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!