PRIDE BEFORE GOD

 PRIDE BEFORE GOD

Ps. 5:4,5 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the slightest sin. Therefore, the proud will not be allowed to stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil. NLT

Hear ye! Hear ye! Here is a message we must all hear. God takes no pleasure in wickedness. If you do evil, the Lord notices and is not pleased with you. The Lord our God is holy and cannot tolerate the slightest sin. We must understand this essential truth. We tolerate sin, but the Lord cannot, and will not, tolerate it in any form. All sin must be dealt with if we are going to be able to have fellowship with God, both now and forever. We cannot ignore our sin and expect God to be pleased with us. Grace does not excuse us. We are accountable to God for whatever sin we do. We must deal with our sin before God or God will deal with us.

Pride is evidence of self-righteousness. All who are content with who or what they are before God will not be allowed to stand in God's presence. Only those who are humble before God have any standing with Him. We must recognize our lack of holiness and humbly come before Him with broken hearts. We must confess our sins before Him. We must be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. We must never strive to approach God on our own. We must have Jesus as our mediator. He must stand between God and us. We must immerse ourselves in the holiness of Christ. Then and only then, will we be found acceptable to God.

Listen to me, dear friend. God hates all who do evil. These are strong words, but oh so true. Be careful how you live. Do not take sin lightly. It does matter to God what you do and say. All sin must be washed in the blood of Calvary or you will be treated as an enemy of God. We must wake up to this sobering truth. Holiness never goes out of style. We must always strive to be holy because God is holy.

Stand guard over your soul and keep it pure before God. Eternity is at stake.

GOD HATES SIN

 GOD HATES SIN

Ps. 5:4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the slightest sin. NLT

I don’t think we get it too well. We somehow don’t grasp the fact that God cannot tolerate sin, even the slightest of sins. Think about it. Think about the sin that surrounds us. You can’t escape it. It is everywhere. Sin is blatantly a part of everything in our lives. It’s in the workplace, where we go to eat, wherever we go to entertain ourselves, in what we read, in what we listen to, and in our thoughts. Sin is everywhere; we can't escape it or its influence. Yet, God cannot tolerate even the slightest sin.

Why doesn’t that concern us? If God cannot tolerate it, what do you think He thinks about the way we tolerate it? Shouldn’t we be more sin-conscious than we are? What sin that you are exposed to in your life bothers you? Are you doing anything about it?

What about sin in your life? Does it bother you when you sin? God cannot tolerate even the slightest sin. If we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us and to purify our hearts and minds from all unrighteousness. If we want to live in a healthy and right relationship with God, we will not tolerate it in us as well.

Now, if God hates sin so much, why hasn’t He done something about it? He has, He came into our world cased in our humanity, and died on the cross for our sins. Jesus became our sin sacrifice. In Him, and in Him alone, God can forgive us for our sins and cleanse us from all of our unrighteousness. In Christ alone, there is no condemnation from God for our sins. Is Jesus your Savior today?

WAIT WHEN YOU PRAY

 WAIT WHEN YOU PRAY

Ps. 5:3 Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. NLT

First, in order for the Lord to listen to us, we have to speak. Our hearts must reach out to Him with a desire for His voice to speak to us. I suspect that one of the reasons why so many prayers go unanswered is that we don’t have a real desire to hear His voice. We go through the motions of prayer without giving much thought to waiting for God to speak. Prayer is not a one-way conversation.

What better way to start a new day than to spend it in fellowship with the Lord? Fellowship is lingering in the presence of God. It is waiting with the expectation that God will answer our prayers. Waiting often times is the best part. When we linger in the presence of the Lord all kinds of interesting things can happen. Who can anticipate what the Lord will do when He is in the house?

Wait before the Lord and learn. There are some things you may need to know to help you through your day or moment that the Lord wants to teach you if you will be still long enough to wait before Him. Perhaps there are things to know about others that He wants to reveal to you so you can better help them through your day. Perhaps there is a different direction the Lord wants you to go in than the path you are now on. Don’t be in a hurry when you pray. Waiting may be living in expectation of God showing up.

Today as you go about the business of life, live in anticipation of God showing up. Look for “God moments” throughout your day. Let today be a day of constant worship for you. If you do not expect anything to happen from God in your day, it probably won't. If you have an open heart and an alert mind, you will see what the Lord has for you today.

SEEK HELP FROM THE LORD

 SEEK HELP FROM THE LORD

Ps. 5:1-2 O LORD, hear me as I pray, pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I will never pray to anyone but you. NLT

We can be assured that the Lord hears us as we pray. Sometimes we become so overwhelmed by life that all we can do is groan before Him. Sometimes we can't even express what is overwhelming our souls. The Lord understands and hears what our hearts are crying out. He knows all about our groanings and is able to minister to us no matter how heavy our burdens may be. It is good to bring our burdens to the Lord and let Him handle them for us. It is good for the soul to unload on Him, even if we are unable to do anything but groan.

