Who Has Made Man's Mouth?

Ex. 4:10

"But Moses said to the Lord, Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue."

God called Moses to a specific task, but he was afraid because he was slow of speech and of tongue. God certainly could have changed Moses' speech. He could have made him an eloquent speaker, but he didn't. God's answer was, "I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak."  Even that was not enough for Moses. He asked God to send someone else. Talk about unwilling! Even though God was displeased, He said that Aaron could go with him and speak for him. The conclusion was, "I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and teach you both what to say."

Moses's calling demonstrated that God's callings are His enablings. If He wants me to serve Him, He will prepare me and equip me to do His will. He is not looking for super humans who have much to offer Him because man has nothing that God can use except a willing heart. What grace that God can empower and use a weak human for His will and glory! Even though Moses was unwilling, he still had to obey. When God calls, obedience is the only viable course! Yet, Moses' fear was so great that God in His mercy allowed Aaron to speak and to help. Such mercy and such grace! This same God is my God. Am I listening carefully for His call and His words? Am I obeying all that He says to me? Do I throw excuses in the face of God?

Father,

I confess my lack of obedience. Teach my heart to obey willingly and completely. Train my ears to hear Your plan and Your purposes.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Eternal Perspective

Gen. 50:20-21

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are to day. So do not fear, I will provide for you and your little ones."

After Joseph's father had died and was buried, the brothers were afraid that Joseph would enact revenge upon them for their wicked deed so they crafted yet another lie to protect themselves. But Joseph saw through the lie, and gave them a promise. Not only would He provide for them and their families, but they had no reason to fear. Joseph's life demonstrated practically what he believed, that is whatever man did for evil would really be God's good for him. This belief took him out of the realm of petty fleshly struggles and left him free to be used by God.

His life is a visual of Rom. 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."  Believing that all things done to me in life are used by God for my good would take me out of the realm of bitterness, grudges, revenge, jealousy, envy, etc. , and replace those attitudes and actions with contentment, submission, and a joy in being used by God for His glory. It would change my vision from being short-sighted, focusing on the flesh, to being eternal-sighted, focusing on God. I would be remembering that He has ordered all my days, even the days when men and women dish dirt, malign, and influence others against me. This is truly the eternal focus.

Father,

Keep me ever aware of You in the midst of this life and its struggle. Help me see all as Your good for me.

In Jesus name,

Amen

God's Plan

Gen. 48-49

As Jacob was giving his blessing to Joseph and his sons, the natural order was disrupted again. Joseph wanted Manasseh to get the blessing since he was the oldest, but Joseph didn't comply since the younger brother would be greater than the older. Instead, Ephraim would be the one whose offspring would become a multitude. However, this was not the only surprise in the family. Reuben's blessing was not that of the firstborn either because of the sin which he could not rectify that is sleeping with his father's concubine. Also, Simeon and Levi did not get a portion because of their violent acts toward the men of Shechem. They were divided and scattered in Israel. Joseph received the longest blessing of all. He had survived by the "hands of the Mighty One of Jacob." Jacob prayed for his family to be blessed abundantly. Although Judah's blessing wasn't as long as Joseph, it was important. From his family, the scepter would not depart.

Even though for years many incidents were brutal and hard to understand, God's purpose was reflected in this blessing. Just as justice was meted out, so blessings were given where they should have been. It is a reminder to me not to judge a situation before its conclusion; and if I never see a conclusion, to trust God that His plan will always come to pass.

Father,

Grow my faith and trust in Your purposes. Help me to rest in You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The End of the Story

Gen. 46-48

Joseph was reunited with his brothers and his father; not only that but he was able to provide for them during the years of the famine in Goshen where Jacob lived 17 more years. Joseph's life reflected God's care of him as he then in turn cared for others, his family, the Pharaoh, and the entire land of Egypt. God had special things for Joseph to do, and obviously, the years of hardship were part of his training. What I love about this account is that Joseph harbored no ill will toward those who had been cruel to him. His joy at being reunited with his family was not tainted with secret feelings of regret, revenge, or even bitterness.

For him to have this attitude, he had to live realizing that all his circumstances were ordered by God, the good and the bad. He looked beyond the earthly relationships to the one most important eternal relationship.

Father,

Give me that same eternal focus so that I can live free of the enslaving emotions of the flesh. Help me see all life as coming from you.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Tears of Joy

Gen. 43:30

"Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there."

