Read Isaiah 43:1-7

During a ceremony to receive the Most Valuable Player award, NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant gave a victory speech that paid tribute to his mother, Wanda Pratt, who supported and inspired him despite the hardships their family faced. “You made us believe. You sacrificed for us. You’re the real MVP,” he said.

Like a child paying tribute to his parent, we are designed to glorify our Creator. In the preceding chapter of Isaiah, God addressed His people’s disobedience. The opening verses of chapter 43 indicate an important contrast. Even though Israel had sinned (42:24), they were still God’s creation (43:1). And the God who had created and formed them would finish the work He began; He would not abandon them.

God is connected to His people. He has a vested interest in them. And because He loves them and knows them, they should not fear. They can count on God’s presence even in the most dire circumstances (v. 2). Being God’s child does not guarantee freedom from difficulty, but we can be assured that He will be present with us.

Like a parent defending her offspring, God will act in our defense. God went before His people in battle (vv. 3–4). He rescued them from their oppressors. They were not only created by God, they were also “precious and honored.” God’s love for His people is clearly stated in this passage.

Look at this glorious reunion, calling all of the sons and daughters of the Lord “from the ends of the earth” (vv. 6–7). What a grand assurance that, despite our failure, we can know that we are loved by God. We have been created and formed by Him. He has called us to Himself. And we will be used to glorify His name.

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In addition to the reminder that our lives are called to glorify our Creator, this prophecy from Isaiah speaks tremendous words of comfort. Read Isaiah’s reassurance: not only does God know you, He will be with you no matter what difficulty you may be facing. No matter how severe the problem, your God is present and will sustain you.

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Read romans 5:1-20

Many people feel uncomfortable in cemeteries. Psychologists say it is closely tied to our fear of our own mortality. When we see a gravestone, we may feel the emotional loss tied to the death of a loved one. We may be reminded that we too will one day die.

Although much of Romans 5 is spent discussing sin and death, the apostle Paul begins by assuring us of peace and hope. We can experience “peace with God” through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf (v. 1). The word peace describes our present condition, and hope looks forward, past our own physical death, to eternity.

Verse 12 describes the central problem for humanity: we have all sinned, and because of sin we all face death. The apostle Paul contrasts the sin we inherited through Adam with what we were given through Christ. The death of Jesus, on behalf of the ungodly, is very rare indeed (v. 7). Christ did not die because we had somehow proved ourselves worthy. Rather, He died for us as we were—sinners (v. 8).

Note the difference between Adam’s actions and Christ’s. The consequence of Adam’s sin was death. Physical death and sickness are a common part of our existence. But this sin also resulted in spiritual death or separation from God. Death “reigned” (v. 14) from the time of Adam onward. The act of Adam had grave consequences, but the act of Jesus on the Cross brought grace (v. 15). The gift of Christ counteracted physical and spiritual death. By rising from the dead, Jesus conquered the grave and guaranteed eternal life.

Every one of us will face physical death. The grave is a bitter reality. But through Christ, we have been given the extraordinary gift of eternal life.

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Graveyards are a stark reminder that none of us will live forever. Does the thought of death fill you with fear or hope? Be assured that you can have a hope for eternity guaranteed by God. When you believe in Christ as your Savior, you can be assured that when your body dies, you will be present with the Lord. Trust in Him today!

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Read Genesis 3:15-18

Michelangelo, the Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet, is remembered for his masterpieces, including the frescoes that cover the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. But his admirers might forget that his art required an incredible amount of painstaking work. Michelangelo said, “If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful after all.”

Work can be rewarding, but it can also be just plain hard! The story of creation reveals God’s design for work. God Himself worked at Creation. The text says that God “finished the work he had been doing” (Gen. 2:2). And God also designed that man, created in His image, would work. He placed man in the Garden to care for it (2:15). Adam’s task would be one of caretaking for the garden and he would rule over, or care for, the animals (1:26).

In today’s passage, we see the fall out from the decision of Adam and Eve to disobey God and His design for their lives. Eve would endure the pain of childbirth (3:16). Adam’s curse would transform his work into “toil” (v. 17).