We need to determine in our hearts that we will only seek out the Lord, our God, for help. There is no other to turn to. God alone hears and answers prayer. In order to know for sure that it is God we are praying to, we must first be certain that we know the truth about God.

There is so much wrong teachings about God in the Church today. Teachings about God have watered down God to the point where He is barely recognizable as the God of the Scriptures. The weaker our perception of who God is, the less likely we are going to be that our prayers are going to be heard and answered. The stronger our understanding of who God is, the more confidence we will have in our praying. If you are struggling in prayer, not sure that God is hearing you, let alone answering you, then you need to get deeper into the Word and really get to know the God you profess to believe in.

It is one thing to declare with your mind who God is, it is another thing to declare it with your heart. When you know God in your heart, you will know that He hears your prayers and heart groanings. You will know He cares very deeply about what you are going through and will help you through it.  

A RESTFUL SOUL

 A RESTFUL SOUL

Ps. 4:8 I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. NLT

What do we do when we can’t sleep? Many of us do what the world tells us to do; we pop a pill. We are led to believe that sleeping soundly is not going to happen without the aid of a pill. We are told that it is normal for us to be that way. We are told that when we pop the pill we will wake up wide awake with both feet on the ground, with a smile on our face, and ready to face another day.

Long before sleeping pills were ever created, the Psalmist declared that he had no problem with insomnia. Why? Because he rested in the knowledge that he was secure and safe in the Lord. Knowing that the Lord had him in His hand was reason enough to be able to sleep. He clearly understood some things that put his soul at ease.

The restfulness of the soul affects the restfulness of the body. The restfulness of the soul stems from a right relationship with God. Righteousness with God flows from right living before God. Right living flows from sins forsaken. Sins forsaken flow from sins forgiven. Sins forgiven stem from sins confessed. Sins confessed stem from sins acknowledged. Sins acknowledged stem from God’s revelation to us.

When we are right with God we don’t have to think about and fret over things that don’t matter. All that really matters is whether or not we are at peace with God. When life’s concerns won’t let us rest, we need to rest in God’s promises. Instead of popping a pill, we need to pop into our soul God’s Word. We need to hide his Word into our hearts so that when we need them, we have them.

If you are not able to focus on God’s Word before you go to bed, be sure that you learn it well so that you can meditate on it when you can’t sleep. There is no better way to fall asleep than to be thinking about God’s promises.

Instead of taking a pill to help you sleep, do two things: don’t consume caffeine products at bedtime, and meditate on God’s Word. I am sure that if you do these two things you will be able to say with the Psalmist that you will lie down in peace and sleep, for you will know the Lord will keep you safe.

Do yourself a favor and keep moving closer to Christ. There you will find rest for your soul.

DEALING WITH ANGER

 DEALING WITH ANGER

Ps. 4:4 Don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. NLT

Many of us would just as soon not think about our anger issues. Some of us have short fuses and easily fly off the handle. We get angry at people who cross us, do stupid things, or say things that get under our skin. We get angry at unexpected turns of events that disrupt our peace and tranquility. We get angry at ourselves when we do not meet up to our expectations. We get angry a lot over people and things that really don’t deserve our wrath. Anger is an emotion that nearly everyone experiences from time to time.

There are times in which anger is a good thing. In a proper context, anger motivates us to do something about things that we otherwise would not do. There are times in which sin and injustices must be addressed. There are times in which we have to take a stand for righteousness. Apart from righteous anger, anger is not good for the soul.

We really run into a problem when our anger controls us. When we react under the influence of anger, it’s rarely anything but a bad thing. We tend to say and do things out of anger that we later regret. We hurt people and things when we are out of control.

When anger controls us then the Holy Spirit is not controlling us and the Scriptures tell us that one of the ways that we can tell that we are under the control of the Spirit is self-control. When anger controls us we have a spiritual problem. We need to confess our sin problem and ask the Lord to take control of it. Jesus cannot be our Lord while we have an anger problem.

What angers you? Take a deep breath, walk away from the explosive situation, think about what is going on, let the Lord calm you down, and let it go. You do not need to have your way. Wise is he who is able to just be quiet when things don’t go his way. It is far better to just be wronged and hurt than it is to be angry and hurt others. In the long run, the only real loser when anger is in control of you is you. Give your angry heart over to the Lord and let Him defuse it.