What great joy when Joseph finally saw his younger brother! I can only imagine how many emotions flooded Joseph after being deprived of family for so many years. Even though the tables were turned and Joseph had his brothers at a disadvantage, his heart was warmed with compassion for Benjamin not consumed with hatred and revenge for the other brothers. Because his heart was right with God, his emotions were honoring to God also. When I am tempted to be angry, revengeful, jealous, etc., I need to pray that my heart will be warmed with compassion. Even though Joseph could have been justified in feeling harshly toward his brothers, that is from a human standpoint, he did not indulge in those feelings. He rested in God's sovereign plan and purpose. He had seen that what his brothers meant for evil, God meant for good. When the heart is right before God, it can be warmed with compassion toward others.

Father,

As negative thoughts intrude in my heart, reveal them to me, and replace them with your great love and compassion. Warm my heart with compassion toward all those that you bring into my life.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Fixed by God

Gen. 41:32

"...the thing is fixed by God and God will shortly bring it about."

The next chapter of Joseph's story continues to illustrate God's sovereign hand. Joseph is finally brought out of prison to interpret Pharaoh's dreams, and out of this situation, he was given power over all the land of Egypt. As if this is not enough, he supervised the plan for food preservation thus preserving the life of the nation. When his family was starving, they came to Egypt to buy food. As God would have it, they bought it from Joseph thus fulfilling Joseph's original dream. What God had fixed did come about!

Joseph's life was blessed with children, and in their naming, he proclaimed God's sovereignty as well. His firstborn was named Manasseh for "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house."  Because his life was in tune with God, he realized that God was responsible for all that had happened to him. He named his second born Ephraim, "For God has made me fruitful in the land of affliction." God's hand was not stayed by deceptive brothers, by a conniving wife, or by a forgetful butler. What man meant for evil, God meant for good.

To live in constant awareness of God's sovereign hand requires a new way of thinking, one which doesn't allow human intervention, revenge, or self-pity. Like Joseph, I would trust Him through the bad and the good not wondering why, but instead waiting patiently. "And we know that all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."  When I live like all things in my life are for my good, then I can rest in God's purposes,but when my pride and self-sufficiency are in control, then my attitude and heart will be questioning and my actions will be trying to find a way out of the situation. My decision must be to rest in God's sovereign plan and purposes because what He has fixed will come about!

Father,

Teach me this attitude of submissively accepting what You bring into my life. Keep me open and aware, never forgetting that what You fix will come to pass.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Success in the Midst of Injustice

Gen. 39:2

"But the Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man..."

Even though Joseph had been sold by his own brothers into the land of Egypt, the Lord was with him. While there, he became successful and trusted by his master. However, before long, another problem loomed into his life, the wife of his master. After she made advances toward Joseph, she framed him by accusing him of the very thing that she had tried to do. It seemed as if his integrity and character were for naught when his master threw him into prison. Once again, it says, "But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the eyes of the keeper of the prison."  Then in prison, he interpreted the dreams of the butler and baker asking the butler to remember him, but the butler did not. It was another two years before Joseph was summoned by Pharaoh. Joseph could have bemoaned this unjust treatment. If anyone deserved a pity party, he did. But he did not because the Lord was with him.

Joseph's life definitely demonstrates the sovereign hand of God at work in the life through the good and the bad. His will and purpose are not thwarted by evil men and by unjust circumstances. In fact, the Lord becomes very real when injustice comes into play. Joseph knew God was with him, and instead of bemoaning his treatment, he waited for God to work. Do I trust God through the good and the bad circumstances? Am I willing to wait patiently for His timing? Do I rejoice because He is with me? What a wonderful phrase, The Lord was with him. That is all that I need to remember, that Lord is with me.

Today, I am having finger surgery because of a silly accident. Instead of feeling stupid and wanting to kick myself, I need to rest in the fact that the Lord is with me. Instead of thinking of the cost of surgery, I need to rest in the fact that the Lord is with me. My accident did not catch Him by surprise because all my days were formed before I existed. He knows the way that I will take, and His final purpose is to bring me forth as gold.

Father,

Keep me focused on Your sovereign hand. Help me not to get overwhelmed by the circumstances of life.

In Jesus name,

Amen

A Bad Choice

Gen. 37:21

"But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands to restore him to his father."

In the preceding chapter Reuben made a very bad choice, he slept with his father's concubine thinking this act would declare him as leader of the family. Whoops! It didn't. It is amazing that some horrible decisions can't be undone. Later when his brothers tried to harm Joseph, he stepped in. He rescued his life thinking that this act might restore his favor with his father. So instead of killing him, the brothers just threw him in a pit. When Reuben was gone, Judah had the idea to sell him to a passing caravan and thus make a profit off him. So that is what they did. When Reuben came back to find Joseph, he was gone and so were all his hopes of restoration. He tore his clothes! His grief was great! Yet, the path of his choices could not be made right. What a severe lesson!