Bearing children and working were both a part of God’s original design. Both of these are intended to be good, intrinsic elements of human flourishing. But now those activities were affected by the Fall. Childbirth became laborious. Work became toil. The ground would be thorny instead of fruitful (vv. 18–19).

After God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, they would need to “work the ground from which he had been taken” (v. 23). Life would no longer be simple and pleasurable but strenuous and often difficult. Work, like childbearing, remained part of God’s design for humanity, but sin made it backbreaking.

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You may work a 9-to-5 job, be part of the new “gig economy,” or be retired. Nonetheless, we are all called to work as unto God (Col. 3:23). Whether or not we have an earthly boss, our ultimate responsibility is to serve God well with everything we undertake. That raises the bar, doesn’t it? Whatever you do today, do it for God Himself.

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Read Psalm 139:13-18

While today ultrasound technology is often associated with viewing a child while still in the womb, bats and porpoises have always used ultrasound to locate their food and predators. In addition to its use in prenatal care, scientists, inventors, and doctors also use sonar and ultrasound to detect icebergs below the surface of the ocean, to determine the height of the ionosphere, and to diagnose brain tumors.

In today’s psalm, David again talks about God’s intimate knowledge of us, but this time, he says that God sees us within the womb. The passage implies that conception is not merely a biological function but the creative working of God Himself (v. 13). David credits God with creating not just our physical features but our “inmost being.” Our identity, our looks, and even our personality have been designed by God.

Here David introduces the concept of God’s omniscience. God has the ability to see further than an ultrasound. He not only saw our physical frame in the womb but was also able to look at the details of our life. Each moment of our lives are “written” in God’s book (v. 16). Some may question whether this means we have no individual choice. But really it suggests that God has foreknowledge of the choices we will make, and He has a special purpose for each of us.

God knows our successes and failures. He knows when we will rejoice and when we will weep. Because of that, this psalm conveys an intimacy with God that surpasses all other relationships. David exclaims over his feelings toward God in verses 17 and 18. God’s thoughts are “precious” to him—yet they also escape his ability to comprehend them. God is both far beyond our scope and intimately acquainted with us, His creation.

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From the very beginning, your life was and is precious to God. As you spend time in prayer today, thank God that He knows you so intimately. Rest in the knowledge that your days are written in His book. Throughout every event in your life, God knows you and will be with you each step of the way.

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Read Psalm 139:1-12

German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen discovered the X-ray in 1895, and the first X-ray image he created was of his wife’s hand on a photographic plate. His wife was startled by the image, and is quoted as saying, “I have seen my death.” Roentgen’s discovery captivated the world and transformed diagnosis and treatment in medicine. He was awarded the first Nobel Prize for physics in 1901.

Certainly doctors have the ability to know us in an intimate way, to look beneath our clothing and our skin to see what is happening to our hearts, lungs, and internal organs. But this passage declares that God, who designed us, knows us better than anyone else. He is not only acquainted with our physical being, He knows our actions (v. 3) and even the words we will speak (v. 4). Each step we take is known by God. There is nowhere we can go that will be out of His reach.

The psalmist, King David, declares that God not only knows us as individuals, He lays his hand upon us and “hems” us in from behind and before (v. 5). The word hem means to guard or to border us. So, not only does God go before us as we move through life, He is also behind us, no matter where our path might lead.

For David, realizing God’s omniscience and omnipresence meant knowing the actions He did would be seen by God. There was no hiding from the Almighty who chose David for who He was on the inside and then loved Him despite His failures.

It is impossible for us to hide from God. Just as Adam and Eve discovered in the Garden of Eden when they tried to escape God’s notice, God sees us completely (v. 7). We are exposed, naked before Him. Nothing we think, do, or say is hidden from God.

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Take time to dwell on this amazing idea, and then read this psalm as part of your prayers to God today. The Lord knows what is in your mind and heart: the good, the bad, and the ugly. God knows what we need to confess to Him even before we say it. Therefore we can bring Him our praise, our confession, and our requests.

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Read GALATIANS 5:1

The lyrics of a popular worship song are rooted in Galatians 5:1: “It was for freedom that Christ has set us free, / No longer to be subject to a yoke of slavery. / So we’re rejoicing in God’s victory, / Our hearts responding to his love. / Jesus, we celebrate your victory. Jesus, we revel in your love. Jesus, we rejoice you’ve set us free. Jesus, your death has brought us life.”

