May 23, 2025

What is the most valuable thing you own? Is it gold and jewels? For us, it is our land with rental buildings for a somewhat passive income. But still, though it gives us financial stability in an uncertain world, it is not our most valuable possession. We are truly grateful for everything God has given us to manage and increase so we can give back and sow into His Church, but that is not everything. It may help us in this world, but it must all stay behind when we are called home. Job mentions an extensive list of precious treasures valued by humanity but considers our most precious possession the fear of the Lord. It counts as the beginning of wisdom, but also, to depart from evil is understanding the meaning of fearing the Lord. We need to get our priorities straight, which is what I believe is happening to Job in chapter 28 of the Book of Job. Job is turning a corner in what has happened to him and is starting to see the light of the truth, which has caused a slight change in the direction of his discourse. He began realizing what is truly priceless in this life, and it is not our belongings but wisdom, which is fearing the Lord and turning away from evil. 

Know this: You are on the right track if you seek the Lord and his wisdom because it is the most beneficial thing you can own outside of your salvation in Jesus, and it’s the only thing you can take with you when you move into eternity.

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil isunderstanding. Job 28:28

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. Proverbs 16:6

May 22, 2025

It is not wrong for Christians to defend themselves against those who claim they are the evil ones. Whether we like it or not, times for us will become harder as the wicked prevail in their unrighteous deeds. Job was not evil, but his friends thought he was hiding the truth from them and accused him of deserving punishment, but he took a hard line of defense, claiming innocence. One central point he brought up in his discourse was that God would not hear the voice of a hypocrite. 

Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? Job 27:9

Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. Judges 10:14

We see people asking for prayer and good vibes on social media while continuing their sinful behavior. What are good vibes anyway, and how can they help when we know our help comes from God? Pray to your own gods that you chose over the Almighty God, our Creator! People know what they are doing when they reject God, but they don’t realize how detrimental it will be for them. If they don’t wake up to the truth soon, they will discover their mistake, but it will be too late. God will not revoke their sentence if they go to the grave in their hypocrisy. 

May 21, 2025

With all the things we have been lied to about, how can we continue to believe everything we were taught as children? There are things we cannot see for ourselves, so we either believe what other mortals tell us or what God has told us in the scriptures. Why does the rainbow form an arch? Is the firmament still intact after the flood? If not, where did the extra water go from the flood? The Bible says there is a firmament above us holding back the waters. If the earth is a spinning ball, why does God call it his footstool? All the footstools I’ve seen are stationary. Do we believe all the Bible or only the parts we’ve been programmed to believe? Did you know that atheists are coming to believe in God because the Bible points to the fact that the earth is the center of the universe and that we are stationary? The enemy wants to point us away from God, and he has many means of doing it. His goal is to bring confusion and direct our attention away from the scriptures, which are God breathed. If the enemy can bring doubt, he can disprove the existence of God. Who are you going to believe? I’m going to trust in God and believe the scriptures. 

He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.

He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.

He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. Job 26:7-10

May 20, 2025

After Job finished speaking, Bildad realized that Job knew the power of God and seemed to agree with him on His attributes. It would do us all well to find common ground, even in a heated argument. There is always something we can agree on, but finding it is one of our problems. If you are debating biblical issues, stop for a moment, remember how wonderful God is, and point out your joy over His overwhelming awesomeness. Who could disagree with that? Bildad acquiesced with a reminder that we are all born of a woman, so who can be clean? What he didn’t know is that purification is possible, and it comes through Jesus when we surrender and are baptized, born again to purify us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. It is impossible not to sin, but we will be clean if we live in repentance. 

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places.

Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.

How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm? Job 25:1-6

By the way, this is the entire 25th chapter of Job!

May 19, 2025

Just as God sees us through the lens of Jesus, He also considers the wicked clearly for who they are and what they’ve done. We will continue to reward, but they will go on to the horror of the afterlife. God will bring everything the wicked have done in darkness into the light. We have all experienced the deeds of darkness because of our commitment to Jesus. We are their target because we have something precious for them to steal that has nothing to do with money. If they can cause us to sin, they can sully our testimony to keep others from making Jesus their Savior. You have your salvation and are forgiven, but the unsaved don’t know that and will call you a hypocrite when they see you in church after you fall. That is why it is so vital that we continue to work toward sanctification; our reputation should be clean so our testimony about Jesus will be taken seriously. The more you immerse yourself in God’s word and make prayer an ongoing conversation with God, the less likely you will fall into sinful behavior. 

Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways. They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn. Job 24:23-24

May 18, 2025

Though I tread carefully when questioning what God is doing, I don’t think it is entirely wrong or sinful. What if we never asked questions? How would we ever sort through the information we were receiving? Job knew where his help came from, but couldn’t understand why he was on trial. He knew God was refining him and that he would come out as gold, but even after careful contemplation, he couldn’t understand what he had done to deserve it or find where he had sinned. He thought that if he could see God and stand before him, He wouldn’t condemn him, but would give him strength. However, he couldn’t perceive Him, and felt that He was hiding from him. Don’t we all have thoughts like this sometimes? If only life were easy and unencumbered by dysfunction. However, would we even seek God if our lives were too easy? Let’s be honest, some of us would, but most would forget about Him. What is the solution? Immerse yourself in the Word of God, diligently seek Him by calling out to Him in prayer. God is eager to come to your rescue, so His name should be the first thing on your lips before you even take that first sip of coffee each day. If you’re in a pinch and things are beginning to spiral, call out the name of Jesus; nothing or no one can stand when Jesus’s name is invoked. Try it; you’ll see. 

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:8-10