Father,
Give me your grace to wait for You in all the decisions that I make.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Strive and Prevail

Gen. 32:28, 30

"Then He said, 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed...So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, 'For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."

Jacob wrestled with God and would not let go until he had received a blessing, the blessing of a name change, the beginning of a nation, and the deliverance of his life, but Jacob was marked from that time forth with a limp. I see in Jacob a singular focus and a perseverance that supersedes pain. He wanted God's best above all. Do I persevere for God's best without giving up when things get tough?  Do I maintain my goal until it is accomplished? Do I strive until I prevail?

Secondly, I see that struggling with God leaves a mark. When God makes people His own and sets them  apart for a special service, He leaves His mark, one that is easily identified and not hidden. Jacob's mark was a limp, but what is that mark for me. Could it be a physical issue? Or is it that physical outworking of obedience to His word? "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... You shall love your neighbor as yourself."   Is my relationship with God visible to others? Am I marked by Him? Do I love others as He did? Do I obey implicitly without wavering?

Father,

Make Your mark upon me clear and bold so that I may share Your love with others.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Then God Remembered

Gen. 30:22

"Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb."

Rachel's life was full of bitterness and envy. In fact, the passage says she envied her sister who was fertile and had many sons. Not only that, but she went to Jacob saying, "Give me children or I shall die!" Such desperation! Jacob's answer acknowledged that only God could make this happen. But instead of waiting for God's timing, she started a competitive birthing cycle. Many sons were born, but it didn't ease the pain in Rachel's heart. When God finally remembered and opened her womb, she said, "God has taken away my reproach." God's timing is the only thing that eases and comforts a despairing heart. Man's efforts only make the pain worse and the situation more complicated. Am I content to wait on God?

Father,

Teach me to wait submissively for Your timing. Reveal my self-sufficiency and replace it with dependency on You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Deception

Gen. 27:36

"Esau said, Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing."

With the help of his mother, Jacob deceived his father. Certainly, this act fulfilled the prophecy from 25:23 that the older would serve the younger, but if Rebekah would have waited, would God have brought that to pass in a different way? Rebekah's action seemed to reflect Sarah's use of Hagar. Impatience with God's timing did not solve the problem, but instead brought a new set of problems. It's interesting that when Esau  sought a wife, he married the daughter of Ishmael, further building the conflict between these people groups. As Jacob sought his wife, he experienced exactly what he had done. He was deceived!  It took him 14 years to get the wife of his choice. What are the lessons from this account? Could it be that deception multiplies into more deception, or could it be showing that God can use flawed, deceiving humans to accomplish His will and purpose? Since God's purposes were not thwarted, did God work through these situations to teach character lessons? Were Jacob and Rebekah changed because of their actions? 

Father,

Teach me to wait patiently for Your will to be worked out in my life. Help me to see Your hand in whatever happens in my life.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

Reputation

Gen. 26:5

"...because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."

As God was blessing Issac, He gave the reason why. Simply, it was because of his father. Abraham was a man of faith who obeyed implicitly keeping God's charges, commandments, statutes, and  laws. This is not just a fact observed by others, but this evaluation is from God Himself. Just imagine to have God say such things! It makes me think of what God would say about me to describe the course of my life? Are my priorities the same as Abraham's? Do I choose obedience over self-will?

Such a reputation doesn't mean that Abraham did not sin (Sarah and Abimelech) or make bad decisions (Hagar), but it means his heart was for God. God doesn't look on the outward appearance, but he looks on the heart. What does God see when He looks at my heart? Do I desire obedience to all that he said and all that He wants me to do? Do I delight in Him? Am I calling out for His grace to obey so that I might bring glory to His name?

Father,

Keep my heart pure before You. Teach me to obey implicitly.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Withold Nothing

Gen. 22:12

"Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."

God was testing Abraham to see where his heart truly was. After Abraham had waited for years to have a son, God wanted to see if he was willing to give that son to God. The account does not mention a word of hesitation or questioning, instead it says that Abraham rose early, saddled his donkey, and took off. Rising early speaks to me of an eagerness to obey God's directives. Later, when Abraham was questioned by Isaac about the actual sacrifice, Abraham replied that God would provide Himself a sacrifice. Abraham's faith in God seemed amazing, but the apex came when he bound Isaac on the altar. How difficult that must have been! No wonder he is known as a man of faith, a faith that was counted to him as righteousness.