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” This means that freedom is at the heart of the gospel. This is not “freedom” in the contemporary North American sense of self-fulfillment or self-determination, but rather freedom from sin and freedom to obey God. This kind of freedom is the gospel’s purpose! The worst response people can make, then, is to allow themselves to “be burdened again by a yoke of slavery,” be it slavery to sin, legalism, works, false religion, or anything else.

Such teaching is irrational. Why would anyone choose to return to a state of bondage or powerlessness? The idea spits in the face of the gospel.

This verse is the summary and climax to this section of Paul’s argument in Galatians. The gospel must be maintained and defended. To add works or anything else is heretical, because that would mean we’re putting our faith in something other than the person and work of Christ. To do so is to regress from freedom to bondage, from truth to falsehood, from adulthood to childhood, from grace to works, and from salvation to sin.

We have every reason and all power in the Spirit to “stand firm”! This is a key biblical phrase, used throughout Scripture to indicate active faith (see, for example, Ex. 14:13; Isa. 7:9; Matt. 10:22; and 1 Cor. 15:58).

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Paul saw true freedom as being slaves to Christ (Rom. 6:22; 1 Cor. 7:22). An interesting book on this topic is A Better Freedom: Finding Life as Slaves of Christ, by musician and writer Michael Card. He explores biblical passages on this topic and reflects on them in light of the history of slavery in America and contemporary race relations.

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Read JUDGES 7:1–25

The weapons of warfare have changed dramatically over the millennia. From hand-to-hand combat with crude implements to the development of firearms to nuclear weapons and military drones, humanity continually devises new ways to gain a military advantage against the enemy.

By all accounts, ancient Israel certainly did not have a military advantage. When warfare was conducted by hand-to-hand combat, having fewer people meant the odds would be nearly insurmountable.

The Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern people had an infantry as thick as locusts (v. 12). Israel’s army, whittled by God to a meager 300, was vastly outnumbered (vv. 7–8). More than that, the foreign oppressors had the advantage of a camel cavalry, and every soldier was armed with a sword. By contrast, the Israelite army was a poorly equipped militia, bearing not swords but trumpets, empty jars, and torches.

Why would God deliberately stack the deck against His people in this way? Didn’t reducing their odds only frighten the already timid Gideon? But of course it was exactly God’s intention to destroy the idea that this battle could be fought or won by human skill or savvy. His complaint that Gideon had “too many men” (v. 4) reminds us that the impossible odds in this story have one purpose: to preserve God’s glory. God will not share His glory with Gideon, nor will He share it with Gideon’s army. It must be clear to them, and indeed to all of the Israelites, that God alone had saved His people.

The final battle cry of Gideon’s regiment reminds us that the odds are never as impossible as they seem. Gideon and his men didn’t need swords, not when God planned to use Midianite ones!

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Where we see impossibility, God sees miracle. This is why the apostle Paul delighted in his weaknesses, claiming that God’s power was made perfect in them. Whether your weakness is a physical limitation, an economic disadvantage, or a paralyzing fear, what would it look like to begin trusting that God could use it to glorify Himself?

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Read JEREMIAH 17:7–10

A forest of quaking aspens in Utah is known by the name Pando, meaning, “I spread.” It’s also called “the Trembling Giant.” This is because all the trees in this 106-acre forest are genetically identical and are believed to have a single, combined root system. In essence, this forest is a single tree with 40,000 trunks, each of which appears to be a separate tree from an aboveground perspective

Being firmly rooted is a spiritual necessity. In light of yesterday’s devotional, how can we put down roots that are not deceived by wealth or stressed out by worry over temporal needs? How can we cultivate roots that will help the Word grow and bear fruit in our lives? We want to be “rooted and built up” in Christ (Col. 2:6–7)!

Today’s reading pictures such a person as a “tree planted by the water” (v. 8). The roots take in the life-giving water, and therefore the tree remains green and fruitful even in extreme heat or drought conditions (cf. Ps. 1:3). This person is indeed “blessed,” meaning happy or content.