                                                          GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS

Ps. 1:6 For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. NLT

Good news, the Lord watches over the path of the godly. Bad news, the Lord doesn't watch over the path of the wicked. Good news, the Lord is with the godly to help them each step they take. Bad news, the wicked are all alone and have to fend for themselves. Good news, the godly know and experience the goodness of God. Bad news, the wicked know and experience the wrath of God. Good news, the godly will see the glory of the Lord. Bad news, the wicked will see the fury of God's wrath. Good news, God has given you this very moment to give your life over to Him and enjoy the wonderful life Jesus came to give. Bad news, there is no guarantee that you will ever have another moment to give your heart over to Him. Good news, in Christ there is forgiveness for every sin you have ever done. Bad news, without Christ you are stuck with your sins for all of eternity.

It is up to you as to which it will be for you, good news or bad news. Choose you this day the life you will live, the life of godliness or wickedness. And, choose you must. Heaven or hell waits for your decision.

 DELIGHTFUL LIVING

Ps. 1:2 But they delight in doing everything the LORD wants, day and night they think about his law. NLT

Those who delight in the Lord are those who stay away from the influences of evil. They do not hang around with wicked people and thus jeopardize their commitment to God. They live with joyful hearts because the Lord lives in them. They delight in doing everything the Lord wants them to do.

They don't serve the Lord reluctantly, but willingly. They don't serve the Lord out of duty, but delight. They don't serve the Lord only in what they want to do, but in all that they do. They don't serve the Lord for selfish purposes or gain, but to honor the Lord in everything.

Those who have joy in their hearts think about the Lord night and day. They never shut down as far as their soul is concerned. There is always an awareness that God is near. They understand that God is not a part of their lives, but is life itself. They understand that there is no other way to live and make it to heaven. They understand that God is always watching and they act accordingly. They let the Lord influence their living in work, play and leisure.

We need to look at ourselves and see how we are doing. It is so easy to separate our spiritual lives from our living. We can be all that we are expected to be in public and be someone else in private. This is never acceptable to God. Day and night we are children of God and must act and think like it.

SOUND ADVICE

 SOUND ADVICE

Ps. 1:1,2 Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers. But they delight in doing everything the LORD wants, day and night they think about his law. NLT

There are so many voices to choose from. So many people are giving advice these days; some are good and some are bad. We live in a day in which counselors, psychiatrists, and psychologists are everywhere. People need help and are turning to others for help without any real sense as to whether or not the person giving the advice is qualified or can be trusted to give good advice. Don't listen to those who do not know our Savior. If you need help, do your homework and be sure to turn to someone who knows the Lord and His Word. And, when Scripture is used, be discerning and see for yourself if what you hear is what the Spirit is saying through the Word.

Don't hang around with sinners. Whether you need help or not, it is not a good idea to spend a lot of time with those who don't know the Lord. We need to embrace non-Christians and have them as our friends, but not in such a way that they can influence us to sin against God. For your own sake, learn to say no to those who would try to influence you to do what you know is sin.

There is great joy in living a life that is in step with the Lord. There is no greater joy than to delight in the Lord and His ways. Day and night let us consider the Lord and His Word. Let it influence the way you think about things and live out your life, eternity is at stake.

STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE

 STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE

Ps. 1:1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers. NLT

If you are following the advice of the wicked, you are in trouble. The wicked are up to no good, always. It is what they do because that is all they know. The wicked in heart do not know the truth because their eyes are encased in darkness and they can’t see the light. Be careful who you turn to for advice.

If you are standing around with sinners, you are in trouble. It is never good to just be standing around. Idleness is the devil’s workshop. We need to be busy, working out our salvation. If you are just standing around, taking in the scenery, you are an easy target. Satan has the most trouble with those on the move. Don’t stand around, and certainly don’t do it with sinners. Hanging around doing nothing with sinners can only lead you away from God. You will be far more apt to listen to their plea for your companionship in their sin and do it.

If you join in with scoffers, you are in trouble. Scoffers are those who do not value the things of God. They reject what God says or stands for. They make light of eternity and spurn the truth. They not only make light of God, they look down on those who do stand up for truth. Scoffers are everywhere. They are in the political arena, sports, business world, and the church. They are often very persuasive, subtle, and convincing. Wise is he who stays alert and recognizes the scoffers around him. Have nothing to do with them, for they will lead you away from God.

Be aware of who you let into your life and influence you. Be diligent and protect your soul so that you don’t get sucked into a way of life that draws you away from God. Stand up against those who try to entice you into sin. There is great joy in those who do not let themselves become entangled with sin.

GOD IS STILL SPEAKING

                                            GOD IS STILL SPEAKING

Job 33:14 “But God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it.” NLT

How often does God have to speak before we listen? Over and over again God speaks to us. He tells us of His love, mercy, and grace. He tells us of the difference between life here and life in heaven. He tells us of the seriousness of sin and the horror of hell. He tells us of our need to be holy in character and influencers for Him in the world. He tells us we are sinners and need to be a people who are humble enough to confess our sins before Him. He speaks, but people do not recognize it or pay attention to it.