God intervened at the last moment providing a ram in the thicket. Isaac was saved, and Abraham's heart was proved true to God. Appropriately, Abraham named the place, The Lord will provide. What a convicting story! Is my heart true to God? Would I be able to willingly give up a child? Even though I say God is first in my life, is He really? God desires my affections, my heart completely. He wants nothing to pull me away from Him. I can only imagine a situation like this, but I know that God-given grace had to be given in huge measure.

Father,

Purify my heart so that it is focused completely on You. Grow me into a faith that produces righteousness.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Laughter

Gen. 21:6

"And Sarah said, 'God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me."

Sarah has a history with laughter. Earlier in chapter 18, she laughed at the words of God. She secretly doubted and mocked God's Words, but in this verse Sarah attributes the laughter to God. Here she is happy and fulfilled with the child of the promise, and the reality of the promise has changed even her laughter! Previously, when Sarah's laughter welled up from the flesh, it made her doubt God. But her pride did not deter God. His promise and words were faithful and true. When the promise became a reality, her laughter had changed. Her doubt had changed to praise. So much so that the mocking laughter of others did not shake her faith in God. Amazingly, God's power can be seen in a simple thing like laughter. Is my laughter pleasing to God? Do I laugh doubtingly at His promises? Do I allow my fears and emotions to limit my rejoicing in the great work of God's hand? Am I praising Him in all my human responses and emotions? Am I faithful even when others are mocking?

Father,

You are a great God with words that are unchanging and unaffected by human mocking. Change my heart so that all my responses are honoring to You. Keep me faithful so that the mocking laughter of the world does not affect my stand for You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Beer-lahai-roi

Gen. 16:13

'"So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, 'You are a God of seeing,' for she said, 'Truly here I have seen Him who looks after me.'"

Hagar had fled for her life because of the mistreatment of Sarah in a situation of Sarah's own creating. As she rested near a spring of water, the angel of the Lord spoke to her. Whether or not this angel was the preincarnate Christ, He spoke the words of God telling her to go back to Sarah and submit. She would be blessed by God with a large number of descendants that would become the enemies of God's chosen people. Yet God's eyes and ears were in tune with her. In particular, she would have Ishmael because the Lord had listened to her affliction. God's sovereign purposes are not limited to those who are His chosen ones.

This passage described a servant bemoaning her lot in life, yet God had seen and heard what she had said and what she had endured. What a tremendous blessing! Even though God had a plan for Hagar's life that involved the creation of an entire nation, she was most impressed with the personal nature of God. After the entire encounter, she identified God as the One who saw her and took care of her. She was rejoicing in her personal relationship with God as opposed to the blessings that she would receive. As I see God work in my life, am I focused more on Him or on what He does for me? Am I constantly remembering that He is the God who sees and listens? Do my actions and my words reflect this belief?

I think it is meaningful for me that this encounter happened at a well. So that God and I may interact personally, I am filled with living water that springs up into eternal life. As I grow in Him, I know Him by the Word, the water of the Word that refreshes me because He is my shepherd, and "leads me beside still waters."  I praise God because He sees and hears me!

Father,

Thank You for meeting me at the well everyday and growing me through Your Words. Help me to cherish our relationship more than anything. Thank You for seeing and hearing me every moment of my life.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Belief Equals Righteousness

Gen. 15:6

"And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness."

Abram's relationship with God was personal and vital. At the beginning of this chapter, the word of the Lord came to Abram saying that He would be a shield to Abram, and bless him with a great reward. Imagine having God speak to you personally declaring His unlimited protection, protection from warring nations, from interpersonal strife, from family problems, and from sadness over the lack of a son. Whatever would come into Abram's life, God would be his shield, deflecting whatever would be trying to take him down. Quite a promise! 

God had reassured Abram that his heir would be his very own son. To Abram's heart these were words of great hope. In fact, He had Abram look at the stars in the sky to see the  number of his descendants. No doubt at this time, Abram was hoping for one descendant not an innumerable amount, but Abram did not scoff or doubt, he believed. How important to believe the words of God Almighty! Because he believed, God counted it as righteousness to him. What grace! There was not an action or formulaic steps that Abram must accomplish; instead, just belief! How simple and yet how difficult! Belief in the words of Almighty God, the God who was His shield.

This same God is my shield. His words come to me repeatedly throughout the day and night, and are completely at my disposal. I think that a faith like Abrams' comes from the living words of God indwelling me. I must have a deeply personal relationship with God so that belief is my spiritual process. My works and efforts amount to nothing, but belief is everything. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting..."