One key to rootedness is faith. The person who is like this green, well- rooted tree is “one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him” (v. 7). The sins of worry and anxiety fall short in precisely this area. Worry takes over when we do not truly believe that God can or will provide. That sort of person, one who turns away from God to trust in “mere flesh,” is “like a bush in the wastelands” (vv. 5–6).

Another key to rootedness is the heart. Unfortunately, our hearts are “deceitful” and “beyond cure” by any human means (v. 9). Only God, who made our hearts, can comprehend and heal them. Only He can plant us by streams of water and make us fruitful.

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John 15:1–17 is an excellent related passage to read and meditate on today. Just as the fruitful tree is positioned near the stream, so also must we as branches “abide” or “remain” in Jesus Christ the Vine. These words indicate a close relationship in which we’re dependent on Him. As He taught: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

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Read MATTHEW 13:18–23

Symbolizing the importance of agriculture to Nebraska, a massive statue of a sower scattering seed is set atop the state capitol building in Lincoln. The bronze statue weighs 9.5 tons, stands 19.5 feet tall, and is placed on a 12.5-foot-high pedestal molded to look like corn and wheat. The “Sower” took sculptor Lee Lawrie 13 years to create; it was finally installed in 1930.

From Jesus’ familiar parable of the sower, we can learn another significant lesson about worry. Among the four types of soil in this story, our focus is on the third: “Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants” (v. 7). Jesus provided the interpretation: “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful” (v. 22). In a parallel passage, it “stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature” (Luke 8:14).

The “worries of this life” include food and clothing (see Nov. 1–3), employment, children’s education, and retirement. They’re normal and natural, but when they take over they’re nothing but “thorns.” The “deceitfulness of wealth” refers to the fact that money can make us feel in control, as a result of which we tend to put our trust in it (see Nov. 7–10). We are deceived if we think and act as if money can save us or is a worthy object of faith.

The consequences of worry are disastrous. It strangles trust in God. It makes us faithless and fruitless. We remain spiritually immature and fail to live out “the message about the kingdom” (v. 19), that is, the gospel. We become like salt that has lost its saltiness (see Matt. 5:13).

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Despite Scripture’s clarity about it, we Christians are often culturally influenced to take worry lightly. For example, we might whitewash the sin of worry in the name of planning. Isn’t anxiety about a plan just natural? We must remember that our plans should be dominated not by worry or pride but by faith in and submission to the Lord (James 4:13–16).

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Read EXODUS 4:1–17

The biblical narratives the past two days are inspirational and instructive, but we might wonder if they’re relevant for us. Esther is an inspiration, but our daily lives rarely include confrontations with empires. Saul is an instructive negative example, but we’re unlikely to be in a position to forfeit a kingdom.

We might relate better to Moses. His self-doubt in today’s passage feels normal or understandable, though it reveals a lack of faith. We empathize with his fear of public speaking (v. 10). We see that his faith grew and developed over a period of time, which is something we also can aspire to.

God appeared to Moses in a burning bush and called him to lead the Israelites out of slavery. Moses’ worries were understandable. Egypt was a world power. The Israelites had been their slaves for four centuries. What reason could possibly entice Pharaoh to let them go? Moses was a disgraced former member of the royal court (having been raised in the palace), and a murderer, now living incognito as a desert shepherd. Why would the Egyptians respect or listen to him? For that matter, why would the Israelites (v. 1)?

God graciously provided for Moses’ worries. Moses’ staff became a symbol of God’s power. He was given specific signs to perform, signs designed to show that Israel’s God was greater than the gods of Egypt (vv. 2–9). God also reminded Moses that He Himself had created speech, language, and the tongue, meaning that He would give him the needed words and speaking abilities (vv. 11–12, 15). He also gave him a helper, Aaron. Despite his reluctance and anxiety, Moses obeyed in faith. And as we know from Jesus’ parable of the two sons, obedience is what matters (see Matt. 21:28–32).

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The classic film The Ten Commandments (1956) can help the life of Moses and the story of the Exodus come alive in our imaginations. Why not take some time to watch or re-watch this movie with family or friends, then discuss it together? What biblical themes emerge as most powerful? How does the film handle the biblical text?

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Read ESTHER 4:6–16

A good biblical definition of courage is standing firm in the Lord. As Paul wrote: “I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you” (Phil. 1:27–28).