We don’t recognize God’s voice because we get so wrapped up in this life that we fail to consider our eternal lives. We become so preoccupied that we scarcely take the time to be still before Him. We neglect our Bibles and prayer closets where the Lord speaks. We fail to discipline ourselves to listen to His Word when it is taught and preached. We lack the discipline to shut out the voices of temptation. We fill our minds up with the voices of the world to the point where we don’t recognize the voice of God telling us not to. We spend more time entertaining ourselves with the world’s offerings than we do those things which edify our souls.

When God speaks to your soul, do you recognize His voice? If you are not hearing God speak to you, you need to rethink your priorities and put yourself in a position where you can hear Him speak. You need to be consistently in the Word so you can know what God is saying and how He wants you to live and think. You need to spend time in prayer with an open heart and ears to listen so that you can hear and recognize God’s voice. You need to be in the fellowship of the church so you can be trained to hear God speak as He speaks through His Word and people.

God does speak again and again. He wants us to hear Him. He has important things to say to us. Develop your spiritual senses so that you can hear Him speak to you. Don’t miss out on what God is saying; it is a matter of life or death for your soul.

DETERMINED GODLINESS

                                                     DETERMINED GODLINESS

Job 31:7,8 “If I have strayed from his pathway, or if my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen, or if I am guilty of any other sin, then let someone else harvest the crops I have planted, and let all that I have planted be uprooted.” NLT

Job was a determined man. He was determined that he was not going to let sin rule his life. He was not going to open the door that would lead to sin. He was going to protect his soul at all times. To the best of his ability, Job was going to live a godly life.

Job was so sure of the purity of his heart that he was willing to give up everything in his life if he were to be found guilty of a life of sin. He was determined to be found to be blameless before God, to walk on His pathway. He didn't care if he was the only one on earth to walk with God; he was going to do it.

To live blamelessly before God does not mean that we will live perfect lives. It means that we have hearts bent on doing what is right before God and when we fail we confess our sins instead of ignoring them or harboring them in our hearts.

We would do well to have the same determined spirit in our souls. Our passion must always be to live blameless lives before God. However, we must realize that even though we live blamelessly before God, we can’t always live blamelessly before man (believers included). Because of our sinful nature, we will come under fire by some who don’t know us well or understand the motives of our hearts. There will always be those who will find fault with us. Our goal is not to please man; it is always to please God. Stay true to the Lord, walk faithfully on the pathway to godliness, and determine in your heart that you will not let sin rule your life. If you do these things, all will be well with your soul.

CONTROL YOUR LUSTS

                                                   CONTROL YOUR LUSTS

Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust upon a young woman.” NLT

What a powerful and bold statement! Job determined in his heart early on in life that he would not knowingly sin against God. Lust is a willful act. It is lingering on the thought of sinful desires. It is deciding that you want what is not yours to have. You can lust after anything or anyone. No matter what it is, it is sin. It is an act of discontentment. It is saying to God what you have is not enough or good enough.

What do you lust after? What is there in your life that makes you want more of what you don’t have? What do you have that you are convinced is not good enough for you?

If you are lusting after anything but God, you need to make a covenant before God that you are going to get your desires under control and not do it any longer. God can show you what you are lusting after, but only you can determine that you will do it no more. The Lord will help you gain control over your sinful desires, but you have to be willing to let Him.

The Lord gives us desires and they are good for us. Desires that are untainted by sin that motivate us to grow and become the people God desires us to be are good. They are designed to help us, not hinder us. Sin causes us to use our desires for evil purposes instead of good purposes. In order to reclaim possession of your desires, you have to let the Lord reclaim possession of your soul. If He has His rightful place in your heart, you will not be driven by lust; you will be driven by a desire to please Him in your mind, body, and soul.

A VOW OF PURITY

                                                            A VOW OF PURITY

Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust upon a young woman.” NLT

Every believer should follow Job’s example. Everyone has someone or something that will lead them into sin if they are not careful. God made us uniquely different and only you know what your weaknesses really are. Fixation on those things that exploit our weaknesses is a very dangerous thing. It can only lead us into sin.

I encourage you to pause as you read this today and think about what your weaknesses are. If you are tempted by visual things, make a covenant with your eyes so that you don’t look at them. You can’t keep from seeing things that tempt you, but you can determine in your heart not to linger and dwell on them. If you are tempted by the things you read, make a covenant with your eyes that you will not pick up material that exploits your weaknesses and read them.

Our eyes are the gateway to the soul. What we allow our eyes to see affects our souls. The heart will dwell on what we see as long as we are looking at it. Every time we allow ourselves to dwell on what tempts us, we weaken our resolve, which only leads us into sin.