Father,

Draw me close to You so that Your words are my life's blood. Build my faith so that I might walk by faith in Your promises.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Job's Repentance

Job 42:1-6

After Job's response of silence in the last chapter, he finally spoke. Humility was the essence of what he said.

• First, he acknowledged that God can do all things(creation as well as the establish man's ways).
• He acknowledged that none of His purposes could be thwarted.
• He acknowledged that he spoke without understanding and knowledge.
• He postured himself as the listener, ready to hear and learn.
• He despised himself.
• He repented in dust and ashes, the lowest possible place.

In this complete attitude of humility and submission, Job sought God. God's responded with blessing, more blessing than his former days.  What an example of a man who endured to the end! How do I handle trouble, adversity, and suffering? Am I whining or questioning? Am I trusting the hand of God and His unwavering purposes?

Father,

Build my trust in You to be as strong and unbending as Your purposes.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

God Speaks

Job 38:1-2

"Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man, I will question you, and you make it known to me."

Man's reasoning at its very best is nothing but words without knowledge. Job and his friends were unable to understand fully the purposes of God because of their finite nature as compared to the infinite, sovereign nature of God. It is as if they forgot that they were men made of dust and that their relationship with God was only by grace.When I read God's description of His creative power, I am amazed that God could speak all this into existence. Such complexity and coordination! I truly can not understand the mind of God even when He describes it.

God spoke to Job from a whirlwind which speaks of power as well as well as love. He cared enough about Job to come to him personally, but at the same time, He wanted Job to see His great power. Certainly, a whirlwind has a great power for destruction, but God did not use his voice for judgment or for destruction. He used it to give Job understanding, to open a window into His mind. God also used rhetorical questions. Ouch! They only can have one answer and definitely do not open a door of discussion. Job got the point! He responded with silence! "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?" Job's only answer and attitude can be acceptance of anything that comes from the hand of such an Almighty God.

Father,

Help me to remember I am a dust-driven man and totally unworthy. Keep me humble and aware of Your great power and majesty. Thank You for Your grace and love in saving me.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Wondrous Works of God

Job 37:13-14,24

"Whether for correction or for His land or for love, He caused it to happen. ..Stop and consider the wondrous works of God...Therefore men fear Him; He does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit."

Why does God cause things to happen? Elihu proposed several ideas: for correction, for His land, or for love, but whatever, God caused all things to happen. Knowing this fact alone should make man, and Job in particular, remember the works of God. Elihu called these works wondrous because they always bring wonder to the mind of man due to their nature and scope, but also due to the fact that the reason 'why' eludes man. Since God's ways and thoughts are not man's, man must fear God alone and not be wise in his own conceits. Would man's wisdom include repeatedly struggling to understand why and defending oneself before God?  What should be Job's response to this horrendous suffering and loss be? As I near the end of the book, I want to hear God speak. This narrative shows me in specific detail how ineffective human counsel is no matter how well meaning it is. Job's heart still ached, and his questions were still unanswered. A friend with a judgmental attitude and words is a scourge. Perhaps if his friends wanted to help, they could have just been with him coming alongside with love and not with words.  What kind of friend am I when others are in valleys of deep pain and suffering?

Father,

Keep me close to Your heart so that I may share Your heart with others. Help me always to fear You and not elevated my own thoughts.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Teach Me

Job 34:32

"Teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more..."

A new speaker has come on board to address Job and his three friends throwing into the mix the idea that Job's attitude was rebellious, but before he did that he asked a pertinent question. He wanted to know if Job had asked God to teach him what he could not see. What a wise statement! Perhaps it caused Job to think in a different way. Instead of justifying and defending himself before God and his friends, he could seek to be taught by God much like the the potter with his clay. "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, why have you made me like this? Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?"  To be taught or to be moldable takes a great deal of trust in the Potter and submission on the part of the clay because the clay abdicates his right to know or understand the whys of the situation. He is content to rest in the Potter's hand. What if I were in a situation of prolonged difficulty, loss, pain, and persecution, could I be moldable clay? Could I refrain from questioning and answering back to God? Could I trust Him in whatever He does? Difficult times and difficult questions!

Father,

Keep me moldable so that I might give up a questioning heart and accept Your sovereign plan for me. Give me Your grace and strength in the midst of hardship and adversity.

In Jesus name,

Amen

If I...

Job 31

As Job recounted his life, he repeatedly began verses with 'if I'.. If he had done the many things that he had listed, then he would have been worthy of great punishment, but in his mind, he had not. Instead he had made a commitment to live righteously, and to the best of his ability, he had. He previously thought that calamity and disaster were for workers of iniquity, but now he knows that they are not! Why?? He does not understand. Why does suffering happen to righteous people??