By this standard, Esther is a tremendous example of biblical courage. She stood firm in the Lord and was not frightened by those opposing her, even though they were among the most powerful men in the world. Though initially and understandably worried by the challenges facing her, she responded in faith and God gave her success.

Esther had definite reasons to feel anxious. Haman, a powerful court official, had plotted to commit genocide against her people, the Jews, a plan that had been enacted into imperial law (Esther 3). For Queen Esther to attempt to intervene on their behalf, as her uncle Mordecai had requested, meant putting her life on the line. Appearing before King Xerxes without a summons brought an automatic death penalty, unless he pardoned the offense (v. 11).

Mordecai declared that God had placed her in her royal position “for such a time as this” and exhorted her to join the Lord’s side (v. 14). Esther’s faith was firm but not reckless. When she said, “If I perish, I perish” (v. 16), she was not embracing stoicism or fatalism but expressing dependence upon God. We know this from her prayer and fasting and from her request for her people to join her in coming before the Lord in this way. We might compare her with Joseph, who accepted that God had sent him into slavery to save lives and deliver His people (Gen. 45:4–11). In the end, God answered their prayers, blessed Esther’s intercession before Xerxes with success, saved the Jews, and executed justice on Haman.

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Yesterday, we encouraged you to “be still” before the Lord. Today, we urge you to “take courage.” Perhaps God has shown you what to do, but the way seems difficult or risky. Follow Esther’s example. Don’t be anxious or fearful, but rather seek the Lord in prayer and fasting, then step out boldly in courage and faith.

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Read PSALM 37:1–13

In God’s Prayer Book: The Power and Pleasure of Praying the Psalms, Ben Patterson wrote about Psalm 37: “This psalm could be really irritating,” because when we think we have good reason to be upset, we don’t want to be told to calm down. “However, this psalm is a powerful tool against worry and rage in the face of evil. . . . [I]t insists on the same few basic ideas over and over again: God will bring about justice for his people in his own way.”

Injustice would seem to be a legitimate reason for anger and worry. But even in a good cause, sinful anger and worry are still sinful (v. 8). Fretting about such things is misplaced envy (v. 1). Whatever success or advantages the wicked seem to enjoy at the moment are an illusion. “They will soon wither” and “die away” (vv. 2, 9–10). They have “no future hope” (Prov. 24:19–20). They do not pose any real threat. In fact, God laughs at them, “for he knows their day is coming” (vv. 12–13).

Therefore, the central question remains one of faith: Do we trust God to provide? Will He right wrongs and accomplish justice? If the answer is yes, why do we persist in worrying? Instead of being anxious, we should trust and delight in the Lord (vv. 3–4). We should commit and submit our ways to Him (v. 5). We should “be still” in His presence and wait for Him to act (v. 7).

Godly waiting is patient, not passive— this is not an excuse for inaction. The point is that when we put our hope in the Lord rather than in ourselves (v. 9), He will vindicate and reward us (v. 6). Meekness, then, is about humble dependence on God. As Jesus also taught, “the meek will inherit the land” (v. 11; see Matt. 5:5).

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Whatever you’re facing today, why not take a few extra minutes to “be still” before the Lord (v. 7)? “Being still” carries the ideas of patience, calmness, peace, faith, and reverence. Stop clamoring. Pause your thoughts. Turn off your smartphone. Remember that He is sovereign over all peoples and all of history. He invented justice!

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Read PSALM 23

A national study recently found that one of every 25 American teenagers has attempted suicide. One of every eight has thought about it. Suicide is in fact the third-leading cause of death for young people aged 10 to 24 years.

Sometimes life can seem over- whelming, and it may seem that the only way out is death. But this is an evil lie. The truth is that while God never promised life would be easy, He can and does provide in the face of the impossible. This is communicated in today’s familiar psalm, especially in verse 5: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

This is an image of provision as well as protection. Picture King David as an honored guest at a banquet given by the Lord. They are not allies, for that would imply equality. God is the King of Kings, and David is a vassal king who has been taken under His protection. God Himself will protect and defend David and the nation of Israel against their enemies. They have absolutely nothing to fear!