We are daily challenged by what filters through our eyes. We constantly fight the urge to justify what we look at. The sources we have available to us to look at are everywhere. Whether it’s in the public arena or in the privacy of our homes, we must take charge of our souls and not allow ourselves to linger with our eyes on those things which are sinful or lead us into sinful thoughts or actions.

Dear friend, the Lord knows what you are looking at and dwelling on. Do yourself a huge favor and make a covenant with your eyes to not play with fire and look at what tempts you. Renew your covenant daily before the Lord and your successes will far outweigh your failures. And when you do fall, confess your sin to the Lord and He will forgive you and help you to try harder the next time. There is no shame in failing, but there is great shame in not trying.

FEAR GOD, FORSAKE EVIL

                                                   FEAR GOD, FORSAKE EVIL

Job 28:28 And this is what he says to all humanity: “The fear of the LORD is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.” NLT

The fear of the Lord involves reverence, respect, reconciliation, regard, and reason. We think about God and discover who He is. We examine His claims about himself and life and come to the conclusion that He is trustworthy in all that He says. We seek to be right with God knowing that if we aren’t, we are in grave danger. We accept God for who He is and bow down before Him as our Savior and King. We acknowledge that God is holy, the judge of all humanity, and that we are accountable to Him for our lives. Knowing these things are true makes a man wise for he knows that he cannot take God lightly or his relationship with Him.

He who forsakes evil gets it. The reason why we exist is to be a holy people before God. We are not here because of some random act of nature. We exist because in the beginning God created us to be who we are so we could have a relationship with Him. He made us uniquely different from all the rest of creation. We have souls which can connect to God on a personal level. We have the ability to become one with God in love and holiness of character. We are in essence like God; we are spiritual beings. In creating us, God gives us life that will never die. He gives us the ability and opportunity to choose whether we will live with Him or apart from Him.

Real understanding is to forsake evil and live connected to God. It is seeking to live holy lives. It is taking God at His word and never looking back. It is living as if our lives and eternity really do matter. It is living as if God in His holiness really matters. It is to fear God.

MY CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR

                                           MY CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR

Job 27:3-6 “As long as I live, while I have breath from God, my lips will speak no evil, and my tongue will speak no lies. I will never concede that you are right until I die. I will defend my innocence. I will maintain my innocence without wavering. My conscience is clear for as long as I live.” NLT

Reread slowly these verses. Examine your own heart. If you cannot honestly say the same things, you need to let the Lord take control of you. We can control what comes out of our mouths. In fact, Jesus reminds us that what comes out of our mouths is what is in our hearts. If evil words or lying words come from us it is because they are in us. And if they are in us, we must ask the Lord to take them away from us. If we don’t, we will face God and have to answer to Him for it.

Are you confident enough in your righteousness that you can stand up to anyone and defend your innocence because you know before God that you are right? Now, there is a difference between a confidence rooted in self-deception and a confidence rooted in Christ. We can convince ourselves that we are better off before God than we really are. If we see ourselves in comparison to others and let that determine our righteousness, we will more than likely be led to believe we are okay. However, our standard of righteousness is not others; it is God’s Word. We must see ourselves as God sees us. If we are not living up to the standards of God, we are not innocent before Him.

The right thing to do is to humble ourselves and admit our sinfulness. There is no excuse for allowing sin to be a part of who we are. Don’t maintain you are right with God when you know you are not. Listen to the Spirit of Christ as He convicts you of sin. Then, and only then, can you say with confidence that your conscience is clear.

May we too be determined to live before God with a clear conscience as long as we live.

A LIFE VOW

                                                                       A LIFE VOW

Job:27:1-6 Job continued speaking, “I make this vow by the living God, who has taken away my rights, by the Almighty who has embittered my soul. As long as I live, while I have breath from God, my lips will speak no evil, and my tongues will speak no lies. I will never concede that you are right; until I die, I will defend my innocence. I will maintain my innocence without wavering. My conscience is clear for as long as I live.” NLT

When you come to the end of your life, how do you want to be remembered? What do you want others to remember about how you lived your life? Will they be able to say you kept true to the Lord through the bad as well as the good times of your life? Will they be able to say that you lived an innocent life before both God and man? Better yet, will you be able to say it?

It is a liberating feeling to know that you have lived rightly before God. When you know in your heart you have done what is right, you can handle whatever accusations that may come your way. It won’t matter what others may think when you know that all is well with you before God. It won’t matter whether or not others may understand or agree with you.

Like Job, we must vow before God that we will live with hearts of integrity. We must determine in our hearts that the only thing that comes out of our mouths will be truth. We must determine that we do not let any evil thing come from our lips. When we do, then we can stand on our innocence. We can have confidence before God when we are falsely accused by others. We do not have to cave in when we are confronted by others.

