God’s Word Says….

Job 31:2-4 (MSG)

So what can I expect from God? What do I deserve from God Almighty above? Isn’t calamity reserved for the wicked? Isn’t disaster supposed to strike those who do wrong? Isn’t God looking, observing how I live? Doesn’t he mark every step I take?

My Thoughts…..

As I read this passage today, I was reminded of a sermon I once heard that has long since remained in my heart and mind. It was titled “Why do Bad Things happen to Good People”. No doubt we have felt that way before ourselves, for we see the good-hearted Christian person, who has served God and his church faithfully, dying of cancer, while at the same time we see a person living in open sin flourishing in wealth and no health issues, and we tend to ask God “why?”, don’t we? Friends, we see a good example of this in this present stage of Job’s life, and like Job, we may tend to ask God, “why?”

Challenge……

I believe that Job is showing us in his response, that in our acknowledgment of what appears to be punishment by God, we are to open our eyes and seek God’s face all the more, as we are actually witnessing His hand of discipline and we may need help in asking Him to show us in a clearer form exactly what it is that needs our attention. In this chapter Job goes down the list of things that he feels God might be opening his eyes to. No doubt as we see these things happening and we have an honest conversation with self, we can immediately seek God’s face in humility and ask for His forgiveness and subsequent help to overcome that thing that is getting our attention. That thing that is not aligned with God’s written Word and His desire for our lives. I believe that in this wicked world, we seldom find purity in its God-given, honest and true form. In other words, there is often incentives, or ulterior motives in our actions, and not always a sincerity to obedience of God’s will and His Word. Job was going through a litmus test of things that he wanted to check his purity against with God. I challenge you to join me in laying our list of things before God today and seek His approval on everything we do and/or say, that our intentions might be pure, and aligned with His perfect will.

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, I am reminded of that song “Create in me a clean Heart, Oh Lord”, because in and of our own weak selves we cannot see beyond the sin that grips us and holds us hostage every day. Like Job, I want to be honest and guiltless before You oh God, because while here on this earth it becomes an almost impossible task. Please shower Your wonderful blessings on me and Your powerful touch on my life so that I might easily fight the evil around me, the sin that is so prevalent everywhere I turn. It is so difficult to represent You in a world where there is so much opposition to You, but I know that You are all powerful over everything, and that through Your strength and power, I can do all things. As I learn from You each day, may my life and my character exemplify Your love and Your character in every way. Many of my friends are also Your holy children Lord, so I ask that You provoke them into a closer walk with You also, and that You bless them with power from above to live a similar life to the one I requested. May Your army become stronger today as a result of spending time with You, is my humble prayer that I ask in Your name alone, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.