Job 23:8-10 – “If I go to the east, he is not there, and to the west, yet I do not perceive him.  ⁹ In the north when he is at work, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I see no trace of him.  ¹⁰ But he knows the pathway that I take; if he tested me, I would come forth like gold.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, my heart sang with joy and longed for more of God.  Job 16:19-22 reminded me of Jesus’ ministry to us. Here, I saw the ascended Christ’s ministry in heaven, which brought me comfort and joy. He is interceding for us!

In Job 23:8-10, I found great comfort through the revelation of the purpose and results of testing and trial. God is everywhere and fully aware all the time! Then (v 10), “But He knows the pathway I take; if He tested me, I would come forth like gold.”   At the end of the trial, we have victory if we persist and follow His precepts.

Job 29:3-4 reflects on what life is like when we maintain an intimate friendship with God! His presence drives out darkness.   Luke 3:16-17 points us to the truth that in Jesus, we have total cleansing!   In Luke 4:1-2, we see a valuable truth: tests always follow Blessing!

In the temptation of Christ, we see three dimensions of the test. The flesh (hunger), the ego and ambition, and vision and purpose.  In each, the devil offered a shortcut to achieving the goal.   In Luke 6:28-31, we have a revelation and reminder of how to interact with others. How to look at people and how to treat them.   The Golden Rule.

Then, here’s a reality we tend to miss or disconnect from.  Luke 6:38 is not a standalone passage.   It is the answer to (v 37).   It is the revelation of how God views our judging others.  It reveals God’s response to right & wrong judgment.    The inclusion of the Law of Sowing and Reaping is inescapable in every dimension of life!   It is an ironclad rule of the kingdom.

That also ties to Luke 6:43-45, where we understand that our expressed words are reflection pools of our hearts.  My encouragement today is that God knows all, sees all, and hears all.  He will guide us into the place of fullness IF we walk in obedience and seek intimate friendship with Him. When we give God our all, He gives us all we need to be all He designed us to be!

Take heart; the process continues, so persevere; Jesus is near!

Job 16: 18-22 – “O earth, do not cover my blood, nor let there be a secret place for my cry.  ¹⁹ Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high.  ²⁰ My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; ²¹ and he contends with God on behalf of man as a man pleads for his friend.  ²² For the years that lie ahead are few, and then I will go on the way of no return.”

We have a new day dawning, and I know in my heart of hearts we are on the brink of the most incredible time in human history.   We are kept by love, and out of that love we have peace and can know and give love.

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, a stirring transpired in my heart, mind, and spirit. In the Book of Job (believed by many to be the oldest manuscript in the Bible), we have some incredible prophetic revelations.

Job 16:19-22 caused me to ask, “Is this a forward look prophetically to Jesus’ Heavenly Ministry?” He said, “My witness is in heaven as my advocate interceding for me before God.”   According to the New Testament, this is exactly what Jesus is doing now in heaven.

Couple Job 19:25-27 to that, and it is convincing that this is indeed prophetic. “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last He will stand upon the Earth. And after my skin has been destroyed (decayed in the grave), yet in my flesh I will see God, whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold and not another.”   That is a picture of resurrection and eternal life!

In Job 23:8-10, we have insight into the reality that even though we can’t see God with the natural eye, He Is!  He will bring us to fullness through His tests and discipline.   Then (v 13) is Hebrews 13:8, long before Paul received that revelation, and Paul had possibly read Job’s words!

Job knew that we can’t always see God, but that God gives road signs to follow.   Mark addressed that in Mark 14:13.  The man carrying a jar of water.  Men didn’t do that; the women did.  That was a road sign.  God’s road signs are clear if we know what we are looking for, and if He is our focus and the Holy Spirit is our guide, we know!

The temple veil that hid the Holy Place was miraculously torn from the ceiling to the floor (top to bottom).   Symbolism = Access to God was now open to everyone, not just the priests. Also, it is God-initiated, so it is an invitation to enter His presence (Jeremiah 33:3).

Jesus, John, Zechariah, and Elizabeth were all Filled with the Holy Spirit. Simeon in the temple (Luke 2:25) had the Holy Spirit on him; they had the Holy Spirit in them (infilling).  What is my point? We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to discern the road signs of life and stay the course!

With the indwelling Christ and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, we can and should fulfill the commands in Mark 16:15-20.

Our words will have the backing of heaven, the authority of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Signs will accompany us!   Demons will flee, effective communication with God will occur, no weapon or tool of the enemy will prevail, and the sick will be healed.   We have the assurance that Jesus is working in and with us as He confirms His word with the miraculous!

Do you see what is available to us if we believe and receive it?   How can we ever be the same or accept mediocrity or business as usual?  The time is now!

LORD, help us to see and believe in our Advocate!

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!