Is your conscious clear before God today? If you were to stand before God today, would you be okay with that? Is there anything you need to clear up with Him? Have you determined in your heart that you will not cave in to sin, no matter how great the pressure may be to do so? Have you determined in your heart that no evil or lies will ever come from your lips?

Live rightly before God moment by moment and you will never have to fear if this might be your last day on earth.

STAY THE COURSE

                                                             STAY THE COURSE

Job 24:13 “Wicked people rebel against the light. They refuse to acknowledge its ways. They will not stay in its paths.” NLT

One of the ways in which you can determine the real status of someone’s heart before God is how well they stay the course of faith. Anyone who keeps wandering off the path of faith and into a sinful life pattern does not have saving faith. Everyone stumbles and falls, but the child of God stands a whole lot more than he falls. He is able to make progress in his struggles to overcome sin. He is able to grow in his understanding of spiritual things. He strives to live a godly life.

Those who rebel against the light are wicked in their heart. These are people who refuse to live in the light they are shown. They stay in the darkness of sin instead of coming to the light. These people love the darkness instead of the light. They turn off the light so that it doesn’t shine in their darkness.

In fact, the wicked in heart even refuse to acknowledge that there is light. They acknowledge that there are many paths to heaven instead of one way. They scorn those who claim that Jesus is the only way to heaven. They may even deny that Jesus is God. They do not acknowledge God’s Word as being absolute truth. They strive to undermine the Word. They stubbornly try to be good enough for heaven without heaven’s help.

Be careful who you hang out with. The wicked will lead you away from God if you aren’t paying attention to your soul. The path of the wicked is no good for you. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and do not deviate from His path. Diligently protect your soul, because Satan is a master at chipping away at faith. If you embrace sin in any way, it can be lethal to your soul.

LET THE LORD CONTROL YOU

 LET THE LORD CONTROL YOU

Job 23:13-14 “Nevertheless, his mind concerning me remains unchanged, and who can turn him from his purposes? Whatever he wants to do, he does. So he will do for me all he has planned. He controls my destiny.” NLT

Job is speaking here of God’s sovereign plan and control over us. God knows the purpose of our lives and what it takes for us to fulfill it. He knows what we need to experience and learn in order for us to be who we need to be to serve Him best. He knows best how to build our character. He knows best how to instill within us godliness. Each of us is different and requires different experiences. Each of us has different roles to play in God’s kingdom and so the Lord has to deal with us accordingly. Some of us require great maturity of faith and some of us less maturity. The Lord knows what we don’t know and so we must yield to His lordship over us.

The Lord does not change His mind about us. He will always move us in the direction He desires us to go. We must be willing to be led though. We can refuse to go where He is taking us. But if we allow Him to have His way with us, He will make sure that we will get to where He needs us to be so that we can do what He desires us to do.

No one can keep God from doing what He wants to do. God has a purpose for everything He does. We may not always understand it, but we aren't meant to. He sees the whole picture and knows what needs to be done in order for us to be participants in His plan. All He asks of us is to trust Him as He leads us forward.

Are you letting the Lord lead you, or are you resisting Him? The plans the Lord has for you are good. You will never be happier or more content in life than you will be when you are allowing the Lord to fulfill His purposes for you. Don’t let anything or anyone keep you from following the Lord.

STAY ON GOD'S PATH

 STAY ON GOD’S PATH

Job 23:11-12 “For I have stayed in God’s paths. I have followed his ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from his commands but have treasured his word in my heart.” NLT

Can you say this about you? Staying on God’s path is not an easy thing to do. There are so many opportunities we face every day to wander off His path. God is leading us down a path of righteousness and holiness that leads to heaven. We want to get there, but we often don’t want to follow the path that leads us there. We are drawn to those paths that lead us away from God. We like what we see in the world around us and often pursue it.

The path of God requires much of us. We must be totally committed to it. We must not only hear the Word, we must live it. We must be students of the Word so we can easily determine what God wants us to do. We must be students of prayer so we can discern the heart of God as He ministers to our hearts. We must be haters of evil and resist the urge to pursue it. We must learn self-control so that our eyes, ears, minds, mouths, and hands are not gateways to sin in our lives. We must desire the things of God to the point where we invest our lives in their pursuit.

The path to God is full of many obstacles along the way. We are under constant attack and pressured to wander off it. The only way we can stay the course is to take charge of our souls. We must work hard to keep ourselves on track. We must not make excuses for ourselves. We must always let the Lord do whatever He wants and needs to do in us to make us a holy people after His own heart. We must treasure God's Word in our hearts so that the Lord has something to work with.

It takes a lot of determination and effort to stay on God's path, but great is the reward for those who do it.