Job's life and problems are similar to the life of the Wurmbrands. They lived righteously and were constantly spreading the gospel. Yet, harsh imprisonment, cruelty, torture, separation, and starvation became their life pattern for year after year. Sabine was imprisoned for 3 years and then after that lived a life of severe deprivation and more persecution, but during all of that she never stopped living righteously and telling others about Jesus. Richard was imprisoned for a total of 14 years where he endured things that I could not even imagine. They both missed out on the childhood of their son and even living together, two things that I take for granted and think all people should have. But they sacrificed it all for Jesus. They risked everything to spread the message of Jesus.

Why? That is the question that Job wanted to know, and that all people want to know, but the answer is not readily available. It may never be known until believers are in glory with Jesus. But it appears that some suffering is to bring glory to the name of Jesus. In Job's case, Satan was trying to defeat one of God's servants and thus shame God. Could that be what is happening in most cases? God is bringing glory to Himself by believers who are ready to stand the test, who are ready to endure to the bitter end, and who choose Him above all else, even  a life free from horrible persecution.

Father,
Give me the measure of grace to withstand all that You have for me. Keep me ever focused on You.
In Jesus name,
Amen

God Understands

Job. 28:23-24, 28

"God understands the way to it, and He knows its place. For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens...And He said to man, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding."

As Job listened to his friends, he repeatedly arrived at the same conclusion, that is God is sovereign and knows the right way. His trust in God is still in tact although he doesn't understand the reasons for what is happening, Job is not ready to give up. Instead he is hanging on to his integrity, to his faith, and to his relationship with God. God's words are in the forefront of his mind and are key in his responses. The fear of the Lord is his wisdom helping him turn away from evil.

The lesson for me is that endurance comes through knowing God personally and knowing what God says. Those two things are the basis for all decisions, actions, and thoughts. I can't rely on how I feel on any one day because God's fire might be purifying my metal in a fire that is devastating. I can't listen to friends either because a friend sees the outside while God sees the inside, the heart and the motives.He knows what is best for my life. Like Job I can pour my heart out to God during the fire expressing my fear, sorrow, and even doubt, but that doesn't negate my trust in my sovereign God. I must cling to Him and to His Words because He knows the way of it. He knows the end from the beginning of every moment, day, blessing, and and even the heavy trials. He knows how to turn away from evil and gives me the strength to do it.

Father,

Keep me ever close to You so that I will not turn away from You when the fire burns hotter than I think that I can bear. Give me Your strength.

In Jesus name,

Amen

He Knows

Job 23:10

"But He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold."

What a glorious assurance! Regardless of the trial, the pain, the adversity, the persecution, etc., He knows. If I can just keep my focus directly here, then I won't be defeated. Trust produces gold! The problem is, do I really want to be gold, or do I want to settle for an easier path than makes me a weaker metal, something full of dross? Being willing to undergo the heat in the purification process is opening the door to great suffering as well as great blessing. It is so foreign to life in America that I can't relate realistically. 

I have been reading The Pastor's Wife by Sabina Wurmbrand. Her story (and her husband's) illustrate this verse perfectly. As she went through things that I can't even imagine, pain, torture, starvation, and cruel labor, she never took her eyes off Christ. She was constantly reaching out to others, meeting their needs and sharing Jesus. She and her husband each were prisoners for years causing them to be separated for 14 years. They missed nearly all of their son's childhood and all the normal events of life. Yet, their love for Jesus never wavered. Jesus was the most important thing to them!! It makes me look deep inside to see what is there. Is Jesus the most important thing to me? Or are my feet pretty secure in this world's system? 

Father,

Keep growing me so that when You try me, I can come out as gold.  I want to be gold for you.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

My Redeemer Lives

Job 19:25-27

"For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another, My heart faints within me."

Job's faith in God is sustained through loss magnified. Even with his so-called friends constantly accusing him, he knows, he is assured that God, his Redeemer, lives. What magnificent verses to come out of such despair! Job has faith in God's saving ability, His continual purposes, and His eternal plan.  He knows that he will see God one day. What Job values is the eternal over the temporal. What is illness and loss in the light of an eternity in the presence of God? His response reminds me of II Cor. 4:16, "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

It is one thing to know all this in theory, but it is another to go through it in practice. Job's heart must have breaking with the pain of it all, yet he knew his only hope was in his Redeemer. This hope was what was his life-line, his portion, and his refuge. Without hope in Jesus Christ, life is defeating, but with hope in Jesus Christ, life transcends the transient.