“Shepherd” was a common ancient Near Eastern metaphor for king (v. 1). Ideally, a king was to care for, provide for, and protect his “sheep” (people)—though in practice, of course, human kings did not and could not live up to this ideal. Even David couldn’t live up to it perfectly. Only God can do that! He provides food, rest, guidance, comfort, and protection for His people (vv. 2–4). The key is His presence—“You are with me.”

David’s confidence extended beyond a specific set of circumstances to all of life. He believed God’s “goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (v. 6).

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If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, seek professional help and Christian counseling. Worry and anxiety can be expressions of mental disorders needing trained psychological assistance, and we should be thankful for the resources God provides for our mental health.

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Read EXODUS 16:9–35

GOD PROVIDES EVEN WHEN WE GRUMBLE

Brownberry’s Natural Wheat bread once updated its recipe to something softer and sweeter. It turned out not to be a good move. Thousands of loyal customers let the company know they were angry about the change. One wrote, “This isn’t just bread we are talking about, it’s a lifestyle.” In the end, the original recipe was reinstated.

People don’t like change, and they especially don’t like change when it involves food. So perhaps it’s no surprise that before and after God provided food for the Israelites in the wilderness, they grumbled and complained. As we’ve seen clearly this month, God’s provision is key to understanding worry and contentment, so we’ll spend about five days focusing specifically on how the themes of provision, worry, and contentment connect and interrelate.

In today’s reading, God met the people’s needs even when they grumbled and failed to express trust in Him (v. 3). In no sense did they deserve the meat (quail) and bread (manna) that He provided (v. 12). This doesn’t excuse their sin, but it’s reassuring to know that His provision doesn’t depend upon us.

God’s larger purpose was not to fill their bellies but to inspire worship. That’s why He directed that some manna be put in the Ark along with the tablets of the Law as a memorial (vv. 32–34). But the Israelites, like us, were slow learners. Though God provided manna just as He had promised, they didn’t obey His instructions. Instead, they gathered extra for the next day and failed to gather any for the Sabbath. What’s more, they later complained about God’s provision of manna, which sustained them throughout their forty years in the wilderness, because they didn’t think it was as good as the food they remembered having in Egypt (Num. 11:4–6).

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Believers giving and sharing to meet one another’s needs is another way that God provides, and it is also evidence of faith in action (Acts 2:44–45; James 2:14–17). That’s why Paul cited verse 18 from today’s reading when encouraging the Corinthian church to give toward the needs of Jewish believers in Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:13–15).

Continue reading Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – GOD PROVIDES EVEN WHEN WE GRUMBLE →

Read HEBREWS 13:1–8

Martin Luther once wrote: “It isn’t sinful to have money and property, a spouse and children, and a house or home. But don’t let these possessions control you. Rather, make them your servants and be their master. Remember what people say about a kind and generous individual, ‘He is master of his money.’ Money doesn’t control him.”

As we wrap up these days studying worry, contentment, and money, we see that the bottom line is that we can serve only one master. Greed means that we are worried and anxious about and focused on money and things instead of God. So unless we are free from greed we cannot truly follow Christ. Today’s verse is embedded in a series of exhortations that describe a life of genuine Christian discipleship.

With reference to our topic, we have two commands in verse 5. The first is negative, “Keep your lives free from the love of money.” Another translation says, “Your conduct must be free from the love of money.” This includes money-related greed, envy, covetousness, worry, and anxiety. The second command is the positive flip side, “Be content with what you have.” “Content” means pleased or satisfied.

Two main reasons are given for these two commands. The first is that God is always with us. The writer of Hebrews quotes Joshua, when he succeeded Moses as leader just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land (Deut. 31:6, repeated by Moses in 31:8). This implies not only that God provides, but also that His presence is all we need. The second reason is therefore that God is our unchanging helper and protector (vv. 6, 8; Ps. 118:6–7). His power certainly transcends any of the perceived power or control given by riches. Put these two reasons together and we have no room left for worry!

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If we are to master our money, we need good teaching and good tools. Bible studies on money, stewardship, and giving are solid places to start. The sound principles taught in, for example, the Financial Peace University seminar, have helped many. Tools such as budget worksheets, financial calculators, and expense-trackers are also useful.

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