A CONFIDENT FAITH

                                                 A CONFIDENT FAITH

Job 23:10-12  “But he knows where I am going.  And when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent.  For I have stayed in God’s paths.  I have followed his ways and not turned aside.  I have not departed from his commands but have treasured his word in my heart.”  NLT

       Job was a man who knew his standing before God.  He lived life in such a way that the sufferings he was going through did not cause him to doubt his righteousness.  He didn’t understand why he was suffering, but he knew that all was well with his soul.

      Job knew that God knew him and the righteousness of his heart.  He knew that God knew that he was going to be with Him once he died.  There was no shred of doubting on Job’s part.  We too can know where we are going when we die.  In fact, we must know it if we are going to overcome the many ups and downs of life. 

      Sometimes our faith is tested.  We go through sufferings and tough times to find out just how real our faith really is.  It is easy to maintain faith when all is going well.  It is in the bad times that we discover how things really are in our souls. 

      Job knew that God was going to declare his soul innocent.  He knew that God would not find fault with him.  How could he be so sure?  He stayed on God’s paths.  He did not get side-tracked by life.  He lived a righteous life all the time.  He sought always to know God’s ways and lived them.  Knowing God’s ways was a priority in Job’s life.  Job determined in his heart that he would only do what he knew what God wanted him to do with his life. 

       Job treasured God’s Word in his heart.  Because he owned them for himself, he was able to live them out on a daily basis.  We too can live by God’s Word when we value it enough to hide it in our hearts so that we can be constantly directed and influenced by it.  There is no shortcut to godly living.  We must always live by God’s Word.  It is only then that we can have bold confidence in our standing before God both now and forever.

I WILL SEE GOD!

                                                          I WILL SEE GOD!

Job 19:25-27  “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last.  And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!  I will see him for myself.  Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.  I am overwhelmed at the thought!”  NLT

       Stop for a moment and let these wonderful words sink deep into your soul.  Can you say with absolute affirmation that they are true for you?  These truths are foundational to life.  They are the truths that I live by.

       I know that my Redeemer lives.  I know my sins are forgiven and I am on my way to heaven.  I know that my Lord is coming back to earth to take me home and make all things right on earth.  I know that I will see my Redeemer face-to-face.  I long with all my heart for that day to come soon.  I long to be with Him who died for me.  I live in Him and for Him.  He is the reason why I died to myself that I may live and why I live that I may die and go to be with Him.  There is nothing on earth that is going to keep me from seeing my Lord face-to-face.  He is my all-consuming passion and will be for as long as I live.

      When I see Him I will fall on my knees and worship Him.  I will sing to my heart’s content with the hosts of heaven my Savior’s praise.  I will let the thanksgiving of my heart gush out before Him.  I will linger at His feet and let His glory flood my soul.  Yes, I am on my way home and there is nothing on earth that is going to get in my way or stop me.  My Redeemer awaits me.

     What about you?  Can you join me in the longings of your heart?  If not, you can if you bow right now before the Lord and linger there until you have that peace and assurance that He can give.  Confess whatever you need to confess and don’t let anything get in your way.  There is nothing more important to do in your life today than this.

     “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last.  And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!  I will see him with my own eyes.  I am overwhelmed at the thought!”

MY REDEEMER LIVES!

                                                  MY REDEEMER LIVES!

Job 19:25-27  “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last.  And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!  I will see him for myself.  Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.  I am overwhelmed at the thought!”  NLT

       The issue before us today is how well we know that our Redeemer lives.  How do you know our Redeemer lives?  Do you know it’s true because that is what you have been taught, or do you know it because you experience it daily in your life?  There is a huge difference between what we know in our heads and what we know to be true in our hearts.

       How well do you know your Redeemer?  Are you on good terms with Him?  Do you know Him well enough to know it when He speaks to you?  Do you know Him well enough to know the will of His heart for you?  Do you know Him well enough to trust Him with your very life?  Do you know that He always loves you and has your best interests at heart?  Do you know that He will NEVER leave or forsake you?  Do you know that He loves you so much that He will never leave you alone and let you fall into sin without trying to stop you?  Do you know Him well enough to stake your life on Him?

       If you really know your Redeemer, you will know that you will see Him with your very own eyes.  You will be so captivated by the reality of it that it will permeate every detail of your living.  You will live in expectation of seeing Him and it will fill your heart with so much joy that you can scarcely contain it.  Think about it.  Dear friend, there is coming a day in which you will see Jesus face to face!  You will see Him in all His love, glory, majesty and holiness.  Not only will you see Him, you will talk to Him and be with Him forever and ever!

     Whatever you may be going through in this life, it pales in light of what is yet to come for you.  You may have the worst life possible here on earth, but if you have Jesus, you will find that it is indeed worth every moment of your misery now.  If you have Jesus, your reward will be greater than any life you may be able to know here on earth.  You will see Jesus and He will set you free from all sin and entanglements of this life.  He will clothe you in garments of pure holiness and love.