Father,

Keep my eyes fixed on You through the times of difficulty. Help me grow in Your grace as I endure by fixing my eyes on the eternal not on the transcient.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Only God

Job 14:4

"Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one."

Job's question should be the concern of all humanity. What can man do to save himself? How can he wash away the evil and cleanse himself? He can't,  no matter what he tries to do. Reformation, self-help classes, support groups, even surgery cannot change the inner nature of man. But God in His love reached down to man to cleanse Him with the sacrifice of His Son and the shedding of His blood. His blood can wash away all sin. It was David's cry when he said, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."  The Lord answered this question in Is. 1:18, "Come now and let us reason together... though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."  This cleansing is grace. God's grace reaching down to man so that man might delight in Him and bring glory to His name. As Paul said, "By the grace of God, I am what I am."  What is man without grace? Lost, sinful, and undone!

Father,

Thank you for choosing me to be covered in the cleansing and saving blood of Jesus.

In His holy name,

Amen

His Hand

Prov. 11:10

"In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind."

God has the power of life and death, that includes the lives of all Job's children. Job knows that wisdom and might belong to God, and when God tears down, no one else can rebuild. Ultimately, nothing happens apart from God's express will and purpose. All this Job knows, but that is not what he wantss. What he wants is to be able to speak to God, to ask questions, and to argue his case. Are those desires right? Should man be allowed to do that?

Perhaps, that is one of the huge points of this narrative. God wants His children to accept whatever comes from His hand. Understanding why is not necessarily in the cards. God Himself said that His thoughts are not my thoughts, and His ways are not my ways. Even if God would have granted Job's desire, would Job have understood? Probably not! Man is short-sighted while God is long-term. He knows the end from the beginning; in fact,  He knows how all life weaves together to make His supernatural tapestry. When I consider the differences between the mind of God and mine, I see clearly why communication is so limited. He is the infinite, everlasting, all-mighty, God, and I am a small, finite, flesh-flawed human. Complete understanding is not possible, but it is my hope that when I go to be with Him, I will be like Him and see Him as He is. I will understand and bring complete glory to His name.

Father,

Teach me to trust You in all the details of my life, even the hard, painful ones. Help me rest in Your peace and comfort.

In Jesus name,

Amen

An Arbiter

Job 9:32-33

"For He is not a man, as I am, that I might answer Him, that we should come to trial together. There is no arbiter between us, who might lay His hand on us both."

Job has not only endured the loss of all that was important to him in this world, but he has endured the comments of his friends who assume he had sinned against God. They saw no other reason that God would allow such suffering. It must be judgment! Actually, I have had friends who felt much the same way, who felt that anytime bad things happened, sin was to blame. In fact, for many years I thought that too. But in Job's case, it was not so. It was to bring glory to God. This fact alone is an encouragement to me when my life turns 'job-ish'. Do I bring glory to God in the midst of my suffering and affliction?

 Job finally spoke. He realized the great gulf between God and him, that is that God is not a man! Such a simple statement, but such understanding in light of the great number of people who try to make God over in their own image. Job's faith had a strong basis in God's sovereignty and His nature. Likewise, I need always to remember His sovereignty when things get difficult, to remember that He knows my end from my beginning, and to remember that He knows His plan and purpose for my life. My part is to trust Him even in suffering.

Then Job went on to say that he had no arbiter as a go-between with God. That is sad! I can rejoice because I do. I have Jesus Christ, my mediator, who paid the price for my redemption and has put me in good standing with God. This is another great fact that I cling to when the storms come. Since Jesus wants me to be one with Him as He is with the Father, He intercedes for me to that end. It is very likely that suffering and pain will be integral to the answer of His prayer. As I endure, Jesus floods me with grace to go the course.

Grace is the key to desiring to do the will of God, to delight in God even in trial, and to trust Him implicitly.

Father,

Thank You for Jesus my intercessor and for the hope I have in Him. Keep me true and focused when trials come into my life.

In His name,

Amen

Blessed Be the Name of the Lord

Job. 1:20-22

'"Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, "Naked I came from  my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong."

Job has just lost all material possessions, wealth, and even family, which no doubt was the worst loss of all. Yet, what was his instant response? Worship! What an example! He put his faith in a sovereign God whose plan and purpose was overall; and in doing this, he forfeited his right to know and understand what God was doing. His faith was full-bodied and implicit, with no questioning at all. Wow! Of course, he could not sustain this attitude. Once Satan attacked his body, his strength was frayed. Ongoing physical suffering wore down his endurance, and his questioning attitude surfaced. I am sure that his so-called friends and wife contributed to that. I find it interesting that Satan did not take his wife. Perhaps, he knew that wives often have sharp tongues, tongues that Satan felt would be useful to him. A little warning for me! What is my tongue like when circumstances go bad? Am I in attack mode seeking someone to blame, or am I resting in God and helping my husband do the same?

