are to confess and get back into fellowship with God. 

1 Peter 5:8-9

Be sober (well balance and self-disciplined), be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith (against his attack-rooted, established, immovable), knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. 

The devil will talk to us and suggest things. He is sly about it and slips it in when the guard is down. We are not to accept every thought that comes into our head but cast down imaginations that are not Godly. We are to resist the devil and speak the Word; the Bible says the devil will flee. Be strong in the Lord, and keep your guard up.