      Don’t look around you and pine for what you see here on earth.  Look above you and pine for the things you see in heaven where your Redeemer is today.

DON'T LOSE OUT ON HEAVEN

 DON’T LOSE OUT ON HEAVEN

Job 18:5-7  The truth remains that the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.  The sparks of their fire will not glow.  The light in them will grow dark.  The lamp hanging above them will be quenched.  The confident stride of the wicked will be short-lived.  Their own schemes will be their downfall.  NLT

       No matter how brightly the wicked may shine in this world, their light will be snuffed out.  Their glory is short-lived.  People come and go and when their legacy is built around themselves they quickly fade away.

      No matter how effective or influential they may be, wickedness will be their downfall.  Whatever good they may seem to do on earth will not matter in heaven.  The darkness of their hearts will rob them of any joy in their living.  Even if they are remembered on earth, they will be forgotten in heaven.

     We need to never forget this sobering truth.  If you are counting on what you are doing with your life on earth for your joy and eternal security, you need to wake up now while you can.  The Lord only knows those who are righteous in heart.  He only remembers those who live by faith in Him.  He rejects all whose glory is found on earth and not in heaven.

      It doesn’t matter who you are, what others think of you, what you may accomplish in your life, or what you think of yourself.  All that matters is whether or not Jesus is your Savior and Lord.  And, Jesus cannot be your Savior and you live for the glory this world offers you.  As a child of God, we must lose our self and live for Jesus’ glory and honor.  It can be no other way if you want to be with God.

     You can lay up for yourself all kinds of treasures on earth, but if you do not know Jesus as your Savior, you will lose your soul to hell.  

THE WAY OF THE WICKED

 THE WAY OF THE WICKED

Job 18:5-7  “The truth remains that the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.  The sparks of their fire will not glow.  The light in them will grow dark.  The lamp hanging above them will be quenched.  The confident stride of the wicked will be short-lived.  Their own schemes will be their downfall.”  NLT

     We need to understand this truth.  God prevails over the wicked in heart.  There is nothing but darkness and emptiness, which characterizes their lives.  They have no hope beyond this life.  Whatever they may know, experience, or do in this life will be their reward.  In eternity they will be like everyone else who has denied or rejected Christ.  They will spend eternity in eternal torment understanding that it is well-deserved and did not have to be that way.

     There is hope for the wicked while there is still life, but once life comes to an end, there is no more hope.  The longer one lingers in the darkness, the dimmer the light becomes.  Linger long enough and the light simply will go out. 

      If you are counting on the pleasures of this life to satisfy your soul, you will regret it forever.  If you think that your legacy on earth is going to ease your suffering in hell, think again.  If you think that there is no God to fear or answer to, you will have a very rude awakening.  If you think you know what you are doing and that your way of life is a better way, you will soon find out just how wrong you really are.

      The truth of the matter is that there is only one way to live that will spare any of us from an eternity in hell.  Our relationship with Christ before we die determines where we will live eternally.  We cannot be in Christ and live in the darkness of evil.  The evidence of our salvation is how we live.  Words will not cut it.  Saving faith results in godly living.  Profession of faith without practice of faith means nothing. 

      Dear friend, stay out of the darkness of the wicked.  It only leads you away from God and if you stay there it will destroy your soul.                          

LIVING IN VICTORY

 LIVING IN VICTORY

Job 17:6-9  God has made a mockery of me among the people; they spit in my face.  My eyes are dim with weeping, and I am but a shadow of my former self.  The upright are astonished when they see me.  The innocent are aroused against the ungodly.  The righteous will move onward and forward, and those with pure hearts will become stronger and stronger.  NLT

       Even in the midst of the suffering he was going through, Job expressed his faith in God.  He knew God to be true to His Word.  God does not abandon His children.  God is good and His goodness doesn’t depend on our good circumstances.

     The righteous do not buckle underneath or let themselves become entrapped by their circumstances.  They face their circumstances with determination.  They do not waver in their righteousness.  Instead, they move onward and forward.  They trust in God’s character.  They do not waver in their confidence in God.  They keep on moving towards God and not away from Him.

       The righteous in heart do not sin against God by blaming God for their difficulties.  Instead, they lean on God and allow Him to make them stronger because of them.  The more struggles they go through, the stronger they become.  Faith is never made stronger through the comforts of life.  In fact, life’s comforts will usually make one’s faith weaker.

      Dear friend, do not let life’s struggles throw you.  Trust in God when you go through them.  Learn from them how faithful God is to you.  Let the Lord grow you and make your faith stronger.  Do not sit under your circumstances, rather keep on moving forward.  Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and you will soon find yourself not underneath your circumstances but on top of them.