What I love is how is how Job instantly fell  into worship when his life was crashing in around him. This is what I want to do! I want my heart to be so close to God that whatever comes, I can say, Blessed be the name of God. It is also a check on my grasp on materialism. How tightly am I holding on to my possessions, my home, and my family? Am I keeping an eternal perspective? Am I focusing on the things that really matter? Am I helping my family pursue what is truly important in life? Certainly, all believers would say what Job said when things were good, and they would even truly believe it. But when life turns bad, its a different thing to still act in accordance with that belief. What great verses for memorization and meditation! What great verses to keep in the forefront of my mind!

Father,

Build my trust in You so that I may respond like Job did when life goes sour. Keep my perspective eternal and my grasp on this world lose, so lose that I let go easily.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Intentions

Gen. 8:21

"...for the intentions of man's heart is evil from his youth."

Although man's heart is evil continually, God declared He wouldl never curse the ground again with a flood. Sadly, the flood did not change human nature, but God's provision for human nature did. Noah's first course of action was to build an altar and offer a sacrifice with a twofold purpose: praise and atonement. In spite of man's evil heart, an atonement was possible. That atonement then was in the sacrifice of birds, but eventually it would come in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As the aroma of Noah's offering ascended, it was pleasing to the nostrils of God just as the sacrifice of the Lamb of God was supremely pleasing to the nostrils of God. Jesus offered Himself for me so that I might be pleasing to God.

I praise God for His gift of love that atoned for my sin, for His sending Jesus to pay my penalty, and for His redeeming me to be His child. But at the same time, I am still in the flesh. I must always remember the intentions of my heart are evil. Apart from Jesus Christ and the Word of God, I have no hope. My new nature doesn't change the fact that I am still in the flesh, but through Jesus' sacrifice, I don't have to yield to sin. I am no longer under its dominion, instead, I now wage a 24/7 war with sin. But thanks be to God who gives me the victory through Jesus Christ!

Father,

Help me keep my focus eternal and not on the shifting values of my flesh. My heart is full of thanks and praise for my atonement through Jesus Christ.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Crouching Sin

Gen. 4:7

"If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."

Because Cain's sacrifice was not acceptable, he knew that his best was not enough. A hard lesson for him! He could not take the criticism because his pride was in control. Instead, jealousy consumed him leading to hatred and murder, a rash act that changed the course of his life. Sin was indeed crouching at his door desiring to control him; sadly, he surrendered to its control.

The image of sin crouching reminds me of I Pet. 5:8, "Be sober-minded, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."  The lion is not strolling or getting exercise, instead he is hunting for the souls of those who are unaware, of those who are self-willed and stiff-necked, of those who refuse to surrender to God. Is sin crouching at my door as well? Definitely, and so many times, I am unaware until I have fallen prey. The narrative of Cain and the warning of Peter speak to my heart. I must always "watch and pray"  that I don't surrender to the ploys of crouching sin.

Father,

I confess my many failures and ask for Your grace and strength. Help me to be ever watching and praying.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Interpretation

Gen. 3:3

'"but God said, "You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die."'

Eve repeated God's instruction but with her own spin; sadly, it was not a good spin. The serpent questioned her about what God had said, and instead of responding with the exact words of God, she responded with only partial  details, leaving out the crucial part about about the tree being a tree of life. Seems to be a pretty important detail! Then she added an idea of her own saying that she couldn't touch the tree. Once she did that she had diluted the truth significantly. When truth is diluted, it is easy to swallow a lie, and Satan was there ready to hand-feed her palatable lies. She rationalized that the tree was good for food, that it was delightful to her eyes, and that it would make her wise. Whoa! Who wouldn't take a bite of that? As God had said, her one bite changed the course of life from that point on. Death was now a reality!

What a warning to me as I begin this new year!

• Don't rationalize the word of God!
• Don't misquote or misinterpret God's word, but instead saturate myself in it to the degree that His words are a vital part of my life.
• Make obedience the highest priority in my life by not rationalizing a behavior or decision according to its practicality, usefulness, beauty, or its educational potential. 
• Keep my eyes firmly focused on my relationship with God letting nothing drag me away from my time with Him.

"For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." Heb. 4:12-13

Father,

As I begin this year, give me Your grace and strength to obey, to be in Your Word, and to be faithful to its commands.

In Jesus name,

Amen