Job 7:7 – “Remember that my life is but a breath, that my eyes will never again see happiness.”

Job 14:1 – “Man, born of woman, lives but a few days, and they are full of trouble.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, I was challenged.   In the words of Job, life on earth is brief and difficult. (7:7; 14:1).   We are the design of God’s creativity and exist only by His desire.  (10:8-12; 12:10). There is the hope that there is life after death, and that is reason enough to view death longingly. (14:14).

How can we live consistently unless we truly see those things?   How can we embrace them unless we have a right view of God?   How can we have a right view of God unless we experience Him?   Therefore, only as God reveals Himself to us and to the extent He reveals Himself to us can we know Him. It won’t be developed by study or even by praying.  It comes by a personal encounter.

Once we have experienced God, we can trust Him. Once we have surrendered our all to Him, we can believe His promises.   Once we believe His promises, we can live in the freedom of faith.  We develop eyes of the heart that see into the kingdom realm and extract the provision, bringing it into the present reality.

In Mark 10:23-27, we have the account of the rich man seeking eternal life. He had become accustomed to trusting his riches to purchase whatever he desired.  That mindset was the overriding mindset in pursuing Eternal Life. What must I do?  Jesus had just taught that one cannot earn Eternal Life; it can only be received.

What holds our heart controls our destiny.  The fluff of stuff snuffed out his hope of Eternal Life.   Mark 12:41-44 provides deep insight into entrance and residence in the Kingdom of God.  Token giving produces token presence!  Total giving opens the door to Eternal Life!  If we make this about money, we miss the point.   The Widow gave Everything!   What do we give?

Again, don’t let your mind focus on money.   God has no part-time or partial Christians.   That would be like saying, “I’m a little bit pregnant.”   God does not accept anything but everything! Anything less than everything is nothing!

Our hope is anchored in our complete trust!  What do we trust?  Do we trust enough to die? Total surrender – Total!

Lord, help us to trust You enough to give You Everything!

Job 2:9-10 – “Then his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!” ¹⁰ But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I saw the power of outlook and attitude.   That is not a new revelation but a reinforcement, encouragement, and challenge.

In Job’s encounter with the unseen devil, his attitude toward God overshadowed his self-pity moments.   He neared the deadly question, “Why? Why me? Why now? Why this?”   His faith shone through his darkness, and he expressed his confidence in God.

As I read the account in Mark 5 of the woman with the issue of blood, attitude became the focus, not her malady.  This woman violated the law and tradition by touching Jesus’ garment.   She was ceremonially unclean in her condition, and anyone or anything she touched became unclean.   But rather than condemning her, God healed her.  Desperate situations call for Desperate measures. Touching Jesus was all that mattered.

Jarius got word in Mark 5:35 that his little daughter had not survived the delay.   Jesus said, “Ignore it! Keep your focus on God and anchored in hope.”   He could have said, “Maintain a right attitude. Don’t lose focus.”   We are too easily distracted by the trial and open the door to destruction by allowing our attitude to shift from gratitude to one that allows self-pity or despair to prevail.

When the disciples forgot bread, Jesus warned of the yeast of the Pharisees & Herod (religious & civil authority); they missed the point.   Their focus (which shaped their attitude) was solely on the natural.  Jesus explained, “Wrong focus, boys!”   Let the experiences of victory propel you into the next victory. Let your attitude be, “With God, Nothing is Impossible!”

When Peter tried to correct Jesus in Mark 8, Jesus called him Satan.   That had to hurt!   His attitude, shaped by his outlook, was rooted in wrong motives and was a tool of the devil.  Peter had the revelation that Jesus was the Messiah but focused on the natural.

What we focus on is what we become or shapes how we become!   Who is Jesus to us?   Who are we to Him?   A right focus develops a right attitude, which elevates us to a right condition and lifts us into a right position.   From there, we perform the purposes of God!

LORD, help us to reject the question Why and embrace the question Why Not!

Matthew 27:50-51 – “Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. ⁵¹ Just then the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split apart.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I was challenged to think! I was challenged to weigh one thought against another. I was challenged to weigh tradition against the actual Word of God.

In Matthew 27:51, at the moment of Jesus’ death, the curtain in the temple that separated the courts was torn from top to bottom. Since we can be certain God places all words and events in the Bible for a purpose, we ask, “Why was the curtain or veil torn? Why from top to bottom?”

Let me suggest:

• The veil/curtain was torn to symbolize that now anyone could enter the presence of God. Now, anyone could enter the inner sanctuary of God. Access to God was open to be seen and entered by “whosoever” will.
• Top to Bottom indicates that God, not religion, grants this access.
•  Access to God is God-initiated.
• Now, there is immediate personal access to God, not just religious leaders.

In Mark 2:21-22, we have the reference to patching garments and Wineskins. That speaks several things not unrelated to Matthew 28. 

• You can’t reform the flesh (carnal nature); it has to be replaced by transformation.
• You can’t just add a few good acts to the unreformed nature and be acceptable.
• To be truly right with God, we must be transformed, not simply reformed.

We can force ourselves to pray, read, go to church, and even witness, but unless the heart is changed, it’s old Wineskins and patching garments.   Total surrender of Everything to Jesus is the only answer.  When we willingly give God access to our whole hearts, He transforms, but never reforms!

David’s prayer in Psalm 51:10-13 gives us the pathway to perfect peace—a pure heart. The heart is the seat of our motives and moral character.
A right or resolute spirit. God will never reject that level of sincerity in pursuit of Him and His purposes.

Fullness of the Holy Spirit or advocate (Paraclete).   Our inner GPS.  The source of our enlightenment and enablement.  Joy comes from total liberation from the stranglehold of sin inside.  The desire to obey is a sustaining force within.

We keep trying to do better, but God desires to make us better.  The doing out of the flesh is a form of reforming.  The doing out of being is Transformation! Don’t focus on doing; focus on being! Therein is true freedom!

Have a great day in God!

Ezra 9:5-7 – “At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement, with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the Lord my God. ⁶ I prayed:  “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God! For our iniquities have climbed higher than our heads, and our guilt extends to the heavens. ⁷ From the days of our fathers until this very day our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities we, along with our kings and priests, have been delivered over by the local kings to sword, captivity, plunder, and embarrassment—right up to the present time.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, a question arose in my heart, inspired by Ezra’s prayer (9:6).  The question was: “How much does sin bother us?”   Does it keep us awake at night?  Does it weigh on our hearts and minds knowing its result?  Does it have no effect, and we continue business as usual?  The extent sin bothers us is the extent we love God and understand the Kingdom.

In Matthew 22:32, Jesus made an interesting statement. “God is not the God of the dead but of the Living.”  The only truly dead are those who go into eternity lost.  If we are in Christ, even if we die naturally, we are yet alive.

In the discussion with the dissenter about the greatest commandment, Jesus gave the key to life. First, love God Totally!  That relationship enables and empowers us to fulfill the second, love others as ourselves.  It is becoming one with God. It is God living and loving through us.   It is Agape in action!

A key to the relationship that will make all sin horrific to us is found in Matthew 25 and the 10 virgins.

Keys:

1. They were all virgins – Saved.

2. They all fell asleep.

3. Five had an inner depth (extra oil = developed life). Five did not.

4. The prepared went in when the bridegroom came. The unprepared went to seek restoration and were locked out.

It can be too late; delay and failure to develop a consistent relationship with Jesus can cost us eternally.   Today, or better, this breath is the only breath or time we are assured of. Eternity is too great a prize to risk losing.

Another is in the account of the 5, 2, and 1 talent.  Gifts are, according to God’s view of ability, not ours.  We are only responsible for stewarding the gifts we have.  Failure to do so is treated and viewed as rebellion. It exhibits a lack of trust in God and His ability, and it disrespects God’s grace.  That is a major no-no!

How much does sin bother us?  Ours or that around us!  That is revelatory as to where we are.  Are we the 5-talent, 2-talent believer, or the 1-talent believer? Are we the 5 wise or 5 foolish virgins?

Respond accordingly!  Make it right today, for tomorrow may never come!

2 Chronicles 33:10-13 – “The Lord confronted Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. ¹¹ So the Lord brought against them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria. They seized Manasseh, put hooks in his nose, bound him with bronze chains, and carried him away to Babylon. ¹² In his pain Manasseh asked the Lord his God for mercy and truly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. ¹³ When he prayed to the Lord, the Lord responded to him and answered favorably his cry for mercy. The Lord brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh realized that the Lord is the true God.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, one key reality gripped my consciousness – Longsuffering!   God’s incredible patience and mercy! I had to stop and ask, “Why?” “How can that be?”   It is so far out of the realm of human possibility (in our strength) that it is inconceivable. Why, Lord, Why?

In 2 Chronicles 33, we have the account of King Manasseh.  He was an incredibly evil and anti-God King for most of his life.  He did horrible things! In (v 10), God confronted him and the people, and they ignored God.

So, God sent the Assyrian Army to overcome and capture them. Manasseh was carried away to Babylon in chains.  The possible torture is not listed, but (v 12) suggests its existence. “In his PAIN Manasseh asked the LORD for mercy AND truly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors,”  God responded in Mercy!  That is Amazing Grace!

Then we read, “Then Manasseh realized that the LORD is the True God.” God’s Mercy opened his eyes!  This account should shatter all arguments that someone can go too far to be forgiven!  If you are still breathing and have any hint of conscience, there is Hope!

Peter asked for a loophole in forgiveness toward others, and Jesus closed that door! Forgiveness is infinite. How often? As often as it is needed. How often does God forgive us? How often do we desire God to forgive us?

As revealed in Matthew 18:32-33, our forgiveness to others (no exceptions) is just as God forgives us!   It must be from the Heart.   That is a whole other discussion.  From the heart reveals the true condition of the heart and who controls the heart.

Grace is a gift, not a recompense for acts. The question in Matthew 19:16 is, “How can I earn Salvation?”  It is a question multitudes ask in action if not words. The man said, “I’ve done these all my life wholeheartedly.”  That was a lie. It is humanly impossible to do some of them from the heart, like loving my neighbor as myself. Flesh can’t do that; only God’s Spirit can.

Who owns our hearts?  Our words, attitudes, thoughts, and deeds are revealing.   When Jesus has the whole heart, those things flow naturally, and we can and do demonstrate long-suffering, forgiveness from the heart, and manifest Agape! It’s the Heart!

LORD, help us to embrace and appreciate your long-suffering!